That's what was taught them in all the media-writing books they read and they believe it. The rule is simple. Every editor who looks at copy asks two questions. If those questions are answered in the editor's head, the ink will flow. More grocery bags and egg cartons.
Most distributors have hundreds and hundreds of publishers and maybe a thousand or so titles.
And what they do is simple. They throw a tiny amount of money at the title, maybe a press release, or a larger mention in a catalog. If there is any ripple in the marketplace, they then go whole-hog on that title and neglect most of their others. If that title is yours, great. Sales and Volume Myth - Unsuccessful publishers believe that they can lose money on every sale but make it up in volume.