Click here to listen on your device and subscribe!
Welcome to Season 7 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 is joined by Bree Groff—workplace culture expert and author of Today Was Fun: A Book About Work (Seriously)—to explore what it looks like to market a book in a way that feels joyful, authentic, and aligned. From designing a standout book cover and interactive website to creating influencer kits and experimenting with guerrilla marketing tactics, Bree walks through the creative strategies she used to bring her book to life and have fun along the way.
Key Points From This Episode:
[01:46] Bree shares a little bit about herself and what inspired her to write her book, Today Was Fun.
[04:27] Bree reveals how she landed on the title of her book and what she hoped readers would take away from it.
[06:44] Bree explains why she did not conduct a title survey and instead went with the title she felt most connected to.
[08:10] Learn about the craft behind Bree’s book and how its uniqueness has tied into her marketing and promotional strategies.
[11:34] Bree talks about what she did to prepare for the launch of her book and how she made her approach fun.
[15:04] Bree elaborates on her experience creating influencer boxes/book kits, revealing what the contents were and the investment they required.
[17:41] (AD) Learn about Weaving Influence Press—Weaving Influence’s marketing-first approach to hybrid publishing.
[19:15] Bree shares more of the ways she incorporated fun into her book marketing and launch campaign.
[23:33] Discover how Bree’s book marketing tactics have evolved in the first year since launch.
[25:50] Bree concludes by talking about her plans for the one-year anniversary of her book and how she wants to re-energize the message.
Action Steps:
- Try out guerrilla-style marketing tactics to create buzz for your book. Leave copies of your book in airports, Little Free Libraries, and other public spaces—or follow Bree’s approach and pay for copies in a bookstore so the people who find them get your book for free.
- Capture any nice notes you get throughout the author journey. Keep a log of any notes or messages you receive as a reminder that your work has made a difference for others, and revisit it whenever you need reassurance.
Resources:
- Take a deep dive into Bree’s website—check out the shop for photos of her book kit.
- Order a copy of Bree’s book, Today Was Fun.
- Subscribe to Bree’s Substack, “What Work Should Be.”
- Follow Bree on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Key Quotes:
When we don’t love our time at work, that means we’re really not loving five-sevenths of our lives each week. —Bree Groff
This book felt more like my own work of art than it did like a commercial product, so I was happy to just go with what felt true and compelling to me along the way. —Bree Groff
Part of what I think is compelling, captivating, and brilliant is when people dare to deviate from the norm. —Bree Groff
Creating brilliant work is joyful in and of itself, and it doesn’t have to look like everything else. In fact, it’s really powerful to look different and to convey the bravery of showing up differently. —Bree Groff
I asked myself what the most joyful version of marketing this book would be, ideally at the intersection of where I have some sort of special expertise, and I find it fun. —Bree Groff
Part of the joy of getting to write a book is the very romantic idea that it’s like putting a note in a bottle, sending it out to sea, and hoping it finds somebody else out there. —Bree Groff
Sign up for the bi-weekly newsletter to connect with Becky Robinson and gain access to ongoing learning and conversation.
