Brent tells us about content marketing, the role of the author in book marketing, and how HK Austin became the #1 rated hostel in the U.S.

Today’s guest, Brent Underwood, has a couple of really interesting things going on. Brent is a marketing expert at Brass Check, where he has created and executed online marketing campaigns for over 20 New York Times bestselling books. Brass Check isn’t just marketing, though. They fill a creative advisory role that is involved with all aspects of book production. At the same time, they advise big media companies like The New York Observer, Thought Catalog and Complex Magazine. 

Outside of authors, he works with multi-talented and Grammy-winning musicians, including Young & Sick, Zeds Dead, Illangelo, among others, to build and maintain their media narratives.

Brent is also the founder of HK Austin, a co-living and co-working space in the heart of Austin. For 2015, HK Austin was the #1 rated hostel in the United States. HK Austin is trying to do things differently. There is an emphasis on the community and the working space. The beds are the highest quality they could afford. They don’t serve breakfast. So far, things are working really well. I was actually put in contact with Brent due to a listener’s positive experience at HK Austin.

We’re going to learn Brent’s strategies for content marketing, the author’s role in book marketing, how the business of hostels is changing, and how anybody can learn something from anyone.

“Marketing…is something you have to be thinking about while you’re writing the book.” (click to tweet)

“What you put into the book is one of the biggest marketing decisions you’re going to make” (click to tweet)

In this episode, you’ll learn from Brent:

• How not to approach graduate school
• That marketing isn’t an afterthought of book marketing
• Book marketing is, primarily, the author’s job – it can’t be entirely outsourced
• How to leverage your product to optimize a content marketing campaign
• Don’t overlook audiences because they are small. Find an audience that resonates with your content and market to them.
• The best marketing for anything is word of mouth
• Content marketing is very successful. Don’t be scared of giving away parts of your book, for free, through content marketing campaigns: Brass Check has found that sharing more content in more places is only better.
• Strategies for differentiating your product or service within a market
• Why HK Austin is the best place for a traveling or transient entrepreneur in Austin

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Resources mentioned in this episode:

• HK Austin
• Brass Check
• “Mastery” by Robert Greene (Amazon affiliate link)
• Other authors mentioned: Robert Greene, Tony Robbins, Tim Ferris, Tucker Max
• Other clients mentioned: The New York Observer, Thought Catalog and Complex Magazine
• Cloud Beds

Answers to Quickfire Q&A:

1. If you could chat with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
   1. “Tiger Woods … I grew up in love with golf, and I think he’s one of the best athletes in the world … and I’m sure there are some real, real strange [stories] there.”
2. Name a tool, app, or website that you can’t live without and why.
   1. My iPhone
   2. Cloud Beds – the hostel’s booking engine and property management software
3. Tell us something unique and interesting about you that not many may know.
   1. I only have one kidney
4. What are the top three skills or characteristics that you look for in people you work with?
   1. Attitude
   2. Interpersonal skills
   3. Strong outside interests and passions
5. What is something you believe, but few others agree with you?
   1. “I think that a lot of people might agree with this, but not a lot of people practice this: I think you can learn something from anybody, or anybody can have something to teach you.”

How to contact Brent:

You can contact Brent or check out what he’s doing at HKAustin.com or BrassCheck.net.

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