The #2 Question I Get Asked
A conversation that happens in traditional publishing all the time goes like this:
Publishing Person (to potential Author): Good idea, but you need to build your platform.
Potential Author: Okay. How do I do that?
Publishing Person: Uhhhh . . .
That’s a vast simplification, obviously, but until I built my own platform I was the person going “uhhh” or giving really basic advice (“post on social media”) that didn’t really serve authors.
When I started marketing my business, I realized that ~80% of the people who were reading my emails, following me on social media, and wanted to work with me and my team didn’t have what’s necessary to get a traditional book deal.
They needed to build their platform first.
That was right around the time I realized that I had built a platform myself.
I have my own audience.
I have a network of fellow entrepreneurs who support me.
I know how to get press, how to land speaking gigs, and how corporate buys work.
And I’ve worked with enough online entrepreneurs to know how to play that game, too.
Thus Author Platform Builders was born — which leads me to today’s question:
What’s the difference between business coaching and Author Platform Builders?
The advice and coaching offered in Author Platform Builders is specific to building an audience that will both support you landing a book deal and leading a successful business.
In my experience, business coaching doesn’t include a ton of education about traditional publishing. And even if it does, it’s usually skewed to one person’s perspective as an author-slash-business coach. In contrast, Author Platform Builders is the only resource online I know of taught by a traditional publishing expert who is also a successful online entrepreneur.
Today, Author Platform Builders includes:
Access to me via an APB-only Slack channel
1 group coaching call per month
Live bonus calls with guest speakers related to audience-building, book publishing, and platform growth
A core curriculum based on the successful strategies and techniques of entrepreneurs who landed six-figure book deals
Access to 2 virtual workshops with experts and literary agents
Don’t get me wrong: I think business coaching is awesome, and it’s one of the main reasons I’m writing this email to you today. In fact, I encourage my clients to have business coaching in addition to Author Platform Builders.
That’s the best of both worlds — because business coaching will teach you how to become the best known in your niche and Author Platform Builders will help you become the bestselling author in your niche.
