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I was recently asked by a potential customer (that soon thereafter became
a customer) why they should believe my book was any better than a book by
another author on the same topic.
Not wanting to get into a trite discussion that compared my book to the
other book they mentioned - which I personally think is also a very good
book and worth buying - I opted to explain what I look for when I am
purchasing an instructional book of any kind.
First, I look at the Amazon.com sales rank of both books I am comparing
for no other reason than to know if anyone is buying either. At this
point, all I can really tell is which book is being marketed more
effectively.
The next thing I look for are reviews of both books with a particular
interest in those reviewers that have reviewed both books. The reviews
written about these books tell me what other customers of the books think
of them in terms of quality, but where a particular reviewer has reviewed
both books I get at least a little insight into how they might compare in
terms of content and quality. Since some authors send out complimentary
copies of their books seeking reviews by known reviewers - myself included
- the reviewers that have reviewed both books lend more credibility to the
quality of the book if distinctions are mentioned.
Finally, I look to see how many sellers are selling new copies of the
books and how many used copies are available. If there are many sellers
offering new copies it indicates to me that there is a desire to sell as
many as possible as quickly as possible, i.e., the intent is to market it
and quickly take the profits as opposed to providing what might be in the
best interest of the buyer. The number of used copies is more telling to
me as it indicates whether or not buyers are willing to part with their
copies after reading the book. I would not expect too many used copies of
an instructional book to be available if it is a quality book that could
be used for quite some time as a reference.
Some authors also participate in the
Amazon Connect Program and post things on the detail pages of their books
on Amazon. This is often indicative of just how detailed their book might
be. Of course, there are always teasers intended to pique a buyers
interest enough to purchase the book, but you should consider the content
that is given in the posting for free.
If you can find an instructional book that has a respectable sales rank,
good reviews and reviews done by reviewers of several books on the topic
that put one above all others, there are few if any used copies for sale,
and it has been selling for at least a few months, I always feel like I
have found a winner.
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