Bonjour bonjour Reader,
Should I include a foreword in my book? And who should I ask to write it?
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Because I don't know about you, but I NEVER read the foreword.
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1) I want to learn something from the author, not some rando I don't know.
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2) It's just an a$$-licking exercise. "Oh [author] is so great. This book is going to change the way you think about [topic]. It's gonna revolutionize your work and 120x your revenue overnight. Now let me write some more so I can plug my sh*t."
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But I still wanted the trust factor that comes from a foreword written by someone way, way, way more accomplished than I am.
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Joe Pullizi, the Godfather of Content Marketing, came to mind immediately. I sent him a message on LinkedIn, and he said he'd be happy to do it. He's written forewords for 20+ authors, so I knew he'd come back with something that would slap.
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He sent me the first draft, and it was perfect... for most marketing books. But it didn't feel right for mine.
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"Do I tell him? I'm going to sound like a d*ck. Okay, maybe I should just say that it's great... It's just the foreword, after all..."
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Then I kinda forget about it.
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8 days later, an email from Joe, "Did this work for you?"
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"Well, f*ck, I'm just going to have to tell him," I thought.
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Here's what I wrote back:
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"I know it may sound cheeky coming from someone who hasn't accomplished 1% of what you have, but 1) I didn't feel your personality come through, 2) It needs to SLAP more, maybe with a story?, and 3) I never read forewords, and I suspect most of my readers won't either... Unless we make it so good, they have to read it."
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I've built my brand on being myself 100% of the time. It felt good to send this, but I know Joe is going to f*cking hate me for it.
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Anyway, I'm not going to spoil it, but a couple of hours later, he came back with a foreword that ended like this:
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Now that's a foreword that slaps.
Hopefully, you won't skip it.
