THE BIG PICTURE

1. A Simple Strategy to Hit the #1 Amazon Bestseller List

I launched a new book last week called “AI Change Management Made Simple.”

It hit the Amazon Bestseller list in 4 different categories.

This is the 14th book (out of 24 I've published) that have hit the #1 Amazon bestseller list

Here's the high-level strategy I follow:

1. Launch the book for free (to get early verified reviews)

2. Pick 3 low competition categories (during the KDP publishing process)

3. Launch at $0.99 (to reduce purchase friction)

4. Get a high sales velocity (ideally spread over 2 to 3 days)

That’s the entire strategy.

It’s simple, but not easy.

Amazon has made it harder over time, but this is what I do with every book.

Keep in mind that none of this matters if you don't follow rule #1 (write a useful book).

WORDS I LIKE

2. How to Sell Anything

This is great advice by Alex Hormozi on how to sell anything.

It applies to books and courses (or any side gig offers).

Here's why this simple phrase works:

No idea who you are → Don't assume they've seen your other content. Every piece of marketing should stand alone.

What you do → Skip the fancy job titles. "I help people lose weight" beats "I'm a holistic wellness optimization specialist."

How it works → Break it down into 3 simple steps. If you can't, it's too complicated.

They're in a rush → You have 3 seconds to grab attention. Lead with the benefit, not your backstory.

3rd grade education → Use simple words. Short sentences. Clear ideas. If a 9-year-old wouldn't understand it, rewrite it.

The biggest mistake side hustlers make? Trying to sound smart instead of being clear.

Your customer doesn't care about your certifications, your methodology, or your "proprietary system."

They care about one thing: "Will this solve my problem?"

LIVE WEBINAR

3. How to Presell a $1,500 Cohort-Based Course

I'm hosting a 2-hr webinar on Thursday, October 16 at 11am US ET

It's about how to pre-sell a $1,500 cohort-based course (before you create content or spend any money on tools)

It's a live webinar which will include:

• 16 short lessons (1 hour)

•  Open Q&A (1 hour)

More info:

• The price is $20

• Comes with a 30-day money back guarantee

• Will be recorded if you can't make it live

• Seats are limited because of Zoom's capacity limits

Interested?

Click here for more info and to reserve your spot

PODCAST INTERVIEW

4. How a 19-Year Old Published His First Bestseller

In the latest episode of Writer on the Side, I interview Jay Yang, a 19-year-old author who shares how “permissionless action,” and cold emails helped him self-publish You Can Just Do Things and grow his audience.

What Jay did:

• At 16, he cold-emailed Tyler Denk, CEO of beehiiv, with a list of ideas on how he could help (which turned into an internship).

• At 17, he sent Noah Kagan, founder of AppSumo, a 19-page pitch deck breaking down gaps in his social media and email marketing (which landed him a role as Head of Content).

Click one one of the following links to listen to my interview with Jay on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or the Website.

ONE-MINUTE HACKS

5. A Quick Side Gig Hack You Can Apply Today

Forget fancy tools.

Just use the one you already know.

New tools waste your time and give you excuses to procrastinate.

For example:

I still use Microsoft Word to write all my books. Any simple word processor would work just fine.

I still use an old version of PowerPoint to record all my courses. Any basic presentation app would do.

You can always upgrade later.

Just start with what you’ve got today.