Nathan Barry discusses how James Clear's Atomic Habits sold 30 million copies through strategic positioning and word-of-mouth. The book hit 1 million copies in twelve months, then doubled that in six. Barry emphasizes email lists as crucial: his own author newsletter has 4 million subscribers and drives product launches.
The book has to sell itself in 7 seconds right then when they see it in the airport or they're walking through the bookstore.
This year at Craft and Commerce, Kit's annual conference, we had James Clear, the bestselling author of Atomic Habits, back on the stage.
12 months to hit the first million, and then we did the second million in like half the time.
The last time he stood up there, that book hadn't even come out yet.
Great positioning is really about tying your take or your product to the desires that people already have.
Nobody knew it would go on to sell over 30 million copies.
The only way a book really sells millions of copies is through word of mouth. We get into book launches, what makes a great product. Nothing matters more in the making of a book and probably most products or businesses than— Email lists and newsletter growth. I have this dream of sending an email and having a million people open it.
You have the largest single author newsletter in existence, over 4 million subscribers.
People come and read the newsletter each week to have like a check-in or to be reminded of the same things I need to be reminded of.
At one point, someone in the audience asks, what is your mission of life? Small question.
You know, my current answer is that—
