Whether you like it or not, readers will judge your book by its cover. They’ll glance at it just long enough to read the title and register the cover’s image. If your cover doesn’t instantly capture their attention, they’ll move on. You only have a few seconds to grab them.

The truth is your book cover design isn’t just about looking pretty. Your book cover is the ultimate sales tool. That’s why taking your time and getting your cover design done right is so important. Here’s how you can get a cover that sells your book.

Ask Around

There are literally hundreds of freelance designers that specialize in book cover design. If you belong to business groups on LinkedIn or Facebook, be sure to share about the book you’re writing. You can ask the other members in the group to recommend a good designer that they enjoyed working with in the past. Most people are happy to brag about their designer and refer someone they trust to you.

Keep in mind that you’ll want your cover designed by someone who works with designing books in your niche or category. For example, you wouldn’t want a romance cover designer to create your cover for a book on business and leadership. 

Review the book designs of each designer and see which one has designs that fit the message of your book. You can ask for references and see how their book cover designs look on sites like Amazon before choosing a designer to work with.

Look into Pre-Made Covers

Some cover designers create pre-made cover that you can buy. You purchase the cover design, and the designer customizes the design with your name and your book title.

The advantage of using a pre-made cover is they are much cheaper than hiring a designer for a full custom design. They can also be faster since the designer has already done the heavy lifting. Using this method for your cover, you could have your book cover designed and ready for sale within just a couple days instead of waiting weeks to get your custom design finalized.

The trade-off is that your book might look similar to other books that are out there. This could make it harder to stand out in a crowded niche so be sure to do your homework. If you’re considering using a pre-made cover, ask the cover designer if she’s sold similar images before and which books they appear on so you can make an educated choice for your design.

Hire a Cover Designer

If you haven’t found any recommendations from friends or other business owners, there are still many ways to find a great cover designer. One of the easiest websites for doing this is 99 Designs.

The website works like this: you describe in a contest what you’d like your cover design to look like. Then graphic designers from around the world create covers for your review. Then you can pick the cover you like best and use it on your book.

The contests can be pricey on the site, but if you’re not sure what you want for your ideal cover, this could be an excellent place to start the process. Depending on which plan you choose, you can see 25, 50, or even 100 different designs per project.

Make Your Book Cover Yourself

Another option for your book cover design is to create it yourself. You can use graphic design software such as eCover Authority.

Or you can design in programs like Adobe PhotoShop or Canva. If you want to create your cover yourself, we have a tutorial in our Author Exposure Blueprint on using Canva to design a book cover for free.

When it comes to your cover the important, this is don’t settle. Be sure you have a design that captures the message you want to share with your new fans. A great cover doesn’t just sell your book. It will make you feel more confident, too.