By The WBR Team
Last year, we published a guide on how to come up with a book title. While the book title is an important marketing tool, choosing one can leave any author feeling stumped. However, that’s not where the work ends. You still have to come up with a compelling book blurb that motivates readers to buy your book.
In this blog, we’ll break down how to write a book blurb that generates your desired business results.
What’s in a blurb?
The book blurb or description typically goes on the back cover and at the top of your Amazon page (if you’re publishing on Amazon KDP). It can be one of your book’s most powerful selling points. It not only summarises what the book is about, but it’s also a direct pitch to the reader – convincing them why they should buy your book.
Think about it. How often have you walked into a bookstore, picked up a book, and purchased it simply because the description promised an interesting read? And how often have you dropped a book because it didn’t feel like it was right for you?
A blurb is like a sales pitch. When done right, it can evoke an emotional connection in readers and directly drive book sales. When left to chance, however, it could be one of the reasons why your book doesn’t seem to generate the results you want.
So, how do you write a catchy book blurb that actually sells?
How to write a book blurb that sells
Having created and helped publish over 80 books since 2016, we’ve collated five of our best tips for success.
1. Start with a compelling hook
Generally, you only have a few seconds to catch your readers’ attention, so you have to make it worthwhile. A good book blurb should be interesting from the very first line.
You want to start with a compelling hook that stops them in their tracks and encourages them to keep reading. This could be a question, a bold or sensational claim, or a call to drop their old/pre-existing beliefs, as we see in Tim Ferriss’ 4 Hour Work Week:
“Forget the old concept of retirement and the rest of the deferred-life plan – there is no need to wait and every reason not to, especially in unpredictable economic times.”
Here, the reader is being told that they don’t need to wait until their 60s to live the life they want – they can actually start now. That’s enough to get anyone interested in finding out more about how they can pull this off.
2. Speak to the reader’s pain and show them how the book will solve their problems
Once you’ve captured your audience’s attention, you want to show them that you understand their pain and that your book can actually help ease or eradicate that pain.
Doing this helps you build an emotional connection with the reader, allowing them to envision what their life would look like after reading your book. However, you don’t have to go overboard with this. Keep it simple and direct. What unsolved problems or questions do they have? What exactly will they get by reading your book?
Here’s an example of what this might look like from one of our clients – Adam Cerra’s High Ticket Revolution: Zero to $ix Figures – A Closer’s Journey to Wealth:
“Have you ever wanted a career that offers you more freedom? Do you wish that you had the ability to actually enjoy a life with your family and do what you truly enjoy without an over-demanding job requiring every ounce of your time, attention, and energy to just make ends meet?
Reclaim control over your life and your work-life balance. Discover a life-changing career in high-ticket sales – an opportunity that offers not just six-figure freedom, but the chance for a job in which you can truly thrive on your terms.”
It works well because it clearly articulates the reader’s pain points – an unfulfilling career, an over-demanding job, no time with their family, etc. It also promises them a way to change their lives – a new, fulfilling career that offers them all the freedom and benefits they currently lack.
3. Showcase your credibility
Why should readers listen to you? For every book you publish, there are other options that your readers can probably purchase instead. So why should they trust you to be their guide?
When writing a book blurb, you want to showcase your credibility by throwing social proof into the mix. This could be reviews from other industry experts, your years of experience, or some impressive stats, facts, and figures.
Using Adam’s example above, the blurb also highlights why readers should trust him to take them on this new path to a rewarding career:
“For the first time outside his prestigious Cerra Closer Academy, Adam reveals the secrets that allowed him to personally close over $30m in high-ticket sales (all working from home!) and lead his own team of expert closers currently closing over $2m a month in sales for his agency’s clients.”
4. Use compelling keywords
The advent of online shopping and e-books means that people can now actively search for the books they want to read using specific keywords. This means that if you want your book to be discoverable, you need to use high-traffic, relevant keywords.
You also want to use specific words that will evoke an emotional response in them. Phrases like “reclaim control”, “truly thrive”, and “life-changing career” are great examples.
5. Keep the book description short, sweet, and simple
To capture and hold readers’ attention, your book description must be easy to read. Don’t overcomplicate things by using jargon or long, run-on sentences. Use simple words, clear sentences, and, as a general rule of thumb, keep your blurb no longer than 200 words.
This way, you’ll make your book blurb approachable, accessible, and fun for your target audience.
Have you found any of these tips helpful?
If you’d like further help with bringing your business book to life, book a clarity call or email us at info@writebusinessresults.com to find out more about how our team of experts can help.