Book Cover Update
An indie author's work doesn't stop with the book release
Looking at the latest sales numbers for my two novels, The Good Killers and My Favorite Suspects, it's pretty clear that I need to do something to modify the sales campaign for My Favorite Suspects.
Part of the struggle of being an indie writer is to try to figure out what your audience wants and then give them something that meets those expectations. To that end, I’ve been paying very close attention to reader feedback on this Substack. I put out a reader survey last year. I've tried different sales approaches with My Favorite Suspects have been tracking sales numbers very closely. For example, I’ve modified keywords, categories, and ad copy on Amazon and the end result of that is, quite surprisingly, that both My Favorite Suspects and The Good Killers fall into the same sales categories.
I say surprisingly, because I didn't quite expect a short novel with low-key stakes about a guy who works in a supermarket and solves small-town crimes to stand aside my other novel, which is about an ex-soldier who capitalizes on his military training to smash apart international crime organizations.
With that in mind, the only thing I had left to do as an indie writer is to go back and revisit the things that function as the sales funnel on Amazon: specifically, the title, cover design, and book blurb.
I didn't want to change the title at this point (and Amazon won't let you change the title of a book that’s in print, anyway.) Also, I like the title and I think it fits the story.
So, I went back in analyzed all the covers of the top 100 books in the categories that this book fits into. I redesigned the cover to better conform to those expectations.
Then, I went back and looked at the book blurb. I spent more time rewriting the book blurb and running it past my marketing advisor to make sure that I wasn’t saying anything that went outside of what the book can deliver, while still changing the tone and focus of the blurb to incorporate as many keywords as possible and meet with the expectations of the target categories.
The end result, six design concepts later, is the new cover:
And here’s the new blurb:
In the middle of investigating his first crime, Terry Perez discovers that he's actually an accomplice, and every step is bringing him closer to danger.
All investigators start their careers somewhere—but not all of them survive. In "My Favorite Suspects," Terry finds his first case while working a bottom-rung job. He has no skills, no experience, no craft, and no tricks. What he does have is trouble: crimes to solve, his job on the line, and a female friend to rescue. His only ally is a grifter who may be setting him up to be her next victim. Somehow, he must save his friend, get enough evidence to clear himself, and learn how to stay ahead of the people trying to shut him down.
My Favorite Suspects is a page-turning dive into the criminal life of Rust Belt America. This novel will appeal to readers who enjoy action in their mysteries, characters who hide behind layers of deception, and heroes who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. Join Terry as he learns how to balance on the knife edge between sleuth and criminal.
Because of the publishing schedule I’ve created for MFS, I’m working on posts at least 4-8 weeks before they actual go “to press” and land in your mailbox. I’m happy to report that the new blurb and cover image have actually worked to increase sales, KU page reads, and the sales ranking of this book!
Going forward, if sales continue to improve with the new sales strategy, then it will also mean a change in tone and direction for the Terry Perez book series. Although it won't be as outwardly violent and dark as the Ben Rossi series, it’ll probably take on a darker tone, more in keeping with (for example) Mick Herron’s Slow House series than something more suited to a cozy.
See you on Notes!
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Items mentioned in this post (ads):
Mick Herron’s Slough House series - Book 1
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