In my previous blog post, I shared the negative realities of what happened at the Christian Book Expo on March 20 – 22nd (low turnout, financial losses, lost opportunities, etc.). However, there was a positive side to the event…every WildFire Marketing client who was present experienced above-average results. Forgive me for bragging on my author clients, but their hard work and achievement deserves recognition:
Lysa TerKeurst was the only author at CBE who had a constant line during her book-signing. She garnered more attention than most of the frustrated, mega-bestselling authors who stood idle nearby. What was the difference? Lysa’s daily blog was instrumental in drawing people to see her at CBE. She receives over 1,000 blog readers each day and used that part of her author platform to invite women to CBE. She reported that many attendees said, “I read your blog and really wanted to meet you.” Lysa’s success shows the power of smart author marketing.
In addition, Lysa’s fast-growing platform also garnered her a spot at the Friday night Main Stage Showcase, which featured other elite authors, such as Max Lucado, Liz Curtis Higgs, Andy Andrews, and Henry Blackaby. The exposure created big-time awareness for her message and generated immediate speaking requests from leaders in attendance. Congrats, Lysa!
Mary DeMuth was honored as one of the only women selected to participate in the male-dominated CBE panelist discussions (2 women; 20 men…weird ratio?). She shared her expertise during the session, “Living Christianly in a Post-Christian Culture,” and offered insightful perspectives to the audience. Kudos to Mary for being selected as a respected voice on culture-change issues.
Brenda Garrison experienced success at CBE the old-fashioned way – she earned it. As a first-time author, Brenda didn’t have the luxury of a high-profile speaking slot or a best-selling name to help sell her books. But, that didn’t stop her from getting results. Instead, Brenda consistently manned her publisher’s booth, chatted with attendees, and gave away free resources chock full of value. After the event, Brenda’s publishers reported that she had sold over 100 copies of her new book, which beat out most sales numbers from many experienced authors who were present. Way to go, Brenda!
Last but not least, Kathi Lipp, another first-time author, was smart enough to think outside-the-box and line up two speaking engagements in Dallas. This wise move helped her maximize the overall time spent at CBE. She sold a lot of books, added numerous names to her newsletter list, and built a stronger foundation for her message throughout the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Most authors lost money going to CBE. Meanwhile, Kathi benefited by taking a broader approach to her book marketing strategy. Great job, Kathi!
What do these four authors have in common? Each has been through the WildFire Marketing Mentor Program and learned how to apply advanced-level book marketing skills. The proof is in the results. Our training is the best available and pays for itself through increased book sales, speaking events, higher fees, etc. If you’re ready to take your author career to a higher level, give me a call at 1-800-267-2045 and let’s get started.
