Word-of-Mouth: A UK survey conducted in conjunction with World Book Day reaffirms that word-of-mouth is the strongest force in book sales alongside recognizing and wanting to read another book by a favorite author. 25% of people responding said the last book they read was based on a personal recommendation from someone else (nearly 33% among people under 35). 6% cited advertising as the major factor in their selections, while 7% went for the cover design. (Publisher’s Lunch 3/3/05)

http://garydfoster.com