I have previously shared 27 ideas about how to promote a book on a tight budget. Today I’ll add another strategy for doing that, which I believe has wider applications in terms of networking, fund-raising and marketing many other things besides books.
In When In Doubt, Ask for More I mentioned Dr. Rohit Bakshi, a friend since my college days, about something I learned from him regarding strengthening relationships. He taught me something else many years ago about how to encourage people to pay attention to things you have written and to build your brand and professional network in the process.
Early in his career, Rohit started sending copies of his scholarly articles published in medical journals to every person whose work was cited in his footnotes. He found that those peers appreciated the gesture and often reciprocated by reading and promoting Rohit’s article and by inviting him to speak at their university or hospital. Back in the day, I believe he photocopied the articles and mailed them, but today it is even easier.
Taking a page from my friend’s playbook, last week I tracked down David Lawrence, the former publisher of the Miami Herald and the chairman of the Children’s Movement of Florida. I mention him in my book as having introduced me to the concept of being a lifelong learner and what being one has meant to him and now to me.
I didn’t know whether he would even respond to an email about my book and the mention of him and what he taught me. In turns out that he did almost immediately, and when I asked if he would give me his mailing address so I could send a copy, he provided it without hesitation.
Fast forward to yesterday, when I received an email from him that read, “A chunk of my weekend has been spent with ‘When in Doubt, Ask for More.’ So many splendid nuggets for genuine leadership. A most useful book. Deserves to be read, and heeded. I will spread the word. And the books…. -Dave.”
I responded saying how grateful I was for his kind words, and asked if I could publish his message on social media, with or without using his name (as he preferred). He got back to me right away with his blessing for me to publish his note and identify him by name. And of course I did so.
With an investment of less than an hour of my time, I turned someone with no knowledge of my new book into an evangelist for it. Creating evangelists for a book – or an idea, cause, or organization – is a critically important way to help it take off. This is especially true when you don’t have a big marketing budget, but it’s even true when you do. As one of my earliest editors said to me, the biggest single thing that sells books is word of mouth.
I am deeply grateful to the roughly two dozen people who have taken it upon themselves to promote my two recent books – which includes close friends and people I barely know. I wouldn’t trade them for a positive New York Times book review or an appearance on the Today show – really!
Let me close this post by sharing the lesson in When in Doubt, Ask for More that refers to David Lawrence: “I first heard the term ‘lifelong learner’ from David Lawrence, the Florida-based children’s advocate who previously was the publisher of the Miami Herald. One day, David invited a colleague and me to meet him in a diner. We found him sitting in a booth, reading a book. He told us that he read one book per week, and had done so for decades. I was surprised, having assumed, I suppose, that at some point a person like him would decide he’d ‘learned enough.’ But David taught me that, once your curiosity diminishes, so does your ability to work, teach, and relate effectively to others.”