If you want to become a best selling author then, as “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” author Robert Kiyosaki has said that clue is in the world “selling”!
As an author you have to take responsibility for selling and promoting your book at every available opportunity. You need to become good at persuading and influencing people.
One of the books I strongly recommend to people who want to become masters of persuasion is Robert Cialdini’s “Influence”.
Cialdini is a Professor at Arizona State University who has conducted extensive research into the factors that trigger people into automatically complying with another person’s request.
Here is the third of these six factors, that will show you how, as an author, you can apply them to sell more of your books.
Key 3: SOCIAL PROOF
People often use the behaviour of other people to help them decide how to act in a particular situation.
What are known by psychologists as ‘imitative effects’ have been observed in adults and children in a host of different situations and circumstances
Persuasion experts use this principle to encourage someone to comply with their requests by demonstrating how other people (the more the better!) have complied.
Social proof is particularly effective when people are feeling unsure or uncertain. When people feel like this they are far more likely to use the actions of others as a guide to how they should behave.
As an author the more testimonials you can get from reader’s who have benefitted from your books the better. People who are considering purchasing your book will be positively influenced by evidence that other people (preferably people similar to them) have benefitted in the ways that the book promises.
This principle also applies in ensuring you have a good number of positive reviews on Amazon. Many people will look at the reviews as part of their decision making process about whether to buy your book or not.
You can also add impact to your writing using this principle by including case studies and examples about how people have applied what you recommend to get positive results.
Also when you are writing any sales copy for your books or other products make sure you make strong use of testimonials from satisfied readers/clients. These exert a powerful positive influence on people’s decision to buy.
Now that you are aware of this principle I am sure you will be able to think of lots of ways to use it to enhance your book sales.
