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Writer's pictureBarb Grant

A Bit Extra with Barb - Book Launch Update 3

Updated: Sep 18, 2023


It's official - the book launch date for 'Change Management that Sticks' is Monday March 6, 2023. That's only 8 days away!

Barb Grant author, holding the proof copy of her Amazon #1 bestselling book, 'Change Management that Sticks'
Barb Grant holding the proof copy of 'Change Management that Sticks'

In my last blog update on the book launch date, I said we were heading for late February 2023. Some of the preliminary housekeeping has taken just a little bit longer than I expected, so we'll just 'poke' into the beginning of March before launch. Apologies to anyone who was really on tender hooks there, but it's not long now! As someone who's usually worked to some super hard (meaning fixed) and very demanding deadlines over my thirty-year career, it's been refreshing to work on a personal project where I shoot for a mark but can readjust if it's not realistic and the decision is all 'on me'. This is a luxury change managers don't professionally often get. What matters most to me is putting out a high-quality book that helps people deliver better change outcomes with higher adoption. Hopefully, a week longer to achieve that isn't too much to ask.


And it's a new journey. It's hard to know the terrain if you haven't hacked your way through the undergrowth before. Over the last couple of weeks, some of this 'undergrowth' has been waiting to receive the final proof of the physical copy to ensure everything is as intended. In the Antipodes, that's quite a long wait. It's also taken a while for the audiobook to wind its way through the final approval process by the distributor and to be loaded on the major audio-book sites, such as Audible. Now that the ducks are in a row, I'm proud to share with you the date of Monday, 6 March.


There'll be a special launch price with a heavy discount, particularly on the kindle option. There are some fixed costs for the physical print edition, but this will also be very reasonably priced, particularly compared to the other books in the category. One of my main goals in this book is to make change management as accessible as possible, and setting a realistic price point is part of accessibility. I'll send an email to subscribers on the morning of the day, letting you know the book is live and linking you to the purchase page on Amazon and other distributors if you're not an Amazon fan.


I've always loathed change management being viewed as elitist. I think change managers are very valuable, but I don't think they're more special than anyone else. We're all in the business of being change agents, whether we're consciously aware of it (and have a related role title) or not. Accessibility is a key take-out of the book and the role of the successful change manager. Making the book simple to buy in multiple formats at an affordable price is part of this mantra of accessibility. Everything you do is a calling card for what you have to say and the message you model, including whether or not your book is affordable!


One of my struggles whilst preparing the book for launch has been my fundamental dislike for all things sales. Ok, it's more like a pathological loathing. I hate being sold to and hate to think that anyone would think I am trying to sell to them. In certain quarters, this would undoubtedly be described as a 'block'. However, I found the course I used to write the book helpful as it charged you, as the aspiring writer, to focus on what you have to say and the people out there who are ready and waiting to hear your message. I found this reframe immensely helpful, and I've used it repeatedly to get over my squeamishness about posting personal photos on LinkedIn and talking about the book.


On this topic of things to be learned in the process of writing a book, there are quite a few things I've turned my hand to in the process, which I definitely wouldn't call myself a natural at! I managed to build my own website using Wix a couple of years ago, but the book has given me a reason to be much more active in evolving the website, tweaking pages, adding blogs and generally lifting the sophistication of how it all works and fits together. My proudest moment to date along these lines would be a very busy Waitangi weekend in which I:

  • made a 'thanks for buying the book, and here's your free Workbook PDF' video.

  • built a hidden landing page (that corresponds to the URL given in the book conclusion as the link for the free workbook).

  • embedded an Active Campaign form on the landing page to capture book buyer emails who want the free workbook.

  • created an 'on click' command to send new subscribers to another hidden landing page on subscription.

  • embedded the welcome video on the second hidden landing page, and

  • embedded the workbook PDF beside the video to auto-display for download in a second window on click.

When I start on these things, it feels a bit like 'will to live' and no doubt there is something a bit stubborn in me (and money conscious) that refuses to outsource it. However, it's my product, and I really relish being in control of all aspects of its development. If it finds a good audience and things start to scale, we'll have to take another look at it - but BRING IT ON! Also, heartfelt thanks to a random dude somewhere in Montana who made a video on how to link Active Campaign forms to a Wix page - you, sir, are a legend. Don't we live in an AMAZING age when you can learn practically anything you want at the click of a button, and often for free?!


All this writing and thinking about writing has inspired me to blog more regularly, which also brings more credibility to the website. Check out my blog from last Monday when I explore what exactly we mean when we talk about complex change and what the criteria is to meet this threshold. Or my blog from the previous Monday where I discuss the top 3 barriers to achieving successful change and the main change management models that can help and how they're applied.

The gold award winning book 'Change Management that Sticks' and endorsement quote
Dr Wesley Donahue endorsement for 'Change Management that Sticks'

My next book launch post will be on the launch date, Monday March 6th, with links to the special launch price offer. Change Cat is primed and ready to go, so stay with me for the big reveal next Monday!


Change Cat cartoon from the gold award winning book 'Change Management that Sticks'
Change Cat Cartoon says, 'You got this!'



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