Archive for Book Publishing and Marketing
What one thing will you do today to write your book, market your business, or make more money?
It seems I upset a few people last week when I asked people to
unsubscribe for being “unserious” about writing a book.
I’m sorry.
But, I am also glad I said it.
Let me explain.
I got three angry emails from subscribers, and I ended up having
wonderful long conversations with all three. I got to learn about them
and their businesses. They were all happy I reached out to them.
I feel really good about this.
Truth be told, I want you to succeed and to succeed ridiculously.
Yet, to succeed you need to act.
Action requires getting out of you comfort zone and
MAKING THINGS HAPPEN.
So, with all that said – what one thing are you going to accomplish today to write your book,
market your business, or make more money? – AD
Five Things You Need to Do to Become a Professional Speaker
Whether you’re a novice or you’ve dabbed a bit in the speaking arena, you, too, can become an in-demand professional speaker. There are several things you should do to create the interest and the engagements that will lead to a successful speaking career. Let’s review the five most important ones.
1. Write a book. Yes, write a book. Authoring a book makes you an authority (that’s where the word ‘author’ comes from!). A book immediately makes you an expert in your industry or field. Are you a relationship coach or a fitness guru? Having a book with your name and picture on the cover will immediately create interest in you and your message and will add credibility to the fact that you are the go-to source in your field. It gives you an advantage over someone who hasn’t authored a book.
2. Create a speaker’s sheet. A speaker’s sheet is a one or two-page introduction to you. It reveals who you are, as well as your expertise and relevant experience and background. Make it professional, but keep it as brief and to the point as possible, while injecting some of your unique personality into it to give the reader a flavor of your style. Include a high-resolution photograph and a brief synopsis of the topics you are available to speak about.
3. Join Toastmasters. The best speakers are those who are comfortable speaking in front of groups. Join Toastmasters or other local organizations that help you refine your speaking skills and gain that level of comfort and ease in front of an audience. You’ll also learn how to really connect with your audience, a trait great speakers have perfected. Practice makes perfect, and this is a fantastic way to get that experience and to network with others in the speaking industry.
4. Start speaking! Start small. Volunteer to speak at local libraries and rotary clubs. Don’t overlook the possibility of being a guest speaker for a parents’ group, an advisory group, or even a writer’s association. There are many clubs and organizations in every community that are looking for valuable content for their audience. Send them a letter, along with your speaker’s sheet, and let them know that you’re available for their next monthly meeting. This builds up your speaking experience, as well as your resume. It also increases your exposure within your community. Before long, organizations will begin contacting you as the go-to expert in your field.
5. Take it on the road. Now that you have a book in hand and you’ve established yourself as a valuable speaker in the community and your local media, take your show on the road. Attend relevant seminars and workshops in your industry and network with the attendees and the hosts. These are the people who will ultimately be looking for a speaker in your industry in the future. Promote yourself through professional speaking sites and organizations. Make sure you include positive feedback and testimonials you’ve received in the past. With your expertise, experience, promotional material (speaker’s sheet), and your book, you’ve got everything to offer the next time someone is looking for the perfect speaker for their next event.
The Benefits of Teleseminars
Teleseminars are taking the business world by storm, and for good reason. For a minimal investment of our greatest resources—time and money—teleseminars provide massive exposure and an unprecedented return on your investment. Let’s take a look at the many ways a teleseminar can help you boost your bottom line and benefit your business.
1. Teleseminars automatically establish you as the expert. When you teach what you know, you’re automatically qualified as an expert in your field. Whether you’re a real estate agent, a salesperson, a small business owner, an author, or a coach, when people are willing to learn from your experience, you establish credibility.
2. Teleseminars are amazingly affordable. The Internet and technology have given rise to the popularity of teleseminars by making it both easy and inexpensive to produce, deliver, promote and market these events. Dollar for dollar, teleseminars far exceed traditional marketing applications, providing an avenue to boost your bottom line and make unlimited profit.
3. Teleseminars serve multiple purposes. They generate income, establish credibility, produce unlimited exposure, and they can be reproduced and regenerated as CDs, eBooks, audio files, and other products which will continue to generate publicity and income.
4. They offer convenience to your intended audience. Unlike traditional seminars, teleseminars can be attended from home or work, eliminating the necessity for travel or food accommodations. The convenience and easy access is one of the most appealing aspects of teleseminars to your audience.
5. Teleseminars offer ease of use to your audience. Even the most technologically challenged can participate with little or no effort. Usually, all they need is a telephone.
6. Teleseminars increase your client base. Every person who registers is one more person to add your list of prospects, making this one of the fastest list-building tools you can use.
7. Paid teleseminars allow you to reach more clients in any given timeframe. Gone are the limits of available seats, geographical location, time and travel. You determine how many attendees you can accommodate, without being limited by a physical facility’s capacity.
8. Teleseminars allow you to create a viral buzz about your event. At little or no cost, you can generate anticipation and Internet interest very quickly. Becoming an overnight phenomenon has never been easier.
9. Teleseminars enable you to reach new customers. If you find a partner, affiliate, or a sponsor, you automatically tap into their audience, providing you with a fresh new list of prospective customers or clients.
10. You’ll enjoy increased testimonials and endorsements. Customer satisfaction is one of the best forces to drive future business. Testimonials enable you to generate direct feedback from your audience, providing you with free advertisement and the endorsements of happy customers.
These are just ten of the tremendous benefits that hosting a teleseminar will bring to you and your business. By capitalizing on one of the fastest-growing phenomenons in business, you can take your business to levels never before imagined. The opportunity is available—seize it and watch your business grow.
To find out what teleseminars are happening today, next week, even next month, sign up for the daily email newsletter at http://seeyouonthecall.com and follow on Twitter, http://twitter.com/seeyouonthecall. If you are a teleseminar host and want to promote your teleseminar for free, or upgrade for maximum exposure, list your teleseminars today at http://seeyouonthecall.com.
Starting Your Own Publishing Company
While it’s many an author’s dream to have their book published, it’s unfortunately, also a rarity. Not only is the process of querying agents and publishing companies a lengthy and daunting one, it’s also one that ends in rejection 95% of the time—even for some whose writing is on the level of best-selling authors.
To avoid rejection and delays in getting their book to their audience, some authors choose self-publishing. You can contract with a company who specializes in self publishing books such as LuLu.com or Amazon.com’s CreateSpace, but in doing so, you’re still giving up some of your profit and handing over the success of your manuscript to someone else. But, did you know that it can be faster and more profitable to publish your book on your own? That’s why some authors are placing their manuscripts in their own hands and starting their own publishing companies.
If you’re a first-time author or the author of several books, the benefits of owning your own publishing company can be well worth the effort involved. There are certain skills which will be necessary, but many authors have successfully mastered the publishing industry. To determine whether you would benefit from owning your own publishing company, let’s look at the skills and steps involved.
1. Are you a good writer, one who is skilled at editing and proofreading? Can you learn the technicalities of formatting a book for print? Getting your manuscript print-ready is an important part of book publishing. If you don’t know how, you’ll have to learn or hire someone to help you.
2. Do you have the marketing skills necessary to give your books the publicity they’ll need to reach your audience? You’ll need a media kit and plenty of time to contact the media, bookstores, newspapers, and radio and television stations. The Internet has also defined itself as a marketing phenomenon and you’ll need to strive for massive exposure there, as well.
3. Do you have the time and desire to make public appearances? To be a successful author, you’ll need to book plenty of signings and interviews to receive maximum exposure and sales.
4. Are you a good businessperson? A publishing company is a business and it will require a financial investment, bookkeeping, inventory, and marketing skills. In return, though, you get to reap the rewards, keep the profit and enjoy the tax deductions it can bring.
5. Do you have an image? Your book cover is a big part of your image and the initial appeal which attracts your readers. Your name is also part of your image and brand, as is the name of your publishing company. Note: Naming your publishing company after yourself isn’t always a good idea. It’s a red flag that your book is self-published. Make your company’s name memorable, but professional, if you don’t want people to know that your book is self published.
6. Your publishing company will need to be licensed with government agencies, so you’ll need to fill out the appropriate forms and request a taxpayer identification number for it. This step will go a long way in establishing your publishing company as a professional entity. While you’re at it, don’t forget to open a business bank account, something that you’re surely going to need for tax purposes and expenditures.
Once you’ve set up your publishing company, you’re ready to get started. Here’s how:
1. Even great books won’t sell if they don’t attract customers. Design a book cover or hire a graphic designer who is experienced in book cover specifications and design to create an eye-catching cover for your book.
2. Purchase an ISBN, which is the publishing industry’s unique identification for your book. It’s also required if you intend to sell books at retail establishments, or independent or major bookstores. To get yours, visit www.isbn.org.
3. Decide how much you will charge for your book. A good rule of thumb is to compare your book to similar books on the market and price it competitively. Pricing it too high will turn off buyers, and pricing it too low might give the impression that your book is inferior. Also take into consideration your costs and how much profit you need to make from each book sold.
3. Hire a printer—look for quality print and good references. You can choose traditional printers or print-on-demand printers, such as LightningSource.com, depending on how many books you initially want printed and the financial investment you’re willing and able to take.
4. After your book is printed, review the galley print, which is a draft of the interior of your book. This is an important step in making sure your manuscript is polished and print ready and the last chance to make any corrections or revisions.
5. Develop a marketing plan and hit it hard. That plan can include interviews, book signings, press releases, virtual and physical book tours, affiliate marketing campaigns, and advertisements. It takes a lot of work to receive the exposure you need to sell a lot of books, but it can be done. You should also know that while you may not sell as many books as an author published with a high-profile traditional book publisher, you also won’t be sharing your profits with them.
6. Last, but not least, your publishing company must have a professional website which promotes its authors. Purchase a domain name and spread the word, driving traffic to your website with updated information, blogs, events, and links to social media like Facebook and Twitter.
As you can see, publishing and promoting a book takes a large investment. The biggest investment you’ll make will be required when publishing your first book. There is a learning process which you’ll have to master, but when it comes time to publish your next book, you’ll be experienced and more efficient.
Running your own publishing company isn’t for everyone. But for those who are dedicated and willing to learn, it’s an investment that can produce rewards down the road. You’ll enjoy full ownership and say-so in your book and how it’s marketed. You’ll also get to stake claim to all of your book and company profits. And, if you’re lucky, you’ll enjoy every author’s dream and have a successful publishing company which will guarantee that you’ll never have to read another rejection letter again.
Haiti, Half The Sky, and ‘100 Days of Gratitude’
Before we get started, I want to collectively send out our thoughts and prayers to the people of Haiti. Despite all the challenging times many of us faced in ‘09, we are still blessed enough to be able to “pay it forward” and give back – just like these two authors, Kristof and WuDunn, who really mean business when it comes to women’s rights worldwide. Also, my dear friend, who is also an author, informed me of her ‘100 Days of Gratitude’ stance, and challenged me to come along for the ride.
Guess what! Wanting to help other people is an even better reason to SUCCEED OUTRAGEOUSLY in 2010. When you succeed today, you are not only helping yourself, but you are helping others, and they, in turn, can help others as well – I call it the ‘circle of hope.’ Think about all the great organizations, such as Kiva.org and Women for Women International, that you can support financially when you are on your ‘A’ game back at home.
Yes, I did say ‘A’ game. That’s right, the pity party of 2009 is over, and it’s time to step it up a notch and massively achieve your personal and business goals in 2010. Why? Because the world is depending on y(our) success.
Always remember, we are empowered with greatness, and it’s truly in y(our) hands to change the world. Forget about your mortgage payments, it’s your civic, rather global, duty to succeed, give back, and be grateful (not necessarily in that order!)
Here’s to y(our) success and Happy New Year!
Alicia Dunams
Traditional publishing vs self publishing: A Comic
The reality of traditional publishing...
A writer/editor contractor, whom I often work with often, sent me this comic from The New Yorker magazine. The reality is, whether you self-publish, or publish through a Vanity publisher or traditional publisher, you will have to market your own book. Period! Actually, traditional publishers are only interested in authors (specifically non-fiction authors) who already have a built-in audience, a following, prospects, basically a list of people who are interested in your message.
Did you think writing the book was the hard part? Well, the reality is that marketing is the true challenge….
How to Use Public Domain Content to Write Your Book
What’s their secret? They use public domain material. It’s something I teach in my 17 Day Book Challenge Program. It’s a well kept secret, too. Virtually very few people know how to use public domain content as a way to write a book. That concept consists of taking previously written material and repackaging it in a different book.
Before we go any further, though, you need to know what public domain really is. It’s an intellectual property designation for the range of content that is not owned or controlled by anyone. These materials are “public property” and available for anyone to use freely for any purpose. For instance, the words “public domain” float around in computer lingo often to describe software code. These are programs that anyone can use at no cost—no purchase necessary. The social network site Facebook has public domain software called Dolphin which they make available for anyone to use. There are also books which in the public domain—books you can access for free, and you can repackage and repurpose them to meet your needs and call them your own. One historic book that has joined the public domain catalogue is Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.
How do you use public domain books and legally repurpose them? Well you can use programs which help you accomplish exactly that—one that comes to mind is a program by Yannick Silver which teaches what you need to know. Note, though, that using public domain books to write your own does not mean that you can copy or plagiarize anyone else’s writing and call it your own. But, you can take the message, the thoughts and the ideas and reword them so they’re in your voice. And believe me, that takes a large bulk of the work out of writing a book. First, though, I always advise and strongly encourage everyone to make sure they follow all legal channels when doing so, and that means consulting an attorney who specializes in intellectual property law.
If the idea of repurposing public domain books to jump start your own sounds like something you’d like to explore further, consider the advantages you’ll get when you follow this path.
1) It saves time. You do not have to write a book from scratch. Instead you can take the content as a base and add an introduction. You can adapt the work, copy it, and sell it. You can be really creative and make it your own. In this way, you have the ability to do more than personalize it, you can even make it better, more interesting, or more in-depth by adding your message, ideas, stories, and suggestions.
2) You can copyright the adapted version. This is really cool. Although other people can go to the original source material and do the same thing as you, they cannot adapt your material because it’s not in the public domain – it is copyrighted material that’s protected. Keep in mind though, that only new portions of your book can be copyrighted. Any use of the public domain material will not fall under the copyright and you have no true ownership over that.
3) You can create derivative works based on the public domain, and profit from those. You can create audio, video, DVD, and coaching programs based on the original public domain material. So what your doing is using the public domain material and repackaging it in another format with your name on it, and, of course, any variations or additions you choose to make to the content. You’re creating a totally new product on the foundation of someone else’s writing.
Using public domain books to write your own is like building a house – rather than taking individual boards, cutting each of them and nailing them all together to frame your house, you’re starting with the complete framework totally assembled and ready to go. What a timesaver! You know what it’s going to look like and how to build on it but you don’t have to invest the time and the labor to get it there. Imagine how much faster you can complete your manuscript when the thoughts, ideas, and words have already been pre-assembled for you!
The biggest challenge you’ll have is finding the right material to use, but the search is worth your effort. You can find some really useful information and sources in Yannick Silver’s program. To get more detailed information on using public domain books, check out Public Domain Uncovered: Discover exactly how to find and use copyright-free works without fees or permission. It tells you how to “borrow” an almost endless source of content (on practically any subject you could imagine).
What is an ISBN and why do I need one?
An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a book’s identifier, much like a social security number. It’s a 13-digit number which is applicable worldwide and unique to your book. The ISBN system uses a 13-digit number on the copyright/information page, and it also uses a bar code and number on the back cover.
But what’s it for? I have a lot of people who ask me that question. Do you really need an ISBN?
That depends. Sometimes you do, and sometimes you don’t. It depends on where and how you intend to sell or distribute your book.
The ISBN provides a standard way for publishers to number their products so they cannot be duplicated by other publishers. You need an ISBN if you are going to sell your book in bookstores, through retailers, or online storefronts, like Amazon.com. There are no exceptions—if you’re going to sell your book in the traditional marketplace, you must have an ISBN.
That’s the big advantage to having an ISBN, and one that is usually the driving force behind acquiring one.
However, if you don’t intend to sell your book through any of the avenues mentioned above, you don’t really need an ISBN. For instance, if your book is a free promotional item that you’ll give away or package with another product, it doesn’t really need an ISBN. Or, if you use your book as a business card, distributing it free to potential clients, it’s not necessary to have an ISBN. Also, if your book will be sold solely at the back of the room during your speaking events, you won’t need an ISBN.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of an ISBN?
1. Advantage: You can sell your book in brick and mortar stores. By scanning the bar code, retailers identify the book title, publisher, and author, ensuring that you are credited with the sale and that their inventory is updated with each purchase.
2. Disadvantage: ISBNs, both the numbers and the bar code, cost money. Getting both in a package costs around $150, but you can check for current prices at Bowker.com
or BowkerLink.com, who is the exclusive supplier of ISBNs.
3. Advantage: An ISBN gives your book credibility to others. It’s viewed as a symbol of prestige to your book. By the way, the absence of an ISBN is one sign that your book is not published through a traditional mainstream publisher.
4. Disadvantage: It takes up to six weeks to receive your book’s ISBN, so if you’re not going to sell it through retail stores or on line sites which require it, it might cause an unnecessary delay in your book’s release.
5. Advantage: Purchasing an ISBN for your book puts it in the worldwide catalog of published books. You must be included in this catalog if you want your book available in libraries.
Given those points, the determining factor in whether you need an ISBN is how you intend to distribute or market it. Even if you aren’t going to sell your book through online or retail vendors, you might want to order an ISBN anyway, leaving the option open later should you change your mind. It’s your call—only you know the value that an ISBN will give to your particular book. Only you can determine the advantages it will bring to you in terms of sales and credibility.
Want to be an Amazon.com Bestseller: 3 Tips to get it right…
In my business, I encounter many people who want to go from being an author t
o being a bestselling author, particularly on Amazon.com. One of the most frequent inquiries I receive is how to become one. Well, there are ways. For starters, you can hire an expert at the rate of $20,000 plus to orchestrate a bestselling campaign for you, or you can do it yourself. The downside of doing it yourself is that most people simply don’t know where to begin or how to direct their energies to make it happen. That’s why I have provided the following three essential tips to become an Amazon.com bestseller. While there are no guarantees, following these tips, along with the support of a coach or mentor, have given many authors the level of success they’ve been looking for. So, let’s get started:
1. Ensure your book is appropriately placed in the correct browse and sub-categories.
Certainly, if you want your book to be a bestseller on Amazon, you’d love to see it ranking in the ‘Top Twenty overall category. But, you’ll see much more progress and have more success if you strive to become number one in a specific topic or sub-category. It’s also much easier to achieve bestselling status within a specific category than it is to hit the top 20 ceiling.
By categorizing your book correctly, people who are interested in books on your topic will be steered your way. When they review your book, they’ll see that it ranks number one in that category. Wow, that’s just what they were looking for! A bestselling book on a particular topic that is of interest to them. Besides that, becoming number one in a certain category will contribute toward raising your book’s sales rank in the “overall” category, as well. And even though your book is a bestseller only in one category, you still get the boasting rights of being an Amazon.com number one bestseller.
2. Ensure your book is available on POD (with a guarantee of 100 on stock) or there is at least 500 books on site at the Amazon warehouse.
If your book is not available and in stock at Amazon, or available via print-on-demand (POD) through a reputable POD company or Ingram distributor, your book will read OUT OF STOCK. Of course, when a book is out of stock, people don’t purchase it—it’s not available. Thus, you want to avoid the “out of stock” notation because it really discourages sales. Unless you’re famous or already have achieved notoriety as a bestselling author, Amazon.com will only keep on hand minimal numbers of your book. When they witness a steady sales flow, they’ll increase that number. Amazon.com makes it difficult for self-publishers or Independent publishers to provide stock-up requests, so you want to make sure you research this thoroughly before conduct your campaign. You don’t want to send 200 people to Amazon.com to buy your book if they only have 12 books on hand.
3. Select an appropriate Amazon.com bestseller date.
Amazon.com uses a formula to determine your book’s rank. The fastest and easiest way to move up the sales rank is to select one date to market to the masses. Heavy sales on one day will move you past the competition into bestseller status. However, you don’t want to pick just any day out of thin air. Other authors are using this strategic tactic, too. Look at your competition. Find out when their books are going to be released and choose a different day. It will not serve you well if your campaign push falls on the same day that the next Harry Potter book is released. Choose dates wisely – do your research.
There’s more to becoming a bestselling author than writing a great book—you have to know the inside tips to creating sales. Following these three tips are critical in achieving that status.
Want more help becoming an Amazon.com bestseller, listen to this.
More information about Amazon.com Bestseller Program, click Amazon Bestseller Homestudy Program.
How to Set the Retail Price of your Book
As a new author, you’re going to have to determine how much to charge for your book. What should be your selling price? That’s a question you can’t take too lightly and there are a lot of factors which come into play. You want people to buy your book, so you must price it attractively enough that they believe it’s worth the cost. In addition, if your book is part of your brand, and it should be, it’s your calling card and as such, is a tool for creating business and sales. So, don’t look only at how much money book sales will bring in. If you do, you’re probably going to be disappointed. Very few people get rich from writing and selling books. However, they can get rich from the exposure that book gives them. That should be your goal, not trying to create wealth one book at a time.
Yes, I know, there are expenses involved in writing, printing, publishing, and marketing a book. Don’t try to recoup all of them, because you simply cannot. Like I said earlier, your book is a tool and the interest it generates in you and your business are going to be the ways you get your money back.
That said, what factors should you consider and what role do they play in your book sales? Here’s a list of the main points which should be considered when establishing the retail price for your book:
1. The costs of competitor’s books of the same size and topic. It’s a given that people compare costs, and someone looking for a book on your topic is probably looking at similar books, as well. The price tag could be the one deciding factor in
determining which book they’ll actually buy. Don’t discourage potential customers by pricing your book too high, but do remember that pricing is below market could cost you significantly. Can you afford that? When comparing competitors’ books, take a look at the content, the graphics, the number of pages, and use those factors to determine if your book is in line with theirs. If so, set your price competitively. If your book has perks and other obvious enhancements, you can probably price your book a little higher than the competition. You need to be careful, though, that setting your price lower than the competition in an effort to win over the buyer can actually hurt sales. Set the price of your book too low, and potential buyers might determine that it’s not worth as much as theirs-meaning that they’ll interpret the lower price as a sign that your book will hold less value to them. They want to buy a book which provides them with valuable information, so make sure your price reflects the value of your message.
2. Your financial investment in the book. While you might not recoup all of this, try to figure out how much each book cost from inception to the shelf. Take into consideration printing and shipping costs, as well as cover design, artwork, editing, proofreading, etc. If you’re using a print on demand service, your fees for printing will be higher. If you’re printing in bulk, it’s going to cost you more upfront, but the per unit price of your books will be less because the charges are lower per book when you print in larger quantities.
In addition, expect to be responsible for the shipping costs when you send your books to retailers, bookstores, and organizations. Generally, you’ll be expected to pay for the freight.
3. Discounts. If your book is listed on Amazon.com (and it should be) and other online retailers, you’ll be required to provide them with a discount. Amazon.com generally takes 55% of your sales. That’s a high percentage which leaves you
with only 45%, so consider the discount when you’re setting your price. Distributors take a big cut, too, so get your figures together and determine how much you’ll have left after giving distributors and retailers their discount. Then, deduct the per unit price it cost you to bring that book to fruition. Discounts also include quantity discounts, which you might be expected to provide to groups or retailers who order your book in quantity. This discount is usually set as a percentage off and often rises with the number of books ordered. Consider, too, that sometimes you’ll be expected to offer a lower price to charitable organizations, events, etc.
4. Promotion and PR. How much is it going to cost you to promote and market the book? To get posters, media kits, and press releases ready? These are all factors which will reduce the profit you’ll make from your book. However, they are factors which also have the capability of increasing exposure and the profit you’ll make.
5. Reductions in price for promotional events and sales. At some time, you’ll probably lower the cost of your book, either to clean out your inventory or to offer incentives to people to buy it at a particular time. This is great, however, take that likelihood into consideration when you set the asking price for your book.
Because of this factor, you might not wish to print your book’s price on the cover, which will give you more liberty and flexibility in changing it down the road.
So, there are a lot of factors which will determine just how much money you should ask for your book. Be realistic. Unless you sell millions, you’re not going to make a ton of money from the sale of the book alone. Your price tag should be large enough to help you recoup some of your costs but low enough that your book will attract the exposure and sales which will make you an expert or authority in your field. It’s a little give and a little take. You want to make sure you come out on top in the end.
