How to Pre-sell Your Book to Thousands

What if you could pre-sell 10,000 books to your audience BEFORE your book is even written?

Sound impossible?

It is more most. But not for you.

For entrepreneurs who understand research, focus groups, and the magic of curated data, pre-selling a book can be a very simple process. Before I pull back the curtain on this, let's begin with the end in mind.

? What do you want your book to DO for you?

? Is it designed to solidify your brand?

? Are you creating it to share your legacy?

? Will your book attract new clients or media opportunities?

For most entrepreneurial authors, 1 or more of these goals encompass their publishing desire. While social media, video, and AI are dominating our attention, all of these things (and I mean ALL forms of marketing and communication) are temporary.

There is no library of tweets.

You can't remember the last Linkedin post you "liked"

There is no national award for your "killer" email.

There is one component of your message, however, that is timeless. This component involves your story, message, and words.

Your book.

• A book is timeless. ( we don't burn books!)
• A book lasts forever (will outlast your life)
• A book is respected (provided it's written well)

Becoming an author, especially a bestselling author will elevate your status, credibility, and perhaps even more important, become the foundation for your brand or legacy.

Writing one?

That's not easy.

So back to the question: "How can you pre-sell 10,000 copies BEFORE it's written?

The complete answer (with email templates, a roadmap and blueprint) will be published in my book in the coming month. However, I'll give you a sneak peek here to entice you to invest an hour into reading it when it comes out ;)

It'll be a short read. I know you are busy.

VET & VALIDATE

Our ghostwriting and publishing agency has been telling stories for over 14 years. Our clients include the former CMO of Starbucks, the lead rocket scientist for NASA (Inventing GPS), the Commander of the US Coast Guard who directed the search & rescue for Deepwater Horizon tragedy, a few NFL and NBA players, senior executives from Pepsi, P&G, NASCAR and many others.

They already had massive credibility and expertise when they published. Their book propelled them further.

But what about you?

If you're not the founder of a $6.6B company or the CEO of a company about to be acquired, what can you do to build your audience and sell a ton of books?

What is this "pre-sell" thing, Doug?

Here's the outline. (details and cheat sheets are in my upcoming book)

Use Research to Pre-Sell

1. Go to Amazon and in your targeted category, collate at least 100 3-star reviews from the best selling books in your category. Those reviews are gold. You'll uncover what your readers like, didn't like, and would like to have read. With over 100 reviews, you'll probably uncover some common threads.
2. Create 10-12 different covers and titles. Run split test, polls, and surveys on your cover imagery, title, and subtitle. Make sure your message speaks directly to your audience and either solves their problem, creates a question in their mind, or hooks them with an emotional pause. Ask your audience what they like.
3. Run a focus group. Get deep. Take your top 2 covers and ask a dozen or more of your targeted readers what they think, feel, and would do with this book? Get a professional to help you. It is sometimes better if your facilitator is an outsider to remove any bias on your part.
4. Target large groups. When you run these polls, surveys, or split tests, go to the largest and most relevant groups that align with your message. If you are doing a book on real estate; go to the National Association of Realtors and get their feedback. If you are producing a book on leadership; approach Vistage, YPO, or EOS to bring your subject readers into the creative journey.
5. If you are good at interviewing people, you may get one or two of these large organizations to contribute a story or two. Be sure to share your table of contents during the focus group. Get permission to reprint their story. Weave your audiences' stories into your own. (with a great book editor)

What do you think the people (who represent hundreds of thousands of your target readers) who you inserted into your book will say when they read THEIR story in YOUR book?

See where this goes?

When you position your targeted readers as collaboration partners instead of customers, you won't have to pitch or sell your book. They will ASK you for copies.

There is a complete set of emails, phone scripts, and examples in my upcoming book. DM me to get a preview copy.