In the 26 years I’ve owned and operated my business, I’ve worked with thousands of authors, and would be authors, teaching them how to gain visibility for their books. Back in the day, the genre was not as important to me as the fact that an author wanted to learn how to gain visibility for their books.
Fast forward to today and my preferred niches are within the plant-based, vegan and wellness arenas. Making this choice allows me to align further with my lifestyle choice, and transformation, of a plant-based way of life.
Is There Enough?
One might wonder, is there enough business within the plant-based and vegan markets to sustain the direction I have chosen.
Actually, there’s more than enough growth.
According to Supermarket News.com, Plant–based food sales climbed five times faster than overall U.S. retail food sales, which rose 2.2% for 2019, PBFA and The Good Food Institute said Tuesday. Growth was slightly higher than in 2018, when sales of plant–based food increased 11% to $4.5 billion, compared with 2% growth for the total food retail market.
With this type of growth, comes an increase in books, consulting services, conference speakers who are currently working virtually, coaches and retreats. Like virtually any industry, an expert can be great at what they do, but they may not know how to market and gain visibility for their products and services.
Take authors in the plant-based, vegan and wellness genres. You might have the best book in the world, but simply making it available on Amazon or your website will hardly generate sales. You must be proactive in your approach.
Podcasting Is A Powerhouse Strategy
One of the most effective ways to increase awareness about your expertise and your books is with podcast shows. For some experts, appearing on shows is their sweet spot. With others, hosting their own show is where they gain a lot of traction. With others, both appearing on shows and hosting a show is where the greatest results reside.
For me, I find doing both is my sweet spot.
Not only do I host my own show, Plant Based Eating for Health, I frequently appear on a various types of shows to share insights about a plant based lifestyle AND to share insights with others on how to grow their businesses.
On the most recent episode of the Plant Based Eating for Health show, I interviewed author, Kate Kunkel. Kate is a long time vegan who specializes in raising awareness about brain health. http://plantbasedeatingforhealth.com/losing-your-mind-is-a-choice/
Don’t Leave Success to Chance
Although the show is just over three months old, the response has been phenomenal. However, I did not leave the growth of the show to chance. I’ve proactively promoted each and every episode.
On the flip side, my most recent appearance was on the Francesca Anastasi show talking about my business transition of now working primarily in the plant-based, vegan and wellness niches. https://www.francescaanastasi.com/podcast/power-up-for-profits-the-plant-based-way
It’s exciting to watch the growth on both sides of the mic. But again, this is not something I’ve left to chance. It’s by design and daily action.
Massive Action Equates to Massive Results
In a recent conversation with a client, she was frustrated that she had secured only four interviews over a period of a month.
“Let’s evaluate this,” I said. “How many hosts, on average, do you reach out to a week?”
“Maybe two,” she responded.
“Okay. Two per week comes to about nine or ten a month. If you booked four interviews, that’s a 40% conversion rate. Imagine if you increased your efforts and reached out to two hosts per day and had a 40% conversion rate? That would possibly equate to 15 – 20 appearances a month. What do you think that would do to your book sales?” I prodded.
This was an ah-ha moment for her. And she’s not the first client I’ve had this type of conversation with. It’s amazing how often experts fail to connect the dots on how to get the type of results they desire. Rather than look at the number in and of itself, look at the conversion rate.
When my book, Power Up for Profits; The Smart Woman’s Guide to Online Marketing was published in 2013, not only did I put together a very aggressive blog tour schedule, I appeared on a lot of podcast shows within a very short period of time.
The book did exceptionally well on Amazon as did my back-end consulting and speaking contracts. Had I left the success of the book to chance, chances are, I would not have sold many copies at all.
Both Sides of the Mic
If you’re an author, and you’re looking for ways to gain traction for your book, podcast interviews are one of the most cost-effective, high return activities you can participate in. Not sure how to do this? Get my FREE Podcast Interview Checklist. CLICK HERE.
If you’re looking to create ample opportunity over the long-term, hosting your own show is a game changer. Keep in mind, there is a lot of work that goes into a successful show. But when done right, the benefits are incredible. Hosting your own podcast show is one of the best ways to position your expertise while creating opportunities to connect with influencers in your industry.
Maybe you’re ready to move forward but not quite sure what to do first. In that case, a Fast Track session may be exactly what you need. CLICK HERE to learn more and reserve your spot.
Regardless of which side of the mic you choose to be on, you must be proactive in your approach to the process. It takes more than simply wanting to appear on shows. You must do your research, outreach and interviews.
On the flip side, when you start a show, consistency is key to your success.
Be sure to get the FREE Podcast Interview Checklist. CLICK HERE.