You might think my purchase of a feather duster has nothing to do with writing, but I found a correlation.
Relationships. That is why I bought my feather duster from Fly Lady (website here).
Fly Lady has an excellent housecleaning system that I am too free-spirited to follow. However, I have been receiving her emails for years. I know she is not my friend. She is running a business. However, her consistency and warmth led me to believe she cares about her customers.
When I needed a new feather duster, I first went to Amazon. The reviews on every duster I saw said the dusters that arrived weren’t as pictured, but had as few as four feathers. Other dusters disintegrated quickly. I remembered that Fly Lady sells cleaning supplies. Because of our email relationship, I elected to pay more than twice the price for her duster. As you can see from the photo, I was not disappointed.
What Fly Lady did to convince me to buy her feather duster over others I could have purchased at a lower price is what you, as an author, are trying to do for your customers. You are trying to convince your potential readers to purchase your book over other, similar books. Your competition is fierce, and readers’ time is limited. Even competing by price won’t work because, at the same time, readers have a plethora of cheap and free selections.
Here are a few tips to help you connect with readers, so they choose your book:
- Be consistent in correspondence.
- Be warm and approachable.
- Deliver a superior product.
Fortunately for writers, people need more books than they do feather dusters. Here’s to you selling oodles of books!
Your turn:
What tips can you offer for connecting with readers?
When have you chosen to spend more money on a book or other product because you like the author?
What authors do you follow and support with your book purchases?
A Critique Partner Checklist
I followed a link here from one of FlyLady’s email. What a wonderful thing she promoted your blog and personally commented on your post.
Like you, I own one of her dusters. It’s my second one actually, since finding her back in first decade of 2000. I never knew why I ever needed one in the first place.
Like you I’m not a dedicated follower of her routines and advice, but I try. I always come back to trying again.
Love the way you used something I’m passionate about (FlyLady, & her system) with another passion of mine. Writing.
I’m not yet an author, but my dream is to write a book, actually multiple ones, some day. It’s something I’ve always known is part of my destiny.
Something I wanted to do since I was an 8yo little girl, reading The Nancy Drew Mysteries by Carolyn Keene (pseudonym), Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingles Wilder, and T the Black Stallion Series by Walter Farley.
As a previous avid reader who mainly relied on libraries to be able to obtain books to read. I have had little income for luxuries for purchasing books. Thrift Stores are the best place to find him gems of authors & series.
However, certain authors I needed the latest release and did so anyway. 2 of my favorite authors who remain so for over the last two decades, I found purchasing economy books at Walmart. Christine Freehan, and Sherilyn Kenyon.
After purchasing those initial introductory books, I was hooked on them. I’ve purchased new releases, and spin off & new series from them.
Other authors I’ve been willing to sacrifice to purchase their books have been Dean Koontz, John Saul, Jim Butler, Maggie Shayne, Nora Roberts among just a few.
When purchasing non fiction books it’s been more about subject matter than authors, except in the case of Caroline Myss, along with a few others.
Keep creating.