Updated May 2023

Whether you’re traditionally published or are self-publishing your novel, memoir, or self-help book, the marketing tasks will be your responsibility. Most books can be marketed fairly well with the right amount of time, effort, and creativity, but the experts at Self-Publishing Relief know there can be clear indications if a book is ready for the marketing spotlight. Here are 5 signs you’ve written a very marketable book.

5 Signs Your Self-Published Book Is Highly Marketable

#1: Similar books have been published. When a trend, trope, movie, or book is popular, that means there’s an existing audience ready to click “buy.” If your book shares some common elements with books that have already proven successful, your odds of success are better. It’s always a good idea to research comps for your book to get a good idea of where your work fits in the market.

#2: …But not TOO many similar books! Don’t jump on the bandwagon of the latest popular fad—there will be an avalanche of other writers doing the same thing. You don’t want to fight an uphill battle to get readers to choose your book over all the similar (and popular!) competition. And make sure your book isn’t an exact rip-off of a bestselling book. You want your book to be identifiable with the books in your genre that have done well (and therefore attract the same readers), but not so similar that you offer nothing new.

#3: A definable, fairly large target market exists. You want an audience that’s broad and large enough to give you a big pool of potential readers, but narrow and definable enough that it still allows you to market directly to them. Knowing your intended audience will also help you tailor your marketing efforts for maximum effect!

#4: A unique logline that draws immediate attention. Before you even begin marketing, you should have a short, compelling description of your book’s core conflict and story at hand—in other words, a logline. Reactions to the logline will be a good indicator of the potential marketability of your book. Do people gasp when you tell them what it’s about? Are they immediately curious and want to know more? Do they ask follow-up questions? Do they want to read it? Your logline will be the theoretical hook that your marketing hangs on—so the more interest it generates, the better!

#5: You’ve prepared a dynamic marketing strategy. Before your book is published, you should be thinking about the launch and your subsequent marketing efforts. Even the best book will suffer from a lackluster marketing campaign. If you don’t effectively get the word out to the proper audience, how will anyone know your book is what they want to read next? You don’t need to spend a fortune to ensure solid marketing, and there are many cost-effective ways to get your book into the public eye: blogging, social media, cause marketing, book clubs, public events, and more.

Having an existing audience of ready buyers will definitely make your book more marketable. It also helps to write in a genre that’s widely read using popular tropes or topics. Marketing a book that shows all of the signs listed above will make your job easier. But even if your book isn’t about a must-read topic or in a trendy genre, a good marketing plan will still help increase your visibility and sales potential. The marketing pros at Self-Publishing Relief have penned some great articles to help you boost your book sales:

Outside-The-Box Book Marketing Strategies

25 New Book Marketing Strategies For When You’ve Run Out Of Ideas

8 Cross-Promotion Marketing Ideas For Self-Published Authors

If you’re ready to self-publish your manuscript, Self-Publishing Relief can help you navigate every step of the process. Contact us today to schedule a no-obligation consultation! If you want to pursue a traditional publishing route, send samples of your work to our Review Board.

Question: Which marketing signs apply to your self-published book?