So Much To Do, So Few To Do It

As the launch date approaches in April things are heating up.  Although the pre-order numbers will likely fall short of the original goal, the momentum I have built is setting up nicely to take a serious run at making this book a New York Times Best Seller. All the pre-work over the last several months is resulting in new opportunities daily.  Of course along with the opportunities comes more work.  Since I don’t have a staff or deep pockets it’s a little hard to keep up.

This is a typical entrepreneurial challenge.  I know what needs to be done, but I struggle with the resources to do it.  The campaign I am attempting generally requires several full time employees and well over $100,000.  Since I have neither of these available I have to constantly edit the opportunities or find creative ways to keep up.

All the help from Wiley is appreciated but still the bulk of the marketing responsibility is on me as we move into this crucial time for the Quest. The workload is heavy since I have no paid staff.  Here is a basic list of what’s required in time and effort.

• Blog – I try to do this once a week but as you can see it’s been more like every 10 – 12 days.  It takes me 2 – 3 hours to write and post with all the links.
• Linked in – I add new connections daily and work through 38+ groups to gain awareness.  It has limited impact because I really need other people talking about me instead of self-promotion.  I try and put in an hour a day on this when I can.
• Facebook – I add friends and with help update the Fan page.  This takes 1 hour a week.
• Twitter – I add followers and update every time anything happens.  I have help with this  so it only takes up 1 hour a week.
• Networking – I set up 2 to 3 calls and meetings with new people every day when possible to excite CEOs, authors, bloggers and other influencers about the book and my quest.  This can pay off in speaking opportunities like my gig at Author 101 University in LA on March 4^th.  This requires 1 hour a day in actual networking plus 3 – 4 hours a day for the meetings.
• Smart Business Magazine – I write a new column and create a new video every month.  I also work with their people to create webinars, speaking events and promotions that will give them and ROAR! greater exposure.  This month I created a great opportunity in Michigan for March 11th from this work.  On average I invest 15 hours per month into this process including interviewing the subject writing the article and making the video.
• Gazelles – I work with their 100+ coaches to improve their marketing.  In return they talk about ROAR! to their clients and set up speaking opportunities like this one in Philly March 9^th.  This takes roughly 3 – 5 hours a week at the moment but demands are increasing since more coaches are engaging.  This relationship paid off big with a speaking gig at their conference April 21^st.
• PR – Placemaking Group has been generously helping me with basic PR like putting out Press Releases and contacting media but the real campaigns are just beginning and the weight of that is on me.  I am creating a media package and campaign that will include postcards, lumpy mail and phone follow up to roughly 1000 media people.  It has to be creative and will require the help of volunteers to support the effort since I have little money.  As it is the hard cost of the campaign will be roughly $3500 at it’s cheapest.  I expect this will require 1 – 2 days a week for my wife Deanna and me plus the time of the volunteers.  Additionally we are spending an hour a week brainstorming ways to get the media interested in the book.  Haven’t unlocked the magic idea yet but hopefully soon.
• Universities – I am compiling a list of emails for every business professor in the country so I can send them announcements and samples of the book in hopes they will suggest it to their students.  I am also working with the National Society for Leadership and Success to sponsor a scholarship essay contest based upon ROAR!  This is a new approach for them and will require 2 – 3 hours a week of my time to get off the ground.
• Promotions – I am constantly creating new ways to get the ROAR! message out through other people’s channels.  Whether it’s creating events or contests I try and devote an hour a week to come up with new executable ideas.
• Articles – Aside from my column I am getting increasing opportunities to publish in other magazines.  This has been happening about twice a month, which takes roughly 5 – 6 hours.
• Video – The Roar video will need updating as the pre-order deadlines pass.  New, shorter, funnier videos are in the works to stir up more buzz as we get closer to launch.  I am starting to get some volunteer help with the editing.  All in all each video takes roughly 10 – 20 hours of work and we will need to post a new one every 30 – 60 days.
• The Jewish Community – Since ROAR! extols Jewish culture I am aggressively trying to get the Jewish leaders to promote the book.  I sent 200 preview copies Jewish Leaders and am now following up to discuss their active promotion of the book.  It requires some chasing but I am starting to make some headway.  I spend 2 – 3 hours a week on this effort but am stepping it up.
• Sponsorship – A new trend has developed in corporations paying money to authors to get their names in fromt of people.  There are agents now focusing on this but often they charg $3,000 – $5,000 to sign you up and prepare your package.  If they get you money they’ll take 20%.  It’s fair dollars if they come through but beyond my current means so I am trying to put together the opportunities myself.  Currently I put roughly 1 – 2  hours a week into this effort.
• Consulting – This is luckily a revenue generator for me.  My consulting clients obviously love my material and are helpful spreading the word.  I have been slowly and steadily building this side of my business, which is now just covering my overhead in this challenging market.  I am averaging 10 – 15 hours a week in consulting work at the moment.
• Speaking – This is a major focus for the next year.  There are three types of gigs.  Paid which are the best kind.  Unpaid but expenses covered which I do whole heartedly to move books and at least create additional consulting opportunities.  Unpaid and no expenses.  These are challenging only because I need the exposure but have to come out of pocket $200 – $600 plus time to get the word out.  As more of these stack up it impacts cash flow.  Promoting for the speaking process is also very time consuming.  I have to customize emails and flyers depending upon the audience and often have to modify the PowerPoint and speech itself.  I often help the host with their marketing approach and I also collect video to edit. All in all this process is taking roughly 10 hours a week of time and increasing as the opportunities get more frequent.

The biggest challenge with getting all of this done aside from the lack of time and money is that it is very difficult to promote yourself at this level.  People want to hear from someone else that is promoting you. It adds to the trust and elevates your position as a thought leader.

It gets a little daunting some days.  I am always looking for people to help and try to make sure I give plenty of value back to those who do in the form of learning, connections and opportunities.  If anyone of you out there want to learn from my experience and get involved let me know.  I’ll take any help I can get in the form of connections, consulting referrals, speaking opportunities, or even making a few phone calls.  (I’m not picky.)  It’s a challenging adventure but fun and rewarding.  How often does one get a real chance to go after a dream and make it reality?