Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Book Trailers: More Than Just Promotional Tools



We already know that an effective book trailer can help you promote and sell your books. After all, it is first and foremost, a sales tool. Effective book trailers motivate readers to click and buy your book--that's the point. But aside from helping you promote your books 24/7, they also help give your books a unique voice by bringing them to life with the right soundtrack and special sound effects that help set the tone and mood of your particular book.

That's important because all readers know about your new book is what they can see--the title, its cover, the review blurbs. But the essence of your book. It's real voice is unheard until interested readers click the play button and hear that special piece of music or that spine-tingling drone that quickly instills fear and suspense. Now they really know what to expect.

Just like a movie teaser, your book's voice can set a specific mood and define what your story is all about. Get the sound wrong and it's all over in a flash. Instinctively, people know when you've got the right soundtrack because the music will draw attention to your story and engage them instantly with what's about to happen, and not focus on the music for the sake of beautiful sound.

The right soundtrack must be undetectable as mere sound and should play just beneath the imagery at a subconscious level under the text or any voice-overs. Ideally, text should also be kept at a minimum and voice-overs should be short and never state the obvious.

With a good ear and plenty of luck finding the best sound, plus using appropriate sound effects, when readers click, your book teaser should speak volumes.

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