It’s time to launch your book. Who in your network can help you get it out there so people will find it?
“What network?”
Most new authors don’t think they have a network who can help them with their launch. Not true! Your personal network of family, friends and friends of friends are just the people to help you get started.
Unless your last name is Crusoe and you just got off the island, you probably have friends and acquaintances in your neighborhood, church, place of work and in groups and organizations such as fraternities, sororities, alumni groups, service organizations, meetups and more. The big question is, what do you do with them?
What would you like the people in your network to do?
Sure, you’d like your friends and family to buy lots of copies of your book, but that’s a limited sales strategy. What happens after those initial sales? Crickets.
What you really want your people to do is help you spread the word to more people. You want to find your ideal readers for your book.Your friends and family might buy a few copies of your book, but what could happen if, they connect you to speak at an organization about your topic, teach a workshop, or help you get on a local news show? This kind of help helps you build momentum with your book and gives you more ideas for promotions.
How do you keep this organized?
Keep a list or a database of people who are referred to you and their connections so you can follow up as you need to. I’ve been building databases for my clients using Airtable, a free database site. Airtable gives you a variety of templates to track your contacts and your promotions.
Ask what you can do for your network
It’s not just about you and your book! Reciprocity is the key to building strong connections in your life and your business. What can you do for people who help you out? Maybe you could –
- Buy a copy of their book!
- Cross promote on social media.
- Endorse them on LinkedIn.
- Donate to a fundraiser they’re involved with.
- Refer them to someone else in your network.
- Send some business their way.
What ways can you think of to ask your network for help and help them in return?
