Are your book sales on the light side? Are the limping along? Do you know that every author needs to master the art of selling? And do you know why?

How about … Ineffective authors lose books sales. And money. Could that be happening to you?  If so, that’s a tad of a downer.

At the core is sales. Selling books. Pitching your book … and yourself. Even if no one told you that the job description for “author” and “writer” had “sales” sandwiched between the covers, you need to realize that you and every other author is in sales from the moment the day starts. It may not be all about your book, but sales are in play. Be it convincing yourself that you are going to tackle a problem that’s been looming; deciding between the chicken or taco salad; interacting with an irritated customer, colleague or boss; or wooing others to your point of view . . . you are selling—either to yourself or others. And that includes books.

That’s the challenge. The general public often thinks of a salesperson as a liar, manipulator, or fast-talker. If your mannerisms/styles are those of the ”perceived” salesperson, trust and credibility take a hit. I mean, no authors want others to think that they are liars and overall bad people. Long term relationships may never materialize if that happened. Rejection is in play. 

Rejections Happen … all the time!
Oooh … the rejections word–no one likes them. No one wakes up and says, “Hooray … I can hardly wait for the next rejection.” But here’s what’s happening: when you can’t handle rejection, you don’t want to pick up what you perceive to be a 250-pound phone or meet new people because you just know that the rejection experience will happen. It feels awful.

With all the electronic gizmos we have today for communicating, phone contact necessary—be it good news or bad news? You bet. Outside of actual one-on-one contact or live video, phone interfacing is crucial. Hearing voice tones adds a significant dimension to any words that flow. 

Begin with the end in mind.
Sounds good—what does it mean? That means being clear on the specific goals you want to achieve and then determine the specific activities necessary to attain those goals. If it’s selling more books–yes!–then start there. 

Will rejection happen?
Of course it will. To overcome the pit in your belly when it smacks you in the face, start with:

1. Separate what you “do” in your role –author– from who you “are” as a human being—i.e. self-worth and self-esteem. Regardless of whether or not someone chooses your solution—you are still the same human being…..creative, dependable, funny, generous, etc. 
2. Set your goals, set them high and go for it. Rarely do you excel unless you stretch yourself. Don’t let anyone tell you what you can or cannot achieve. Be clear on your personal vision and goals, have a plan to achieve them and refuse to let anyone or anything stand in your way.
3. Use a sales process that is focused on continually adding value and is all about the other party, which is something many talk about but few implement. This is where relationship selling surfaces. Yes, it focuses on Relationships, Engaging, Leveling, Asking, Tailoring and Endorsing. It’s all about creating trust and credibility so you can quickly clarify, qualify and move forward.

Relationships are built on trust and credibility—with yourself and others.
We authors need to think of it as being a member of the 4-H club is essential in building relationships—Humor, Humility, Honesty, and cHutzpah. Instead of raising critters … you are raising a book!

Engage others in something of interest about them. It’s all about THEM …  not you. 

The axiom, knowledge = power is inaccurate. It’s knowledge + implementation = power. The more you know and you are able to use will put you ahead of the class. You will be about them so you are perceived as a “partner” versus a vendor or salesperson.

Level your expectations every step of the way. Gain mutual commitments about next steps. If there is no next step—stop. 

This is appropriate with almost any interaction for effective communications—whether a job interview, meeting with a co-worker/boss/peer or prospect … or selling books. Ask, “What would you like me (or do I need) to do next?” Clarifying expectations eliminates confusion.

Asking questions—lots of them—is essential.
The more you know, the better you can provide a solution that fits the need of your potential buyer. 

Tailor your solution to meet their specific needs—no more no less. Remember, you are a problem solver.

Endorsements are always good to pull from. Gain them from everyone who you know that has benefited from your sage words. The more “buy-in” you have up front, the greater your chances of a successful sales going forward.

When you’re selling yourself and your book, this how to differentiate yourself and create long-term relationships. A smart author move.

Yes, every Author Is Involved in Sales … from the get-go!

Dr. Judith Briles is a book publishing expert and author of 36 multi-award books. She’s guided over 1,000 authors in creating their books, earned in excess of $3,000,000 in speaking fees based on her books and gathered over $2,000,000 in onsite book sales at her speaking gigs. Her latest book, How to Create a $1,000,000 Speech flips a difficult topic into a simple and easily comprehensible plan. If you want to get into speaking, this is the guide that will be the game-changer to success.

Get your copy today.  https://amzn.to/2Ur3Seg