Branding yourself professional

I recently heard about an author who had written a book and was struggling to sell it. He'd found a publisher and distribution, but it just wouldn't sell.

Eventually he changed the cover of the book and the sales increased to 10 million copies being sold! Note, he did not change the content of the book, the message was still the same, all he did was change the cover. This is a great story on how design appeal can add value to a product, and it could end there, except those of us who want to replicate this happy ending in our business need to dig a little deeper.

There was a couple of things we need to note when we break down this 'rags to riches' tale:

1. The author started with a good product (obviously, as it got published)

2. He had to better know his customer than he did when he made his first attempt at a cover (it's been said that Steve Jobs, of Apple knew his customers better than they know themselves)

3. He must have asked for help.

Without the last two points, the author of the book with the lagging sales could have changed the cover of his book and still not had any success in turning around his sales for the better.

Asking for help does a couple of things. A professionally designed book says the content should be taken seriously, and appeals to the emotional side of the customer - though note the story does not actually state the author had a better designed book cover, only that he changed it. What it really does is give the author, who by now is really close to his book, the opportunity to look at his product with fresh eyes as he tries to explain it to someone new. The mere act of verbalising the assets of the book, that is why should you buy it, is an exercise in rediscovery.

This process can be done with a peer, an investor, or someone who's opinion you respect, but the best way to see if you've got the right 'cover for your product' is to work with a professional, who will not only act as a board with which to bounce ideas off, but can also ask the right questions, making the rediscovery process far more efficient.