Becky Robinson's Blog, page 9

Episode 114: How to build a Thriving Online Community

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Click here to listen on your device and subscribe! 

Welcome to Season 4 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information that you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

This episode celebrates the 1-year anniversary of Becky���s book, Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause. Becky discusses the importance of using milestones as an opportunity to continue sharing your message with the world. She also reflects on lessons learned throughout her book marketing journey and the power of sowing seeds with your message. 

Key Points From This Episode:

[01:48] Becky discusses the importance of finding new opportunities to share your message with the world.

[01:58] Becky mentions how her friend, colleague, and award-winning Author, Gena Cox, used the six-month anniversary of her book to market her message in new ways.   

[02:36] It���s always great to take a moment to celebrate pivotal milestones of your journey. Becky revealed that by the end of the month, the Weaving Influence team will be passing a milestone of 200 books launched since the start of the company in 2012. 

[03:02] Experience is the best teacher. Becky reflects on some critical lessons she learned while on her book marketing journey. 

[04:26] Becky talks about her goals in partnering with authors and thought leaders for their book marketing process.

[05:05] There is immense value in sowing seeds with your message. Becky explains the benefit of gifting your books to add value to other people���s journeys.    

[08:39] Becky calls out the impact of incorporating your book into your ongoing business development.

[09:12] Writing books allows authors to share the work of their business with the world. Becky identifies how putting your ideas into a book leaves you with a new level of confidence, expertise, and clarity.

[11:23] Becky announces the launch of a new group coaching initiative called Reach More Readers Mastermind Groups. If you are looking to create more reach for your message in the world, sign up here. The first workshop will begin in May 2023.  

Action Steps:

Celebrate important milestones throughout the life of your book. Reignite your message around the world by utilizing milestones as opportunities to connect with potential readers in exciting new ways. Reflect on both the highs and lows of your book marketing journey. Once you have had some experience with marketing your book, think about what went well and what you think you can do better. It���s never too late to re-strategize and find new avenues to reach more people with your message.Share the work of your business with the world. When you put your ideas into a book, not only will you reach a new level of confidence and expertise, but you will have the opportunity to share a piece of yourself with the world. 

Resources:

Visit Becky���s website and reach out to connect with her. Gift a copy of Becky���s book, Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause to a friend or colleague that may find value in her powerful message. Connect with Becky on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook.

Tweetables and quotes:

If you choose to share on Twitter, don’t forget to tag @beckyrbnsn so she knows you enjoyed this episode!

Any milestone of your book’s release, like six months, one year, two years, and on from there is a great time for you to revisit sharing your book with others. ���Becky Robinson

One of my goals in partnering with authors is to help relieve some of that stress and overwhelm. ���Becky Robinson

If you are an author, you are the Chief Marketing Officer of your own book. ���Becky Robinson

I knew that marketing my own book would be challenging. I knew that it would be expensive. I knew it would take a lot of focus. And it was just about exactly as hard as I expected it to be. ���Becky Robinson

Any chance we have to get my book in front of people for whom it will add value, we want to take that opportunity .   ���Becky Robinson

I don’t think that people should write books to be expensive business cards. I think it’s important to write the best book you can. ���Becky Robinson

Books are seeds. ���Becky Robinson

Giving away a book that costs me about $10 is one of the least expensive marketing tools I have, but also the most powerful one . ���Becky Robinson

If you found value in today’s episode, we hope you’ll take a moment to share it with someone else who might benefit from it. If you have any questions or topics you���d like us to cover, please email Becky Robinson here.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. 

Click here to download our new, free resource, Spend This First. 

Check out our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. 

Buy a copy of Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause, and don���t forget to leave an Amazon review.

Click here to tweet about this episode!

The post Episode 114: How to build a Thriving Online Community appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Episode 113: Celebrating Milestones Reached and Reflecting on Lessons Learned

Photo by nialowwa / 123rf.com 

Click here to listen on your device and subscribe! 

Welcome to Season 4 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information that you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

This episode celebrates the 1-year anniversary of Becky’s book, Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause. Becky discusses the importance of using milestones as an opportunity to continue sharing your message with the world. She also reflects on lessons learned throughout her book marketing journey and the power of sowing seeds with your message. 

Key Points From This Episode:

[01:48] Becky discusses the importance of finding new opportunities to share your message with the world.

[01:58] Becky mentions how her friend, colleague, and award-winning Author, Gena Cox, used the six-month anniversary of her book to market her message in new ways.   

[02:36] It’s always great to take a moment to celebrate pivotal milestones of your journey. Becky revealed that by the end of the month, the Weaving Influence team will be passing a milestone of 200 books launched since the start of the company in 2012. 

[03:02] Experience is the best teacher. Becky reflects on some critical lessons she learned while on her book marketing journey. 

[04:26] Becky talks about her goals in partnering with authors and thought leaders for their book marketing process.

[05:05] There is immense value in sowing seeds with your message. Becky explains the benefit of gifting your books to add value to other people’s journeys.    

[08:39] Becky calls out the impact of incorporating your book into your ongoing business development.

[09:12] Writing books allows authors to share the work of their business with the world. Becky identifies how putting your ideas into a book leaves you with a new level of confidence, expertise, and clarity.

[11:23] Becky announces the launch of a new group coaching initiative called Reach More Readers Mastermind Groups. If you are looking to create more reach for your message in the world, sign up here. The first workshop will begin in May 2023.  

Action Steps:

Celebrate important milestones throughout the life of your book. Reignite your message around the world by utilizing milestones as opportunities to connect with potential readers in exciting new ways. Reflect on both the highs and lows of your book marketing journey. Once you have had some experience with marketing your book, think about what went well and what you think you can do better. It’s never too late to re-strategize and find new avenues to reach more people with your message.Share the work of your business with the world. When you put your ideas into a book, not only will you reach a new level of confidence and expertise, but you will have the opportunity to share a piece of yourself with the world. 

Resources:

Visit Becky’s website and reach out to connect with her. Gift a copy of Becky’s book, Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause to a friend or colleague that may find value in her powerful message. Connect with Becky on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook.

Tweetables and quotes:

If you choose to share on Twitter, don’t forget to tag @beckyrbnsn so she knows you enjoyed this episode!

Any milestone of your book’s release, like six months, one year, two years, and on from there is a great time for you to revisit sharing your book with others. —Becky Robinson

One of my goals in partnering with authors is to help relieve some of that stress and overwhelm. —Becky Robinson

If you are an author, you are the Chief Marketing Officer of your own book. —Becky Robinson

I knew that marketing my own book would be challenging. I knew that it would be expensive. I knew it would take a lot of focus. And it was just about exactly as hard as I expected it to be. —Becky Robinson

Any chance we have to get my book in front of people for whom it will add value, we want to take that opportunity .   —Becky Robinson

I don’t think that people should write books to be expensive business cards. I think it’s important to write the best book you can. —Becky Robinson

Books are seeds. —Becky Robinson

Giving away a book that costs me about $10 is one of the least expensive marketing tools I have, but also the most powerful one . —Becky Robinson

If you found value in today’s episode, we hope you’ll take a moment to share it with someone else who might benefit from it. If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, please email Becky Robinson here.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. 

Click here to download our new, free resource, Spend This First. 

Check out our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. 

Buy a copy of Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause, and don’t forget to leave an Amazon review.

Click here to tweet about this episode!

The post Episode 113: Celebrating Milestones Reached and Reflecting on Lessons Learned appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Episode 112: How To Mobilize Your Network

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Click here to listen on your device and subscribe! 

Welcome to Season 4 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information that you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

This episode is about exciting new ways to utilize strategy, creativity, and personal interactions to mobilize your network. Becky is joined by Clint Pulver—Emmy Award-winning keynote speaker, musician, workforce expert, and author of I Love It Here: How Great Leaders Create Organizations Their People Never Want to Leave. Becky and Clint discuss the importance of setting goals, fascinating methods to spread awareness of your book, and recommendations for authors looking for increased exposure. 

Key Points From This Episode:

[01:54] Clint introduces himself and talks about his journey as a keynote speaker, undercover researcher, and professional drummer.

[04:32] Clint discusses his book, I Love It Here: How Great Leaders Create Organizations Their People Never Want to Leave, and how he was able to mobilize his network during his book marketing process. 

[07:08] Finding new ways to get potential readers excited about your book can be a challenging process. Clint reveals several interesting and creative methods that he utilized to gain some traction. 

[10:00] Many people use email campaigns as a way to spread awareness about their book, brand, or cause. Clint breaks down the pros and cons of email drip marketing campaigns. 

[11:26] Individualized communications are a great way to reach people on a more personal level. Clint talks about this method and how effective it was for marketing his book.

[13:59] Having support through the mobilization process can really help to get the job done. Clint sheds light on how he and his small support team were able to have individualized communications with over 10,000 people.  

[16:11] Clint discusses positive outcomes and additional opportunities derived from influencer marketing. 

[23:00] Authors often seek reliable insight in hopes of having a successful book launch. Clint gives some great recommendations on what they can do for exposure at different stages of their mobilization journey. 

[25:53] With the knowledge gained through his own personal book marketing journey, Clint opens up about what he would do differently the next time around. 

Action Steps:

Think about what you want your outcome to be. Knowing what your goals are is a critical step to helping you reach them.Develop a detailed plan. Once you have a plan, review it with mentors or other authors to fine-tune it and expedite your success rate.Celebrate your efforts along the way. Although the book marketing process can be difficult, find moments of enjoyment and be proud of the work that you have accomplished. 

Resources:

Check out Clint’s website and reach out to connect with him. Grab your copy of Clint’s book, I Love It Here: How Great Leaders Create Organizations Their People Never Want to Leave . Connect with Clint on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook.

Tweetables and quotes:

If you choose to share on Twitter, don’t forget to tag @beckyrbnsn & @clintpulver so they know you enjoyed this episode!

I wanted to create a management classic, something that was perennial, something that five years from now it would still hold weight, it would still be relevant…I wrote it in a way that it could have a sense of timelessness. —Clint Pulver

The focus was to get the book out into the world and to get feedback on what was working, what people love, what they didn’t love, and how the book was received. —Clint Pulver

My biggest pet peeve as a speaker is, I go in, I do my thing. We have this great experience, the standing ovation, everybody’s jazzed. And then a week after or two weeks after life sets in, the stress, the routine of things, and sometimes the message is forgotten. —Clint Pulver

Quality, quality, quality, quality, I think always wins. —Clint Pulver 

Figure out what you want to happen and get really specific on that. —Clint Pulver 

It will be something at the end of all of this, that you can look back on and say, I’m proud of my efforts. I’m proud of what I did, not just what I wrote. —Clint Pulver 

We’ve just tried to put our heads down and go to work.   —Clint Pulver 

I always want to help authors be grounded in what success looks like. —Becky Robinson

If you found value in today’s episode, we hope you’ll take a moment to share it with someone else who might benefit from it. If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, please email Becky Robinson here.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. 

Click here to download our new, free resource, Spend This First. 

Check out our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. 

Buy a copy of Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause, and don’t forget to leave an Amazon review.

Click here to tweet about this episode!

The post Episode 112: How To Mobilize Your Network appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Episode 111: Work Innovation in the New Virtual World

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Click here to listen on your device and subscribe! 

Welcome to Season 4 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information that you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

This episode is about finding creative and innovative ways to work, connect with others, and manage your energy in the new virtual world. Becky is joined by Ali Greene—Co-Founder of Remote Works and Co-Author of Remote Works: Managing for Freedom, Flexibility, and Focus. Becky and Ali discuss the new normal of remote work, navigating human connections virtually, and energy management tools to prevent burnout.

Key Points From This Episode

[01:51] Ali introduces herself and talks about her journey working remotely while traveling the world.

[03:13] Ali discusses meeting friend and fellow remote worker Tamara Sanderson in Cape Town, South Africa, and how the two of them came together to write their new book, Remote Works: Managing for Freedom, Flexibility, and Focus. 

[04:46] Interested in learning creative and innovative ways to facilitate your virtual events? Ali talks about making them more casual, more fun, and more celebratory.

[08:50] There are various platforms that can be used for hosting virtual events. Ali lets us in on some of her favorites.

[15:30] Ali talks about new ways to interact and communicate with virtual event participants.

[16:17] First-time authors often face many challenges. Ali shares some important lessons she learned as a new author. 

[20:12] The activities around book marketing can be strenuous. Ali pinpoints how she fuels her energy through the process.

[21:30] Ali discusses the rewards and surprises realized while on her unique journey.

[25:39] Is it your desire to become more effective at marketing? Find out how. 

Action Steps:If you are looking for ways to better manage your energy at work, write down your ideas along with any corresponding tasks. Doing so will allow you to prioritize your activities and streamline your process.Think about outsourcing tasks either through friends volunteering or paid freelance work. Delegating work can be extremely beneficial for regulating energy and overall productivity. You will also be able to better identify activities that you may no longer need. Apply project management techniques to the work you produce and create for yourself or for your company. Implementing project management strategies will help you become more effective and more efficient in your day-to-day activities.Resources:Listen and subscribe to Ali’s Remote Work Podcast .Explore Ali’s website and reach out to her if you want to connect. Get a copy of Ali’s book, Remote Works: Managing for Freedom, Flexibility, and Focus .Connect with Ali on LinkedIn.Tweetables and quotes:

If you choose to share on Twitter, don’t forget to tag @beckyrbnsn so she knows you enjoyed this episode!

A virtual event needs to be uniquely special for people to want to show up live or purposefully asynchronous so that people can digest the information in their own time. —Ali Greene

The more you can set those expectations with attendees beforehand, the more successful your event will be. —Ali Greene

There are so many points in the author journey, if we’re honest, that we want something more than what we actually get. —Becky Robinson

As a first-time author, I was just going with the flow and learning that writing a book is not that different than managing a project, even though I thought it was . —Ali Green 

It’s about learning what boosts your energy and what drains your energy. —Ali Greene

If you’re an author, you’re managing the project of your book in the same way that if you’re a knowledge worker, you’re managing the work of what you’re trying to produce and create for yourself or for your company. —Ali Greene

Project management, to me, is the key for life.   —Ali Greene

The constant reframe I always give authors is book promotion is not self-promotion, it is message and value promotion. —Becky Robinson

If you found value in today’s episode, we hope you’ll take a moment to share it with someone else who might benefit from it. If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, please email Becky Robinson here.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. 

Click here to download our new, free resource, Spend This First.

Check out our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. 

Buy a copy of Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause, and don’t forget to leave an Amazon review.

Click here to tweet about this episode!

The post Episode 111: Work Innovation in the New Virtual World appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Episode 110: Leveraging Virtual Events to Market Your Book

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Click here to listen on your device and subscribe! 

Welcome to Season 4 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information that you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

This episode is about the positive impact of virtual events when marketing your book. Becky is joined by Wendy Haan—Marketing Services Manager at Weaving Influence—and Reiner Lomb—Founder of BoomerangCoach and Author of ASPIRE: Seven Essential Emotions for Leading Positive Change, No Matter Where You Are. Wendy and Reiner discuss the reach that comes from hosting webinars and virtual launch parties, what goes into facilitating them, and how their impact lasts beyond the day of the event.

Key Points From This Episode

[02:22] Reiner introduces himself and talks about his book marketing journey so far.

[05:00] There are two types of virtual events that we run at Weaving Influence. Wendy starts by discussing webinars, what their purpose is, and how we work with authors to organize them. 

[09:36] Wendy reveals what she has seen to be good timing for an author for a webinar. 

[10:00] At Weaving Influence, we have recently been doing some webinar series’ with authors. Wendy shares what she thinks about the approach to doing more than one webinar.

[10:07] Reiner discusses his experience coordinating his webinar with our team at Weaving Influence. 

[15:45] Wendy talks about the process of how we do virtual launch parties.

[16:55] Reiner reveals how meaningful a virtual launch party can be.

[19:44] What would Reiner say to an author who doesn’t want to be the center of attention or have a party to celebrate their book launch? Discover the answer.

[23:25] Wendy shares some final thoughts about what makes a virtual launch party so special for the author. 

Action Steps:If you’re an author preparing for the launch of your book, figure out a way to do some virtual events to bring people together for the launch. You can choose to do a webinar, which is more focused on the content of your book, or you can choose to do a virtual launch party, which is more focused on celebration.Write down the name of someone you think might be able to partner with you in virtual events to get the word out about your book. Having a host or facilitator who isn’t you can be really powerful. Watch some of our past webinars or Reiner’s Virtual Launch Party to get an idea of what might be possible. You can find them here and here. Resources:Watch Reiner’s webinar and virtual launch party. Explore Reiner’s website and reach out to him if you want to connect. Get a copy of Reiner’s book, ASPIRE: Seven Essential Emotions for Leading Positive Change, No Matter Where You Are.Connect with Wendy on LinkedIn and check out her bio on our website. Tweetables and quotes:

If you choose to share on Twitter, don’t forget to tag @beckyrbnsn and @ReinerLomb so they know you enjoyed this episode!

The people who are signing up for your webinar want to hear from you and they’re interested in what you have to say. So this is a prime opportunity for you to really get those messages out—to really teach people what your book is about and what they can learn from it. —Wendy Haan

Webinars give you a way to connect with your audience. —Wendy Haan

Unlike a webinar, which is more educational, a virtual launch party is truly a celebration. —Wendy Haan

A virtual launch party is a meaningful time for the author to connect with their network and celebrate the launch of their book. —Wendy Haan

The big difference between a webinar and a virtual launch party is the face-to-face interaction you get at the virtual launch party. —Reiner Lomb

I felt so at ease during my webinar. I felt so connected to the audience because we could follow and engage with them in the chat.  —Reiner Lomb

If you found value in today’s episode, we hope you’ll take a moment to share it with someone else who might benefit from it. If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, please email Becky Robinson here.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. 

Click here to download our new, free resource, Spend This First, or download our Ebook, Go Virtual: Your Checklist to Engaging Online Events to learn more about leveraging virtual events. 

Check out our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. 

Buy a copy of Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause, and don’t forget to leave an Amazon review.

Click here to tweet about this episode!

The post Episode 110: Leveraging Virtual Events to Market Your Book appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Episode 109: Demystifying Amazon

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Click here to listen on your device and subscribe! 

Welcome to Season 4 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information that you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

This episode is about demystifying Amazon for authors. Becky is joined by Alexa Bigwarfe—USA Today Bestselling Author and the Founder/CEO of Write|Publish|Sell—who shares her vast knowledge of Amazon, why it’s an important platform for selling books, and how authors can navigate all of its complex features. 

Key Points From This Episode

[01:45] Alexa shares a little bit about herself and her work in the world. 

[03:29] Learn more about Alexa’s author journey and her books, Sunshine After the Storm and Lose the Cape.

[05:31] Alexa reveals how many books she has written over the last decade.

[06:59] Why is it important for authors to use Amazon? Alexa explains. 

[08:40] Alexa shares whether or not achieving number one in your category on Amazon is worth chasing.

[12:25] There are a number of promotional opportunities available through Amazon. Alexa outlines the benefits of those and how authors should use them. 

[16:13] Alexa discusses the number of Amazon reviews authors should aim for and how to get more of them.

[23:04] Why can’t someone closely associated with an author leave an Amazon review for their work? Alexa explains. 

[26:52] For people who are self-published: Is it advantageous to publish exclusively through Amazon, or is it more worthwhile to expand the distribution of a book? Discover the answer. 

[35:37] Alexa concludes by sharing some of the challenges authors are facing with Amazon and how to overcome them. 

Action Step:Find the places that will help you get in front of the right readers. Explore the organizations, Facebook groups, podcasts, live events, and more that your ideal audience is navigating to.Resources:Register for the Women in Publishing Summit, happening March 1-4, 2023.Watch Alexa’s tutorial for setting a book up on IngramSpark. Follow Write|Publish|Sell on Instagram and Facebook.Follow Women in Publishing Summit on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Explore the website for the Women in Publishing Summit and learn how you can be a part of the community.Tweetables and quotes:

If you choose to share on Twitter, don’t forget to tag @beckyrbnsn and @katbiggie so they know you enjoyed this episode!

Don’t focus on where you are in your Amazon category, focus on getting reviews and getting buyers. —Alexa Bigwarfe 

Amazon will decline reviews for seemingly no reason. —Alexa Bigwarfe 

Something magical happens around the 50 review point. That’s where Amazon recognizes your book as legit and starts actually recommending you and putting you in places for other people. —Alexa Bigwarfe 

There’s no exclusivity clause for print books on Amazon, so you can put your book in other places, it’s just a matter of learning what tools to use and how to get it out there. —Alexa Bigwarfe 

The best thing that you can continue to do is find new readers to get in front of. —Alexa Bigwarfe 

If you found value in today’s episode, we hope you’ll take a moment to share it with someone else who might benefit from it. If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, please email Becky Robinson here.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. 

Click here to download our new, free resource, Spend This First, and check out some of our blog posts about navigating Amazon: “If You Want to Play Amazon’s Games, You Need to Know the Rules,” “Learning the Importance of Amazon Reviews: A Look at Bestsellers,” and “Bestseller Status is (Not Only) About Ego.” 

Check out our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. 

Buy a copy of Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause, and don’t forget to leave an Amazon review.

Click here to tweet about this episode!

The post Episode 109: Demystifying Amazon appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Reward the hustle

Whenever clients tell me they want to make a big bestseller list, like the Wall Street Journal hardcover nonfiction bestseller list, or the New York Times list, I worry about how to respond. I want to strategize and support authors in achieving their biggest and most audacious goals, and yet I’ve watched many many authors hustle hard and fall short. 

Part of this is because of the nature of business book sales. Many of our authors who sell thousands of books in the pre-order phase are doing so with bulk orders from conferences and organizations. As a result, these books, which may technically meet the sales numbers to make the list, are ultimately excluded. 

Industry insider and publisher at Bard Press, Todd Sattersten, shared his experience with this challenge in his post, Book Launches Are Messy. Though Todd has seen his authors’ books make the list, he has seen others sell the right number of copies but still falls short of the list. 

As a book marketing strategist and publicist partnering with business book authors over the last decade (and as a traditionally published author myself), I am well aware of the near impossibility of making either of these lists without a large, established audience, a significant financial investment, and a carefully orchestrated campaign. I’m aware of companies that run campaigns for tens of thousands of dollars to help authors outsmart the algorithms, and I regularly talk with publishers about trends they’re seeing related to bestseller lists.

I’ve interviewed WSJ bestselling authors on my podcast (Laura Gassner Otting and Dorie Clark), and a few former clients have landed on big lists (Whitney Johnson and Marshall Goldsmith). 

I also know a lot of authors who have hustled hard, lining up several thousand sales, and not made a big list. 

Tim Grahl is among the truth-telling book marketers who has talked candidly about the lists, urging authors to ignore the lists, saying “The only answer to this debacle is to stop worrying about hitting the major bestseller lists.” See his 2013 article.

Earlier in my business journey, around 2013, The Wall Street Journal exposed the surge in authors (the article is gated) working to buy their way onto business bestseller lists in order to achieve credibility for their business offerings and expanded awareness of their work. While the organization named in the article is no longer operating these bestseller campaigns, other organizations now offer similar services, with fees out of reach of most authors I’ve known.

For the most part, I’ve made peace with advising authors to work to sell as many books as possible without hopes of landing a list. The hard work and hustle to get more books into the hands of readers through selling individual copies, selling bulk orders, or giving away books is likely to create results for the author beyond their expectations, even without the prestige of a list.

I have to admit: In recent years, especially seeing friends make the list, I’ve been lulled into the sense that with enough hustle, business book authors, even lesser-known ones, could make a big list. I imagine the benefit I might gain if I could tout our services as contributing to an author’s success in making a big list. I won’t lie, I’ve wanted the prestige of a client making the list, the bragging rights. 

I’ve worked with several authors as they’ve put together bulk order campaigns, working with events and organizations to buy 50, 100, or more copies of their books at once. I’ve done this to help authors expand awareness of their work and ideas, increase overall sales, and with a hope that loading up enough sales might give them more visibility through a bestseller list — if not the WSJ, perhaps a lesser-known, niche list.

But, I’m frustrated that virtually no one talks openly and authentically about what it takes to make a list or the impact of bulk orders. I’ve done this work for nearly 11 years and the only thing I’m confident about is that the New York Times is a curated list and they will exclude books with a high percentage of bulk sales. Basically, bulk orders don’t count.

The impression I’ve gotten about the Wall Street Journal list is that it’s friendlier to bulk orders and that an author may be able to make the list with enough sales, even if the sales include bulk orders. I’ve also observed that some publishers work with bulk retailers to somehow work the system so that the bulk orders are counted toward the list. 

I understand the rationale behind the seemingly fast-changing rules. When bulk orders count, it’s easier for authors to game the system, buying their own books to buy their way onto the list, which is why bulk orders don’t count toward most lists. 

But, selling books, whether individual or bulk, requires a lot of hard work, and I dream of a world where this hard work is rewarded. 

I’m ready for the industry to be disrupted so that real bulk sales to real organizations, made by authors who have significant value to offer to the world through their books and are willing to hustle, are rewarded by inclusion on real lists.

I’m frustrated that the only way to win is to spend money on companies that wrangle bulk sales behind the scenes to make them look like individual orders so the authors can make the list. 

I’m frustrated that authors who make the list by hiring these companies don’t talk about it authentically. 

Essentially, these bestselling authors become gatekeepers of secret knowledge that puts new and emerging authors and authors of limited resources or from marginalized communities at a disadvantage. Lacking full information, or working from misinformation, these industry outsiders begin to believe that hustling is enough.

I’m ready for the playing field to be leveled so that the difference between the authors who do make the list and those who don’t is more than the amount of money they’re willing to spend to get behind-the-scenes support. 

I’m ready for some new lists that reward the hustle.

The post Reward the hustle appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Episode 108: Writing a Book That Changes Lives

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Click here to listen on your device and subscribe! 

Welcome to Season 4 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information that you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

This episode is about the importance of putting your readers first and crafting the kind of books that will change lives. Becky is joined by AJ Harper—Editor, Publishing Strategist, and Author of Write a Must-Read: Craft a Book That Changes Lives–Including Your Own—who discusses her writing journey and why it is important for nonfiction authors to shift from focusing on what they are writing about, to who they are writing for. 

Key Points From This Episode

[01:57] AJ shares a little bit about herself and her work in the world.

[03:14] The approach called “Reader First” is something AJ teaches in her workshops and her book. Listen as she reveals more about it. 

[04:50] AJ expands on the concept of “Reader First” and why it’s so important to care about readers from the very beginning of the book to the end. 

[05:46] If you want to write a must-read book, it’s not fast or easy. AJ explains why. 

[07:24] AJ walks listeners through the steps of the Reader Transformation Sequence. 

[09:31] Learn how the Reader Transformation Sequence might be different if someone receives a book as a gift or as part of a sales cycle. 

[10:54] AJ reveals how she landed on the title and subtitle of her book and how she coaches authors through the process. 

[16:24] Discover AJ’s advice for how authors can overcome the fatigue they might experience when it comes time to market their book. 

[18:03] AJ shares the marketing efforts that have been the most meaningful on her author journey. 

[20:24] AJ reveals her three favorite books of all time. 

Action Steps:

Ask two questions while preparing to write your book:

What’s the change you want to see in the world?Who can help you facilitate that change?Resources:Explore AJ’s personal website and her book website. Connect with AJ on LinkedIn and Facebook.Tweetables and quotes:

If you choose to share on Twitter, don’t forget to tag @beckyrbnsn and @AJHarperAuthors so they know you enjoyed this episode!

I say reader first, last, and always. —AJ Harper

People will read your book because they feel seen by you—they feel like you see them and you get them. That has to happen on page one, but it also needs to happen all the way through. —AJ Harper

I think giving away books for free in the beginning is important. —AJ Harper

When you write a book that changes lives, that leads to your life changing. —AJ Harper

If you found value in today’s episode, we hope you’ll take a moment to share it with someone else who might benefit from it. If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, please email Becky Robinson here.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. 

Click here to download our new, free resource, Spend This First.

Check out our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. 

Buy a copy of Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause, and don’t forget to leave an Amazon review.

Click here to tweet about this episode!

The post Episode 108: Writing a Book That Changes Lives appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Episode 107: Book Marketing & Platform Building

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Click here to listen on your device and subscribe! 

Welcome to Season 4 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information that you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

This episode is about the world of book marketing and how authors build their platforms. Becky is joined by Nancy Sheed—Social Media Marketing and Communications Consultant—who discusses her experience and career as a book marketer, what book marketing means to authors, and how to create sustainable, realistic book marketing approaches that lead to long-term success. 

Key Points From This Episode

[01:48] Nancy shares about herself and her work in the world. 

[03:36] Nancy talks about her experience working with bestselling author Laura Vanderkam. 

[06:13] How does Nancy define the work she does? She reveals the answer. 

[09:35] Listen as Nancy describes when she would ideally start working with authors to build their online presence.

[12:57] Nancy explains how she talks authors through the idea that marketing a book is harder than they expect. 

[16:09] Nancy outlines some ways that authors can prepare to promote their books.

[20:33] How has the world of book marketing changed over the last 10+ years? Nancy talks about the transformation she has seen. 

[24:47] Nancy shares what excites her the most about the book marketing industry. 

[27:11] Nancy reveals one of the most successful approaches to book marketing that she has seen in her career. 

Action Steps:Put together a list of people who know, love, and adore you and start sending them an email every now and then (with their permission). If you don’t have a plan for email, then it’s going to be really hard to build a community.Think about how you’re showing up online and Google yourself to see what you find. Make sure the story the online world is telling is the one you want to be told. Resources:Visit Nancy’s website to learn more about her and connect. Follow Nancy on LinkedIn and Instagram. Tweetables and quotes:

If you choose to share on Twitter, don’t forget to tag @beckyrbnsn and @sheesalt so they know you enjoyed this episode!

A lot of people who love writing books don’t like being extroverted marketers promoting themselves. It’s not a comfortable thing for them. —Nancy Sheed

Authors are the asset, they’re the content, they’re the things that people want to see—they want to hear from, they want the insight from—so they have to be involved in the marketing. —Nancy Sheed

Who is your book for? Who is going to buy it? Where are they? What do they want to hear from you? —Nancy Sheed

There are a lot of specialists now that can help you dive deep into a myriad of ways to promote your book, depending on what your goals are. —Nancy Sheed

Helping people who have important messages that can change people’s lives is really important.  —Nancy Sheed

People still use email. They’re never gonna leave email. —Nancy Sheed

Social media is great, but you don’t own it. —Nancy Sheed

If you found value in today’s episode, we hope you’ll take a moment to share it with someone else who might benefit from it. If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, please email Becky Robinson here.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. 

Click here to download our new, free resource, Spend This First, AND explore our ebook, Publishing & Marketing Timelines, about how the publishing process overlaps with marketing priorities.

Check out our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. 

Buy a copy of Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause, and don’t forget to leave an Amazon review.

Click here to tweet about this episode!

The post Episode 107: Book Marketing & Platform Building appeared first on Weaving Influence.

Episode 106: The Book Publishing Industry

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Click here to listen on your device and subscribe! 

Welcome to Season 4 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information that you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully. 

This first episode of Season 4 is about the book publishing industry. Becky is joined by Jane Friedman—author and expert on all things publishing—who discusses some of the best and most surprising moments from the publishing industry in 2022, the biggest trends, the challenges that authors have been facing, the influence of Amazon, and what’s in store for the publishing industry in 2023. 

Key Points From This Episode

[02:01] Jane shares about herself and her work in the world.

[03:12] What were some of the highlights from the publishing industry in 2022? Jane reveals. 

[06:20] Jane discusses how nonfiction authors show up on BookTok. 

[08:09] Listen as Jane explains how TikTok and BookTok help authors who may be selling a lower volume of books expand awareness and reach for their work. 

[11:05] Jane reveals some of the surprises of the publishing industry in 2022. 

[12:14] Should audiences expect a lower price point on AI-driven audiobooks? Discover the answer. 

[13:51] Jane continues discussing some of the surprises of 2022 and if they had a positive or negative impact on authors. 

[18:32] Learn about some of the most significant challenges authors have faced in recent years.

[20:15] Looking ahead to 2023, Jane shares her advice for authors choosing between self-publishing, hybrid publishing, and traditional publishing. 

[24:35] Jane dives deep into what has been inspiring authors to engage more and market their work. 

[28:55] Jane shares her take on a controversial book marketing approach.

[31:28] Discover Jane’s advice about getting Amazon reviews. 

Action Steps:If you haven’t started an email newsletter, start today! Remember that you can keep it very simple. Set aside an hour to brainstorm 100 small tasks that would help increase the visibility of yourself and your book. These small tasks should be things that can be accomplished in 15-30 minutes. Resources:Explore Jane’s website to discover classes, newsletters, books, and more. Follow Jane on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Tweetables and quotes:

If you choose to share on Twitter, don’t forget to tag @beckyrbnsn and @JaneFriedman so they know you enjoyed this episode!

BookTok is seen as a positive activity because these are enthusiastic, heartfelt recommendations from readers. It’s very organic. We’re not talking about stuff that’s paid for—it’s just coming. It’s arising out of the community serendipitously, and publishers can’t control it. —Jane Friedman

A lot of BookTok sales happen on their own accord. It’s really hard to force them. —Jane Friedman

I think we’re going to see more publishers and more authors take advantage of AI to produce audiobooks that are acceptable in the market and help reach new audiences. —Jane Friedman

If you’re a very new publisher and you don’t have a back list, you’re actually missing a big part of your financial engine for keeping the company afloat because you need the money coming in from those titles that you published years ago in order to fund the new ones. —Jane Friedman

I think people are struggling with the power and the weight of Amazon.  —Jane Friedman

On the self-publishing end, the people who are succeeding right now are the ones who have already reached their audience in some way. —Jane Friedman

Email, I think, is where a lot of authors are going. —Jane Friedman

You want to have some number of reviews very quickly to reassure the people who have no clue who you are that this book is a good bet, or that it’s for them. —Jane Friedman

If you found value in today’s episode, we hope you’ll take a moment to share it with someone else who might benefit from it. If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, please email Becky Robinson here.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. 

Click here to download our new, free resource, Spend This First, AND explore our Ebooks about publishing: Publishing Choices and Publishing & Marketing Timelines.

Check out our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. 

Buy a copy of Reach: Create the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause, and don’t forget to leave an Amazon review.

Click here to tweet about this episode!

The post Episode 106: The Book Publishing Industry appeared first on Weaving Influence.