I have never put much energy into focusing on competition with my books or my business because we all have different tastes and preferences and I believe there are plenty of opportunities to go around. With that said, competition isn’t something you should completely ignore. There is much you can learn from taking a closer look at similar authors, and the lessons gleaned can help you write better books and ultimately sell more of them, too.
The following are some key strategies to help you learn about your competition and use that knowledge to create more opportunities.
1)) Write a Better Book
There is a reason literary agents and editors want to see a competitive analysis in a book proposal. This is how you show there is demand for your topic. Before you set out to write your next book, whether you plan to self-publish or traditionally publish, conducting a competitive analysis is an exercise that can help you write a better book.
In a book proposal, a competitive analysis should include the following:
=> A list of five books that would compete with yours. This demonstrates there is market interest in your topic and helps you identify the primary books yours will compete with.
=> Cite the author, publisher, and date of publication for each book. The date of publication is of particular interest since it can demonstrate current interest as well as long-term interest if a title has been successfully in print for many years.
=> Explain the strengths and weaknesses of each and how your book will be different or better. You can gather much of this information by reading through the book description, table of contents, and reader reviews. Most importantly, review this information and see where there are gaps in information that you could fill with your book.
For example, if you’re writing a memoir about navigating a challenging divorce, you might learn that the five top memoirs on this topic are all told from the perspective of women who are parents of young kids, while yours is from the perspective of a woman whose children are grown and you’re in a different phase of life. This is valuable insight that helps you differentiate your book and position it for a different and more mature audience.
2)) Carve Out a Niche
Let’s say you’re writing a book with lots of competition, such as a spiritual guide to happiness. The research may show titles that are similar and broadly focused, which can be done when the author has a platform/large following. But if you’re new and don’t yet have a large audience, you need to separate your book from the rest or else risk it getting buried in the ocean that is Amazon.
Instead of focusing on the broad topic of finding more happiness, you could narrow your focus to happiness for single parents, teens, couples or retirees. Simply focusing on a niche audience can help your book stand out in a crowded marketplace. The niche also informs all your marketing decisions as you work to focus on serving that specific audience.
3)) Locate Podcast Interview Opportunities
If you want to land podcast interviews, and most nonfiction authors should absolutely pursue these opportunities, one effective way to get started is to search podcast directories like iTunes and Spotify for the names of your competitors. Take note of the shows they’ve been guests on and what topics they covered.
Can you see the opportunity here? Next, send your own podcast pitch to those shows since if they hosted your competitors, they will likely be happy to have you on as well. But don’t copy the topics covered by your competitors. Instead, bring a fresh perspective or expand on topics previously covered.
4)) Pick Up Where They Left Off
There are several business books I’ve read over the years that left me wanting more. I wanted to learn how to take the next steps, but those steps weren’t covered in the books. This leaves a huge opportunity for other authors to come along and write the missing sequel.
Have any of your competitors written books that didn’t leave you fully satisfied? Or that felt like part one of two parts? If you see the need for the next steps, it’s likely other readers do too. Could you write the sequel?
5)) Become the Contrarian
Perhaps there are competitors in your space whose opinions you don’t align with. I am experiencing this right now as others in the publishing industry are trying to convince authors to use AI to write their books. This is a terrible idea for a whole bunch of reasons. (Potential plagiarism of other people’s work, for starters, and then your manuscript being used to train AI systems and then getting repurposed and plagiarized by others and many other potential consequences.)
If you see issues in your industry, you can become a voice that stands up and speaks out. Strong opinions can lead to getting Op Eds published, giving media interviews, landing podcast interviews, and going viral on social media.
6)) Identify Book Categories
Choosing the right book categories on Amazon can help your book get discovered and gain top ten bestseller status. Start by looking up competing books on Amazon and make note of the categories for the print, Kindle and audiobook editions for each title since the categories may vary for each edition. Once you create a list of categories for at least five books, identify the top three categories for each edition to choose for your own book. Ideally, the categories you choose should be narrowly focused so that you can improve your chances of hovering in the top ten of book sales for at least one category.
7)) Fill in the Gaps
What topics have your competitors missed covering? Or is there a sub-genre you could target for your book? For example, if you see a variety of books for women on saving money, primary focused on women with families. Could you instead focus on saving money for young adult women or female entrepreneurs? Find a need and fill it in with your brilliance!
As you can see here, getting familiar with competing books and the authors who write them can help give you a competitive advantage. Set aside time to do the above activities and you will set yourself up for great success.
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