How to Design a Book Cover Using the Billboard Method

January 15th, 2009 Uncategorized by Editorial Team with 5 Comments

When you drive past a billboard, you get one quick glance as you whiz by.

What do you remember about it?
Does it contain too much content?
Does it help to see that billboard two or three more times later down the road?

Apply the billboard concept to your book, sandwiched on the bookstore shelf among dozens of others. Though a potential reader won’t be traveling through the bookstore at 65 miles per hour, your book needs to stand out from the crowd in order to grab a prospective buyer’s attention.

Here are some tips to making your book cover an effective piece of advertising:

Less is more

A simple cover design is the most effective one. The average book buyer overlooks intricate details and hidden meaning on a cover; too many details take away from the design’s main focus.

Eye-catching, yet tactful

If you saw a billboard that was bright orange and said “SALE, SALE, SALE!” it might catch your attention, but it will probably annoy you. Using good design practices, create a proper balance between eye-catching and good taste.

Unique

When you give ideas to your cover designer, mention unique elements, a recurring theme, or a highlighted element about your story or message. Your designer will be able to create a unique, simple, eye-catching cover based on one of these elements.

Marketing and Advertising

What complements a good billboard advertisement better that more billboards? You can get more mileage out of a gorgeous book cover through two-sided business cards that include an image of your book’s cover, through postcards, fliers, Web sites and blogs, magazine and newspaper ads, and other publicity.

Splashing your book cover onto a variety of publicity materials increases the likelihood of book buyers remembering your title.

Your book cover is the most powerful marketing tool you have; put it to good use!

Thomas McGee is a graphic designer at WinePress. His job includes: cover design, Web design, advertising design, and assisting with WinePress’ partner company, Notation Marketing Group. In his spare time, Thomas enjoys volunteering at his local Christian bookstore, The Salt Shaker.

Editorial Team

The editorial team for WinePress of Words includes Carla Williams (Editor in Chief), Laura Christianson (Managing Editor), Josiah Williams (Creative Director), and Thomas McGee (Design and Development).

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5 Common Misconceptions About Cover Design | WinePress of Words says:

August 27, 2009 at 6:06 am

[...] cover will almost always snag a browser’s attention before a cluttered, over-literal design. Less is more. If you want to go into greater detail about your book and its message, save it for the back [...]