I just spent 15 minutes browsing through all of the children’s books available in the gift store on board the ship I am now. It got me thinking. With so many choices available, which one do you actually take home?
The one that stands out.
What makes a book stand out?
- Series. I believe that if a book is part of a series, the titles look special. If I enjoy one of the books, I will come back for more. We like what we are familiar with. That’s why series draw us in.
- Awards. If I see a seal on a book cover, I know instantly that this book has been approved of not just by readers but also by a panel of judges - that’s proof of its high quality.
- Social proof. If I see another customer browsing through a book, I will very likely want to take a look at it too.
Let’s get back to the book shelf. While I was staring at all the books in the gift store, I noticed that mine had all the three characteristics above. A series of four was beautifully displayed on the shelf, they all had award seals on their covers and they were the ones that passengers picked up to look closer at.
I know how rare it is for an author to be able to observe readers’ behavior in a bookstore and witness them make purchasing decisions about books they’ve written.
Tomorrow I will talk to the store manager to understand even more about the psychology of passengers’ book choices.
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