What makes a great sell sheet? A guide for self-publishers
Introduction
On its surface, the sell sheet may seem like just a static piece of marketing material. But under the surface, it should be flexible enough to be used in a number of different situations and for different reasons, have a clear message and purpose, and look like it was designed by a professional. Here is a brief discussion of these three key ingredients.
1. Flexibility of use
The sales sheet must perform several marketing tasks at the same time. For example, it must be flexible enough to support your sales and marketing efforts in many different situations. Like being used by dealer sales reps, or leaving it with someone in a face-to-face meeting. You should be able to give a quick overview of the book, but also provide links, email addresses, and phone numbers that the reader can use to quickly get more detailed information.
It should be formatted so that it can be easily sent via email and direct mail. It should be included in the book’s media kit, in print and online. It can also be used to start a conversation or leave it with the potential buyer to investigate further. This flexibility, and its ability to help with many important marketing tasks at the same time, makes the sales sheet an important and powerful marketing tool.
2. Clear and objective message
The sell sheet should also have a clear message and purpose that is obvious to the reader and book buyer. All of the information on the sell sheet should answer the basic questions the buyer will have about the book. Questions like “How will your book help them? Why should they care about your book? What’s in it for them?”
Your “call to action” should be easy to find and offer the reader several options to learn more about the book, or go directly to place an order. Remember, your ultimate goal is to help you achieve multiple marketing goals at the same time, eventually leading to more book sales.
3. Professional design
The sell sheet should also look like it was professionally designed and printed. It must have a physically attractive design. It should grab the reader’s attention. You must use the proper use of colors and fonts, text boxes, bullets, white space, use of keywords, etc.
The information you provide should flow easily, quickly, and nicely across the page. Your layout should bring clarity to the sales discussion and cover all the essential information about the book. It should also convey respect for the book buyer and show the author’s credibility on the subject.
conclusion
By creating a sales sheet that is flexible enough to be used for different marketing purposes, has a clear message and goal, and looks professionally designed, you will have created a great sales sheet that will support your marketing plan and It will undoubtedly improve the sales of your book.