The old guards are gone. Here's what to do instead
Steven Pressfield, acclaimed author of The Legend of Bagger Vance (among many others), has also written a book for novice authors looking to make a splash. I'm sure your book is fantastic. But I'm gonna take a chance and say he's not gonna get the Oprah's Book Club sticker. But it is okay. You don't need her. You don't need Oprah. (I know you read that Oprah, so go with me). What used to be the norm for book promotion is no longer. Instead, a targeted, niche approach will yield more results than a traditional “throw it on the wall and see what sticks” campaign.
Tim wrote a blog post featuring Ellsberg and highly recommends it. Within an hour, the book reached 45 on Amazon. It even reached number 1 in the job search and career guides section of the site. In the weeks that followed, Ellsberg attempted to capitalize on the increased attention, continuing to do mainstream press. Nothing, however, has ever been able cell phone number list to give it another boost like Ferriss' post. So why did a simple blog post work better than weeks of tireless promotion?
Solo Author Blogs Benefit from the “Halo Effect”
It is a cognitive bias that explains why certain people (or brands or products) are considered more credible, smarter or more attractive than their peers. This is why Apple is taking advantage of the doubt about Microsoft. Or Samsung, Google and any of their other competitors for that matter. The Halo effect also applies to people with dedicated followers. Like crazy televangelists. And Opra.
Popular solo author blogs cultivate the same devotion. Even if their numbers pale in comparison.
One reason is convenience. Be featured on the biggest radio show (I literally can't name one), and someone still has to wait until they get home or to the office to remember to pick you up. Online, you are just one link away. So there is no delay. Less friction between the dedicated reader and the Amazon One-Click to Purchase button.
Ferriss has spent years cultivating an audience. So when he recommended the work of Michael Ellsberg, it resulted in intense action. (More than anything CNN or The New York Times has generated).
Because Ferriss called on a close-knit, prepared and committed group. Online marketer Beth Hayden agrees and goes even further. If you don't have a Tim Ferriss type to write for you (and not everyone else), connect with blogs with an audience similar to yours. This gives you a chance to claim your status as an expert in your book's subject and get your book in front of the right people.