You invest hundreds hours writing your book, or creating an information product.
You pour your heart and soul into it.
It’s your baby, and you feel all the pride of “authorship.”
You get it printed, or upload the digital version to your website.
Now, the world beats a path to your door, right?
Wrong.
More times then not, your new book or information product just sits there.
After the initial the “friend and family” purchases, a few more sales come in, but soon the excitement dies — and so do the orders.
It’s frustrating, but this is sadly what happens to the vast majority of good authors and their products.
Launch Like A Superstar
Bestselling authors enjoy a very different experience.
Their book and product launches bring in above average sales, attract media attention and often lead to lucrative opportunities like speaking.
Why are they so successful? What are they doing right?
What they are doing right is that they have learned how to “launch” their books and information products for maximum impact.
You can too.
It begins with understanding 5 avoidable mistakes people make when launching a book or information product.
Book or Product Launch Mistake #1: Failing to plan.
Build it, and they will come?
Write it, and they will buy?
Not so fast…
People are busy.
Everyday, your potential readers and customers are flooded with dozens of emails and marketing messages offering this or that.
To cut through the noise, to get their attention, to be heard, you must have a plan.
The basic idea of a “launch” is turning the release of your book or product into an “event.”
A successful book or product launch involves four basic things:
(1) First, focusing on a specific day to launch your book or product.
Nordstroms Rack recently opened a new store in our area. I remember feeling so excited in the weeks before, thinking about all the great deals waiting for me inside. I put the date on my mental calendar and found myself driving by the store location to see their progress….
The day Nordies opened, so many people showed up, they needed police to direct traffic. The word spread quickly and the store was packed for nearly three weeks.
Retailers understand the power of the “Grand Opening” effect. There is only one opening day, and people want to be part of it. It works for retail, it works for books and information products too.
(2) Second, building anticipation through a series of educational marketing messages to “pre-sell” it.
We call this, teaching to sell. Offering prospective readers and customers a free book chapter, video, or informative webinar leading up to your launch builds excitement. It also helps people make up their minds in advance about the value of what you have to offer. The result? The moment you “open,” people are standing in line ready to buy.
(3) Third, providing people with a compelling reason to buy on your launch day.
Fragrance sales soar during the holidays. One of the reasons is the “free gift with purchase.” People can’t resist extra bonuses and gifts — especially when they’re revenant and add value to what they’re purchasing. Offering launch bonuses from you and others when people buy provides compelling motivation for action.
(4) Fourth, involving others to help spread the word.
Who is already reaching your readers? Who can spread the word through their mailing list or blog? Involving others as joint venture and affiliate partners multiplies your reach and sales.
HOT TIP: Beyond offering a referral or affiliate commission, ask partners to provide a bonus gift — a special report, video, MP3 — for your launch. Add the list of bonuses with links on your thank you or download page. This way, your partners not only make money but get introduced to new potential customers when your buyers opt-in to claim their bonuses. This works especially well for book launches.
Investing a small amount of time to plan the launch of your book or product can make a big difference in your impact and sales.
Launch Like A Superstar – Coming March 1, 2012
On March 1, 2012, we’re releasing Launch Like A Superstar, a step-by-step plan of action to launch or relaunch your book or information product using success secrets of mega bestsellers. It’s based on simple strategies we’ve learned and proven with hundreds of clients over the years, and in our own successful book and product launches.
To learn more, including the four other avoidable mistakes, watch the free videos available at www.LaunchLikeASuperstar.com
Avoidable Book Launch Mistake #1
