Spencer Johnson 's 1998 Who Moved My Cheese? boasts worldwide sales of more than 14 million copies. He and Doubleday are hoping for similar success for his new book, The Present: The Gift That Makes You Happier and More Successful at Work and in Life. The book was published September 23 with a 228,000-copy first printing; three subsequent printings have brought the number to 408,000. According to Doubleday, sales of The Present have showed steady week-to-week increases, with the book inching up the bestseller lists as grassroots awareness of the book began to spread. A major national print ad campaign and a marketing campaign that included a point-of-sale gift box containing shelf talkers, posters, a calendar, buttons and bookmarks have helped. Doubleday also did a variety of "tastemaker" mailings to business leaders, clergy and business book buyers, and conducted a book giveaway campaign in the top 30 TV markets. Sales skyrocketed after Johnson was interviewed by Matt Lauer on Today on Tuesday, December 9, demonstrating once again the power of a major, well-timed publicity hit. That appearance was followed with a 20-city radio satellite tour.
