7 Little Emails can Launch a Best Seller
The limits of the possible can only be defined by going beyond them into the impossible — Arthur C. Clarke
Most launch teams I’ve been on have been a relentless pursuit of time and action. I’m usually sick of hearing from the person I’m trying to help before we’ve ever arrived at launch week.
Not. My. Style.
As I approached my own launch week I decided to be weird and different. It’s kind of my modus operandi for life:
Weird + Different = Results
I didn’t want anyone to be sick of hearing from me and have one more email send them into inaction. I wanted them to put in the effort where it was most effective— into the launch.
I only sent seven emails for the entire launch:
Email #1
The first email was simple and straight forward. It contained the PDF of my manuscript and asked launch team members to read the manuscript and be ready with their review quickly upon launch. They received it 10 days before launch and announced the specific launch dates.
Email #2
This email told the launch team how they could help best.
They could:
- post a review
- consider buying a copy for a friend
- share social media posts
It gave a free link where the team could pick up the Kindle version for free and share an honest, helpful review. A clean link was also provided for their social sharing purposes. Additionally, the team could write a blog post or publish a full book review on Medium.
Email #3
The launch was in full swing and team members were sharing and encouraging others to buy the book. We had already achieved #1 New Release status. Launchers were encouraged to continue doing what they were already doing well and offered clean links for social sharing.
They were also given clear, actionable steps to leave the best review possible.
Email #4
Great people were getting amazing results and I thanked them for their effort. In the middle of high energy interaction, people get worn out. I infused them with positive energy and encouraged them to keep going and offered examples of the full book reviews others launch members published.
They received another clean link for continued social sharing.
Email #5
This was critical. They were tired and we were so close to amazing results. I had an eye on the dashboard and I knew how close we were to best seller status. For them to keep going, they needed to see how close we were to achieving massive results.
They had to know that others were still sharing in big ways so they would continue their efforts. They had to know we had the potential to pull off a best-seller launch.
Email #6
If I was in their shoes I would need a reason to keep going. I shared this graph revealing how close we were to a best seller launch and encouraged them to dig down deep for another round of sharing. Everything was within our grasp for the taking if we kept going.
Email #7
Didn’t ask them to do anything.
Not. One. Single. Thing.
It thanked them for everything they had done and informed them that we had accomplished our goal.
This fantastic team had launched a best seller and I hope they felt my gratitude. This team of talented people worked their tales off and accomplished something awesome. This pic said it all.
A best seller resulted from seven emails and only six emails called them to action.
Have you launched a best seller? If so, congratulations!
Please share your approach. Most launch members were glad for clear and simple instruction that they knew was helpful. One person said I was “likeably aggressive” and confessed jealousy for the way I ran the team.
I care about the people who were helping me so I didn’t want to take too much of their time. They were gifting me their time, abilities, platforms, and friends.
Those are gifts I take seriously. I value each person who gave of their time and talents. I tried to be genuine. I wanted to be real, grateful, and not take too much of their time.
I hope that approach is what made them want to act.
Are you a person of action?
Want to read the best seller book?
And, go follow your dreams.
