Do Interviews Sell Books?
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I just bought a book I can’t wait to read.
Why?
Because I heard a great interview by the author on the radio. I knew I had to get his book.
Alex Mandossian often said, “You don’t make money writing books, you make money explaining books.”
Test it for yourself.
Think about the last time you bought a book. Wasn’t it either because someone recommended it, or because you somehow heard the author talking about it and it seemed interesting to you?
Notice too the viral element. I’m telling you about it, and word is going out via my blog, emails, Twitter, Facebook. All because of one interview! (And no, I do not work for the publisher. They don’t know I’m doing this, but I would love a review copy, hint hint!)
Check out my past Virtual Book Tours and see if you’re not at least tempted to get one of the books. Just browse the left-hand column for an author or topic that interests you. I’ve got lots of topics to choose from, from leadership to parenting to health. www.virtualbooktourexpert.com
The book, by the way, is Richard Swenson’s In Search of Balance: Keys to a Stable Life
Why is a topic for another blog post….
2 Comments
July 17th, 2010 at 4:17 pm
It’s true: several times recently I’ve heard an author interviewed on NPR and have then gone to amazon.com to take a look at the book. More frequently than not, I end up ordering at least one book by that author.
But I also think the visual element is important, at least for me. The initial spur may have been hearing the author interviewed; however, it was definitely the “shopping” quality of amazon.com that reeled me in at last, and got me to order other samples of the author’s work. Looking at Reader Reviews, checking out a page or two inside the book, and reading the Editorial Reviews to get a good idea of the characters and plot line are what cinch the deal, in my case.
July 17th, 2010 at 4:39 pm
Excellent point, Betsey! Thanks. I too went to amazon for more info. What convinced me was the review saying that this is NOT just a rehash of his earlier books. So many times it is. I already had the other books.
Reviews are important, and amazon offers a wonderful service.
Although I have to add, you have to take reviews with the proverbial grain of salt. I hate it when reviewers slam a book it’s clear they haven’t read. We have to be discerning about reviews, both good (which may be “planted”) and bad.