10 Unconventional Ways to Help Sell Your Business Book

What’s one unconventional, must-try way to promote your business-related book?

The following answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only nonprofit organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, the YEC recently launched #StartupLab, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses via live video chats, an expert content library and email lessons.

1. Create Limited-Time Promotions

I have seen two authors, Michael Hyatt and Jeff Goins, create extremely successful, limited time promotions that helped drive amazing sales of new books they launched. In essence, for a period of 3-7 days, they gave away a ton of free stuff if people agreed to buy their books during the first week it was out — and they each landed on bestseller lists.

– Shaun King, HopeMob

2. Pre-Sell

Most authors always think about their book release as some magical date they can start selling the book. In reality, if you wait till then, you are already behind the eight ball. Figure out a presale strategy so that the book has momentum going into the release date so the bookstores see the impressive sales numbers and want to order more.

– Raoul Davis, Ascendant Group

3. Creative Cards

One unconventional way to promote a business book is to come up with a creative business card. For instance, if your book focuses on credit cards, get business cards made that resemble a credit card. It may be more expensive, but it can ultimately pay off.

– Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers Personal Finance

4. Shock And Awe

Today when everyone wants to shoot over links to check out the electronic version of your book, find a way to send them a package instead. We have been sending out custom boxes with our book, a welcome letter, an audio CD, and a simple offer to either spread the work about the book or to consider an interview or promotion to their audience. This cuts through through the clutter every time.

– Greg Rollett, The ProductPros

5. Sell a Solution, Not a Book

People aren’t looking to buy a book, they’re looking to buy a solution to their challenges. So for instance in my book launch, I’m not focusing on “I have a book for you to buy” but on “I have a solution to achieving your time management resolutions in 2013.” When they buy my book, they get a four-session course for free.

– Elizabeth Saunders, Real Life E®

6. Get PR the Tim Ferris Way

Have you heard of ‘The Four Hour Work Week?’ It’s a wildly popular book, and part of how it got that way is because the author, Tim Ferris, received an avalanche of press. How? He would go in person to conferences to meet with industry bloggers and form real, face-to-face relationships with them. He did this because face-to-face meetings are the least “clogged” channel to reach a person.

– Matthew Ackerson, Saber Blast

7. Do a (Calculated) Book Bomb

First, study the charts and do your research to determine how many copies you need to sell in a day or a week to get on a bestseller list. Pick a list you have a good chance of making it on to. Then pre-sell as many copies as you can, or plan a book bomb where all of your customers/supporters buy your book on the same day. Voila, bestseller.

– Emerson Spartz, Spartz Media

8. Write Even More

When you finish writing your book, you may deserve a break from the writing grind — but don’t take it. Writing guest posts for blogs, articles for other publications and even a free mini ebook or too will give you the chance to provide a sample of your writing to potential readers, so that you can get them interested in paying for your book and ensure that they trust your level of expertise.

– Thursday Bram, Hyper Modern Consulting

9. Practice What You Preach — Literally

Use the business principles in your book to promote your book. If your book talks about “getting out of the building” to get closer to customers, go get out of the building with your book, and set up a table on a Manhattan street corner. When people ask what you’re doing, say, “I’m getting out of the building to promote my book that talks about how getting out of the building drives sales.”

– Brett Farmiloe, Markitors

10. Partner Up and Give It Away

Giving away a book or two can reverberate your book promotion more broadly. Try partnering with blogs or websites that have your target audience at hand, and work with the blog or website to structure your giveaway so that it’s engaging for the audience. The giveaway may cost you the manufacturing price of the book, but it’s worth it for getting in front of a large audience without advertising.

– Doreen Bloch, Poshly Inc.