Client Success Story: Kathi Lipp

Kathi Lipp was a first-time author launching her new book, The Husband Project. WildFire Marketing coached Kathi for four months leading up to her book’s publication date. All results listed below occurred during the Author Mentor Program and within 60 days after the book’s release:

1. Kathi sold over 1,000 books by herself within the first 2 months!
2. Broke the Amazon 10,000 sales ranking in just 51 days (9,020).
3. Scheduled 30 new author speaking events for 2009.
4. Landed 7 radio and 2 TV interviews with her own press release.
5. Secured monthly columnist feature on the CBN.com (700 Club).
6. Built new relationships with over 650 MOPS leaders across U.S.
7. Garnered book reviews on over 30 targeted blogs.
8. Sent her first e-newsletter to over 2,000 subscribers.
9. Doubled author’s monthly newsletter subscriber rate.
10. Raised author speaking fees by over 30%.
11. Revamped author website and tripled monthly visitor traffic.

Before-and-after Pictures of Author Website:

“Before meeting Rob Eagar, I had an unproductive website, ineffective newsletters, small database of leaders, and felt unprepared to sell my new book. But, working with Rob paid off big time! I sold over 1,000 copies of my new book in the first 60 days, landed more speaking engagements at much higher fees, doubled my newsletter signup rate, and learned how to turn media interviews into book sales. The transformation is amazing!”
Kathi Lipp
Author of The Husband Project

For more client success stories, click here.

How NOT to Market a Book

I couldn't help but pass along this absurd, but true, example of how NOT to market a book. One of my clients sent me the following email she received from a first-time author trying to promote a new book. Read the text, and ask yourself, "How does this make me feel?": (The author's name has been removed to protect them from feeling like an idiot.)

"Hello friends, you can probably guess that I'm grinning from ear-to-ear over the release of my new book. The publisher has their marketing team doing its part in getting the book out to the public, but now I'm also asking for your help to create the buzz necessary to make this book move and get it into the hands of the audience. Let's work together to move the first printing of the book out of the warehouse within this month! Here are simple ways you can help:

1. Purchase a copy of the book for yourself and for at least one friend.
2. After reading the book, write a review and post it on Amazon and Barnes&Noble. (A review is simply your opinion about the book. It can be just a couple of sentences, and you can post the same message on all sites, so this won't take a lot of time.
3. Ask your church to order 20 - 50 copies of the book. Keep one in your church library and give the rest as a resource to families. (If just 60 churches purchase 50 books each, we'll empty the warehouse and send the book into its second printing!)
4. Consider inviting me to conduct and/or speak at a seminar at your church or community organization. Books would be made available to all participants. I have put together a 5-session seminar through which I share valuable information about Christianity in our post-modern generation. Contact me for further information and to schedule a date.
5. Forward the link to my press release to your entire e-mail mailing list. Send it with your endorsement and a personal note explaining your connection to me.
6. Print out as many copies of the press release as you'd like and post it on bulletin boards at schools, churches, libraries, etc.

I really appreciate all the help you can give in promoting my book. Please dedicate within the next week to doing something (if not everything) from the suggestions given above. I appreciate you. Thank you in advance."

If you're like me, doesn't this author seem to be a bit presumptuous? Expecting other people to do your book marketing is the sign of a novice...it's also ridiculously selfish.

The right way to market your book is to give away free value that makes your audience want more. Secondly, you empower fans with free tools to spread word-of-mouth, rather than sending out emails begging for their assistance.

Examine the way you market your books, and ask yourself: Am I selfish in my expectations, or am I selfless with my value?

10 Reasons Why Authors can Help Publishers Sell More Book in Tough Times

In our tough economy, publishers are facing financial pressure on all sides. Book sales are declining. Bookstores are closing. Marketing budgets are dwindling. Staff is being laid-off. What’s a publisher to do in such dark times? Fortunately, there’s still a light shining in the tunnel. This glimmer of hope is authors. Here are 10 reasons why training your authors to sell more books can open brighter possibilities for your publishing house:

1. Training authors to drive readers into bookstores is less expensive and less risky than paying bookstores costly co-op dollars to get shelf placement.

2. Teaching authors to get media interviews on their own is less expensive than using high-priced PR firms or in-house publicists. It also frees limited staff for other duties, which saves even more money.

3. When authors learn better marketing skills, the benefit can last a lifetime and enhance the sales of many future books. But, the benefit of co-op dollars and media tours only lasts for a few months.

4. Publishers can lay-off internal personnel, but you can’t lay-off authors. Why not put them to good use within the company?

5. Authors who act as salespeople for the publisher work on a “commission-only” basis with low risk. They only get paid (a small royalty) when they produce revenue (sell more books).

6. Authors are more likely to stay loyal to the publisher who invests to help him or her succeed. One of my A-level clients recently left his long-time publisher, because they ignored his desire for a deeper marketing partnership. He chose another publisher that offered to help grow his platform.

7. Training authors to market their books better offers the publisher a 6:1 return on investment. Why? For every extra book sold (paperback), the author makes a $1 royalty. Yet, the publisher makes over $6 in sales revenue – what a deal! Where else can you find a similar financial opportunity?

8. Every Fortune 500 company spends time and money to properly train their salespeople. If publishers agree that authors make the best salespeople for their books, shouldn’t proper training be provided?

9. Apathetic, old-school authors who expect publishers to do all the marketing are quickly disappearing. Besides, why keep employees who aren’t willing to pull their own weight? Times have changed, and a modern breed of authors who want to help promote their books is the new standard.

10. Authors at every level can produce substantial book sales for their publisher. For instance, here are some recent results from my clients:
A-Level Best-seller: Sold over $13,000 of books at one speaking engagement.
B-Level Mid-list: Helped promote her new book into 6 printings in less than a year.
C-Level First-timer: Sold over 500 books in the first 30 days and lined up 60 speaking events.

When authors receive professional training to market their books, the publisher makes more money. Even modest improvements can produce significant results. Do the math, and you’ll find that if authors help just 50 titles sell an extra 3,000 copies each, the publisher makes over $1,000,000 in new sales. And, there’s no additional cost other than the small investment to provide instruction. When publishers implement this low-risk, low-cost solution, they gain an important asset to overcome these trying times.

"The Shack" is now a Mansion

As most people know, William Paul Young recently self-published a book for his kids called, "The Shack." But, no one expected that this book would set records as the most successful self-published book in history. As of today, "The Shack" has sold over 6,100,000 copies! If you haven't read it yet, get your head out of the sand and buy a copy - it's worth it. For details, click here to watch the author's interview on Good Morning America earlier today:

This book is fascinating to me, not only for incredible spiritual content offered, but how this book turned the publishing world upside down. I'm amazed by how many publishers turned down the manuscript and continue to poo-poo the book today. It's obvious that the "industry" isn't in-sync with the desires of many book readers.

In addition, I think "The Shack" represents a look at the future of publishing in America. For example, new authors who write great books can succeed without a traditional publisher (this idea used to be considered heresy). Sure, it's a rare occurrence, but not as crazy as once believed.

Plus, "The Shack" represents a book that can be purchased without walking into a bookstore and buying a book. Case in point: You can now purchase the book as an "app" and read it on your I-Phone (see picture below):

We live in an incredible time of change for America and the publishing industry. Ideas that were considered impossible are now a reality. Keep in mind, however, that writing books and using technology means nothing if you don't provide value to the reader. Without value, you've just got a bunch of fluff. And, fluff is the last thing people need to navigate this rapidly changing world.

February Comparison of ECPA Publishers

Check out the February Amazon rankings for the Top 15 ECPA Publishers. This research lets you see both the overall CBA industry rankings, plus each publisher's individual top 20 bestselling book list.

Why is this information helpful to you? This is one of the few ways that authors, agents, and publishers can simultaneously see how a publisher's best books stack up against their peers. For example, Neilsen BookScan doesn't let other publishers see the competition's sales numbers (only bestseller lists). But, WildFire's free research gives publishers a way to see which titles are selling well on Amazon at 14 other houses. This data is also helpful to see which authors, topics, and genres are dominating Amazon sales trends.

Items of Interest this Month:

a. Top-Selling Overall Titles on Amazon:
- "The Love Dare" (#12) from B&H Publishing.
- Rankings exclude the self-published title, "The Shack" (# 5).

b. Biggest Publisher Moves:
- Crossway debuts on the list at # 7.
- IVP drops from #6 last month to #11 this month.
- David C. Cook and Howard dropped out of the Top 15 this month.

c. Amazon's 2008 Book Sales Grow 16% as U.S. Bookstores Shrink
- Publishers Weekly reported last week that Amazon's North American media segment grew by 16% in 2008 to $5.35 billion. This is an amazing statistic considering the decline of book sales in other retail areas. As Amazon grows, this free monthly research becomes more beneficial. If you have any comments or suggestions, call 1-800-267-2045.

Note: Amazon rankings do not reflect accurate sales figures and only account for a small percentage of a book's total sales. However, they can help determine how specific publishers or book titles perform over time versue their peers.

Click here for an Excel spreadsheet of the January 2, 2009 rankings.

For all previous month rankings, click here.

Christian Book Expo: Fact or Fiction for Authors

By now, you've probably heard about the upcoming Christian Book Expo in Dallas, TX on March 20 – 22nd. This event is being billed by some as the “world’s largest Christian conference,” because it is expected to attract around 200 Christian authors and 20,000 attendees.

Lately, I’ve received a lot of questions from authors who are confused about this event and how to prepare for it. So, I’ve put together a short fact-or-fiction section below to help provide answers. If you have other questions, you’re welcome to contact me at: rob@startawildfire.com

CBE is just another version of the ICRS annual trade show.
Fiction: CBE is a completely different animal from ICRS. It’s the first show geared strictly to connect Christian book readers with their favorite authors. In contrast, ICRS is a show that connects retail bookstores with publishers. CBE represents a great opportunity for Christian authors to build new relationships with readers from the Dallas / Fort Worth area, which some call the buckle of the Bible-belt.

My publisher will give away my books for free like they do at ICRS.
Fiction: Publishers will NOT be giving away free books. All books must be purchased by an attendee before the author signs them. In addition, there is a daily entrance fee of around $19 for each attendee. So, people must pay just to show up and buy your book. With our tough economy, consumers will be fairly discriminating about how many books they choose to buy.

I have to be invited to participate as an author at CBE.
Fact: The only authors allowed to participate at CBE must be selected by their participating publisher or writer's organization, such as ACFW, etc. Random authors are not allowed to show up and schedule a book-signing. If you have not been invited, ask your publisher if there is still space available in their booth. You will need to be prepared to cover all expenses on your own.

The big-name authors will get most of the attention at CBE.
Fact: Just like most consumer-based shows, the big names will draw the largest crowds at CBE. There will be evening worship events and panelist discussions with famous authors that will attract thousands of attendees. Don’t get jealous, though. Big-time authors serve the purpose of making sure the overall attendance is large enough to sustain the event. Smaller authors benefit from the bigger numbers attracted by the A-level names.

If you’re an unknown author, your key to success must be using creative ways to draw attendees to your book-signings or workshop sessions. For example, you can give away free items, such as quizzes, articles, resource guides, or takeaway objects that connect to the message of your book. These tools help keep your book in an attendee’s mind even if they don’t buy during the Expo.

In addition, you could create a contest with an attractive prize that relates to your book. Use the prize to get people to register for your monthly newsletter. Acquiring 100 – 500 new subscribers to your newsletter may be more profitable in the long run than selling books during the show. The benefit is that you create a larger group of fans who can help spread word-of-mouth and buy more books in the future.

Each author must handle the details of their book-signing or speaking event.
Fact: The publisher is just bringing their book inventory and reserving booth space for authors to sign books or give a speech. However, it is the author’s responsibility to draw attendees to their signing, give a compelling message, offer immediate value that impresses readers, and gather contact information for a newsletter. The author must be prepared to handle all of these functions on their own.

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Make the Most of Your CBE Author Event: If you’re an author who is participating at CBE, WildFire Marketing is offering custom, one-on-one, brainstorming sessions. We've helped numerous authors get incredible results at conferences and major events.

Just ask our client, Kathi Lipp, who recently attracted over 650 leaders to her booth at the International MOPS Convention. Her efforts generated many new speaking engagements and kick-started sales of her new book, The Husband Project.

Likewise, we can help you plan an effective strategy to draw attendees to your booth. Plus, we’ll help you develop creative ideas to spread word-of-mouth and capture more contact information to help grow your author platform. To get started, call 1-800-267-2045 or email: rob@startawildfire.com

What's Your Marketing Motive?

Take a moment to ponder this question: "What motivates you to write a book or give a speech?" Do you feel compelled to tell people something that will help them? And, do you find yourself driven to share your message with someone and see positive results?

We live in an era of unprecented technology where anyone and everyone can have a voice. New tools, such as blogs, self-publishing, YouTube, and podcasts make preaching and teaching easier than ever. In fact, last year over 400,000 new books were published. But, I'm not convinced this is a good thing. And, at the risk of offending someone, I've got something important to say:

God does NOT call Christians to be authors

(or speakers).

Instead, God calls Christians to write or speak about a specific message that will improve other people's lives. So, if God hasn't given you a distinct message yet, then He hasn't called you to write.

I've met too many Christians who say, "God called me to write a book." Others desperately dream of becoming a "retreat speaker" or keynoter for arena events. Yet, when I ask, "What is your core message that you feel burdened to tell others?" or "Why is your message so important?"...they can't answer the question.

Here's the problem: without a real message, you can't be a good writer or speaker. Sure, you can be an entertainer, but the American Church already has enough of those folks (they're called musicians and comedians). So, if you think God called you to be a professional communicator, but you don't have a deep message to share yet, then keep waiting on God - or question if He actually called you.

In his wonderful book, "Communicating for a Change," Pastor Andy Stanley referred to advice he received from his father, Dr. Charles Stanley, who said, "You've got to have a burden. That's the thing most preachers are missing. A burden. If they don't have a burden, it's just a bunch of fluff...It is a burden that weighs so heavily on the heart of the communicator that he or she must deliver it." So, if you want to be an author or speaker, then I ask you...what's your burden?

Many people think God called them to speak, but it's really just a personal desire for the limelight. Or, they're trying to satisfy what someone else told them to do. However, the Church doesn't need any more "authors" or "speakers." People are thirsting for proven, biblically-based, life-changing messages that will answer the tough challenges they face.

Here's my point: If you just want to be a Christian author, that's like saying you just want to get married - for marriage's sake. It's a selfish motive, because it's not about whether you want to sacrificially love a specific person. You just want to be married, and it doesn't matter to whom.

Likewise, people who just want to be speakers or writers are too focused on what it will do for them (their ego, their bank account, etc.) Instead, good communicators are more concerned about the needs of their audience.

To truly be a "Christian" speaker, make sure you've clearly defined a God-given burden. Know your value, and the results you can produce. Without that element, you're just another voice lost in the cacophony.

Are You Wasting Money on Book Trailers?

Pop Quiz: What smells like cheese, has the power to put thousands of people to sleep, and sucks an authors money faster than a vacuum cleaner? Answer: Book video trailers.

For those of you who have worked with me, you know that my primary concern is an author's well-being. Well, lately I've watched a lot of authors pay hard-earned money to buy a video ad for their book thinking that it will ignite sales. But, nothing could be further from the truth. Here's why...

We live in a video-oriented society, and videos can be powerful marketing tools. But, I've watched over 100 book trailers so far, and over 95% were really awful! Too many authors are getting videos made by amateurs who lack credentials and a professional background. Worse, there's no creativity, art, and excitement put into the video for the viewer to enjoy.

Instead, the average trailer consists of a camera panning across a bunch of boring still-shots, usually the book's cover. Meanwhile, sappy music plays in the background, and a lame narrator gives a boring description of the book. Other bad book trailers include lifeless interviews with authors droning about their reasons for writing.

How are these videos supposed to motivate me to buy a book? How did these authors think this was a good idea? There's no value in the video for the reader. It's just a boring commercial that makes me feel embarrassed for the author.

The reason why everyone's talking about book trailers is simply because it's the new fad. Authors compare themselves to others and think they're cool if they have a video. Likewise, many authors would rather spend their money making cheesy videos, instead of getting out and interacting with their audience to actually sell some books.

Here's the reality about book trailers:

1. There is no conclusive evidence that shows video trailers motivate people to buy books. The video production companies will claim that they're revolutionizing the world. But, they're mostly just churning out useless eye-candy that doesn't deliver.

2. A book video is supposed to act like a TV commercial that builds hype for a movie. So, ask yourself this: When does a lame movie commercial on TV ever motivate me to go to the theater? Never. Likewise, a bad video trailer isn't going to motivate anyone to buy your book.

If you want to see examples of really good book trailers, check these out:

Click here for a top-notch non-fiction book trailer.

Click here for a top-notch fiction book trailer.

Let me be clear: There's nothing wrong with book trailers if they're done right. But, the lesson to authors is that if you can't afford to do it right, then don't do it at all. Otherwise, spend your money in wiser ways.