a single source, nothing corroborates it

Trade something they want for the reach they have

People who spent years building an audience get asked for favours constantly, so work out what you can give before you ask. Partner discounts assembled into a launch bundle gave five companies a reason to promote it and lent the product credibility, pitched as sending them customers rather than as a favour, and only for products the author would recommend anyway. Free copies handed to other blogs in the niche work the same way.

The method

1. 01

   Borrow reach from people who spent years building audiences - entrepreneurs, podcasters, bloggers - by working out what you can give them first.

2. 02

   Assemble partner discounts into the product bundle by asking any employee you speak to for an introduction to whoever handles deals.

3. 03

   Pitch the discount partnership as sending them customers, and only include products you would recommend regardless of whether they say yes.

4. 04

   Give copies away through other blogs in your niche at launch, and as a thank-you to anyone who helps you

What it returned

• Discounts from Unbounce, CrazyEgg, Drip, Olark and Wistia went into the book package, which gave those companies a reason to tweet about it on launch day and lent the book credibility

• He wanted to avoid the book reading like an infomercial for affiliate products

• Sacha gave the book away through two design blogs to push the launch

Sources

• Your second biggest problemJustin Jackson · justinjackson.ca · 10 things you can do · undated
• $39k in eBook Sales Part 2: Design, Testimonials, and TrafficNathan Barry · nathanbarry.com · Selling with AppSumo and Dealotto · 2012-10-08
• How Samuel Hulick made over $37,000 with his self-published bookNathan Barry · nathanbarry.com · The $7,500 Day, the $20,000 Week: Launching The Elements of User Onboarding · 2014-06-09