what’s working to move copies in 2025: 3 secrets, 2 links, 1 quote

3 secrets, 2 links & 1 quote

Andddddddddddd

we’re back.

A very happy new year to you and your loved ones 🙂

We’re excited to be welcoming Joseph Nguyen, author of NYT Bestseller Don’t Believe Everything You Think (currently #17 on the Amazon Charts), to our company board of advisors. Joseph has been an invaluable resource as we work to learn from the best so we can give it to the rest!


3 Secrets

1. We’re finding that paid social media sponsorships are becoming less and less effective.

We’re now focusing on seeding copies one by one through direct messaging individuals on various social media platforms who fit a certain reader persona. The goal is getting a physical book into the hands of that real reader. 2-4 weeks later, we’re following up to see if they enjoyed the book and if they’d consider leaving an Amazon rating. Books sell books.​

2. What matters when it comes to editorial reviews? 

Dave Chesson (Kindlepreneur) did a heat map test of what people notice when looking at a list of editorial reviews. They found that people focus on the qualifier, not the name. Find a professor, doctor, executive—someone with a great title—for your editorial reviews. Don’t worry as much if they aren’t well known.

3. Seth Godin, recently politely rejected an invitation to come on Before The Bestseller.

He said he was taking a break from podcasts at the moment. Instead of accepting that, I simply asked “Is there a good time to reach back out down the road”. Dan Pink gave me the same response as Seth and although he kicked it down the road a few times, it eventually lead to an interview with Dan Pink. Turn the no into, “if not now, then when?”


    2 Links

    1. Might be the most creative form of book marketing I’ve ever seen. This fiction author dubs himself “The Godfather” as an amateur boxer and reps his mafia book as he heads into the ring. <-What an absurd sentence this is! Watch him head into the ring here repping his book. (It also kind of worked with sales increasing slightly week over week)
    2. Our most listened to podcast episode of 2024. Colton Dubell came on to talk about creating quality TikTok content. Listen here.

    1 Quote

    “Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one.”
    ~Brad Paisley

    Alex Strathdee
    BeforeTheBestseller | AdvancedAmazonAds

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