Fifteen years ago, I did something that many people dream about but few actually finish: I wrote a book. 11te Blogging for Dummies. I was proud. Exhausted, but proud. After all, writing a book is no small feat—it’s research marathons, late-night typing sessions, and the constant hum of imposter syndrome whispering, Who do you think you are, writing a book?
So when my co-author and I finally delivered the manuscript and the publisher started doing their thing, I sat back, stretched my arms, and thought, Well, my job is done. Now the book will just… sell itself.
Spoiler alert: it didn’t.
And here’s the embarrassing part. I’m a marketer. I wrote a marketing book. Yet I had no marketing plan for the book itself. The irony isn’t lost on me. Imagine writing Cooking for Dummies and then forgetting to turn on the stove. That was me.
The story doesn’t end in tragedy, though. The book may not have sold millions, but it gave me credibility, opened doors, and helped shape my career. It was a success in ways that can’t be tallied on a royalty statement. And the lessons I learned from what I did wrong are precisely what will make my next book so much stronger.
As I’m ruminating about my next book, much of what’s going through my head is how I’ll do things differently this time. Writing my first book was a milestone, but the real education came afterward. I now realize that the book itself was only half the journey—the other half was the promotion I neglected. With that in mind, here are the lessons I’ve taken from that experience, and how they’ll shape the way I approach my next project.
Lesson One: Writing is Only Half the Work
One of the biggest misconceptions I had was that publishers market books. Nope. They edit, print, and distribute. They put the book on shelves (physical and digital). But they don’t create buzz. They don’t land you podcast interviews or organize a speaking tour. That’s on the author.
If I could go back, I’d take my advance—heck, I’d take more than my advance, and put it straight into marketing. Because a book without marketing is like a billboard in the desert. Technically, it exists, but who’s going to see it?
Lesson Two: Don’t Go It Alone
Here’s another misstep: I insisted on doing it all myself. I thought having my unfiltered voice made the book stronger. The problem is, when you don’t bring in others—quotes, case studies, sidebars—you don’t give anyone else a stake in the book’s success. And that meant when it launched, I was the only one pushing it.
Had I sprinkled in insights from peers and influencers, those same people would have promoted it too. Instead, I was like the guy who throws a party but forgets to invite anyone else to bring snacks.
Lesson Three: Excitement Doesn’t Equal Sales
When the book came out, my friends and colleagues were thrilled. They congratulated me, they asked for signed copies, and they gave me big high-fives. But few of them bought the book.
I had confused enthusiasm with action. It turns out, pats on the back don’t pay royalties. If I had picked up the phone and called in some favors… Hey, remember when I supported your project? Time to return the favor!… sales would have looked very different.
Lesson Four: Invest in PR and Make It Personal
This is where I look at my friend and mentor, Mark Schaefer, with admiration. Mark has mastered the art of book launches. When he releases something new, he doesn’t just post a link. He pulls in his entire network, sends out thoughtful, personalized packages, and makes people feel like they’re part of the story. His latest, Audacious, was a masterclass in this—each package was unique, meaningful, and impossible not to share. There’s some irony there, given that the book itself is a strategy for ensuring success! It’s a must-read.
Meanwhile, I treated my book launch more like quietly setting a casserole on the potluck table and hoping someone noticed. If I had taken a page out of Mark’s playbook, I would have hired a PR pro, made the launch personal, and tied speaking engagements to bulk book purchases. Every room I walked into would have had the book in hand.
Lesson Five: Timing and Language Are Everything
Finally, there’s the matter of timing. When Corporate Blogging for Dummies hit shelves, corporate blogging as a phrase was already on the decline. Content marketing was the new hotness. My book was perfectly relevant, but it was trapped in outdated terminology.
That’s like releasing How to Market on MySpace just as Facebook was exploding. I didn’t just write a book; I wrote a book for the wrong wave. Today, I’d research search trends and industry lingo before locking in a title. In marketing, you don’t just need good ideas—you need the right buzzwords at the right time.
The 12-Month Playbook for Launching a Book Today
If I could go back—or better yet, looking ahead to my next book—here’s the timeline I’d follow.
12–9 Months Before Launch: Laying the Foundation
I’d start by defining exactly who the book is for and what problem it solves. I’d refine the title to match better the language people are using. And I’d begin sharing the process publicly—drafts, struggles, wins. When people feel part of the journey, they’re more likely to champion the result. I’d also invite peers and influencers into the book itself. Their contributions would later become free promotion.
9–6 Months Before Launch: Building Buzz
This is where I’d assemble a launch team—a group of 50 or so people who commit to early reviews and promotion. I’d create a steady stream of teaser content on my blog and LinkedIn, and I’d drop mentions of the book in podcasts, webinars, and conversations. The goal isn’t to surprise people at launch; it’s to make them feel like they’ve been waiting for it.
6–3 Months Before Launch: Preparing the Push
At this point, I’d bring in professional help. A PR specialist to land podcast appearances and articles. A designer to create shareable graphics, short video clips, and pre-written posts for my network. And I’d start locking in speaking gigs timed around launch.
Launch Month: The Big Moment
This is when everything hits at once. Media appearances, social shares, influencer shout-outs, and launch team reviews. I’d host a launch event—whether a webinar, book party, or live Q&A—and I’d make it personal. Thoughtful thank-you notes. Creative packages, a la Mark Schaefer. Something that makes people feel special for being part of it.
3–12 Months After Launch: Sustaining Momentum
After the initial push, I’d keep feeding the fire. Blog posts and videos repurposed from chapters. Bulk sales to universities or associations. Speaking engagements with books included. SEO for a book page on my site. The goal is to make the book not just a moment in time, but a long-term asset.
A Book is More Than Sales
Here’s what I know now: books aren’t measured only in sales. They’re measured in doors opened, authority gained, and credibility earned. Corporate Blogging for Dummies may not have made me rich, but it made me relevant. It gave me a platform I’m still standing on today.
The difference next time is that I won’t just write the book, I’ll market it like it deserves. Because as funny (and humbling) as it is for a marketer to admit he forgot to market his own book, I won’t make that mistake again. And if you’re thinking about writing one yourself, learn from my blunder. Don’t just write a book—launch it like a movement.
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