George Carlin once quipped, “The caterpillar does all the work, but the butterfly gets all the publicity.”
For butterfly garden designer Elizabeth White Olsen, she’s doing all the work and getting all the publicity.
When Elizabeth isn’t designing bird- and butterfly-friendly landscapes with her husband as co-founders of GO Native Landscaping, she’s working hard behind the scenes on her latest book. And this week, we get to celebrate its release!
Bringing Butterflies Home: Gardening with Native Plants to Heal Our Yards and Ourselves is a beautiful how-to guide to slowing down, deepening your connection with nature, and creating gardens that attract butterflies to your community.
Author Elizabeth White Olsen revealed her new book in creative and beautiful ways.
Elizabeth has taken a DIY approach to her book. Rather than hiring our team to handle every detail, she has consulted with me to progress through publishing and marketing on her own. And since she’s in my city, we had the opportunity to step away from Zoom and meet over coffee.
Want a peek at what her DIY journey was like?
To be fair, I should mention that Elizabeth is already a bit of a DIY rockstar. In addition to her booming landscaping business, she has two master’s degrees in fine arts in writing. She founded Writespace Houston, a literary arts center. And she has a handmade block print artwork business. (Her artwork is featured on her book cover!)
Here are three things Elizabeth learned through our consultations.
Elizabeth and me at a Houston coffee shop.
1. Take the time to get a Foreword and endorsements.
Elizabeth mentioned that she reveres Dr. Doug Tallamy, an entomologist, conservationist, and professor renowned in her field. We discussed approaching him to write the Foreword to her book.
A Foreword is a short introduction to you and your book written by someone else, preferably someone notable in your industry. It helps explain why your book was written and establishes credibility.
So, Elizabeth crafted a pitch letter for Dr. Tallamy. It introduced her and her book project and requested a Foreword. It also explained why his words mattered and suggested a deadline.
He declined. He was too busy.
But we had already planned for that scenario. Elizabeth had the guts to ask for an endorsement instead.
An endorsement is a short statement of support for your book from someone influential to your audience. It’s a much easier lift for busy people. And it still provides valuable social proof, increases trust, and helps readers quickly decide if your book is right for them.
To Elizabeth’s delight, Dr. Tallamy agreed! She was willing to step way beyond her own limits – and it paid off. The endorsement is featured on her book cover and will open doors for her book and for her work.
The lesson: Book marketing starts with a marketable manuscript. Take the time to develop special elements for the most compelling book. You can develop a strategic Foreword, endorsements, book bonuses, and more. With some help, you can approach people who seem beyond your reach and make the impossible possible!
(Here are tips for nabbing your best endorsement. And here is more on the purpose of each book element.)
2. Capture leads at your events.
Elizabeth was invited to present her knowledge at an annual community event. The River Oaks Garden Club’s Azalea Trail educates the public about architecture, flower arranging, and horticultural possibilities in the region. It was the perfect audience for her book!
There was one catch: her book wasn’t ready yet.
We discussed some ways to capture leads that day. Elizabeth designed a beautiful business card that promoted her upcoming book and invited visitors to follow her on social media. That way, she welcomed long-term connections with potential readers.
The lesson: Leverage every opportunity to build relationships with your audience. While online retailers offer broader reach and easier order fulfillment, in-person events allow you to establish rapport with your readers. Ask for email addresses and invite social media connections to nurture that rapport over time.
The book business cards Elizabeth designed for the event.
3. Aim for a “soft” launch.
Elizabeth originally had a pre-order period in mind. She had an audience eager for her work, and she wanted to count down to the first week of March, when she planned to release her book.
However, we discussed the downsides of a pre-order period. While an online countdown can drum up some excitement, a hard deadline can be stressful for reasons out of your control. It’s best to allow time to work out any kinks in the system.
Elizabeth opted for a soft launch. She released her book quietly online before telling anyone. It allowed her time to confirm that her Amazon page was perfect and resolve hiccups with the printers and distributors. She had some room to breathe while she hammered out imperfections.
When everything was just right, she announced her book’s debut!
The lesson: Many authors assume a pre-order period is the way to go, but I’m a fan of a soft launch. It’s a lower-stress approach that ensures a professional book release. You’ll have breathing room to ensure your Amazon page is accurate and optimized, check that your book contains no errors, and confirm it is printing and shipping accurately.
Elizabeth showing monarch eggs on milkweed at The River Oak Garden Club’s Azalea Trail.
Final Thoughts
A DIY approach to book publishing isn’t right for every author, but if you’re considering a DIY book, I’m here to help. Ask me about how you can get consultations along the way.
Regardless of your approach, Elizabeth’s lessons learned from her DIY process are universal:
Take the time to develop a marketable manuscript. Capture leads at your events. And consider planning a soft launch.
Elizabeth, congratulations on Bringing Home Butterflies!