Better Than A Business Card™

Want to build your library? Review books in your field

Authors are readers. I imagine that you consultants and coaches out there are pretty avid readers, too. It's a great thing to be a reader, because you expand your knowledge in your chosen field and that makes you more valuable to your clients and your readers. The downside is the cost of those books. Public libraries are wonderful things, but they rarely have the most-up-to-date books in specialty fields for you to peruse at no cost.

If you're willing to do a little more writing, mainly in the form of blog posts or articles, one way to get some of the best new books in your field is to review them. Books written on topics which support your major field and written around its periphery are your best bets. Ask the publisher for a review copy, then be sure to actually read the book and review it professionally on your blog, in articles, or in your newsletter.

Read this article for more on this strategy for not only building your library and your knowledge, but increasing your credibility as a well-read expert in your field.

Work Less and Do More in 2009

The year 2009 is almost upon us. What will you do with the last two weeks of 2008? If you're looking for a suggestion, here's mine: get a copy of Dr. Jan Yager's new book, Work Less, Do More: The 14-Day Productivity Makeover, and follow her terrific advice.

I just love the way Jan has laid out this book--even a caveman could do this! I'm big on organization and laying things out do they're easily-understood and very do-able. Jan does exactly that, leading each of us personally through the steps and activities we need to implement to increase our productivity exponentially.

She starts...well...at the beginning, with how you're handling your time right now and the consequences of poor time management. She then leads you through setting goals, dealing with the Five P's (procrastination, perfectionism, poor planning, pacing, and petulance), then on to prioritizing, multi-tasking, organizing, simplifying, and so much more.

So, if you want to make 2009 your most productive year ever, my recommendation is that you get your own copy of Work Less, Do More: The 14-Day Productivity Makeover and start work on it right away so you can hit the ground running in the new year!

Best Sites for Writers

Writing can sometimes feel like drudgery...but only if you let it. Take a look at all Writer's Digest has to offer online. They have a list of the 101 Best Sites for Writers on their site now. Take a look in the boxes on the right-hand side--there you'll find links for sites on such writing issues as:

• overcoming writing challenges;
• protecting yourself legally;
• finding agents;
• and lots of stuff just for fun.

Writer's Digest also hosts other sites for the writing community, including:

• WritersDigest.com
  Check here for tips and articles for writers of all genres or get information on our latest contest. If you haven’t visited the newly revamped Writer’s Forum, stop by and interact with more than 12,000 writers. You can also find writing prompts, post writing-related questions, and give and receive critiques on your works in progress.
  
  
• WritersMarket.com
  This site provides more than 6,000 market listings updated daily to give subscribers the most current information available. The site also contains special features like “My Manuscripts,” “My Folders,” “Expert Advice articles,” “Market Watch,” “Agent Q&A” and much more.
  
  
• WritersOnlineWorkshops.com
  Come here for one-on-one instruction from professional authors. New classes start throughout the year and cover everything from basic grammar to novel writing to marketing your work.
  
  
• WritersDigest.com/Blogs
  Visit the writing blogs from your favorite editors at Writer’s Digest and Writer’s Market, including Maria Schneider’s The Writer’s Perspective, Brian A. Klems’ Questions & Quandaries, Chuck Sambuchino’s Guide to Literary Agents and more.

How to Master Your Marketing Challenges

Larina Kase offers some valuable advice in this recent article...enjoy.

As a business owner, you know you need to market your business.

So, you sit at your computer and come up with your “elevator pitch.” You hang out on Facebook, looking for people to “friend.” You perfect an article and start thinking about what you’ll do with it. You buy dozens of information products and books on marketing, looking for a way to make it all easier.

While these tactics can be smart, there’s a problem:

You are taking the easy way out. You’re looking for more information when what you need is action.

Marketing is Scary

What you are doing is very common. I’ve struggled with these issues, and virtually every business owner I’ve worked with has too (although some aren’t brave enough to admit it).

Let’s face it, marketing is scary. Marketing brings up tons of fears, doubts, and insecurities, such as:

How do I know if my marketing plans are worthwhile (I don’t want to waste my time)?
Are my marketing materials good enough (I don’t want to look like a slob)?
Is marketing going to be very expensive (I don’t want to waste my money)?
If I get a lot of business, can I handle it (I don’t want to let people down)?
Can I speak if I’m not the best speaker (I don’t want to embarrass myself)?
What if people ask me questions I can’t answer (I don’t want to look unprofessional)?
These are just some of the hundreds of questions and concerns that come up for us as we embark on marketing our businesses.

Strategically Taking On Challenges

To be most successful in marketing your business, you must push yourself outside of your comfort zone. You must take on your challenges. What are they?

You do not, however, need to do everything. You don’t need to do things just because they are challenging. Instead, you need to do an activity that meets the following criteria:

• It is likely to bring you excellent results.
• You’ve avoided it because it’s intimidating.
• You have the resources you need to effectively do the activity.

Let’s briefly take these one by one. The first criterion is that any activity you take on is one that is shown to work. Your time is limited and you want to get the best return it. How do you know what works? Listen to the experts and to people in your industry who have been successful. While you want to focus on what’s been shown to work, also don’t be afraid to carve your own path and try something new if there’s evidence to suggest that it’s a great idea.

Also consider what works most efficiently if you need new business now. Building your Facebook network is wonderful, but if you need new clients today, which will work faster: that or going out and meeting people in your target market or target referral partners? (If you said the latter, you’re right.)

The second criterion is that you’ve avoided the activity because it makes you nervous. Public speaking, for example, is one of the most effective strategies for service business owners because it instantly helps your prospects to know, like, and trust you. Public speaking is also the #1 fear in adult Americans. If speaking meets criterion #1 and the reason you’ve been avoiding it is that it’s nerve-wracking, then it’s time to do it, but first consider…

The third criterion is that you have the resources you need to be successful. Going back to the speaking example, if you have no idea how to structure a talk or what to talk about, address that by working with a coach or mentor. If you don’t know how you come across or how to use your body and voice, enroll in Toastmasters.

If you’re going to put yourself out there, you want to be prepared and increase your odds of succeeding. But remember…

Done is Better Than Perfect

When faced with something anxiety-provoking, it is tempting to over-prepare and rework things until they sound just right. Do not allow yourself to do this.

The best way to move through your fears is to move quickly. Perfectionism slows you down and wastes your time with inconsequential details. Keep your eye on the big picture and on your goals.

The more you take on your challenges, the more progress you will make. Most important, however, is that you will build confidence and open yourself up to bigger challenges and bigger results.

Larina Kase, PsyD, MBA is a small business marketing coach who helps clients accomplish the things they think they can’t. Learn how she helps business ownersand check out her new book on how to push your limits and surprise yourself with all you achievehttp://www.pascoaching.com/ConfidentLeader

An interview with Larina Kase, small business marketing coach

Recently, I was able to ask Larina Kase, a small business marketing coach and author, a few questions. I thought you all could benefit from her insightful answers:

What are some tips for overcoming fear and gaining confidence to speak to groups (especially for those who are now involved only with one-on-one counseling or consulting)?

The cliché is true that the more you do it, the easier it gets, but there are some additional factors to consider. First, you want to get practice speaking in low-stakes situations. This means that the audience and the result of the speaking engagement are not particularly important to you. Groups like Toastmasters can be very helpful for this.

Second, you want to get comfortable with the people in your audience before your talk. One of my favorite ways to do this is to mingle with people as they come in or stand by the door and great them.

Third, you want to feel confident that you are delivering helpful relevant value to your audience. Learn as much as you can about their needs and their goals for your talk ahead of time. Speak to the meeting planner, survey members of your potential audience, and research the group so you know what style of presentation (formal, interactive, etc.) works best for them.

How do we move through the comfort zone into new and varied avenues of marketing, such as writing or online networking?

Most of my clients who are owners of professional services firms have several aspects of marketing that they’d like to avoid. Common areas include public speaking in person, hosting teleseminars, and getting involved with social media.

There are 3 steps to getting going in uncomfortable marketing venues:

1) Make sure that the marketing avenue is one that is likely to reach your target audience and have great result. There is no point pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone if the marketing activity is not the best one. It is crucial that your marketing activity fit into your overall business strategy and that you commit to it (rather than trying out a whole bunch of random things).

2) Prepare and get support. Your concern may be about wasting a lot of time learning something, and it may be valid. If you aren’t sure how to set up a blog, get started on Facebook, or start your ezine, it’s worth it to learn from someone who knows.

3) After you get going, raise the bar for yourself. Let’s say your goal is to offer a once-monthly teleclass. At first, make it your goal just to do it and get comfortable in that venue. Then, raise the bar by making it your goal to include a strong call to action. Then, raise the bar again by including a brief sales pitch at the end.

Is your new book The Confident Leader just for 'leaders'?

It’s really about personal leadership- being the leader in your career, business, community, and life. It’s for the person who wants to take charge, push their own boundaries, surprise themselves with what they are actually capable of, and make a real difference in the world. You can get it plus lots of bonuses at
http://www.ConfidentLeaderBook.com  If you get the book before November 10th, you can attend a telesummit where I’ll interview business leaders like Dan Pink and Joe Vitale at no charge.

Give your clients something new to read: Create your own online bookstore

Having a web presence for yourself and your business or practice is critical these days...and providing real value for your site's visitors is the way to keep them coming back for more. One way to add value for your visitors and add to your revenue at the same time is to provide helpful resources that relate to your area of coaching or consulting expertise or complements to your products and services.

A helpful way to do this is by offering a line of hand-selected books and other products through an online bookstore...and the fastest and easiest way to do that is with an Amazon bookstore of your own, called an aStore. You can have your own bookstore up and running, ready for business, in just a few minutes (literally!):

• first, go to Amazon and scroll to the bottom of the page--click on Join Associates. Click the button to Apply Now and fill out the registration form on the next page. Once you're signed up and have your login information, you can start building your store.

• Log in to your account and you'll see announcements in the middle of the screen, links in the left-hand column, and your stats in the right-hand column.

• In the left-hand column, click on aStore. On the next screen, click on Add an aStore. Here you'll create a tracking ID for your store (an abbreviated version of your name or your company's is good). Now you're ready to run!

• To create your store, you'll name Categories of items you'll offer, then search the Amazon site for the specific books or products you want to 'carry' in each.

• You'll be allowed to choose colors for your store, so you can create consistency from your company website to the bookstore. There are more features and options, but the fastest way to get your store up and ready for business is to simply add items and customize your colors. You can experiment with other features later.

Voila! In just a few minutes you've added a new revenue stream for your business, a link to your company website, and a unique offering for your site visitors, customers, and clients. What could be easier?

Want the media to help you promote your books...or your services?

Rick Frishman’s 15 things authors must know if they want
the media to help promote their books

A recent issue of Rick Frishman’s Author 101 Newsletter contained a concise description of 15 things that the media loves. When authors pay attention to Rick’s guidelines, they are preparing the way for editors, producers, and reporters, to pay attention to their press releases. This increases the likelihood that the media will feature the author and their books.

Rick is the co-author of the growing Author 101 book series, as well as numerous other books about writing and promotion. I was so impressed with the quality of the information that I immediately asked Rick for permission to pass it along.

Because of his unique status as one of the most successful publicists and publishers in the industry, I made sure that Rick was one of the first I interviewed for Published & Profitable. (Members can listen to Rick’s interview here.)

Rick Frishman is one of 10 publishing authorities, including Mark Victor Hansen, the Master of Ceremonies (and co-creator of the best-selling Chicken Soup… series), who will be teaching about media and publishing at the AUTHOR 101 UNIVERSITY on October 1 and 2 in Atlanta.

Rarely do so many publishing and promoting experts gather in one place to teach publishing from an “insider” perspective. The Author 101 University offers a unique opportunity to learn and ask questions to over a dozen world-class authors, publishers, and book publicists.

In just a few paragraphs, reprinted below, Rick Frishman’s Author 101 Newsletter provides the foundation and details authors need in order to help editors, producers, and reporters promote their books.

1. News
Above all else, the media wants newsworthy items. The first thing they ask is, “Will our audience care about this?” News is what affects people’s lives, what they discuss at the dinner table and around the water cooler. For the media, news is not just about delivering information; it’s about entertaining first and educating or selling second. So, provide your information in an entertaining fashion.

2. The Big Three: Sex, Money, and Health
Stories that involve sex, money, or health attract attention. The media believes that the public is obsessed with sex, money, and health, and if you link your story to one or more of them, it will increase its media appeal.

3. Brevity
Save everyone time and effort by sending short, concise messages, preferably by e-mail. Cut to the chase–be direct and without subterfuge. State what you’re pitching and how it will help the intended audience. Long missives often go unread.

4. Targeted Pitches
Every story isn’t for every outlet. Research the audience you wish to reach and identify which outlets best target that audience. Before making your pitch, study each media outlet: read its articles, watch and listen to its programs, and visit its Web sites. Customize your pitch to stress how it will benefit each outlet’s specific audience. Send business stories to business reporters, not to lifestyle reporters.

5. Relationships
Media people like to deal with people who build relationships rather than merely try to sell a story. Although individual stories are important, people in the media know that careers are built by forging strong relationships. The media prefers to work with professionals in their network rather than one-shot wonders.

6. Preparation
Do your homework. The media likes to work with people who have their acts together and can deliver what is needed. Focus on making the media’s job easier. Know your subject inside and out and have written materials completed and on hand to send upon request.

7. Broad Appeal
The story behind your product or service should be able to reach a wide variety of individuals. You want something that makes audiences say, “I know someone who could use that.” The media looks for stories that people will identify with. Search for broad themes that deliver some punch.

8. Tie-ins
The media wants stories that feed into larger items such as breaking news or trends. It looks for topics that will spawn families of stories. For example, during mining disasters they go for stories about safety, corporate greed, handling grief, treating trauma, and the environment.

9. Experience
Reporters, editors, and bloggers like to see how others have covered your story; send articles that others have written about you or your product or service. Producers and podcasters want to know how you came off on camera or radio; give them a list of shows you’ve appeared on and offer to supply tapes for their review.

10. Visualization
The media loves stories that they can picture. In your written materials, use visual terms to create images and tell stories that illustrate your main points. The better the media can visualize your story, the better it can visualize its audience visualizing your story.

11. Celebrity Connections
Explain how your product or service is linked to well-known personalities. The public craves information about celebrities and products related to them get plenty of ink.

12. Prompt Response
Since the media works tight deadlines, time is always of the essence. Respond promptly to requests. Send requested material by the fastest route: hand delivery or overnight express. Delays can cause postponements or cancellations.

13. Courtesy
Be respectful to everyone you come in contact with, especially those who answer the phones. Before speaking with media contacts, learn the proper pronunciation of their names. Butchering a media contact’s name will get you off to a rocky start.

14. Visual Aids
A picture is worth 10,000 words. Send charts, graphs, photographs, illustrations, and other graphic aids that reporters can stick under their editors’ noses to show why your story merits telling.

15. Send Warnings
Before sending unsolicited material, you should notify your media contacts that it is coming with a quick call or e-mail. If they tell you not to send it, respect their wishes.

Reprinted with permission from Rick Frishman’s Author 101 Newsletter

Rick's books are must-have's for every author or aspiring author. Take a look on Amazon for the Author 101 book series.

Subscribe to Rick's newsletter at http://www.author101.com and receive Rick’s Million Dollar Rolodex

Get paid what you're really worth!

Are you a consultant or coach? Do you constantly have friends, neighbors, and professional acquaintences asking for your advice on a topic you should be charging for? Do you feel like you're charging what you're really worth, or are you keeping your fees low in the hopes of increasing your number of clients? It's one of the most frustrating aspects of working for yourself as a consultant or coach: getting paid and getting paid what you're really worth.

Stop wasting your time with clients who don't want to pay you what you're worth. Here are some resources I've found to get you on the track toward raising your fees...and getting them!

First, I suggest you sign up right away for what promises to be another terrific teleseminar by Kendall Summer Hawk, the 'Horse Whisperer' for your business. It's coming up next week on September 23rd, so register for it now (it's free!). Kendall is a very knowledgable marketer and truly shares her valuable tips and strategies on her calls, which work for any service business. You won't want to miss this one! And while you're on her site, take a look at her entire course on Charging What You're Worth and Getting It—it may be just what you need to boost your income to the next level...starting right now!

Here's an article from 2005 that still has relevant points for today—from the Guerilla Marketing folks. If you want the whole book, it's available on Amazon (though it doesn't show up even if you search on the exact title):