Business Book Podcast

An eye opening podcast on how to sell more books in places you would never think to sell. Brian Jud, an executive director at the Association of Publishers for Special Sales describes non bookstore marketing, selling to retailers, non-retailers, and companies that use books as promotional items. Brian explains how he started in this business and learned how to sell the books that he wrote, using them to become a speaker, using portions of them in promotional info for companies, and how to fit his books to the needs of each sale.

He provides a number of resources for authors on marketing and learning about the publishing industry through booksellinguniversity.com and full-service options @ APSS.org or bookmarketing.com.

The Wizard of Ads was one of my virtual mentors when I began copywriting and has continued to be a man I admire as an entrepreneur, artist, and gem of a human soul.

It was my privilege to have him on the show to talk about how the masters approached creativity, learn how he wrote his bestselling books, and hear about how we both view books as sacred things.

Jane Friedman is one of the most well known and well respected professionals in the publishing industry today. She's the author of Chicago Press's "The Business of Being a Writer" as well as "The Authors Guild Guide to E-Publishing." She writes a column for the trade publication "Publishers Weekly" but is probably best known as the co-founder of "The Hot Sheet."

In this episode, she gives us a crash course in publishing today: what to know before writing your book, the prestige of traditional publishers vs. the requirements of self-publishing, what publishers look for in an author, print vs. digital, New York vs. Amazon—and that's just the first half!

Entrepreneurs and publishers often clash. Publishers are looking to sell a mass-market commodity product, whereas entrepreneurs like to play in the sandbox.

Then there's David Hancock, founder of a publishing house with an entrepreneurial approach to the business.

It's my genuine pleasure to interview my own ghostwriting mentor, Claudia Suzanne. She is the most experienced ghostwriter in history (that we know of), with upwards of 150 (!) "invisible credits" to her name. She's the creator of the Ghostwriting Professional Designation Program, recognized by the State of California as a professional certification. A wealth of insider ghostwriting experience.

Matthew Pollard talks about how he chose his publisher, what it's like to work with a literary agent, why he needed a ghostwriter, and how he's already marketing his book.

Clothier Jack Mitchell authored one of the best business books I've ever read. I still use it as an example of a book "done right" to authors. Learn what sparked his book "Hug Your Customers," what it's done for him and his business, and how it launched his second career.

Few people know how to successfully market their book: Joanna Penn is one of them. An author in both fiction and non-fiction, she takes us through what author marketing looks like today.

Sally Haldorson is a bona fide business-book lover. She serves as the General Manager of 800-CEO-READ, one the premier companies in the genre. Not only does she know the industry inside and out, but she's also a writer herself, having co-authored the 3rd edition of The 100 Best Business Books of All Time in addition to multiple degrees in creative writing and literature.

Mignon Fogarty—better known as "Grammar Girl"—is helping our generation fall in love with writing. The creator and host of an immensely popular podcast, she is also the author of a number of books on writing, including Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing and Grammar Girl Presents the Ultimate Writing Guide for Students.

*Photo credit to David Calvert