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Welcome to Season 6 of The Book Marketing Action Podcast with Becky Robinson, where we give you information you can immediately implement to increase your influence and market your books more successfully.
In this episode, Becky welcomes another return guest, Todd Sattersten—publisher at Bard Press and author of the new book, 100 Best Books for Work and Life, which launched today. Todd shares what makes Bard Press’s “one book per year” publishing model unique and discusses his highly intentional, experiment-driven marketing strategy for launching his own book. From activating author networks to crafting a sales plan, this conversation is packed with insights for any author looking to publish with purpose.
Key Points From This Episode:
[01:49] Becky starts by telling the story of how she first connected with Todd, and then Todd shares about himself and the work of Bard Press.
[03:54] Todd talks about his new book, 100 Best Books for Work and Life, and what inspired him to write it.
[05:18] Todd elaborates on how this project is different from his other book, The 100 Best Business Books of All Time, which was released in 2009.
[06:40] Find out if there is any overlap between The 100 Best Business Books of All Time and 100 Best Books for Work and Life.
[08:18] Todd reveals how many books in 100 Best Books for Work and Life were published by Bard Press.
[09:14] Todd explains how he began thinking about the marketing strategies for his own book and the assets he created for the authors who are featured in 100 Best Books for Work and Life.
[13:45] Todd talks about whether or not encouraging conversations about the books that are not featured in 100 Best Books for Work and Life is part of his marketing strategy this time around.
[16:37] How does Todd prioritize book marketing strategies for himself and the authors he works with? He explains.
[18:49] (AD) Schedule a call with Becky Robinson to discover how Weaving Influence’s custom strategies can support your book launch.
[19:40] Todd reveals how he plans to evaluate the results of his various experiments for marketing his new book.
[21:25] Todd shares how many copies of 100 Best Books for Work and Life were included in the initial print run.
[22:56] Todd elaborates on why making a national bestseller list is not a significant part of his marketing strategy.
[26:57] Todd outlines two major factors and approaches that every author should pay attention to when marketing their books.
Action Steps:
- If you’re preparing to launch a book, make sure you dedicate time not only to developing a marketing plan but also to crafting a sales plan. Tune in to Todd’s previous appearance on the podcast for a deeper dive into this topic!
- As you think about your own book marketing journey, identify an experiment or two that you could try to get your book out into the world in a bigger way. Ensure you can measure those results so you can repeat the action if it proves successful for you.
Resources:
- Order your copy of 100 Best Books for Work and Life, which is now available!
- Learn more about Bard Press and explore the list of books they’ve launched.
- Connect with Todd on LinkedIn.
Key Quotes:
What publishing one book a year allows us [Bard Press] to do is spend so much more time with the author on every component of building a successful book. —Todd Sattersten
What are the unique things that you, as an author, have, or the things that your book is going to have in the marketplace when it gets released? —Todd Sattersten
The biggest problem for most authors is that they do not leverage their assets. —Todd Sattersten
There’s a wealth of research indicating that selling 10,000 copies in the first year is a wonderful indicator of future success with a book. —Todd Sattersten
Evaluate what your book is and what you want to do, not what people say is the most important thing to do. —Todd Sattersten
Have a sales plan. Don’t just have a marketing plan. —Todd Sattersten
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I am the founder/CEO of the Weaving Influence team, the author of Reach: Creating the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause, and the host of the Book Marketing Action Podcast. I’m a wife and mom of three kids, and I enjoy running, reading, writing, coffee, and dark chocolate.