Mike Bergstrom: A Strategic Relaunch for an Acclaimed Author

How do you relaunch a beloved book when a platform glitch erases all of its hard-earned reviews overnight?

This was the central challenge I helped author Mike Bergstrom overcome... My role was to provide comprehensive author branding and marketing, leading a full-scale relaunch that included a new brand identity, a complete cover and interior redesign, content updates, and a multi-channel marketing campaign designed to successfully reconnect his vital message with families and coaches.

Featured Case Study: The Car Ride Home - Mike Bergstrom
The Car Ride Home is a powerful memoir by Mike Bergstrom, a passionate advocate for youth sports reform. I partnered with him on the fourth edition of his book, transforming it from a self-published project struggling to find its audience into a compelling and highly visible work. My role encompassed everything from brand strategy and book design to website development and digital marketing.

Challenge: Revitalizing a Passion Project
Mike's book, originally self-published in 2008, had a powerful message but struggled to gain exposure. Despite three previous attempts with new editions and covers, the book wasn't reaching its target audience. The core challenge was to breathe new life into an established project, not just a new design, but a complete strategic overhaul to redefine the book's identity, broaden its appeal, and build a sustainable online presence to drive consistent traffic and, ultimately, sales.

Solution: A Strategic Rebrand and Digital Overhaul
To tackle these challenges, I implemented a multi-faceted strategy that addressed the book's visual identity, digital presence, and marketing efforts.
Strategic Rebranding & Book Design: I redesigned the book's cover, keeping the powerful original photo but changing the subtitle from "You, Your Child, and Youth Sports" to "And Other Critical Moments in Youth Sports." This small but critical change better defined the book's scope, clarifying for readers that the content extends beyond a single moment. I also completely redesigned the back cover to better showcase the book's compelling endorsements and core message.
Website & Content Development: I gave Mike's existing website a complete refresh, updating the copy and giving it a fresh, modern look. To better track user behavior and create new avenues for engagement, I added new landing pages for social media traffic, as well as crucial privacy, policy, and copyright pages. I also launched a blog, writing three posts in Mike's voice and three as a "guest blogger" to create a steady stream of new content.
Digital Marketing & Audience Growth: To drive immediate traffic, I developed and managed social media content and ran four promotional ads on Facebook and Instagram. This was the first step in building a long-term strategy for audience engagement.

Result: Dramatic Increase in Traffic and Renewed Momentum
The results of this strategic overhaul were immediate and significant. Within just a few weeks:
Website traffic increased from 3-4 visitors per week to over 200 visitors per week. This 5,000% increase is a direct result of the targeted digital marketing and refreshed online presence.
The project has new momentum, a clear brand identity, and a scalable digital platform. While sales numbers are still building, the foundation is now in place for long-term success.
What Mike Says: "After trying for years to get my book noticed, Shantel completely turned things around. She understood exactly what my book needed and put a real strategy behind it. The increase in traffic is incredible, and I'm more optimistic than ever about the book's future." - Mike Bergstrom

Ready to Turn Your Passion Project into a Success Story?
If you have a project that needs a new strategy to reach its full potential, I can help. Let's discuss your goals and see how we can bring your vision to life.