“Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” This is true metaphorically speaking, but this golden rule gets the boot when it comes to the real deal. How many great books are passed over in the bookstore because their cover didn’t grab the attention of the potential reader? Too many…

A good cover can’t sell a bad book, but a bad cover can definitely hurt a good book.

Studies show that you have under 10 seconds to capture a browser’s attention. Investing in a custom, professional cover design is well worth the money. First impressions do count. Make it count with a great cover design, not a template that shouts “self-published”.

Book cover designing is a career in itself and those in the profession are not only skilled, but also are up-to-date with current trends in cover design.

There are psychological factors that go into cover creation. Think of a peacock and his feathers. Not only is his plumage eye catching, but it is also designed to attract the right mate (audience). You wouldn’t see a turkey chasing Mr. Peacock around the barnyard! So is the case with book covers. Your plumage (book cover) should be designed to attract your specific mate (niche).

Aside from enticing potential readers, your cover is a HUGE factor when it comes to retailers accepting your book for distribution. If your cover isn’t appealing, they may reject it without ever opening it.

Cover design tips:

1. It is important to determine your niche. Your design depends heavily on your target audience. Fully illustrated covers tend to be children’s or young adult works, while the majority of business book are all print. Take the time to research the high sellers in your niche to get the overall idea of what is working.
2. Color alone can play a vital role in snagging a potential buyer. Gold suggests money and power, while red and pink tend to attract female readers. You can dive even deeper into the coloring pool by looking into the emotional responses that certain colors induce.
3. Choosing an image can be challenging. You need one that conveys the message of your book without minimizing the title. This is where professional cover designers shine. Many authors are surprised to find out that the image they picked isn’t the one that is appealing to their audience.
4. The font needs to be clean and easy to read from ten feet away. Don’t use anymore than two types of font. And please don’t forget to put your name on the cover! (Yes it really does happen, often).
5. Invest time and effort in writing the perfect text for the back cover. Try to point out what benefits the reader will receive rather than stating facts. How will your book make them a better person and have a better life? You can even apply this to fiction by following up your synopsis with an emotional benefit. i.e. You’ll be swept away to a better place and time…You definitely want to include an author bio and photo, but it’s best to put that at the end (inside) of your book. Save the space on your back cover for the often overlooked text you still need to fit in. Barcode, ISBN number, publisher, website of the author/book, and pricing. *A special note on pricing your book: Research shows that consumers don’t mentally register the difference between $14 and $14.95. You might as well take that extra (almost) dollar!
6. Remember to design the spine. If your book is sitting on the average bookstore shelf, the first thing buyers are going to see is the spine. Some special considerations need to be made before you get to the cover stage. Typically a book under 100 pages won’t have the room to put text on the spine. This can be a serious downfall for book sales. You should be able to have the title and name displayed on the spine.

Unlike the many companies you’ll find on the internet, SEGR provides a truly custom cover for your book. Our team has extensive knowledge in book cover design, and we never use templates or stock images when creating your tailored, eye-catching cover.

For more information or to schedule a free consultation, contact us at info@SEGRpublishing.com.