How to judge, and sell, a book by its cover

People take about 30 seconds to make up their minds whether to consider buying a book or not. The list below will help you to hook them before they even open the book:
10 ways to grab a book buyer’s attention

1. Have a great title – funny, punny, alliterative are all good
2. Have a clear subtitle – ensuring the keywords  people use when they search for books on Amazon are in there somewhere
3. Beg, cajole or bribe someone famous or eminent to write your foreword and put their name on the cover
4. Beg, cajole or bribe more famous people to review your book later and put their words on the back cover.
5. Take the best review quote you have, from the most influential person, and put it on the front cover.
6. Ensure your book design fits the book’s message, your purpose and your brand
7. Offer a bonus, some free stuff and promote that on the cover. Stephanie Hale, author of Millionaire Women, Millionaire You invites readers to collect tons of great reports from her millionaire vault. Arvind Devalia, offered a free coaching session with Get a Life, Marcus Buckingham offered a free online assessment with Now Discover Your Strengths.
8. Write a compelling description of the book and what it will do for the reader and add that to the back cover.
9. Put your photo on the cover. A professional one!
10. Put your website on the cover, and make it memorable, then, even if they don’t buy the book, they may look you up later.

These tips, and many more, from the Book Promotion Seminar, in London, April 2010, will appear on my blog over the next few weeks. Make sure you sign up so you don’t miss out.
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Do you have more tips to share on how to ensure your book is judged and sold by its cover? If so, please share them here.