Or…How They Sell All Those Books:
Thomas Nelson has ordered a 1 million-copy first printing for 3:16: The Numbers of Hope by Max Lucado—the largest first printing in the company’s history, according to David Moberg, senior v-p and group publisher for Practical Living/Spiritual Growth/Christian Thought. The book’s title refers to the New Testament passage John 3:16 (“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”)
On the show floor at BEA, Moberg outlined an aggressive marketing campaign for the book, which has a Sept. 11, 2007, street date. “This will be the most comprehensive trade book launch we’ve ever done,” Moberg told RBL, and will include—in addition to “major” national print, TV and radio advertising and publicity—partnerships with 10,000-15,000 churches whose congregations will use 3:16 curriculum, a music CD and DVD, licensing deals with Hallmark and other gift and card companies, multiple foreign language releases, live events around the world, a video that will be taped at Carnegie Hall and simulcast worldwide on Palm Sunday (Mar. 16) in 2008, several ancillary publishing products, and extensive Web promotions. The book will be a main selection of Crossings Book Club, a featured alternate of American Compass, The Literary Guild, Black Expressions and Doubleday Book Club, and will be featured in Guideposts’ Direct Book mail order program.
If 9/11 are the numbers of terror and despair, then 3:16 are the numbers of hope. Best selling author Max Lucado leads readers through a word-by-word study of John 3:16, the passage that he calls the "Hope Diamond" of scripture
Can’t top Joel, though. Remember his next book, pub date 10/15, has a 3 million first print run.
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