How to Sell Books AND Get them Read in the 21st Century

Writing a Great Book is NOT enough these days.

As an author of four books in two years and a NY Times Best Seller, I know how difficult it is to get a book to market. In the wake of the failure of brick and mortar stores to successfully sell books, I have sought out the use of technology like Google+ Hangouts, Livestream and USTREAM. I am doing this to ensure that people are aware of my books, reading my books, and most importantly, using the material in the book to make a difference in their lives. When someone is successful with a book, they recommend that book to their friends and co-workers.

Traditional bookstores are failing because they don't:

1) Create awareness of the book

2) Sell the book profitably,

3) Get people to read the book.

As an author, you must create awareness or no one will know about your book. In an effort to create awareness, I offered a major chain to deliver economic seminars at their bookstores nationally, at my own cost, and they denied the offer saying it was too much for them to coordinate. Add to that reports suggesting that the average person in the USA only reads one book a year, and you can see the uphill battle for authors to sell books.

Reducing the price of a book from $30 to $10 will not resolve this issue of unawareness, nor will it handle the person that doesn't read anymore. Failing book sales is not because of the economy or technology developments.The same guy that won't buy a book will go to a ballgame or movie and spend the same amount of money. What's the difference? Because with the ballgame or movie, he knows he will have an experience, and with the book, he is most likely reminded of the last book he bought and never read.

Average is a Failing Formula

Being a Successful Author in the 21st Century

For an author to sell his books in today’s world, he/she must take responsibility for the awareness, the selling, and to make sure the book is read and in the case of business books, the material is put to use. We piloted a program called Mastermind Groups, utilizing the latest technology to hold a virtual conference utilizing Google+ Hangouts, each Thursday night to read and discuss my latest book,The 10X Rule, and then broadcast this group live using USTREAM, Livestream, and even Youtube. We also took questions from all those outside the main group through Twitter and Facebook so that those watching live could also participate. We were completely tapped into all the major social platforms

The response to this has been unbelievable with almost 100 people trying to get into the main group weekly and another 5,000 people watching via USTREAM as I conducted a 1 1/2 hour meeting discussing with readers how they were using my newest book to create massive success in their lives.

Google+ is the newest social media platform that provides a very interested thing called Hangouts that are similar to a Skype video calls but not limited to two people. Instead, a total of 10 people from anywhere in the world can meet via video and 'hangout' and talk and see one another all at the same time. In this case, we weren't just 'hanging out' but using the principals from my most recent book, The 10X Rule, The Only Difference Between Success and Failure as the point of conversation. USTREAM was so excited about my utilization of this technology that they provided us coverage and advertising.

By the second week, we had so many people wanting to be part of the main Mastermind group that we had people watching from Ustream, Youtube, and Livestream, waiting for someone to get knocked off so they could get access to the main ‘Hangout’ where I was holding the discussion.

Some of the rules of our Mastermind group is

1) No excuses

2) No blaming

3) Interest in creating success regardless of the challenges

Some of the topics include how to succeed in this economy, why success is important, how to keep the drive, and more. Those involved in the discussion are from varying business and socio-economical backgrounds; managers, entrepreneurs, business owners, fund raisers, social media gurus, and sales people - from all industries covering charities, social media, automobile dealerships, technology, manufacturing and retail. While I set up and ran the main video conference on Google+ from Los Angeles, we had people in this main group from Charlotte, Tampa, Manhattan, Chicago, Dallas, and as far away as London, England, Paris, France, and India and then streamed it out to people all across the globe.

Writing a great book is not enough today! As the author you must take responsibility for awareness of your work, selling the book and even getting the consumer to read your book in hopes your work is referred. Check out what I am doing one Thursday night by visiting: ustream.tv/grantcardonelive . Don't worry about writer's block on the next book! Put all of your attention on creating awareness, getting your first book into the readers' hands and then actually ensure that they read your work.

Grant Cardone, International Sales Training Expert and NY Times Best-Selling Author

www.GrantCardone.com | www.CardoneOnDemand.com