Guy Kawasaki: Self-Promoter and Self-Publisher

Every wannabe pundit knows the drill: Do something cool, preferably in Silicon Valley or against all odds; talk and write about what you learned everywhere you can; build a following; then get a book deal. That’s what Guy Kawasaki did, converting his four-year stint as Apple’s chief evangelist into a 1989 book on guerrilla marketing called The Macintosh Way. Kawasaki has since produced 11 more books and established himself as a marketing guru and venture capitalist. With 1.2 million Twitter followers and a popular blog, he’s a brand.

So when Kawasaki self-published a book on Google+ called What the Plus, he was thrilled with the results. Instead of the usual 10 percent cut from publishers, he took home 70 percent of sales. Gone were the long lead times, distracted editors, and paltry marketing efforts. Moreover, he says, “nobody pays attention to who the publisher is today.” What matters is reader ratings, of course. “If it has five stars from Schmoo Press, you’ll buy it. If it’s from Random House and has two, you won’t.”