We want to thank everyone who has submitted nominations for our business book covers contest! We will continue to take nominations through the end of October, so if you have a book you’d like to nominate, now is the time! All you need to do is use our contact form and let us know the book’s title and author. We’ll follow up with you if we need more information.
Remember, we’ll be calling for votes in November, and the book with the most votes wins. The author and cover designer of the winning book will receive special accolades from us, and the person who nominates the winning book will receive a free Maven book of their choice.
Not Sure What to Look for in a Business Book Cover?
Ever since we announced the contest, we have been highlighting some examples of covers we think are great and what we like about them. You can find some of our past recommendations here and here.
In browsing through books about small business on Amazon today, another one jumped out that we thought was worth sharing:
Boss Life: Surviving My Own Small Business by Paul Downs (2015)
This cover stood out because it was a little bit different from most business book covers. Following traditional styles and design palettes can be a helpful strategy in cover design, but in this case, the break from the norm helped it jump off the page.
Here’s why: The title suggests that this is a personal book about the personal struggle of being your own boss. The cover looks more like the cover of a memoir than a business how-to book, and that’s okay. In fact, it’s perfectly fitting with the title.
The design is simple. There’s only one image, the pencil, yet it’s presented in a few different ways. They way it’s twisted, broken, chewed up, and sharpened to a stub clearly communicates the various emotions one experiences as a business owner. It was a clever idea on the cover designer’s part to take such a simple image and manipulate it in order to bring variety to the design and to evoke specific feelings.
This cover looks great, no matter what size it’s viewed in. As a thumbnail, it looks clean and professional, and the title is clearly visible. It stands out among many covers that are too busy to comprehend at thumbnail size, and if you’ve ever shopped for books on Amazon, you know how important those thumbnail images can be!
Business book covers are known for being simple, bold, and striking. Rarely are they intricate works of art. They are typically thought of as marketing or advertising tools, so their ability to clearly and quickly communicate the correct message is vital. This particular cover elicits a more emotional response than most business book covers, but because of the book’s title and concept, it works.
Are you thinking about writing a book about your business or about being a business owner? Contact us today. We’d love to help you not only navigate the process of writing a book, but also give your book the right finishing touches (like a great cover) so that it is received well by your target audience.
