Description
The Growth Strategist serves as the architect behind a book's go-to-market strategy. You'll read manuscripts, identify the audience most likely to obsess over them, develop the positioning and launch thesis, and design the growth plan that functional teams execute.
You won't spend your days building social graphics, booking influencers, writing ad copy, or coordinating campaigns.
Your job is to determine what should happen, why it should happen, where we should place our bets, and ensure that that vision comes to life.
What You'll Do
- Read manuscripts and identify their strongest commercial opportunities
- Define target audiences and audience subcultures
- Determine positioning, messaging, and market differentiation
- Develop a unique launch thesis for each title
- Identify the emotional and cultural triggers most likely to drive word-of-mouth
- Design channel strategies across social, influencer, PR, retail, paid media, community, and partnerships
- Manage a Campaign Lead to partner with marketing, publicity, social, retail sales, influencer, and author teams to align execution against the growth strategy
- Recommend creator and influencer targets
- Identify publicity angles and cultural moments that can amplify awareness
- Develop community-building and fandom strategies
- Recommend merchandise, experiential, and partnership opportunities
- Build launch briefs and strategic plans for execution teams
- Work collaboratively with Publishers to iterate on strategies to achieve title sales goals
- Analyze campaign performance and continuously refine future launch models
What Success Looks Like
- Books reach readers faster and more efficiently
- Marketing resources are concentrated on the highest-leverage opportunities
- Launch strategies feel distinct instead of formulaic
- More books break out beyond traditional publishing audiences
- Readers discover books through conversations, creators, communities, and cultural moments rather than paid promotion alone
Requirements
Who You Are
- You have exceptional pattern recognition and commercial instincts
- You can identify audience behavior before the data fully emerges
- You understand internet culture, fandoms, creators, influencers, and digital communities
- You can connect a story to an audience in unexpected ways
- You're equal parts strategist, trend analyst, and growth operator
Ideal Backgrounds
We are less interested in traditional publishing experience than in your ability to create demand. You have 5+ years of experience building and executing marketing strategies with demonstrable impact.
- You may have worked in:
Entertainment marketing - Consumer brand growth
- Creator economy companies
- Streaming platforms
- Digital media
- Audience development
- Product marketing
- Community-led growth
- Influencer marketing
- Startup growth teams
Bonus Points
- Experience launching consumer products or entertainment properties
- Experience working with creators and influencers
- Deep understanding of BookTok, BookTube, Reddit, Discord, fandom culture, and emerging platforms
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to connect data and creative strategy
