Take a look at the competition and try to find ways to make your book stand out at a glance. The willingness to do what it takes to generate awareness. Authors that sit back and let the publisher do the marketing rarely ever make the bestseller list. Promotion will set you apart from the others. If I have learned anything, book signings alone will not be enough promotion.
Serious aggression is called for here.
The ability to build upon your successes rapidly. I blew it in the HTML market. I had a book equal to Laura LeMay's albeit for a different audience. I failed to follow up with another book within 9 months and became a has-been. I failed to revise my book as often as she did.