2 Essential Ingredients That Make A Book Foreword Great

Introduction

A foreword is an essential marketing tool for your non-fiction book. If it is written properly, and with some understanding and forethought about its role in your book’s success, it can have a substantial impact on your book sales. And, of course, there are several ingredients that should be part of a great foreword. But (1) establishing your credibility for the subject, and (2) motivating people to buy your book, are by far the most important ingredients of a very tasty foreword.

Ingredient 1. Establish Your Credibility

Here is a quick overview of what it takes to establish your credibility with readers:

The person that is writing your book’s foreword must understand what needs to be said in order to show the reader why you have the proper credibility to be writing the book. By using anecdotes, stories, and facts, the foreword’s author needs to show the reader your commitment to the subject, your reputation within the industry, your competence, integrity, values, likeability, and so on. All of this will showcase your credibility for this subject. This ‘third-party’ endorsement of you is extremely powerful, and can be very profitable for you. All of this discussion about you will also help the reader make an emotional connection with you. The deeper this connection becomes, the greater chances you have of selling them a book.

Ingredient 2. Motivate People To Read Your Book

Here is a quick overview of what it takes to motivate readers to buy your book:

The person that is writing your book’s foreword must understand what needs to be said about your book in order to motivate the reader to buy your book. This can be accomplished once it is understood that we are all basically motivated by (1) the need to avoid a loss, and (2) the desire to gain a reward. This can be done by showing how your book will give the reader what he needs, or how to solve his problem (both avoiding a loss), or show him how he can make more money, or get what he wants (both gaining a reward). Many readers already know that they have a need or a problem. But some do not. Therefore, the foreword must explain the need or problem and show how your book will help get them what they need, or fix their problem.

Conclusion

Here is what you must take away from this article:

1. As your credibility increases, so does the emotional connection the reader makes with you.

2. The more you can satisfy the reader’s desire to get what they need, or fix their problem, or show them how to make more money, or get more of what they want, the more they will be motivated to buy your book.

If you understand nothing else about book marketing, but intimately understand these two things, and apply them to all of your writing, you will be successful. Being successful as an author means having readers (1) wanting to listen and learn from you, and (2) reading and buying your books.