How many of you are writing or have written a book? Hands up! Let’s see; raise those hands high and proud! Wait, a few of you are sitting with a sheepish look on your face. Your hands are down. You are looking at your neighbor wondering if they are going to do it for you. Now, take a look at the person staring back at you in the mirror. You, yes, you are the only one who can get your book out there because you care about it!
But! That is too hard. It is too much work. I don’t know anyone. I can’t. I’m not sure. I’m overwhelmed. Have I captured your feeling? Well, you have a choice. You can sit there in that puddle of whining muck or stand up and do something about it.
Options: 1) hope, 2) pay, and 3) know. You can hope for the best without a plan—but usually leads you right back to no one is buying your book. Sigh. That is why you are reading this article. You can pay for someone to do it all for you, but they still aren’t you, and they still won’t really care. Or, 3) find out what it takes to Launch your Book and take action. I personally LOVE number three. I love action. This is where I am taking you today.
What’s your platform?
That is code for “what is your method to sell your book?” Platforms are not just your websites, your followers, or how many speaking gigs you have. It’s slightly different. Many authors stand on platforms of pain, life events, etc., which gives you a theme; however, you still need to sell the book. What is your method? Is it calling people, email campaigns, Social Media connections, ads, videos, blog posts, etc.?
Who is your target audience?
Can you answer that question? Do you know where to find them? How do you connect with them? How do you serve them? Do they even know that you have a book? Don’t you think they should know about it? If the answer is yes, then how do you do that? Do you show up through email, phone calls, social media consistently? They then become your fans. Fans are anyone who purchases your book.
Who are your Influencers?
Influencers help others to buy your book. This is more than being on a guest podcast, blog post, or asking for blurbs. Influencers have a larger audience, a bit more of a voice, and what they recommend and review is watched. What influencers do you know, and how can you ask them for their help? There is a method for that, but it is all about connection, relationships, and asking for their support.
Make a Plan!
Make an overview of the plan to help reduce stress. Remember that there are many tools for your plan (Social Media, Email, etc.), but don’ get lost in working with the tool, but look at the overall project and what you want to accomplish. Set a target goal, work backward, from that point, and break down the steps.
There are three steps to this plan.
Selling your books to Fans
Call to action: invite fans to share
Influencers. Get them engaged!
Selling to Fans
In order for your fans to become your fans, they need to know, like, and trust you. This takes TIME! None of this is fast-paced. It takes time to plant a seed, nurture, love, support, feed it, watch it grow, protect it, watch it struggle, gain great roots, and finally reap your harvest. TIME!* (When you see someone start to have success, it feels like they suddenly took the world by storm. Not true. On average, it takes at least two years to establish a firm base before things can really start to roll).
How do you build the know, like, and trust? BE CONSISTANT! Serving them and making them feel special, wanted, needed, important, connected, popular, free from pain, etc. Ok, ok, but how? Email campaigns, social media, and giveaways.
Think of everyone in the world in a GIANT junior high/middle school building, and none of us left 7th grade! Remember that feeling of you sitting in the lunchroom alone and you longingly looking at the popular table wish you could be there? That feeling--right there is what we all want. We all want to feel important, liked, loved, connected, unique, etc. When we are given attention and connection through social media, emails, free giveaways, etc., we build trust with them.
We show up on our lunch breaks to check them out, see what they are up to, and see what they are helping others with. We even take time away from work to see if we will get a response on a post. So, draw them in and connect with them, but pick a theme connected to them and serve them well. They, in return, will become amazingly loyal and will start to share with others.
Fan Share!
When you have been well fed, feel valued, and connected, you naturally start to share it with more and more friends. You talk about books, products, etc.
How?
Make pictures, memes, etc. shareable.
Create links, forms, and websites that they can easily share with others
Make a Book Launch Team!
Authors, it is your job to make sure your fans share. Why should they share? Because you have made that connection, helped them, and they want to share. That is impressive marketing.
Influencers
The general rule here is to invite your colleagues with platforms of their own to help promote your book. Look for ways to serve the influencer. We all need connections (even influencers) because it, in turn, helps all of us to serve each other. Remember, if you connect with influencers, promote their work as well.
TIP*** Have an abundance mindset when you connect. Think about their needs first. Think about how you can serve them, and you, in turn, will be well served. If you approach influencers with a scarcity mindset, it will cause fear, worry, and want you to CONTROL everything. Control equals force. Force leads to fear. Fear leads to a drop in connections, and that leads to fewer and fewer book sales.
Drop the fear and serve others. Practice the Golden Rule and see what happens.
Build up!
Do you want to have a number one release? Do you want to have influencers be a part of your launch? What about everyone on your list? The answer is yes! You would like all of these things for your launch. The truth is. While these are good and fun and exciting, what you really want is to have your book support your entire writing career. If you are going to invest thousands of hours into writing it, this should be a lifetime connection.
Lifetime Launch
The publishing industry is obsessed with the number one best selling book! Why? It is suitable for them. They benefit. It can help and support you, but like any flash in the pan, once the light and heat are zapped, it is out. What do you want?
Lifetime is the launch that connects to people for years and years because they know its power and the story. This is a story with influence and power. It is something that can be uplifting, fun, and escape, and so, feed it, nurture it, and enjoy your harvest.
I think about it like planting grapevines. You will plant the vine, but it won’t bear fruit for five years. However, it will provide a harvest for you for generations. Lifetime Launches are the more consistent method for your book and your business.
If you would like to know more, I would love to help you. Let’s chat!
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