How I made a First-Time Author

a #2 Bestseller

…despite no email list, no PR, no following & no connections

I remember when I published my first book. I was so excited.

It was the best thing I had ever made, and it solved a real problem. I was sure it was going to take the world by storm and change thousands of lives. Maybe millions!

But when I launched it, instead of thousands, I had about 15 downloads.

I spent that weekend crying and eating Ben & Jerry’s… and trying to figure out what to do with my life, since obviously my writing career was doomed.

But come Monday, I got back to work. Other people were living my dream. If they could do it, I could, too. I was determined to find out how.

I studied and learned everything I could get my hands on about how to publish and market books. I tried a lot of things that didn’t work at all—and a few that did.

Since I released that book, it’s been downloaded 152,468 times. I haven’t touched it in over a year, and it’s still bringing me leads—week after week, month after month.

Not only that, I started getting clients who wanted me to help them publish their books.

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Nothing says “I’m an expert” and “You should do business with me” more than being a bestselling author on the topic.

—Chandler Bolt

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One of my clients was a brand new executive coach, starting out in a new industry. Despite his having…

  • no past clients,
  • no following,
  • no email list,
  • no connections,
  • no PR, and
  • no outreach to influencers…

I was able to launch his book to #2 Bestseller. Two months later, that book was still on charts, selling well and bringing in leads for his new business.

It turns out there are only 6 crucial keys to launching a bestseller.

If you’ve heard of the 80/20 principle, these are the 20% of activities that yield 80% of results.

I’ve put them all in this blueprint for you, so you can skip right to the good stuff and start selling your book.

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Here’s what you’ll learn:

  • The six crucial steps that I use to launch my clients’ books to bestseller (p. 2)
  • Exactly what to do and when to do it for best results (p. 5)
  • The #1 most important investment you can make in your book’s success (miss this, and your book is pretty much doomed) (p. 6)
  • Outlines and examples of how to write effective sales copy—one for fiction, one for non-fiction (p. 13 & p. 16)
  • How to get reviews, including sample emails for review requests (p. 21)
  • The exact ads I used to make one client a #2 bestseller for $137.84—even though he had no mailing list, no fans, no street team, no relationships with influencers, no guest posts, no podcast interviews, no PR, no pre-launch buzz, and no joint-venture partners (p. 25)
  • No fluff
  • No filler
  • No time-wasting activities that don't get results

The reality is: most self-published books sell fewer than 100 copies. That’s not 100 copies a week or 100 copies a month. It’s 100 copies, total—ever. That includes the author’s mom, aunties, and cats.

That’s because most authors don’t know how to market their books. They don’t know what gets results, and what’s a waste of time.

That’s why I’ve made this blueprint. It’s just six steps—the same steps I use to make my clients’ books bestsellers. For each step, I’ll explain what to do, how to do it, when to do it, and why it’s important.

You’ll get it all, boiled down as simple as possible, so you know exactly what to do when you launch your book.

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When I launch a client’s book using this exact system, I charge $6,400.

And it’s worth it. Becoming a bestselling author is priceless. If you’re in business, even if it helps you win just one new client, it’s more than paid for itself. And that’s not counting the value of the visibility and authority that come with being a bestselling author.

If you write fiction, it’s harder to justify spending $6,400 up front on your book launch, but there’s no question that becoming a bestselling author would help you build your fan base and make it easier to sell all of your future books.

Either way, if someone had handed me this system back when I was starting out, I would have paid thousands—and it would have paid for itself many times over, between the impact on my career and all the time I would have saved. And now you can get the whole system, boiled down into a 6-step blueprint.

Here’s what you’ll get:

  • The Bestseller Launch Blueprint, detailing the exact 6 steps I use to launch my clients’ books to bestseller ($99 value)
  • Bonus: The Bestseller Launch Checklist, so you can track your progress visually and make sure you don’t miss anything ($17 value)
  • Bonus: The Publishing Roadmap to guide you through the process of publishing your book to set yourself up for launch success ($27 value)

Total value: $143

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Normally, this system would cost $97.

I can offer it at such a low price because it’s a digital product. There’s nothing to print or ship. You get the entire blueprint—plus the Bestseller Launch Checklist and the Publishing Roadmap—instantly.

$97 is a steal compared to the impact on your career and your life.

But today, I want to offer you something even better.

Today, I’m giving you the entire Bestseller Launch Blueprint, plus the Bestseller Launch Checklist and Publishing Roadmap, for only $27 total.

Normally $97 – Today Just $27

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Why so cheap? Because I want to introduce myself.

You’re seeing this page because I want to grow my community, so I decided to offer you a taste and show you what I’m about.

Maybe you’ll eventually end up becoming a client. Maybe not.

Either way, I believe good books should sell.

I’m tired of watching people like you and me put everything we have into writing the best books we can, only to have them sell 15 copies—while terrible books take off just because they have great marketing.

I want to level the playing field. And giving you this information is the best way I know to do that.

If you want your next book to become a bestseller, and you’re ready to focus on what works and ditch what doesn’t, this blueprint is for you. Just fill in your information at the bottom of this page to get instant access now.

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Wondering what kind of results we've had with this system?

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My first bestseller client hit these bestseller rankings, despite no email list, no PR, no following, and no connections:

  • #2 in Communication in Management
  • #3 in Human Resources & Personnel (Management)
  • #3 in Strategic Management
  • #3 in Organizational Change
  • #4 in Organizational Learning
  • #6 in Mentoring & Coaching
  • #7 in Human Resources & Personnel (Industry)
  • #11 in Teams

My book had been sitting in Amazon’s graveyard for five years before I launched it. By following the same system you’ll learn in the Bestseller Launch Blueprint, I was able to hit:

  • #1 in Digital Publishing (US)
  • #1 in Electronic Publishing (US)
  • #1 in Book Making & Binding (US)
  • #2 in Nonfiction Writing Reference (US)
  • #5 in Authorship (US)
  • #1 in Education Research (US)
  • #3 in Writing Skill Reference (US)
  • #3 in Business Writing Skills (US)
  • #2 in Language Communication (UK)
  • #1 in Electronic Publishing (UK)
  • #1 in Desktop Publishing (UK)
  • #2 in Authorship (Australia)
  • #1 in Computer Graphic Design (Australia)
  • #2 in Authorship Reference (Australia)
  • #1 Book Making & Binding (Canada)
  • #4 in Writing Skills Writing Guides (Canada)
  • #5 in Computer Business & Culture (Canada)
  • #3 in Authorship (Canada)
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My first book also camps at the top of its categories, week in and week out.

It’s not just my books or my clients’ books. In 2020, I hosted a certification program to train 10 people in this system. Their clients’ books also became bestsellers, including many #1s, tons of top-10 rankings, and a few international bestsellers.

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Will your book get the same kind of results? Well, as I mentioned before, most self-published books sells fewer than 100 copies. Most authors have no idea how to market their books, so they either take the “publish and pray” approach, or they spend tons of effort on things that don’t move the needle. The result is: their books don’t sell.

I can’t tell you how your book will do. But I can tell you that, if you follow this system and it doesn’t work, I’ll refund your money.

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If you implement everything that I show you in this blueprint, and your book does not become a bestseller on Amazon, I will give you 100% of your money back. I'm so confident, I'll give you a whole year to try it.

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Selected Praise for Bestseller Launch Blueprint

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many extra copies of my book will I have to sell before this bestseller plan pays for itself?

Less than 8 if your book is priced $4.99 or above.

Does this work for fiction or non-fiction? What about children's books?

Yes, yes, and yes. Although non-fiction is the easiest to sell, the same basic elements go into selling any book—things like having a professional cover design, writing compelling sales copy, and getting the book in front of the right people. For the parts that are different, the blueprint gives specific recommendations for fiction and for non-fiction.

What if my book is already out?

No problem. You can still use these strategies to re-launch it (or launch it for the first time). You will have a slight disadvantage in that Amazon factors the average sales over the last 30 days into its Bestseller rankings, so if your book has been out for longer than 30 days and not selling, you'll have to sell more copies than you otherwise would to get the same ranking. That makes it a little harder, but it's still very doable.

Will this work if my book is traditionally published, or is it only for self-published books?

Unfortunately, with a traditional publisher or a hybrid publisher, you don't have control over the decision to implement most of the strategies in the Blueprint. This product is intended for self-published authors.

What if I'm an expert marketer, I've been in the publishing industry for years, or my books are already selling like hotcakes? Is this for me?

To get to where you are, you're most likely already applying everything in the blueprint. For you, the value of this product is in prioritizing, simplifying, and streamlining your launch.

Why should I care if my book is a bestseller?

As sweet as it is to be able to write “bestselling author” after your name every day for the rest of your life, if you’re like most authors I know, you’re really not in it for the acclaim. You write because you want to make a difference. We can all think of books—fiction and non-fiction—that have stayed with us, touched our hearts, or changed our lives. In order for your book to be that book for your readers, it has to sell. Launching your book to bestseller is the first step in making an impact.

What if I hate marketing?

Two things:
1. There's a good chance you think marketing has to be pushy, manipulative, and/or evil. That's not true at all. Ideallly, marketing is the process of helping people get what they need or want. If your readers would benefit from reading your book, then letting them know about it is HELPING them get what they want or need. And that's all marketing is. If you don't market your book, you'll actually be doing a disservice to the people who would benefit from reading it.

2. If marketing isn't something you enjoy, then you’ll probably want to get the best results possible with the least wasted effort. I recommend getting this blueprint right away.

Do I need a big mailing list or social media following to become a bestseller?

Those things always help, but no. I got a book to #2 bestseller for an author with no following at all.

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About the Author

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Cara Stein is an idealist who has stopped trying to play it cool. She believes the only reason people don’t like business or marketing is that they don’t know how to do it well—yet. She's often praised for her no-bullshit style and her wry humor.

Cara has been helping people finish and publish their books since 2012. She’s guided over 200 books through the publishing process. She’s also the bestselling author of five books of her own, including How to be Happy (No Fairy Dust or Moonbeams Required), Getting Unstuck, and Finish and Publish: Write the Book You’ve Always Wanted to Write. Her peeves include chipmunks, fakery, and the word “peeve.”

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More Praise for the Bestseller Launch Blueprinter Starter Kit

Ailish Keating:
5 stars
Helpful info so far
The course answers a lot of questions I had about launching, in an organized way. I'm about 4 months from launching. Good investment

 — 

Denise Gruzensky:
5 stars
I am launching the 2nd edition of my Children's Book and I'm so excited to have a mapped out plan thanks to this course!

 — 

Alyssa Bailey:
5 stars
A good help
This helped me organize some of the information I had already received and hadn't yet used, and new book launching ideas.

 — 

Joselyn Greene:
5 stars
Great overview and step-by-step guide for planning a book launch
The content was very informative. I especially liked the launch planner spreadsheet that calculates dates for each step in the launch process based on the launch date entered.

 — 

Shannon Beets:
5 stars
Helpful Information
I was looking for someone to break down the steps to a book launch in simple, actionable terms. This course did exactly what I needed. I appreciate the timelines and templates. Worth the time and money!

 — 

Christine Husom:
5 stars
Great Course
Very helpful. A lot of motivating information I plan to use.

 — 

Thomas Wideman:
5 stars
Best Training
The best training I have taken thus far. It was very informative and inexpensive.

 — 

Joyce Crawford:
5 stars
Clear, simple, realistic

 — 

Malesia SPIRES:
5 stars
GREAT! Exactly what it says!
I found this very informative. Very helpful for a beginning author like myself. Thanks Cara!

 — 

Kathleen Paiva Alford:
5 stars
Grabbed my attention!
Practical and comprehensive!

 — 

Shanelle Dupree:
5 stars
Learned something new
I love that I’m learning new tricks and information with each course I view. Thank you!

 — 

Janet Ashmore:
5 stars
Awesome Blueprint!
After retirement, we self-published my husband's first book last year and the second this year, but didn't know how to go about marketing them. Thank you for this excellent, easy to understand guide-we can't wait to put these steps into action!

 — 

Daryl Jackson:
5 stars
Very helpful info and details for any authors but especially first timers like me.

 — 

Eyad Yehyawi:
5 stars
Excellent outline for launching your book!

 — 

Amy Burgess:
5 stars
Comprehensive, step-by-step plan
I was skeptical because so many courses simply don't deliver on the promised value. This is NOT one of those courses. This is a true, actionable, step-by-step guide to accomplishing a bestselling launch for your book. I'm so excited to get started!

 — 

Reena Pagnoni:
5 stars
Very helpful for a first time author!
Great tips and information. This will really help me along my publishing journey. Thank you!

 — 

Kathi Toro:
5 stars
Great Content
I have self published one book in 2011, and I have made all the same mistakes you refer to in the Bestseller Launch Blueprint Starter Kit. My plan going forward is to use your outlined method and hopefully I will publish my next project with less aggravation and with much more ease!! Thanks!!

 — 

Jason Moser:
5 stars
The Perfect Blueprint
Great information for any level of writer. Knowing this before you publish your first book is essential and it will save you a lot of time, spare you of the frustrations of not knowing, and get you on the road to writing and publishing success right from the start.

 — 

Michelle Gordon:
5 stars
This was a very easy read with great templates provided to aid in getting presales reviews, setting up ads, and reaching more customers. I really like the downloadable/printable templates and the timeline of what to do and when.

 — 

Roxanne Bland:
5 stars
Nice--All in One Place!
Some of these tips I've gleaned through my own marketing research, but it's nice to have it all in one place!

 — 

Beverly Jones-Durr:
5 stars
Great Stuff
Course was terrific. Great information to use in the future. Thank you!

Laura Schiff:
5 stars
Good Value for the Money
Thank you, Cara! Very nicely done. I found both the Blueprint and the Starter Kit helpful. I'm about half-way through the first draft of my non-fiction book, and I can start implementing some of your suggestions now. Cheers!

 — 

Todd Hayes:
5 stars
Provides the simple steps needed to prioritize your launch efforts.

 — 

Tiffany Walton:
5 stars
Book cover info. CHECK!
Very informative already. Especially if you have no idea where to begin when looking for a book cover designer.

 — 

Ruth Morris:
5 stars
The pre-calibrated lead up to launch was a real time saver. Made the process feel doable rather than overwhelming.

 — 

Stevie Claxton:
5 stars
Worth the money
I'm getting ready to launch my first novel this year and was rather nervous about how to go about things. I stumbled across this on Facebook and decided that it would be worth the money to see how others are doing it versus reinventing the wheel. So, I bought the course and just finished! It's well worth the money to have a strategy in my back pocket.

 — 

Jeralynn Mance:
5 stars
Essential Information
This course is awesome, informative, and life changing.!! There was so much that I didn't know, things I would have never considered doing in my launch. I am greatly appreciative for this course, its invaluable!!

 — 

Barry Gallagher:
5 stars
Covers are Key!
So far, so good! Lot more valuable information and tools.

 — 

Cheryl Shumake:
5 stars
From a grateful author
Thank you so much for putting together a concise, easy-to-follow, launch plan which promises results without promoting unrealistic expectations. I will employ your insights and directions and am looking forward to better outcomes than I could have achieved on my own.

 — 

James Kelly:
5 stars
Tips to Launch Your Best Seller
I have accomplished some of the items in the course, but the amount of information was outstanding. I am armed with tips and suggestions to enhance the sale of my current books, and set the stage for the next one out the door. Great job!

 — 

Cheyenne Tagliaferro:
5 stars
Awesome
Great info!! Looking forward to seeing if this info will make a difference between my second book launch and my first… Thank you

 — 

Lex Brown:
5 stars
Streamlined & Actionable! High-Quality Content!
I truly enjoyed this course and think that its worth every penny spent. The content has strong impact, with actionable, streamlined steps for accomplishing every Authorpreneur's goal: a growing audience with high conversions into buyers.

 — 

Victor Wilkie:
5 stars
Very informative
I was pleased overall and hope that this will help with my project. However, I wish that the course contained some more detailed information on getting editorial reviews, whom to contact, etc.

 — 

Robert Cooper:
5 stars
Excellent presentation!

 — 

Robyn Michaels:
5 stars
Indeed, it takes more than writing to make a book. Very good information!

 — 

Loralee Lago:
5 stars
Excellent information. I would have like a few more print outs but what was given was invaluable!!!

 — 

Mary Kennedy:
5 stars
Great Information
I've learned so much from participating in this course. Hadn't realized there is so much to know AFTER a manuscript is finished.

 — 

Tony Martin:
5 stars
This is a great little primer to get you started toward realizing your publishing dreams. It’s accessible, just detailed enough, and gives you a great foundation to begin. I recommend it.

 — 

Lisa Washington:
5 stars
Good Info to start with
There was a lot of good content to start with.

 — 

Danielle Perlin-Good:
5 stars
Great Outline
I highly recommend taking this course so you can learn what to do in order to have a bestseller launch campaign.

 — 

LaBena Fleming:
5 stars
Excellent Advice

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Bestseller Launch Starter Kit

Want to make it faster and easier?

Get the Bestseller Launch Starter Kit, packed with these handy tools and templates:

  • Bestseller Launch Schedule Planner with Automatic Date Calculation to guide you and make sure everything gets done on time 
  • Sales Copy Template for Fiction and Sales Copy Template for Non-Fiction (fill in the blanks—perfect if you’re not a marketer or professional copywriter) 
  • Keyword & Category Research Secrets, complete with video walking you through exactly how to do this
  • Review Request Templates so you’ll know exactly how to ask for reviews from influencers, your followers, and strangers.
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