Who do Wayne Dyer, Marianne Williamson, and Gregg Braden go to when they have a book launch?
If you guessed their publisher—that monster juggernaut Hay House—you’d be wrong. The answer is Peggy McColl.
Peggy is known as the “Millionaire Author Mentor.” I had the great fortune to listen to her speak at an internet marketing mastermind in Las Vegas, where she shared her exact prescription for getting a book onto the New York Times bestsellers list.
If you’re an author, getting onto the New York Times bestsellers list is a dream come true. But why?
Is it simply because we dream of becoming celebrities and achieving fame and fortune, or is there more to it?
For Peggy, the reason you should want to be on the New York Times bestsellers list is simple.
The point is not to make a million bucks (although your publisher probably will).
The point is not to negotiate higher advances (although this will certainly help).
The point isn’t even to have more people read your books.
The specific reason that YOU—whether you’re an author or a professional with a message to share—should aspire to this level of recognition is CREDIBILITY.
Instant authority. Instant respect. People will LISTEN to you. They will want to hear what you have to say.
Even if you’re not a writer but rather a businessperson, sportsperson, or any other kind of professional, having a bestseller to your name will enable you to charge higher rates and increase demand for your services.
And once you’ve got on the New York Times bestsellers list, you ARE a New York Times bestselling author. You don’t have to do it again.
For the rest of your life, you can append “New York Times bestselling author” to your name. Wouldn’t that be great?
You could sign up for Peggy’s Millionaire Author Event or Best Seller Insider Secrets.
Or you could forge your own path using her recommendations as a guide.
Getting on the New York Times bestsellers list isn’t a matter of luck. You don’t have to be a hugely popular author. You simply have to be strategic and commit to marketing your product.
Peggy’s formula for success isn’t something a lot of us authors want to hear:
5% of the author’s responsibility is to write. 95% is to market.
If you’re an author, it’s because you love to write. You’re probably not as keen on selling yourself.
You may even feel that selling is the responsibility of the publisher. And perhaps that’s why 93% of all books sell less than 500 copies.
If you’re going to invest sweat and tears into writing something fantastic, then why wouldn’t you want to invest in getting people to read it?
For some, the act of writing the book is satisfaction in and of itself. But it’s never going to be more than a hobby if you don’t put the effort into sales. If you truly want to be a professional—if you want to earn an income from your words—then marketing is not optional.
Becoming a bestselling author doesn’t require getting a spot on Oprah. Nor does it require becoming a minor celebrity.
All it requires is exposure concentrated over a period of 7 days. ONE WEEK of concentrated publicity. That is IT.
And, before you ask, does it require a great book? Nope.
Crappy books make it on the New York Times bestsellers list. They don’t stay on there, of course, but they do get on there.
All a book has to do to become a bestseller is ship, oh, say 10,000 copies (more or less, depending on how many other books in that niche are launching at the same time) within a 7 day period, from Saturday to Saturday.
That’s not books sold. That’s books shipped. And books shipped outside the United States don’t count for that particular list.
You don’t need to personally have an email marketing list of tens of thousands of subscribers to launch your book into the bestselling realm. You simply have to know other people who do, and have the kind of relationship where you can enlist their help.
Understanding the basics of internet marketing is a must for any writer who hopes to break out of the 93% of duds published every year. And Peggy can help.
Peggy offers a free webinar on launching your book, as well as a newsletter series with inspiration and tips.
Whatever you do, don’t put down the pen—or close down your laptop—once your book is finished and take a vacation. The REAL work starts when the book is done.