TAB031: The Unconventional Book Launch with Author Nicole Lapin

Author and financial journalist, Nicole Lapin is the guest for Episode 31 of The Author Biz Podcast.

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Nicole Lapin

Think for a minute about your last book launch. Did you have a strategy for the launch or did you rely on your publisher? Was your launch unique, or did you follow a path you’ve seen used by other authors? How much time and effort went into the launch of your last book?

For some authors, book launches are an artifact of the old world of publishing, something difficult to justify, with a limited, or even negative return on investment.

But for others a book launch is a tool for achieving the goals they’ve set for their book.

My guest in this episode, Nicole Lapin, was the youngest anchor ever at both CNN and CNBC. She’s a believer in setting big goals and doing the work it takes to achieve them.

When she wrote RICH BITCH, A Simple 12-Step Plan for Getting Your Financial Life Together, she didn’t sit back and let her publisher decide how to market the book. Instead, she reached out to experts – people who have written hugely successful books for advice on launching her work.

In this 46-minute episode, we’ll discuss Nicole’s educational and highly entertaining book, and then we’ll dig into her unconventional launch plan. Interview highlights include:  

• Nicole shares the genesis behind RICH BITCH, a plain English, no holds barred book of financial advice, which is both highly educational and entertaining.
• Nicole spent years as a financial journalist at places like CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, and NBC. Every story she covered came down to money.
• Money becomes more interesting when it’s not compartmentalized.
• The value of goal settings in everything we do.
• The value of being able to articulate the work we do and what we want to accomplish with that work.
• The Unconventional Launch Plan for Nicole’s Book
• Nicole defies conventional wisdom, both in her book and with the way she’s launching her book.
• The lead up to the book launch was one of the hardest things Nicole has ever done.
• Reaching out to others who had launched books directly onto the New York Times bestseller list and using that advice to put together her own marketing, promotion and media strategies.
• Putting together a team to help with the book launch.
• Nicole decided against the traditional book tour after weighing the return on investment (ROI) a tour would bring.
• Nicole identified the reading audience for her book and is doing targeted events with groups who already reach that audience.
• Nicole is using “list and influencer arbitrage” to help launch her book.
• Nicole spent her own money (and time) hiring strategists, a traditional PR firm, and a social media PR firm to help her reach her goals for the book, which are: 1.) Hit the New York Times Bestseller List on week one, 2.) Create a meaningful conversation that goes beyond the book launch, 3.) Create a sustaining platform for herself and her mission.
• Using King Sumo to run a contest to grow social media followers prior to a launch.
• Nicole created a free e-book, THE RICH BITCH GUIDE TO LOVE AND MONEY, to drive interest in RICH BITCH, and as a post-launch marketing tool.
• Nicole’s use of memes on social media to indirectly drive interest in her book.
• The value of offline, targeted events to create value for potential readers.
• Leaving a job to start an author (or any other) business can be scary. Nicole offers some advice for those considering making the leap.

Links

Nicole’s Website www.nicolelapin.com

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