The secret to raising $10k in funds and selling hundreds of copies of your book.

We were two weeks into a campaign with a modest $10,000 goal and things were not going super amazing like we expected. We shot a good video. We told our friends, family, colleagues, clients, and partners. Then we pushed launch and waited for the money to start pouring in.

We kept waiting. And waiting. And then we waited some more. Luckily we landed a big client at the last minute via a personal connection who acted as a corporate sponsor and we were able to put funds toward a large number of book copies. It saved the campaign.

This was one of my first runs at crowdfunding a few years ago. Since then I’ve raised over 2 million dollars and have helped hundreds of authors around the globe crowdfund their books.

And while corporate sponsors are used by many of the most successful published authors, they are not feasible for every author. So they should be used to complement your book launch, not as a sole strategy.

Are you ready for The $10k book crowdfunding secret on Publishizer?

It’s called pre-launch.

It means a set of activities you do before you go live. It means a commitment to your own success and preparing your book launch the right way with strategies that will actually bring you results.

“Yes, I know that already” you may say. But are you doing it? Do these things to be successful with crowdfunding for your book.

1. Create a one-pager that excites. Here is your one-pager doc>. Credible publishers need a proposal or a one-pager. And they express interest in ideas that excite them. Make sure your book has a great title, hook, and three-paragraph synopsis. Readers also buy books based on these things most often. So use this content in your email and marketing messages.
2. Create attractive reader bonuses. See and copy ideas in our case studies>. Neil Patel offered free 1-hr SEO coaching to anyone who pre-ordered 10 copies. Gary V offered 1 full day with him about your business if you pre-ordered 350 copies. They each got hundreds of people to take them up on it. Find this unique offering for your contact list and following.
3. Record a high quality and engaging video. Here’s a great script to use >. Great videos are personalized, concise, and all about your readers. 1–2 minutes is all you need. Schedule this to go out on every marketing channel, including email. This is the best way to connect face-to-face and get more people to pre-order copies.
4. List out your contacts and followers. Get 16,871 subscribers in 10 minutes >. The most successful authors have a clear plan to reach 500 copies at $20 ea. within 30 days by selling to specific key readers, clients, and sponsors. It’s about engaging people you already know and pitching them your bonuses.
5. Write a great email book pitch. Here’s an email template >. Please don’t blast an email newsletter. Instead, when you reconnect with your email list and start conversations you must be personal and have a clear ask. List out all the people you have an email for and start messaging them 1 by 1 to connect with and ask to pre-order a copy.

Does it work?

Yes.

More than one hundred authors have raised at least $10k in funds with the strategies above, in just 30 days. And all of them spent $0 on ads or paid media.

Start a proposal on Publishizer. It’s free, you can work on it at your own pace, and is completely private.

Cheers,