Books are the Thread in This Business

Books are the thread in Vickie Mullins business. In fact everything she does is somehow connected to books. She is the President of Mullins Creative and builds professionally designed books. As a professional speaker, she travels around the world and is a first class resource to creating an international legacy. This is all based on her 8 book series. She works with entrepreneurs, authors and businesses that are serious about their book success.

Vickie stated that the mistakes that authors are making include:

•        Expect that someone else will do all the work. Be prepared to be actively involved in the business of your book including marketing and selling.

•        Rushing the project, writing or end result.
•        Not having a quality product
•        Not specifically identifying the target audience

I talked about the fact we approached our book as a business from the onset. I had a team which included a publicist, media coach, editor, professional reader, publishing lawyer, sponsorship expert, to name a few. It was my goal to have a great book that gets in the hands of readers around the world in many formats.

When asked what is critical for book and business success, Vickie stated that a high quality book is key. Field testing is really important to ensure the book is applicable to the target audience.   

Getting sponsorship (special market sales campaigns) is a great way for authors and entrepreneurs to get their book, information product out to the world. But, you must know that your target audience must match that of the sponsors. You essentially become a marketing tool for that corporation so when you can get super specific you are on your way to a yes. Look at how you can advance their efforts. You must be able to know their problem and pain and solve it!

You can listen to more of what Vickie had to say here:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/your-book-as-a-business/2012/10/27/guest-vickie-mullins

What is your business or book target audience?

What is their pain or problem?

How do you solve it?

Who would be a perfect company to explore partnerships and collaborations?

How could your product or book advance their efforts and marketing?

Find out more about Vickie at:

www.mullinscreative.com

www.iwantyoutoknowme.com

www.perfectboundmarketing.com

Communicating your message. Are you being heard?

What are you doing to get your message out to the world? What approaches are yielding the best results? How do others get their message out to you?  How are your communications landing on others?

These are great questions to ask yourself as a leader, business owner, speaker or author. And these are exactly the questions that I explored with Shannon Skinner, PR Expert and Talk Show Host of Extraordinary Women TV, when I interviewed her on my Conversations with Charmaine radio. Shannon suggested that we are in an era where now, more than ever, creativity and speed is essential.

Publicity and marketing are both very important yet different. Publicity really increases your credibility and raises your profile, and with marketing, it is something businesses need to be doing all the time, not just when the pace slows down. In fact, this is a common mistake. Businesses, organizations and authors market during the slow times and when it gets busy, they are busy doing business. The challenge is that it creates peaks and valleys in your business, and in your bottom line.

Shannon provided some practical and tactical tips to help you with publicity. Let’s look at these one at a time. The first tip was to develop a Planning Calendar for your marketing and publicity. I love (did I say LOVE!) this idea. Why? Because in addition to helping you plan and organize yourself for success, it creates a system/process which you can use in future. It becomes somewhat of a template. Second, it makes it easier for you to share or hand off this task to someone else once you have built the plan. Many publicity approaches require a lot of lead time. For example, getting into magazines can require 4 plus months of lead time. You can also plan your publicity around specific themes such as “Small Business Week” or “Workplace Health and Safety week” or “Customer Appreciation Day.” You can also plan around certain times of the year such as Valentine’s Day and holidays. Publicity takes time to plan and to build momentum.

The next step is sustaining the momentum. Social media is a useful tool in creating and sustaining momentum and buzz, but it is not the only one. And of course your actions and decisions will be dependent on your budget. Once you know your budget you can pursue the activities that will work, and within your means. Activities to sustain the momentum could include an ongoing news release campaign such as press releases and media opportunities, article writing and offering tips in both articles and press releases.

Remember, you are more than your job. You are more than a leader or business owner. Find interesting hooks such as your hobbies or a cause that you are involved in. Are you an avid reader? Maybe you garden? Perhaps you are a cyclist. How about that volunteer board you sit on. Maybe you make a rocking hot chocolate chip cookie using your grandma’s secret ingredient. Find what sets you apart.



For authors, Shannon suggests blogging (regularly), having a great media room on your website with all the past media, press releases, a great bio, a professional headshot, and your videos. Listen to our radio interview with more great tips from Shannon at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/your-book-as-a-business/2012/05/26/guest-shannon-skinner

Serve Your Audience...it brings lasting results!

Well, I know firsthand that the work really begins after the book is written.... the day you open your boxes of books, hold them in your hand and say “now what?” I had the pleasure of interviewing Wendy Lipton-Dibner on my Your Book As a Business Radio Show and she shared a wealth of information to help authors, and aspiring authors. These tips will also benefit entrepreneurs and businesses who are selling products and services.

One way that authors can sell more books is to be speaking about their book and the concepts they have written about. This can include speaking in front of audiences at conventions, workplace events, and tradeshows, or, it can be through a video series. And remember, videos don’t have to be 90 minutes, they can be 90 seconds!

Wendy also stressed the importance of media, and how media can help you bring your message in front of your audience, and those who need to know you but don’t .... yet! Wendy recommended the services of RTIR with Bill and Steve Harrison.

Authors, here is a new way to think about selling your book. A few books sold to the right few people could result in thousands of sales down the road. So it is imperative that you write with the reader in mind, using their language, solving their problem, or sharing stories that they deeply connect with. One strategy is to lower your speaking fees if the client buys books for everyone. Think about who would benefit by being in front of your readers. For example, with my book On Toby’s Terms, and Toby The Pet Therapy Dog & His Hospital Friends- they are both about our dog Toby. So, this could include pet stores, vets, trainers, dog day cares, pet food manufacturers. Wendy encourages us to think realllllllly big. Manufacturers vs individual stores. This creates more extensive speaking opportunities for you as an author and speaker. They could offer book as people become new clients or through their individual stores. Or, watch the big companies to see what is going on in their world, their news. Use their issue or information in a tagline to promote to them.

Building relationships and serving your readers builds long lasting support, interest and sales for your book. And most importantly, stepping into action is what creates results! Time to buy a great pair of running shoes!

You can listen to Wendy share these tips at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/your-book-as-a-business/2012/06/30/guest-wendy-lipton-dibner