Bubble

From: Blue Pueblo

"Last August, a book titled Leapfrogging hit The Wall Street Journal's list of best-selling business titles upon its debut. The following week, sales of the book, written by first-time author Soren Kaplan, plunged 99% and it fell off the list. […]

     It isn't uncommon for a business book to land on best-seller lists only to quickly drop off. But even a brief appearance adds permanent luster to an author's reputation, greasing the skids for speaking and consulting engagements.
     Mr. Kaplan says the best-seller status of Leapfrogging has 'become part of my position as a speaker and consultant.'
     But the short moment of glory doesn't always occur by luck alone. In the cases mentioned above, the authors hired a marketing firm that purchased books ahead of publication date, creating a spike in sales that landed titles on the lists. The marketing firm, San Diego-based ResultSource, charges thousands of dollars for its services in addition to the cost of the books, according to authors interviewed.
     As ResultSource's website points out, hitting best-seller lists can mean fame, and potentially lucrative consulting assignments."
— Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg, The Wall Street Journal
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