Your question is on the cusp of all the changes in publishing that are occurring. You are asking, if I may rephrase, what strategies can we employ that will translate to a larger buying audience for a future publication.

Many important dependencies:
Current audience/following. Obviously, if your client is Steven Covey, you're done already. If not, then ask: what strategies build the reputation of the authors?

Publisher. If the publisher is Random House and this is their number one book of the season, you're already done. Show up for the interviews and signings. If not, what strategies will increase awareness of the upcoming/published book among our target audience?

These are old world methodologies and strategies. Offer seminars, become go-to pundits for television and radio shows, advertise, send out press releases targeted for the types of media where you want to be noticed, schedule talks and signings to coincide with the publication, get yourselves into Money Magazine and the WSJ as top investors, etc.

But you've asked specifically about a set of more permeable, social media driven strategies.

I offer the following 'model' as a way to proceed, but more as a way to see what's at stake:

Establish your credentials separate from any publication

In a subject like investing, people are going to be more likely to check you out and check out your other content if you provide timely, approachable, and useful information in something like a blog or podcast. But you don't want to give it all up there. Refer them back to your deeper, context-rich publications.

Publications are long-term content

People want context and tools when they read a longer non-fiction piece. They are making an investment in time and want a return that should show up in their investing results.

Listen to your audience, but don't jump

The audiences' perception of an expert is closely related to how that expert responds to the audience. Your message, your tools, your expertise should be a lens through which you understand and respond to your audience and their concerns. Their successes will be nice testimonials, but how will you respond to their failures?

Make your audience jump

If you have a means to help people invest successfully, push them to do it. Be confident. People overcoming a fear and succeeding will promote you.

In short, have something to offer that you have absolute confidence in, and then expect people to jump on board. An audience will follow. (And if not, one can only assume you'll have a kick-ass portfolio.)

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