How to become an Amazon Bestseller

That’s just what happened to my good friend Charmaine Hammond this week….that’s right….BESTSELLER status on Amazon!  Not only did she hit #1 in her category on Amazon.com (plus #1 in 3 different categories in Canada alone), but #343 overall out of over 31 MILLION books!  Now most Success “gurus” out there say you should strive to be in the top 20%, or the elite of the elite are in the top 3-5%, but do the math here….Charmaine was better than 343/31,000,000.   That’s 1 in 90,379 or 0.001% !  Not the top 1%….  Not the top one quarter of a percent…not even the top ONE HUNDRETH of one percent.  No, Charmaine Hammond was in the top one thousandth of one percent! Seriously?  That’s such an incredible number that my simple mind can’t even fathom it. Let’s put it into perspective…

That accomplishment is better than the odds of getting a hole in one in golf (about 1 in 5,000)¹.  Ever gotten one of those before?  It’s better than finding a four-leaf clover on the first try (1 in 10,000).  Charmaine’s feat was better than the chances of becoming a pro athlete (1 in 22,000) and it even trumps the odds of accidental drowning (1 in 79,065) or dying from smoke or fire (1 in 81,524).  Fantastically, the chances that Earth will experience a catastrophic collision with an asteroid in the next 100 years is only 1 in 5,000, so yup, it beats that too.

I’m so proud of her, and I’m proud that I could help her get there.  How did she do it?  Well, it goes back to when we first met.  You see, Charmaine and I are founding members of the Evolutionary Business Council, or the EBC.  The EBC was the brainchild of my dear friend Teresa de Grosbois, and when Teresa invited us to this organization of influential thought leaders dedicated to changing the world for the better through our teachings, we couldn’t resist.  People helping people improve the world?  Hmmmm….sounds like a winner to me.  At the inaugural retreat of the Council, 40 of us convened amidst the pristine Canadian Rockies in the mountain resort town of Canmore, Alberta.  We each had  a chance to ask something powerful before the Council.  Chances like this don’t come around often, nor should you treat them frivolously.  For us, it was akin to having the opportunity to ask something before the United Nations and them supporting you in whatever you asked.  This was our mini U.N.  I happened to be sitting beside Charmaine, and “The Ask” was so important that we actually took the time to craft it properly, to hone it, examine it, explore it from all sides to ensure it was the most succinct, most powerfully crafted question possible.  As a Speaker, Results Trainer, and Breakthrough Expert myself, I assisted and coached Charmaine in this process.  Distilled down to its very essence, the question basically asked the Council if they would support Charmaine’s upcoming book launch in various ways. The Results? After only 8 minutes of delivery and discussion, 100% of those gathered agreed to support the campaign even though 80% of them had never met Charmaine before and virtually none of them had even read the book!

This was months before the launch, but when this past week came around, everyone honored their commitment, stepped up to the plate, and sent out launch announcements to their email lists, they tweeted, they Facebooked, they newslettered, they shared and spread the message with a singular enthusiasm.  It gathered a hype and contagion that took a life unto itself…and in keeping with Teresa’s vision of the Council, it spread like wildfire. And the book?  It’s called On Toby’s Terms.
It’s the amazing story about Charmaine’s dog Toby and the incredible obstacles she and her husband Chris had to overcome because of Toby’s destructive behavior.  In the process, both they and Toby had to re-invent themselves. It’s a heartwarming tale (tail? ) of love, growth, and support and you can check it out yourself on Amazon

Support is the critical factor in both the book and in Charmaine’s success.  In chatting with her about the launch afterwards, she told me how learning to ASK properly and the support of the EBC was paramount to hitting #1 on Amazon.  She told me how the Council really championed her cause and she was overwhelmed with the expressions of support she received.  Success came from building those relationships early on, developing their trust, and surrounding herself with carefully chosen, influential leaders who believe in you.  People want to be part of something BIG.  It’s exciting.  It’s bold.  On Toby’s Termsis like that, and Hollywood has even taken notice and they’re making a major motion picture out of it now.  Expect it in theatres later this year.  Meanwhile, get the book on Amazon. Charmaine is even donating some of the proceeds to charity, so be part of something big.

Do you have something Big and Bold you’re working on?  Do you have a book in you?  A major goal you’re striving for?  A dream?  If so, let’s hear it in the comments and what you’re doing to move it forward. Start NOW to build those relationships and plant the seeds of support you’ll need to get it off the ground.  Build your own council of support.  It’s simpler than you think, and who knows….maybe we’ll see YOU as the next Best Seller!

Live Life LARGE

Dave

¹All comparison statistics from http://www.funny2.com/odds.htm