Ep29: Month Five...How I Wrote And Published My Best Selling Book Publish To Impact

[00:00:00] All right. We are in month five of how I wrote and published my best-selling book published to impact. If you haven't already listened to the previous episodes month, one month, two month, three, and month four, I suggest going back and having a listen, because it's going to give you an indication of. The mindset, it takes to write, publish, and launch a book because we're now at the back end.

[00:00:25] This is how I'm showing you how you can write and publish and launch a non-fiction book in six months. So just to recap last month, very quickly month four, we are in month five. So I want to recap month four which was week 13 to week 16 week 13. I set the stage. So I sent the launch date for my book.

[00:00:49] It was going to be january 30th, 20, 24. I communicated it to my email list. I opted not to form a launch team as well, because I was releasing this podcast on the exact day, my book was going to be launched.

[00:01:02] I have done launch teams previously, and I always encourage new authors to build launch teams because it's going to create awareness for your book, but I was going to create awareness through a podcast and. That's how I decided to do it. So I opted not to form a launch team and what I did or make 13 was I started preparing podcast episodes for release alongside the book.

[00:01:23] So building anticipation through audio among white audience. Wait 14 was formatting. So I got my book formatted. Well, I formatted up myself. I encourage new authors to outsource because you're going to save time and eventually money as well. So I initiated book formatting using the software that I have through my Mac book. I then uploaded my materials to Amazon. I haven't published it yet, but I uploaded my materials to Amazon in week 15. I downloaded the formatted copies and

[00:01:56] I also selected pricing and I ordered. Proof copies to make sure that they were ready and that they were

[00:02:03] good enough to be launched.

[00:02:06] Then in week 16, it took me one week to receive those proof copies. I utilized them for quality checks and proofreading. I sent the books out just to a couple of people to have a proof-read. I made minor adjustments on the spine of the book. And I also just reviewed it for last minute changes. So we are very close to publishing, and launching, published to impact. This is what's going to happen in month, five,

[00:02:29] and

[00:02:29] I'm not going to go week by week in this, because one, I didn't have a launch team, but I'm going to give you context inside of what I did, but I'm also going to give you advice on what I believe you should do to put your book in the best position.

[00:02:45] When publishing, when launching your book

[00:02:48] so I want to begin with when I first launched my book, the six pillars of a rewarding life. I thought I had a system in place that was going to help me launch as an Amazon bestseller. But unfortunately I landed in the top 15 under a couple of categories. Top 15 is great.

[00:03:04] It's awesome. But I was really aiming to hit that number one spot and. What I didn't have though, was a targeted launch. And that targeted launch was. Really helping me to maximize the exposure of my book and improve my bestseller ranking as well. But that changed when I published evolve.

[00:03:21] Your skill was I reached number one on the Amazon bestseller charts in two categories, which was coaching and job hunting.

[00:03:28] And I'm going to share with you how I got my book published to impact. Launched as a number one bestseller as well.

[00:03:35] Regardless of your goal though. I always recommend trying to hit the best seller status because it always is possible during your launch period. It makes sense to go big when you're becoming an author. And although I'm not really a fan of focusing on book sales, if your goal is to grow your business and make an impact, how many books you sell is a crucial component, especially during the launch week. And no matter how great your launch strategy is without sales, it's hard to gain traction from your launch. If no one knows who you are. They're not going to read your book.

[00:04:05] Now for me, the goal of the launch was to get as many downloads and purchase as possible.

[00:04:12] Now for the first time authors, I would always recommend two things for a successful book launch. Launch team and promotions. Those promotions are free and paid. You can choose between the two, but I'd recommend paid promotions as well.

[00:04:26] Now for me, the goal was to get as many downloads and purchases as possible. And to build awareness of my book to. Alternately. When you publish a book, you want to build momentum before your launch and continue to carry it throughout the launch week.

[00:04:42] The more people who are aware of your book during launch week, the more longterm success and impact you'll be able to have with that book as well.

[00:04:50] Now I won't go over about building a launch team today you can look at chapter 17 in published impact, which will give you an idea of how to set up a launch team, how to create a launch team, how to engage a launch team as well. But I will go over promotions because promotions are what I use for published to impact, to position it as a bestseller when it was published now. Your promotions or whatever it is you can do to draw attention to the release of your book.

[00:05:18] What are free promotions, free promotions. Whatever it is you can do for free, that draws attention to your book. That's sharing your book on social media, sharing your cover artwork, sharing a blurb about the book, anything that's related to your book, bringing awareness that your book is going to be published, sharing it through social media, sharing it to your email. Address. Getting friends, to share it, family, to share acquaintances, clients. Anything to draw attention to your book that you do for free.

[00:05:49] Additional to that paid promotions.

[00:05:51] Paid promotions are strategically placed promotions that help amplify your reach to a wider audience. And it maximizes your impact on your goals of becoming an Amazon bestseller.

[00:06:04] Now you can go to bargain Booksy or freebooksy.com. And that's a really reputable promotional website, which I use you select a date from when your book is launched or when you want to promote your book. And that we'll send that out to their email list.

[00:06:19] And they'll let you know okay. They might have. A hundred thousand people on your email list. Eight He is different. So you will select the niche of your genre. You'll pay that 80 bucks for the promotion. You select the date. And then the promotional company will send out a blast with your book on their email list, letting you know that. The book is new. You can, buy it

[00:06:38] and it's available at this price for this long. That's also why I cover. Is important as well. Having a really well-designed book cover is important because for people who haven't heard of you, if they see a really awesome cover, they're likely to be attracted to it and want to know more which means they're more likely to purchase your book when the book is launched.

[00:06:59] Now how you launch your book will depend on your book goals. But the launch I recommend is one. That's going to give you maximum impact in helping your book, reach your audience through social media and your email list. Here's how it's going to work. So 30 days prior to your book launch. Context people on your email list and let them know your book is going to be re released in roughly four weeks time. You want to reveal your book cover as well to your audience, and you want to entice them to purchase the book later. As they're going to be able to visualize reading your book now as well.

[00:07:33] So you're going to start to engage excitement, and they're going to start to get ready for your book.

[00:07:38] Between one month and seven days prior to your book from launching. So for me from 30 days, between 30 and seven days prior to January 30th, 2024, The edits for your book should have all been finalized.

[00:07:52] and formatted and this is where you want to give enough people in your launch team. who are helping you launch your book and promote your book. When it's, when it's ready to go, you want to give them time to read your book prior to the book being launched, because. At the end of it.

[00:08:06] When it's launched, they're going to leave a review.

[00:08:08] They're going to share your book. And they're going to give you feedback during that time of their reading. So you want to make sure that you're open to their feedback as well. You also want to leave enough time if small edits need to be made. To when you're going to publish that book.

[00:08:24] So that's why I would recommend between 30 to seven days have your book proof-read has people read your book, have your launch team read your book? Just so you're getting that feedback in a decent amount of time. So that you've given yourself enough time enough, notice

[00:08:38] and you're confident your book is ready to go.

[00:08:41] So then seven days prior to launch, once you've got all that feedback, you've reviewed it. You've made updates with necessary. You then want to launch your book promotions.

[00:08:51] So send an email to the people on your email list to build anticipation as well. And a way I would do this is to deliver an extract, deliver an extract or a blurb on your book and even consider running giveaways. If you've got a decent email list, just let them know. Hey, I'm I'm running a book promotion I'm willing to give away a free paperback copy. And every purchase goes into the drawer. So you could do something like that and just build that anticipation.

[00:09:18] Then three to four days prior to your launch. So this is what I did three to four days prior to my launch, I uploaded my book to Amazon built the anticipation. And it takes 24 to 72 hours for your book to be approved through Amazon's channels. So when do you get the email confirmation? Your book is ready to go. Contact the people on your email list.

[00:09:39] Again, let them know the launch will be in a couple of days, time. You want to allow enough time for Amazon to upload your book? So something like. I've uploaded my book to Amazon waiting for the approval. I'll be back in a couple of days to let you know when it's ready to go. Something like that because. It's going to get people excited.

[00:09:57] And if you've done the leg work people are going to be waiting and people are wanting to be in buying your book.

[00:10:02] So the book is now ready on Amazon. What I did for published impact was I launched my book at 99 cents. I launched my ebook at 99 cents. And the hard copy the paperback copy. I think I might've been about $18 or something. 18 Australian dollars.

[00:10:20] Once you get that confirmation through from Amazon. This is launched day one.

[00:10:25] You want to go back to your email list? Let them know that your book is now ready. If you have a launch team, let them know that your book's ready to leave a review. They go. to your email list. Let them know that your book is available to download for me. I downloaded my book at 99 cents.

[00:10:42] And

[00:10:42] what I did was I included all the links to Amazon stores because I have subscribe subscribers around the world. It's easy to send them the links directly to their stores. So what I would do in an email, I would list out. each link that would have the different stores.

[00:10:58] So it would be UK store, Australian store, us store. That would go directly to my book page so they can download my book. In their currency from their store. And in your email, you also want to ask if they're willing to purchase your book for 99 cents.

[00:11:15] If you were doing the 99 cent launch, it's something you might be embarrassed about asking for someone to pay 99 cents to download your book. But if you explain why it's useful, you'd be surprised by how many people are willing to help you out. You want to explain that it verifies your book on Amazon? And it counts as an initial early sale.

[00:11:33] That's going to help the algorithm, push your book towards the best seller status.

[00:11:38] However though you don't want to make it a condition for them to. purchase your book. as well. That goes to the same field launch team.

[00:11:45] Then around probably days two to five. After the launch, once you've noticed a spike in downloads for your book, you've seen how the promotion has gone, whether they're paid or free. You want to increase your price. So you're now transitioning from a soft launch to a hard launch, email, the list of people.

[00:12:02] Let them know the books, price, and then it's out now in the world and it's available for purchase to.

[00:12:08] So this was how I launched my book, published the impact. I. Offered it as a 99 cent purchase. And then after a couple of days, I raised the price of it, but I encouraged downloads and also paperback buyers because

[00:12:22] when you look at Amazon best-selling rankings and how they work, they work in Kindle and also paperback

[00:12:28] now I became an Amazon bestseller in both under the category of business writing. So I was quite stoked with that

[00:12:36] and it was all because of the legwork I've done prior to getting my book launched. It was the anticipation that I'd built.

[00:12:42] It was getting the boot cover out there to let people visually see what it's gonna look like, get people excited so that they can be ready to. buy when the time comes.

[00:12:53] Now on that note, I want to go over one final thing, which is the launch week metrics because. Book sales, although our important should not be the whole focus when it comes to your book.

[00:13:08] What I would always recommend is creating meaningful conversations and connections. With those who are interested in your book

[00:13:16] Because that's going to open up more networking opportunities for potential clients who are willing to buy your book, who you're solving their problem to. So, especially as a business owner, especially as a coach, meaningful connections and meaningful conversations. By far the most important, so focus on that during launch week and you'll have an awesome time launching your book.

[00:13:37] You won't be as stressed. You won't be focusing on the analytical numbers

[00:13:41] but most of all, make sure you enjoy the week. Your book launches.

[00:13:45] So, thanks for joining me today. I hope you write your book. I want you to write your book. If you need help writing your book please reach out to me in the show notes. And I'll be more than happy to let you know how you can write, publish and launch your book and

[00:14:00] achieve. Our bestseller status. Until next time we'll catch you later.