**Note:** *Executing strategy brief without specific RAG context. Deploying standard Crimson Leaf protocol for B2B thought leadership book launches. Substitute specific manuscript details where bracketed.*

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## OBJECTIVE
Generate 500+ pre-orders for *[Book Title: "The Algorithm of Trust"]* and build a qualified 1,500-person email list of Director+ level SaaS professionals within 90 days to establish the author’s consulting pipeline, measured by BookFunnel redemption rates and Amazon KDP pre-order dashboard.

## TARGET AUDIENCE
**Primary Segment:** VP of Product and Customer Success Directors at Series B+ SaaS companies, ages 35-50, active daily on LinkedIn (not TikTok), currently in "solution-aware" buying stage regarding AI implementation but experiencing anxiety about customer retention erosion. They have budget authority for professional development ($50-100/book budgets) but require peer validation before purchase.

**Key Insight:** This audience won't buy from a "guru" they don't recognize; they need to see *their specific company type* (AI-enabled B2B SaaS) mentioned in the social proof before clicking "Buy." They need to feel the book contains proprietary frameworks not available in McKinsey reports, not generic AI advice.

## TACTICAL PLAN

**STEP 1: LinkedIn Authority Asset Deployment**
- **WHAT:** Publish 3x weekly carousel posts extracting the "Trust Velocity Framework" from Chapters 3-5, ending with soft CTA to "comment 'TRUST' for the audit checklist."
- **OWNER:** Agency Content Strategist (writes), Author (records voiceovers for video versions)
- **TIMELINE:** Weeks 1-12 (Daily posting Weeks 8-12)
- **TOOL/PLATFORM:** LinkedIn Native Publishing, Canva Pro for carousel design, Descript for video captions

**STEP 2: Zero-Friction Lead Magnet Funnel**
- **WHAT:** Build "The AI Trust Audit: 12 Questions to Diagnose Your Customer Loyalty Gaps" PDF gated behind email capture. Deliver via BookFunnel with instant download + 3-day email nurture sequence pitching the pre-order.
- **OWNER:** Agency Funnel Specialist (build), Author (record welcome video)
- **TIMELINE:** Week 2 (build), Week 3 (launch), Weeks 3-12 (optimize)
- **TOOL/PLATFORM:** ConvertKit (landing pages + automation), BookFunnel (delivery), Vimeo (hosting)

**STEP 3: Precision Podcast Tour with Retargeting Infrastructure**
- **WHAT:** Book 8-10 appearances on niche B2B SaaS podcasts (e.g., *The SaaS Podcast*, *Churn.FM*, *Build Your SaaS*). Provide hosts unique tracking links (Bitly) and require show notes link to BookFunnel lead magnet, not direct Amazon link.
- **OWNER:** Agency PR Coordinator (booking), Author (interviews)
- **TIMELINE:** Weeks 4-10 (recording), episodes air Weeks 6-12
- **TOOL/PLATFORM:** Podcast Hawk (booking software), Bitly (tracking), Meta Ads Manager (retargeting pixel on BookFunnel landing page)

**STEP 4: LinkedIn Sponsored Content to Warm Audiences**
- **WHAT:** Run Document Ads (PDF carousel) promoting Chapter 1 excerpt to retargeted podcast listeners and engaged LinkedIn followers. Direct traffic to Amazon pre-order page, not lead magnet (conversion-focused).
- **OWNER:** Agency Media Buyer (execution), Author (approve creative)
- **TIMELINE:** Weeks 8-12 (Launch phase)
- **TOOL/PLATFORM:** LinkedIn Campaign Manager, Adobe Acrobat (PDF optimization)

**STEP 5: Launch Week "Trust Summit" Virtual Event**
- **WHAT:** Host 3-day LinkedIn Live series (30 mins each) featuring case studies from beta readers at recognizable SaaS companies. Daily giveaway: Signed copy + 30-min strategy call.
- **OWNER:** Agency Event Coordinator (tech/logistics), Author (host)
- **TIMELINE:** Week 12 (Launch week)
- **TOOL/PLATFORM:** LinkedIn Live (native), Restream (multistreaming backup), Gleam.io (giveaway management)

## CONTENT REQUIREMENTS

1. **LinkedIn Carousel Posts** (12 pieces)
   - Format: PDF carousel, 5-7 slides, 1080x1350px
   - Copy: 150 words total across slides, hook on Slide 1 ("87% of AI implementations fail because...")
   - Writer: Agency Content Strategist

2. **Lead Magnet PDF** ("The AI Trust Audit")
   - Format: 8-page interactive PDF with fillable fields
   - Word count: 1,200 words + 12 question framework
   - Writer: Author (framework), Agency Designer (layout)

3. **Podcast One-Sheet**
   - Format: Single-page PDF (digital only)
   - Content: 5 suggested questions, author bio (75 words), book hook
   - Writer: Agency PR Coordinator

4. **Email Nurture Sequence** (7 emails)
   - Format: Plain-text style (ConvertKit)
   - Length: 200-400 words each
   - Content: Day 1 (deliver audit), Day 3 (case study), Day 5 (objection handling), Day 7 (pre-order CTA with bonus chapter)
   - Writer: Agency Copywriter

5. **Amazon A+ Content** (for launch)
   - Format: 5 modules (Standard Comparison, Single Image with Text, etc.)
   - Copy: 300 words per module, keyword-optimized for "AI customer retention," "SaaS loyalty"
   - Writer: Agency SEO Specialist

## SUCCESS METRICS

**1. Pre-Order Conversion Rate**
- **Measurement:** Amazon KDP Pre-Order Units dashboard + IngramSpark wholesale orders
- **Baseline:** 0 units (cold start)
- **90-Day Target:** 500+ units (break-even on production costs)

**2. Lead Magnet Cost Per Acquisition (CPA)**
- **Measurement:** ConvertKit subscriber growth divided by total ad spend (LinkedIn + retargeting)
- **Baseline:** $0 (no current funnel)
- **90-Day Target:** <$4.50 per qualified email (industry standard for B2B is $8-12; aggressive target due to organic podcast strategy)

**3. LinkedIn Engagement Quality Score**
- **Measurement:** (Comments + Shares) / Followers on author profile, tracked via Shield Analytics
- **Baseline:** 1.2% (current author baseline)
- **90-Day Target:** 6%+ (signals algorithmic favor for launch week reach)

## RISK & MITIGATION

**Risk 1: Author Platform Too Cold for LinkedIn Ad Efficiency**
LinkedIn's CPM ($8-12) requires high conversion rates to remain profitable; without existing social proof, cold traffic may ignore sponsored content.
*Mitigation:* Deploy "social proof stacking" by securing 3 written testimonials from recognizable SaaS founders in Week 1, then featuring their headshots/logos prominently in all ad creative before scaling spend.

**Risk 2: Podcast Audience Mismatch Leading to Low-Quality Email List**
B2B podcasts often attract junior professionals seeking free education, not decision-makers with book-buying budgets.
*Mitigation:* Pre-qualify via lead magnet design—include questions requiring company size/role in the audit, then segment non-ICP emails into a separate "education only" nurture track to preserve sender reputation.

## BUDGET ESTIMATE

**Range:** $12,000 - $18,500

**Breakdown:**
- LinkedIn Sponsored Content (Document Ads): $6,000 - $8,000
- Podcast booking service (Podcast Hawk + coordinator hours): $2,000 - $3,000
- Creative production (Canva Pro, Descript, design hours): $1,500 - $2,500
- BookFunnel/ConvertKit tech stack: $500 - $1,000
- Giveaway/shipping costs (signed copies): $2,000 - $4,000

**Biggest Cost Driver:** LinkedIn Sponsored Content CPMs for precise job title targeting (Customer Success Director, VP of Product) in North American tech hubs, which cannot be reduced without sacrificing audience quality.