In August, Wiley Publishing confirmed that they would purchase ROAR! for a five figure advance. My agent did a fine job of negotiating favorable terms and royalties.
This was the turning point in my journey with ROAR! Up until this point my focus was to leverage ROAR! as a tool for business. I knew it resonated with potential clients. In my Book Your Biz program I teach other entrepreneurs to use books as effective tools for marketing and operational efficiency.
As a sales tool ROAR! does its job. Many of my clients this year have come from reading an advance copy of the book after someone gave it to them. The great part of having a book as your sales force is unlike many sales people, the book delivers the message near perfect, every time.
The impact of having a brand like Wiley supporting the book was significant to take ROAR! to a bigger level than just a sales tool. At any given time Wiley has 2 – 4 books on the New York Times Best Seller list. Being chosen by Wiley is similar to being drafted by the New York Yankees. You are being given the opportunity to play in the big show. What you do with it is up to you.
My choice is to go big or go home. I have given full commitment to marketing, PR, social media, networking, video and any other method I can think of to creatively spread the word about this book. Luckily people seem to find great value from the book and the marketing. Just this week we were selected as the video of the week for Internet Video Magazine.
The backwards tattoo of the New York Times Best Seller reminds me of my commitment to that value every morning. It gets attention for sure because it goes further than the average person would commit for most goals. But being on the NYT list is not like most goals. Less than 400 unknown business authors will hit that accomplishment this year. I am thoroughly committed to be one of those 400.
Social ROAR!