Occasionally I get asked for recommendations for marketing a book. This email, from my business school friend Sheryl O’Laughlin, is a great example of leveraging social media and your connections to spread the word about a book or anything else you’re personally passionate about. It was written by Sheryl to spread the word about her new book out today, Killing It! An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Keeping Your Head Without Losing Your Heart. Sheryl is a brilliant marketer and entrepreneurial rockstar who is the former CEO of Clif Bar, cofounder and CEO of Plum Organics,former executive director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at Stanford and current CEO of REBBL.
Dear Friends,
As you may know, we are two weeks away from the release of my first book Killing It! In it I discuss the lessons I’ve learned as an entrepreneur launching a mission-driven company from the ground up (Plum Organics), growing a successful business and brand (Clif Bar), leading a young company through explosive growth while keeping it rooted in purpose (REBBL), and mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs (at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business). I share insights from my struggles with nurturing my growing family, managing my physical and mental health, and other business and life challenges I encountered along the way. My mission in writing Killing It! is to give entrepreneurs the tools they need to start their business and thrive in life, with a keen understanding of what success really means.
Since the countdown is officially on, I’m so grateful that many of you have asked for some easy ways to help me spread the word about Killing It. If you can take a few moments to do one (or all if you’re so inclined) of the things on this list, it will go a long way towards helping me launch my book into the world. Thank you for any support you can give because I know how busy you all are!
How you can help support Killing It!:
- BUY THE BOOK: Please consider buying the book! Preorders and the first few days of sales following the Dec 6th launch are very important for a debut: Buy Here
- SOCIAL MEDIA: LIKE my author page on Facebook and share news about the book via social media. I’m not on Twitter or Instagram but Rebel (Twitter, Instagram) and Harper Business are, so be sure to tag us so we can thank you! Also, feel free to use the hashtag #KillingIt when posting
- REVIEW: After you’ve read the book, post a review/rating of the book on Amazon. Reviews like yours will help potential readers decide whether or not to buy the book, and the more reviews, the better.
- GOODREADS: Add Killing It to your to-read shelf on Goodreads and rate it once you’ve read it.
- TELL YOUR NETWORK: Whether online or off, word of mouth is crucial to a book’s success, so please tell a friend or ten if you love the book!
I’m passionate about helping aspiring, current, or recovering entrepreneurs as well as innovators in bigger companies, and I want this book to be the tool that could make a difference in their experience. Thank you in advance for your continued support and encouragement, it means the world to me.
With Gratitude,
Sheryl
Sheryl has made it so easy for her friends and colleagues to do something to help her spread the word. And she didn’t even mention (yet) the fantastic early reviews she has received from people very relevant to her subject matter including a Stanford Professor of Entrepreneurship, a well-known serial entrepreneur, and the former CEO of Kraft Foods, Betsy Holden, who is a Senior Advisor at McKinsey & Co. and a champion for women in the workplace. Sheryl also, of course, has a website and a blog where you can learn more and follow her!