“What am I missing?” Each of my books has won awards, received great reviews, and earned accolades from talented authors, yet I only sell a few copies per month. Despite having an M.B.A. with a concentration in marketing and founding two successful marketing firms, my books are not selling. So, what am I missing?
Many authors believe the work ends once their book is listed on platforms like Amazon or Barnes & Noble. But successful authors understand that publishing a book is simply not about writing an interesting or thrilling story. An author must view their work as an element within a business—an “authorpreneurship.”
And like any thriving business, a powerful brand is essential. An effective brand must tell a compelling story, building credibility and consistency so readers trust they’ll get a high-quality experience. So, why are we as authors not marketing great brands? Because our mindset is focused on writing our books and not marketing the business.
Like so many authors, I believed promo items like colorful bookmarks, large signage featuring book covers, or even candy dishes at book festivals would attract readers. Surely, award stickers on my covers would shout, “This book is phenomenal!”
Yet, with 11,000 books published daily, standing out amid this “noise” requires much more. Successful authors radiate charisma and craft brands as vivid as their stories.
A brand, like a good story, must stimulate mental images for the audience. If readers can visualize the author's imagination through the brand, they’re more likely to invest time in the book. The brand must establish credibility, assuring readers of consistently high-quality, well-developed prose. Without this, even the most thrilling narratives can get lost in the “noise.”
So, what should I do? I relied on my marketing experience. I crafted a charismatic narrative based upon the interesting and historic facts of a well-known and likeable item that people enjoy and can immediately recognize… the pretzel!
Legend has it that the pretzel was invented by an Italian monk in 610 A.D., whose monastery was located in Germany. To reward young children for learning their prayers and sweeping the church floors, the monk twisted strips of bread dough to form the crossed arms of praying children and baked these treats to give to the children.
He called his creation pretiola, meaning "little rewards" in Latin. The Germans later derived the word bretzel. These treats became very popular throughout the country. German immigrants brought pretzels to America in the 18th century.
This gesture of kindness became a powerful marketing tool for the monastery. The village children shared their pretzels with family members, sparking conversations about faith and leading families to church.
The pretzel’s form even resembles an angel in prayer, and travelers wore them hung around their necks for luck and protection. The pretzel's legacy of goodwill and connection made it the perfect metaphor for branding.
Inspired by this unique story, I created Compenso Creations for my writing. Compenso means "reward" in Italian, reflecting the twisted pretzel's history. My tagline became “writing with a twist,” symbolizing the intricate storylines in my books and rewarding readers with unexpected turns in my stories.
However, this type of branding didn’t fully capture my children’s book series, Squire With Fire. I needed something more dynamic and interactive, especially for large book festivals.
So, I commissioned a company to create an animatronic version of Luka, the white dragon from my third book, Squire With Fire - Disappearance of Luka. Luka's moving eyes, wings, and adorable roar drew families to my booth and provided a lively sidekick during my presentations, creating magical moments for young readers.
