The Business Of Self-Publishing

Synopsis Here are two fundamental and powerful non-fiction writing techniques that will truly show your reading audience that you understand them and their issues. These two writing techniques, along with a hefty dose of sincerity, honesty, and respect for yourself, your subject matter, and the reader, will go a long way to helping you build an audience of readers, followers, and buyers. What You Will Learn In This Article 1. You will learn why you need to write in such a way that helps you build an emotional connection with your readers. 2. You will learn how and why you need to talk to your readers, not at them, by using a respectful conversational tone. 3. You will learn how and why you need to convey your enthusiasm to the reader. Introduction You're a small business owner or a sole proprietor. And you write a blog aimed at your audience of current customers and prospective customers. You're using your blog to show the world that you're an expert in your particular field. And that you're willing to share the experiences and knowledge that you have gained during your career. You want your customers and prospects to know that you have the solutions and answers to their problems because you understand them and what they are going through. You're one of them and want to help them succeed. To show your audience that all of this is true and that you're for real, there are some simple but powerful ways to prove this to them in your writing. I have compiled two of my favorites here that you can immediately apply to your writing and make it more engaging: Writing Tip # 1. Talk TO Your Readers, Not AT Your Readers Talking to your audience in their words, their terms, their phrases, and at their level, is a very persuasive writing technique. If you indeed are an expert with many years of experience, this should be easy for you to do. Speak to your audience, your customers, and your prospects in such a way that conveys the fact that you genuinely want to help them solve their problems, and help them become more successful. You might be an expert, a Ph.D., a professor, a celebrity, and extremely successful. But, you must never, ever talk down to your audience. Don't try to make yourself sound important by using big or obscure words. You'll immediately look like an insecure fool if you do this. Your audience will be insulted and never come back. It's tough to become successful by alienating your audience. You need them as much as they need you. You wouldn't be writing if you didn't need them for whatever personal and professional reasons you might have yourself. Talking in a helpful, friendly, respectful, conversational way goes a long way to getting people to listen to you and trust you. This is how you build an audience of readers, followers, and buyers. Writing Tip # 2. Convey Your Enthusiasm Showing your enthusiasm for the subject matter, AND your enthusiasm for sharing and helping your readers is a potent writing technique. This cannot be faked. Readers can detect nonsense from a mile away. And once they get a whiff of dishonesty, you will lose them forever. If you don't have this enthusiasm, why are you wasting your time and the reader's time by writing in the first place? Enthusiasm, excitement, and passion for a subject and wanting to share it to help people are very compelling. It'll get every reader excited too. They'll want to know more about the subject, AND about you. This is how you build an audience of readers, followers, and buyers. “Speak to your audience, your customers, and your prospects in such a way that conveys the fact that you genuinely want to help them solve their problems, and help them become more successful.” (Tweet) Conclusion Now you have two easy-to-implement writing techniques that will help you attract, connect, and hold on to your readers. These two writing techniques, along with a hefty dose of sincerity, honesty,

Synopsis Writing in “plain English” is a great way to make a good impression on your audience. This means writing in a way that makes your message easy to read and understand. It doesn't matter who your audience is or what your subject matter is about. Every audience will benefit from writing that uses plain English. This will help you build a bigger audience and sell more books. Here are my 6 favorite tips to help you start. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn how to simplify your non-fiction writing to make it easier to understand and remember. 2. You will learn how and why writing in plain English can help you build and retain a broader readership and following. 3. You will learn how and why writing in plain English will make you look smarter and your writing more powerful. Introduction Writing in "plain English" is a great way to make a good impression on your audience. This means writing in a way that makes your message easy to read and understand. It doesn't matter who your audience is or what your subject matter is about. Every audience will benefit from writing that uses plain English. And it certainly doesn't mean talking down to your audience or using baby words. It means writing in a way that gets your message to your intended audience in a respectful and appropriate manner. Your readers will sense this and respect you for it. This is how you build an audience for your work. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of the BookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his website Carnival Of The Indies #121 Here are my 6 favorite tips to help you start writing in plain English: Tip # 1. Write For Your Audience, Not For You In other words, put your reader first. Always. Writing non-fiction is about providing value to the reader and helping them solve their problems. Their needs come first, not yours. You must speak directly to the reader. You do this by using only words and concepts that are appropriate for your audience. If you're writing to show off how smart you are, you'll lose them immediately – and they won't come back. Tip # 2. Avoid Big And Fancy Words This doesn't mean that you must use simple words. It means that you must use words that are appropriate for your audience. No matter who your audience is, or what the subject matter is, you'll look foolish and insecure if you use big, fancy, ornate words. Using these kinds of words is the fastest way to lose your readers. If you sincerely want to help people and be taken seriously as a writer, don't use them. Tip # 3. Avoid Slang, Jargon, Abbreviations, And Clichés These types of phrases typically don't help your reader. If for some reason, you need to use one, you must explain what the term means. Don't ever assume the reader will know what you're talking about. It would be unfair and disrespectful of your reader, and they'll sense that. And you'll have wasted their time. Tip # 4. Write Short And Clear Sentences Shorter sentences go a long way to making your writing more comfortable to read and understand. Long sentences tend to be confusing and tiring to read. Writing shorter sentences forces you to cut out all the unnecessary words. Try to keep your sentences under 20 words. “Writing in “plain English” is a simple but powerful technique that will help you retain more readers and sell more books. Here are 6 tips to help you get started.” (Tweet) Tip # 5. Use Contractions Yes, contractions. Such as: “can not” becomes “can't;” “will not” becomes “won't.” They help you sound natural, not like a robot. Not like an insecure “intellectual” that is trying to impress the reader. But as someone the reader can identify with and believe. Like you're talking to the reader face-to-face. This goes a long way to getting a reader to stay with you. Don't be afraid to use them. Your readers will appreciate this. Tip # 6. Read It Aloud Before Publishing This tip is essential if you ever hope your writing sound natural.

Synopsis All content creators and authors want their work to be shared. But, when you take too much information and content from them, it can become a problem for you and for the original author. Especially if you take credit for someone else's work, or don't credit them properly. Here are the basic rules, as I see it, you need to follow. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn my 4 basic rules for sharing another author's content. 2. You will learn why linking to another author or providing backlinks, is imperative. 3. You will learn some of the fundamental ways that you shouldn't be claiming the work of others as your own. Introduction If you would like to share, use, or copy, any of an author's content or work to use on your website, in your article, in your blog post, in your book, or anywhere else, that's great. It'll help that author expand their audience, and it will help you and your audience too. Sharing content is expected. The entire internet is about sharing content. And all content creators and authors want their work to be shared. But, when you take too much information and content from them, it can become a problem for you and for the original author. Especially if you take credit for someone else's work, or don't credit them properly. So, I've made a list of some of the ways that my own content is taken and used without giving me any credit, or not the proper credit, for my work. Many of these offenders don't even include a backlink to my website. I'm sure that many of you have had these same things happen to you too. Here are the basic rules, as I see it, you need to follow: Content Sharing Etiquette Rule # 1: Use The Author's Name As They Use It a. You must use the author's name, as they use it on their own online and in-print work. If the author's name is Joseph C. Smith, Jr., don't re-write it as Joe Smith. Or as Joe Smithjr. The author has a reason to write his name the way he does, and you should respect that. Content Sharing Etiquette Rule # 2: You Must Include A Backlink To Original Author a. If you're sharing or using another person's online content, such as you might find on their website or blog, a link back to the author's website or blog is mandatory. Simply including their name is not enough. Backlinks are a major part of blogging. You want them, and so does the author whose work you are using. “Sharing content online & in print is expected & appreciated by most authors and readers. But, there is a proper way to do it, & an inappropriate way to do it. And, as an author and content creator, you are expected to know the difference.” (Tweet) Content Sharing Etiquette Rule # 3: You Must Notify The Original Author a. If you're sharing or using another person's content in your own book, ebook, or print, notifying the author is mandatory. b. Sending the author an email letting them know that you are using their content in your book is expected because it's just common courtesy and a sign of respect. c. The original author can then let their own readers see how and where their content is being used, and share and promote your content too. It's a win-win-win for all involved. This is how you succeed as an author, blogger, and business person. Content Sharing Etiquette Rule # 4: Don't Put Your Name On Something That You Didn't Create a. You cannot re-post an author's content and then add your name as co-author. b. You cannot re-post an author's content, then delete their name, and sign your name to it, claiming that it's your work. c. You cannot re-arrange the paragraphs, and then claim the original author's work as yours alone. d. You cannot re-post an author's content, word-for-word, and then claim it as your work, by simply changing the title. e. You cannot re-post an author's content, word-for-word, and add a few of your own paragraphs, and then claim it as your work. All of these are outright stealing and copyright ...

Synopsis If you like to help people improve their own lives, careers, businesses, and relationships - by teaching, inspiring, and sharing your own knowledge and experiences - then you should be writing non-fiction. Here is a shortlist of my favorite reasons why you should be writing and selling your own non-fiction books. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn why writing non-fiction is a great way to help satisfy your own needs and wants. 2. You will learn five amazing reasons you should want to start writing non-fiction books. 3. You will learn about some of the stumbling blocks that are no long-standing in your way. Introduction If you like to entertain people, then you would probably enjoy writing fiction. But, if you like to help people improve their own lives, careers, businesses, and relationships - by teaching, inspiring, and sharing your own knowledge and experiences - then you should be writing non-fiction. From my perspective, we all have an obligation to do this, especially if we like to communicate by writing. And, in the high-tech world we live in today, there are no more obstacles preventing us from doing this through self-publishing. Here is a short list of my favorite reasons why you should be writing and selling your own non-fiction books: Reason # 1. A Non-Fiction Book Can Boost Your Career and Business Even with the huge proliferation of self-publishing, having your name on a published book will still impress most people. One of the main reasons to write a non-fiction book is to boost your credibility in the eyes of your current clients, your prospective clients, your co-workers, and your peers. Handing a prospective client your signed book is infinitely more impressive than handing them a business card and a brochure. Credibility is one of the main ingredients to building a great career and business. A well-written non-fiction book will help you achieve that. Reason # 2. More People Buy Non-Fiction Books There will always be a demand for non-fiction books. Just walk into any big book store, look around, and you will immediately see that non-fiction takes up almost the entire store. Non-fiction sales numbers have been rising for many years and outpacing fiction. In addition, many book buyers don't mind paying a higher price for non-fiction books. Reason # 3. Non-Fiction Books Help Make The World A Better and More Productive Place You spend your life learning about certain topics. Topics that you have become an expert in. And you get paid for applying that knowledge to help others improve their own lives. A non-fiction book will enable you to help many thousands more than you could realistically help from your own office. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of the BookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his website Carnival Of The Indies #118 Reason # 4. Non-Fiction Books Are Easier To Market And Sell With non-fiction, it's much easier to find and understand your target audience. This is half the battle to building a successful marketing plan. And, it's essential if you have any hope for sales success. And, as an added bonus, non-fiction books generally have a very long shelf life. This means that your book if written properly, will keep making you money for a long time. Reason # 5. Non-Fiction Books Aren't Overly Difficult To Write Although there is nothing easy about writing, especially for publication, you're probably writing about topics that you already have knowledge, understanding, and expertise in. Or, at the very least, a topic that you have a great enthusiasm for and interest in. And, if you look at writing your non-fiction book not as one gigantic project, but as many little goals that you can achieve one at a time, you're more likely to finish writing it. So, with some planning, some research, an outline, and some perseverance, the process will actually be a great learning experience for you, and an enjoyable one.

This is an easy to read and comprehensive guide on how to republish public domain books to get started as a self-publisher. Heavy emphasis on starting and running a self-publishing company on a very tight budget. Plenty of practical advice and resources for doing this. Nagy also discusses how, what, and why he republished books that are in the public domain.

Synopsis My main goal here is to share with you how I create my book promo videos so that you can see the basic steps involved. With a little bit of research, some patience, some practice, and persistence, you should be able to make your own book promo video without too much hassle. Now get ready, because here is a quick run-down of the 4 main steps I follow in order to make my basic 1-minute book promo videos. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn the 4 basic steps to create a simple book promo video for your own book. 2. You will learn exactly how I do it for the books that my wife and I self-publish. 3. You will learn which software I use, and where I post the completed video. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of the BookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his website Carnival Of The Indies #115 Introduction My main goal here is to share with you how I create my book promo videos so that you can see the basic steps involved. For my own sanity, I try to keep the process as simple as possible. My goal is always to take a complicated process, make it as simple as possible, and still produce a quality product. And, with patience and practice, each time I produce one of these little videos, I'll get a little bit better at it. And hopefully, sell a few more books in the process. Thank you to best-selling author Elizabeth Spann Craig for sharing and linking to my post. Here is a quick run-down of the 4 main steps I follow in order to make my basic 1-minute book promo videos: Step # 1. Create a PowerPoint deck Step # 2. Export deck to .jpeg Step # 3. Import .jpeg's to iMovie Step # 4. Convert iMovie to mp4 Done. Here is a list of the software programs that I utilize to produce my promo videos: 1. Microsoft PowerPoint for Mac, ver. 16 2. Apple iMovie, ver. 10 3. Adobe Illustrator 2020 4. Adobe Photoshop 2020 Google Alerts for Joel Friedlander's Carnival of the Indies #115 Software Notes: a. Microsoft PowerPoint I bought as a package of an entire suite of Microsoft products called Microsoft Office 365 Home, which has an annual fee to use. b. Apple iMovie is a free download from the Mac App Store. c. The Adobe programs are part of Adobe Creative Cloud which I pay a monthly fee to use. I upload my videos to the following websites: (For this book, it's to my wife's pages) Website # 1. My YouTube page Website # 2. My book's webpage (on the book's main page, and on the Media Kit page for that book) Website # 3. My Twitter page Website # 4. My Facebook page Here is a more detailed look at the steps that I follow to create my promo videos: Step # 1. Create slide presentation in PowerPoint The general rule for making PowerPoint slides is to keep them simple, short, and to the point. ACLS QA book PowerPoint screen shot Step # 2. Add a .jpeg picture of your book's cover, and your headshot Make sure they are clear, easy to see and read, high quality photos. Step # 3. Add text to each slide Again, don't overdo it. Keep is simple, with lots of white space. Step # 4. Save as a PowerPoint presentation .pptx This will complete step 1. Step # 5. Export slides as .jpeg Save them in the same folder as the PowerPoint deck/presentation that you just made. “A successful and profitable non-fiction book promo video must be honest, sincere, short, simple, clean, easy to understand, see, and read, and not pushy or aggressive – a wise strategy to use in all of your book marketing.” (Tweet) Step # 6. Import/drag/drop all of those .jpeg slides into new iMovie Create a new movie, and drag and drop all of those .jpeg slides you just made into the movie timeline. Step # 7. Drag/drop music/audio onto the timeline iMovie has a small library of music already included. You simple choose which one you like, and drag and drop it onto the movie timeline. And then adjust the length of the music to fit the length of the video.

This post was originally published on March 24, 2011, and updated on March 12, 2020. Synopsis Understanding the terminology, jargon, terms-of-art, lingo, and slang, of the book publishing industry as a whole, can only help us become better and more successful at self-publishing. Here is a discussion of the terms “strippable” and “non-strippable” as they relate to printed books, and their covers. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn the physical differences between a book that is considered strippable, and one that is not. 2. You will learn why a particular book is considered strippable, or it isn't. 3. You will learn who is concerned and affected by these designations. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of the BookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his website Carnival Of The Indies #114 Introduction Almost none of us that are involved with self-publishing will ever need to deal with books that are strippable or not. But, despite that fact, we still need to understand the book industry in its entirety. Understanding the terminology, jargon, terms-of-art, lingo, and slang, of the book publishing industry as a whole, can only help us become better and more successful at self-publishing. Here is a discussion of the terms “strippable” and “non-strippable” as they relate to printed books, and their covers. Strippable Defined “Strippable” simply means that a book's cover can be torn off, or stripped off, by the book retailer or distributor, and then sent back to the book publisher for a credit or refund. The publisher tells the book retailers and distributors which books that it will allow being stripped, and which books cannot be stripped. “Understanding the terminology, jargon, terms-of-art, lingo, and slang, of the book publishing industry as a whole, can only help us become better and more successful at self-publishing.” (Tweet) Each publisher has its own rules and guidelines about which books can be stripped. By stripping off the cover of a book, and sending the cover back to the publisher, without the body of the book, postage costs will be greatly reduced. Obviously, it's much less costly to send back a bunch of book covers than it is to send back a box of full books. After the cover is stripped off the book, the rest of the remaining book is supposed to be destroyed. Title page of a mass-market paperback book. The paragraph in the middle discusses the cover and what happens when a book is stripped. Non-Strippable Defined “Non-strippable” books are just the opposite of “strippable”. “Non-strippable” means that a book cannot be returned to the publisher for a credit or refund unless the book is complete, with the cover intact. Retail Returns Guidelines for Baker & Taylor Who Is Involved With, Concerned About, And Affected by, Stripping Books? Stripping books is something that self-publishers will probably never need to be involved with. Strippable and non-strippable books are something that large publishers, book distributors, and retail bookstores are involved with. Strippable BookThe large publishers are forced by the retailers and distributors to accept returns. Retailers feel that it's too risky for them to put a book in their stores without having the option of sending the book back for a credit or refund. Distributors feel that it's too risky for them to receive many thousands of copies of a book from a publisher without having the option of sending the books back for a credit or refund. The large publishers accept returns because they are dependent on the book retailers and distributors for their financial survival. As a small self-publisher, we generally don't want, or shouldn't want, our books in bookstores. Having your book displayed at a bookstore might be good for your ego, but not for your bank account. Once you get involved with self-publishing, you'll learn very quickly that bookstores are the worst place to display and sell ...

This book is an ". . . an anecdotal account of how some of the most well-known book and play titles come to be. It is not meant to be a comprehensive compendium of every catchy title, but rather a lighthearted look at a struggle that has bedeviled writers for centuries.”

Synopsis Memorization is the fixing of information into your memory through sheer repetition. It's a necessary first step in learning. Memorization of the fundamental terms and concepts of a difficult or new topic will provide a strong foundation for a deeper understanding of the more difficult concepts that will follow with additional study. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You'll learn what memorization is and why it is important to learning. 2. You'll learn ten tips that will help you set up an easy-to-follow studying system. 3. You'll learn about mnemonics and how quickly you can create them. Introduction Memorization is the fixing of information into your memory through sheer repetition. It's a necessary first step in learning. Memorization of the fundamental terms and concepts of a difficult or new topic will provide a strong foundation for a deeper understanding of the more difficult concepts that will follow with additional study. Learning a large, or difficult, or completely new subject, might seem overwhelming at first. We've all been there before. And most of us get through it ok. The trick is to just accept the fact that you need to get started as soon as possible, and that you must put in the study time necessary to learn the material. My wife Michele and I teach thousands of healthcare professionals each year. Most of them are expected to be able to quickly recall hundreds of essential dosages, formulas, and rules – all while under very stressful situations. We've learned that memorization is the fastest and most practical way to get our students started on their path to becoming great at their jobs. Memorization, along with schooling, self-study, continuing education classes, online training, on-the-job training, in-house classes, and mandatory certifications, all play a part in becoming very successful at almost anything. Here is a list of our favorite tips to memorize a topic and its essential facts: Tip # 1. Break The Material Down Into Smaller Parts Smaller bits of information will be much easier for your brain to hold onto. Make several lists. Work on memorizing these lists. Memorize a few facts, and then memorize a few more. Tip # 2. Study In Short Periods Over A Long Period Of Time Short bursts of study, fifteen or thirty minutes at a time, are much better and more productive than sitting there and studying for sixty or ninety minutes. Whenever you're sitting somewhere, a doctor's waiting room, for example, take out your study cards and read them. These short bursts of study periods can be very productive. Constantly doing this over many months is the surest way to get the information into your long-term memory. Tip # 3. Review The Material Frequently To get the new information from your short-term memory into your long-term memory you must review the material frequently. The more difficult the topic, and the less previous knowledge you have for a topic, the more frequently you must review the material. Some nights you should do a full study session on a subject. On the other nights, you can do a quick review. But always try to touch upon that particular subject at least once every twenty-four hours. Tip # 4. Do Not Cram Cramming is usually useless. Learning a new or difficult topic takes time. Days, weeks, months, and years, not minutes. It takes a lot of time to process information properly. Tip # 5. Use Mnemonic Devices And Catchy Puns And Phrases Mnemonics are a great memory device to help you memorize difficult information. Here is one I created to remember the stages of shock: “Not His lucky CHARMS”. Neurogenic, Hemorrhagic, Cardiogenic, Hypovolemic, Anaphylactic, Respiratory, Metabolic, Septic. Mnemonics can easily be created from a phrase, rhyme, or sentence. Tip # 6. Teach The Information To Another Person This is probably one of the surest ways to force yourself to thoroughly learn a topic. Get a family member or friend,

Synopsis Sincerity is extremely important to all of us because it helps to build trust with each other. And trust is one of the fundamental building blocks to developing a lasting and rewarding relationship. It's especially important for non-fiction writers to display sincerity with their words. Readers can sense this, and will reward writers that they trust by following them, reading their articles, and buying their books. Here is a short discussion on the importance of writing with sincerity. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You'll learn why sincerity is important to non-fiction writing. 2. You'll learn how to define and understand sincerity. 3. You'll learn about the important connection between sincerity and tone in your writing. Introduction Sincerity is extremely important to all of us because it helps to build trust with each other. And trust is one of the fundamental building blocks to developing a lasting and rewarding relationship. It's especially important for non-fiction writers to display sincerity with their words. Sincerity, honesty, and respect for the subject matter and for the reader are essential in order to build up a tribe of followers, readers, and buyers. Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to TheBusinessOfSelfPublishing.com with this graphic. One of the main ways non-fiction writers display sincerity is by being transparent, straightforward, and honest with their readers. Readers can very quickly sense this and will reward writers that they trust by following them, reading their articles, and buying their books. Your writing voice, and the connection you make with your reader, is heavily influenced by your sincerity for the subject matter, your sincerity in your desire to help the reader, and the tone that you use when you write. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to my blog post from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #113 Here are three terms that you must understand in order to write with sincerity: Term # 1. Writing voice: this refers to when your writing reflects your personality - your individual characteristics - your readers start to understand and connect with you on an emotional level. The tone that you use in your writing helps to reveal to your readers how you feel about the topic you are writing about. Thank you to best-selling author Elizabeth Spann Craig for sharing and linking to my post. Term # 2. Sincerity: this means having no pretense, deceit, or hypocrisy. Being honest, genuine, truthful, open, transparent, and candid, for example. Sincerity should never be faked or feigned because, in order for your readers to believe what you're writing about, they must truly believe that you're being honest with them. “Sincerity is one of the fundamental building blocks to developing trust between you the writer, and your readers.” (Tweet) In order to write with sincerity, you must first have respect for yourself, then respect for the subject matter, and more importantly, the reader. Readers, especially today, can detect phony-baloney (aka hypocrisy – sorry I couldn't resist - I've never written that word in a sentence, and it's such a fun word) a mile away. Once you lose the reader's respect, they'll never come back to you to read your articles, or buy your books, ever again. Term # 3. Tone: this refers to your attitude, such as formal, informal, ironic, serious, sophisticated, comedic, sarcastic, sad, dark, or cheerful, for example. The tone reflects your attitude toward your subject matter, AND your attitude toward the reader, and will greatly influence how your readers interpret your message. Conclusion Sincerity is one of the fundamental building blocks to developing trust between you the writer, and your readers. One of the main ways non-fiction writers display sincerity is by being transparent, straightforward, and honest with their readers.

Synopsis Why isn't my non-fiction bookselling more copies? Why is my book a failure? Why don't I feel successful as a self-publisher? These common questions can sometimes be difficult to answer very quickly. And the answer isn't always as simple as it might seem at first glance. But there is hope for you and your book to achieve success. Here are 14 reasons your book might not be successful. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You'll learn what steps you can take to fix your book and improve its sales. 2. You'll learn how to start to define what success means for you and your book. 3. You'll learn how and why introspective thinking about your book is essential to its success. Introduction Why isn't my non-fiction bookselling more copies? Why is my book a failure? Why don't I feel successful as a self-publisher? These common questions can sometimes be difficult to answer very quickly. And the answer isn't always as simple as it might seem at first glance. But there is hope for you and your book to achieve success. Take A Hard Look At Yourself And Your Book If your book isn't selling any copies or selling very few in comparison to other books in its sales category, there are several powerful changes you can make to help improve your sales. But, they all involve some serious introspective thinking about your book and will involve some hard work on your part. The Fix Is Within Reach The list of reasons given here will help you to re-evaluate your book, and everything you are doing to sell it. This list covers the most common reasons a non-fiction book isn't selling or gaining any traction with an audience. Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to Kunz On Publishing with this graphic. How Do I Define Success? We all have our own way to define success in general. Plus, we can have a personal definition of financial success, and one for personal success, and one for business success, etc. And each one will be a little different. But, I believe that most of us that write non-fiction books are trying to achieve two main, fundamental, overarching, basic goals: Goal # 1. Financial Return Some amount of financial return for the hard work we put into creating and publishing our books; and, Goal # 2. Critical Acclaim Critical acclaim for ourselves and for our books, from our peers, co-workers, readers, family, customers, clients, etc. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to my blog post from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #112 The Top Reasons Non-Fiction Books Do NOT Achieve Success Reason # 1: No market need: Is there an actual need for the information in your book? Is there an actual audience that can benefit from your book? If not, you will not sell any books. Reason # 2: Weak solutions/value: What special insights do you have that can help others find real solutions to their questions and problems? Standard cookie-cutter solutions won't help you sell more books. Reason # 3: Unattractive cover: A cover that looks unprofessional, amateurish, and unthoughtful, will turn-off book buyers. They will lose respect for you even before they open your book. For most books, and most people, the cover is the one thing that should not be skimped on. Reason # 4: Written for wrong audience: You must understand who your audience is before you write your book. If you don't, your book will be confusing to read, help no one in particular, and sales will suffer. “With some honest assessment of your book, and forcing yourself to make hard decisions about your book, you can fix its poor sales. By doing so, you will be creating a book that can help you achieve your personal and financial goals.” (Tweet) Reason # 5: Not enough marketing: Marketing is more about reaching out to a very particular audience, and showing them that you have the answers and solutions to their particular problems. It's less about the quantity of money that you spend on adve...

This post was originally published on July 3, 2017, and updated on December 12, 2019. Synopsis By adding an infographic to your blog, and giving your readers an easy way to share it, is a sure way to help build your network. We can make the infographic easy to share by adding a “share box” immediately below it. This gives other bloggers a fast and simple way to share your infographic. Here are the three simple steps that I follow in order to create and add a “share box” to my own infographics. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You'll learn an easy and fast way to add a “share box” to your infographic. 2. You'll learn why a “share box” is an excellent and painless way to get your readers to share your infographic. 3. You'll learn why an infographic with a share box below it will help you look more like a professional blogger. Introduction Infographics are a visually compelling way to grab a reader's attention. They can very quickly help you communicate information in an easy-to-digest format. And, by adding an infographic to your blog, and giving your readers an easy way to share it, is a sure way to help build your network. We can make the infographic easy to share by adding a “share box” immediately below it. This gives other bloggers a fast and simple way to share your infographic. This share box contains an “html embed code” that other bloggers can copy and paste into their own blog. This will make your infographic appear on their blog, and it also gives your blog a backlink. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to my blog post from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #111 Here are the three simple steps that I follow in order to create and add a “share box” to my own infographics: Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to "KunzOnPublishing.com" with this graphic. STEP # 1. Create Your Infographic I typically create my blog post first. Then I design an infographic that can explain the information in my blog post in a simple, fun, and easy-to-understand format. I try to keep it visually appealing by using colors, fonts, and images that will catch the reader's eyes. I use Adobe Illustrator CC, and then convert the finished Illustrator file into a jpg. Then I simply upload that image to my WordPress media folder. STEP # 2. Place Infographic Into Your Blog Post I then find a place within my post to place the image, such as between major sections or between paragraphs. Then I click the “Add Media” button and then choose the appropriate image from my blog's media folder. You must do this from within the “text editing” page, NOT the “visual editing” page. “By adding an infographic to your blog, and giving your readers an easy way to share it, is a sure way to help build your network.” (Tweet) STEP # 3. Add A “Share This Image Box” Under The Infographic Start by using an “embed code generator” that will help you create your share box. The best one I've been able to find so far is by Siege Media. I didn't have much luck finding a WordPress plugin that I liked, or that would do what I wanted it to do for me. But this one by Siege Media fits my needs perfectly. All of the fill-in boxes are self-explanatory. Blank embed code generator form. Form provided by Siege Media. Filled-in embed code generator form. Form provided by Siege Media. Here is a sample of the html code that i use to create the share box. THE VIEW OF THE HTML ON MY BLOG: Here is what the final HTML code looks like on my blog post's text editing page: 1. The first section in the image below is the code for the actual jpg image of the infographic that will appear in my blog post. 2. This second section in the image below is the code for the share box that will appear just below my infographic. Screenshot of the html code that I have placed into my WordPress blog. THE VIEW FROM MY BLOG: Here is what the finished infographic and share box looks like on my blog...

Synopsis Here is an explanation of the process, or steps, involved in repurposing your blog posts into a saleable, money-making, format. It's not a quick or easy way to make money from your blog posts. But, it is an interesting and practical way to take your blogging to a whole new level. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You'll learn some easy ways to enhance your blog posts by repurposing content. 2. You'll learn about the “value-added add-ons” that I create from my blog posts. 3. You'll learn how creating quality blog posts can help you build credibility and make money too. Introduction Here is an explanation of the process, or steps, involved in repurposing your blog posts into a saleable, money-making, format. It's not a quick or easy way to make money from your blog posts. But, it's an interesting and practical way to take your blogging to a whole new level. Enhancing your blog posts, and repurposing them into a saleable format, can really help you reach a much larger audience. Reaching a larger audience means that you and your writing can help a lot more people achieve success. This is the real reason that you write in the first place. And, you can make some money doing it too. It's a win-win situation. Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to https://kunzonpublishing.com/ with this graphic. Step 1. Build An Amazing Blog Post It all starts with one blog post. One beautifully written, well-thought-out, easy-to-read, and very helpful, blog post. And, as long as you're providing high-quality content, you will be building credibility with your reading audience. This is essential if you plan on building an audience that will buy your products and services. Ok, so now you have a great blog post. There are a few things that you can add to your blog post to help make it more impactful with your readers. These same things will also help make your post stand out from the crowd of other bloggers. I call these things “value-added add-ons.” They can be such things as a tweetable quote, an infographic, offer a free PDF of the post, provide an audio podcast, and a video. (Many of my posts get these, but the videos are in the works right now.) “Enhancing your blogs posts, and repurposing them into a saleable format, can really help you reach a much larger audience.” (Tweet) They are “value-added” because they are enhancing my post by making it easier for my audience to read, understand, and remember it. And, because some people prefer to read the post, some to visualize with an infographic, some to get a free PDF, some to listen to a podcast, and some to watch a video, I provide my audience with these additional sources. I provide all of these “add-ons” to my post to make it more accessible and impactful to a wider audience. I do this because I think of each and every blog post as a product that I'm selling. But, in this case, not for money, but for credibility with my audience. Essentially, I'm selling myself. I need and want my audience to take my information and use it to their advantage. I'm also trying to make the information in my blog post as helpful as possible - to as many people as possible. Those “add-ons” are a great way for me to get my point across to my readers. I also enjoy creating those add-ons. They force me to fine-tune my message and make it as clear as possible for my readers. If you can't get your message across to your readers as quickly and clearly as possible, you risk losing credibility and helping no one. All of the value-added add-ons I talked about above are being created by repurposing the content within that very same blog post. So, from one blog post, you will be able to: 1. Create a tweetable quote that can be used on Twitter; 2. Create an infographic that can be shared on your blog as well as on SlideShare; 3. Create a PDF of the post that can be given to readers in exchange for their email address; and, 4.

Synopsis Repurposing your blog post is one of the smartest and easiest ways to spread your message to a wider and more varied audience. The more people that see it and read it, the more that will benefit from it, and you will sell more books. With these 5 steps, you can easily and quickly take that same written post, and change it into an audio podcast. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn the quickest and easiest way to repurpose your blog post into a podcast. 2. You will learn what equipment and software you will need to create your podcast. 3. You will learn how to reformat your blog post into a podcast script. Introduction Repurposing your blog post is one of the smartest and easiest ways to spread your message to a wider and more varied audience, and get your name and work in front of many more people. You worked really hard at creating a high-quality and informative blog post. It probably took you days or weeks to perfect it. After all that work, you want as many people as possible to see it, and become more familiar with your work. The more people that see it and read it, the more that will benefit from it, and you will sell more books. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to my blog post from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #108 Now, with these 5 steps, you can easily and quickly take that same written post, that is sitting on your blog, and change it into another format - an audio podcast – and share it with an entirely new audience. Here they are: Step 1. Choose Your Blog Post to Record Not every single blog post is going to be a perfect candidate for an audio podcast. A blog post that is simply a list of items, or simply a few thoughts that you're sharing with your readers, are probably not worthy of a podcast. You might also want to start with one of your better or more popular posts. A post that is truly representative of your blog's main subject matter is also a great place to start. Screen Shot Of My Podcast Recording Inside GarageBand (Infographic) Step 2. Reformat Your Blog Post Into A Script Since your blog posts were probably written for readers, not listeners, you will need to adjust your text to sound more natural when spoken out loud. Begin this process by simply reading your post out loud and listening to how the words flow. The trick is to make the text sound as natural and flowing as conversational speech. I have realized that writing my blog posts with the idea of using them as an audio podcast recording script, has forced me to write in a more natural-sounding way. This has made my posts easier for my readers to read and understand. My podcasting equipment set up in my home office. Step 3. Get A Microphone and Software A. Microphone You must purchase a good microphone. This doesn't mean an expansive mic. But, it should be a condenser mic with a small stand to hold it steady. Also, get a foam wind-screen / pop-screen for the mic. Start your search for these on Amazon. B. Software The best place to start is Apple GarageBand. It's very inexpensive, very easy to learn how to use, and comes with music that is free to use for your intro and outro. Apple sells this for Mac and Windows. “Repurposing your blog post is one of the smartest and easiest ways to spread your message to a wider and more varied audience.” (Tweet) Step 4. Record Your Podcast and Add Intro and Outro A. Record the Blog Post a. Start your recording in a nice quiet room. Make sure everything around you is turned off. The air-conditioner, the dehumidifier, the ceiling fan, the television in the next room. b. Speak in a relaxed, natural, and conversational fashion. The ends of your sentences should not be a rising or falling volume of your voice. c. Make sure you pause after the commas and periods. Thank you very much to Sadye Scott-Hainchek of TheFussyLibrarian.com, for sharing my blog post. B. Record Intro and Outro a.

Synopsis One of the biggest marketing mistakes we non-fiction authors can make is to confuse the benefits and features that a reader will get if they buy our book. And, if you the author don't understand how to explain the benefits and features of your own book, the reader/buyer will certainly be confused – which means that they won't buy your book. So, here is a quick explanation to help you understand the basic differences between a book's benefits, and a book's features. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn how to quickly define your book's benefits. 2. You will learn how to quickly define your book's features. 3. You will learn how and why benefits and features work together to help you sell more books. Introduction Why You Must Understand the Differences One of the biggest marketing mistakes we non-fiction authors can make is to confuse the benefits and features that a reader will get if they buy our book. At first glance, it might seem a little difficult to understand the differences – especially if you're writing a book for the first time. And, unfortunately, if you the author don't understand how to explain the benefits and features of your own book, the reader/buyer will certainly be confused – which means that they won't buy your book. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to my blog post from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #106 So, here is a quick explanation to help you understand the basic differences between a book's benefits, and a book's features. A. What Is a Benefit? Benefits are what the readers will get out of reading your non-fiction book – the end result from reading your book. Think in terms of a product (your book), that produces helpful results that promotes a person's (the reader's) well-being. Your book's benefits are the value that the readers will receive by applying your advice to their own problems. “Your non-fiction book MUST convey your information and advice in such a way that the reader can realistically apply it to their own situation and problems.” (Tweet) Your book MUST convey your information and advice in such a way that the reader can realistically apply it to their own situation and problems. If they can do this, they will view your book as a very great value. The price they paid for your book, and the time they invested into it, will then be viewed as irrelevant – as long as they benefited from reading it. Some common examples of a non-fiction book's benefits: 1. They will learn specific steps to solve a problem that they want to fix (the main reason that they bought your book in the first place) 2. They will learn how you, the author, fixed your own problems 3. They will learn how other people with the same problem fixed it and improved their own life, career, relationships, and business, etc. 4. Spend less time on problem-solving, and more time on making money 5. Learn how to lose 30 pounds in 30 days 6. Learn how to get 5 more clients in the next 30 days 7. Learn how to turn your hobby into a profitable business 8. How to fix your failing business, marriage, partnership, career, etc. 9. How to start a new business 10. How to help a family member that has Alzheimer's disease Obviously, this list could go on forever, but you get the idea, and can now easily define what your book's benefits are - or should be. Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to Kunz On Publishing with this graphic. B. What Is a Feature? Features are the things that your non-fiction book has in it – the attributes, design, and appearance of your book. Think in terms of a product's (your book) structure and appearance, that a reader (buyer) can look at and compare to other books. “Your non-fiction book's features can, and should, if developed properly, give you a competitive advantage over other books covering the same subject matter.” (Tweet) Your book's features can and should if develope...

Synopsis Your needs and wants, as an author, can be surprisingly and distinctly different than those of your reader. But, once you realize these differences between you and the reader, you can then focus your attention on truly understanding who your reading audience really is, and what their needs and wants are about. So, here is a short discussion to help you start to define and understand what your reading audience needs and wants in their own life, which is what has led them to you and your non-fiction book. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn that your needs and wants don't necessarily match those of your readers. 2. You will learn how to begin asking yourself the right questions in order to start better understanding your readers. 3. You will learn how and why understanding the needs and wants of your audience will make you stand out from the crowd. Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to https://kunzonpublishing.com/ with this graphic. Introduction: There Is Great Value In Understanding Your Reader Your needs and wants, as an author, can be surprisingly and distinctly different than those of your reader. What we non-fiction authors need and want within our own life, and what our readers need and want within their own life, can sometimes be a far cry from each other. But, once you realize this difference, you can then focus your attention on understanding who your reading audience really is, and what their needs and wants are about, and what it is that's motivating your readers. So, here is a short discussion to help you start to define and understand what your reading audience needs and wants in their own life, which is what has led them to you and your non-fiction book: Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to https://kunzonpublishing.com/ with this graphic. A. NEEDS (Functional Needs) Of Your Readers Your readers (book buyers) have a functional need that they are trying to satisfy when they are looking for a book that can help them improve a quality-of-life issue. This need might include such things as finding out how to start a business, for example. Or, how to solve a business problem, such as how to find more clients. The list of specific quality-of-life issues that we all need help and guidance with is endless. You, the author, have expertise in a few of these issues. It's your job to help your readers with one particular quality-of-life issue that they are seeking help with. Thank you very much to Sylvia Hubbard of the Motown Writer's Network, for sharing my post. By talking to your own customers and clients, your prospects, your students, your patients, your co-workers, your employees, your friends and family, and doing an in-depth search on Amazon, you will begin to hear and see what the most common quality-of-life issues people are searching answers for. Some issues will be simple and easy to discuss, and others will be much more complicated and difficult to deal with. But, your job as an author is to provide practical and easy-to-understand and implement solutions for the reader. Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to KunzOnPublishing.com with this graphic. B. WANTS (Emotional Needs) Of Your Readers Your readers (book buyers) also have an emotional need, or desire, that they are trying to satisfy. This want might include such things as the feelings of joy that develop after successfully completing a project, or starting a new business, or helping a new client succeed, or helping a student pass an exam, for example. Thank you very much to Chris Graham for sharing my post on his blog The Story Reading Ape. The list of emotional needs that people desire is also endless. You, the author, by helping your readers achieve, or satisfy, or find the answers to, the functional need that led them to buy your book in the first place, will also be helping them achieve the wants,

Synopsis Even though empathy and sympathy both involve your “feelings” about your readers, they refer to two distinctly different emotions. As an author, and book marketer, (and as an emotionally mature adult that is trying to help people) you must genuinely understand the difference. Here is a short discussion about the importance of empathy, and how it relates to your book sales. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn the difference between empathy and sympathy. 2. You will learn why understanding the difference will help you sell more books. 3. You will learn how and why empathy for your readers will improve your book sales. Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to https://kunzonpublishing.com/ with this graphic. Introduction Do you truly understand who you're writing for? And not in a superficial way. Knowing is the difference between building a devoted audience of followers, readers, and book buyers that you help, and your time, words, and efforts being wasted and helping no one. The difference here is that empathy is a major ingredient to your success as an author. Successful Non-Fiction Authors Don't Confuse “Empathy” With “Sympathy” Even though empathy and sympathy both involve your “feelings” about your readers, they refer to two distinctly different emotions. As an author, and book marketer, (and as an emotionally mature adult that is trying to help people) you must genuinely understand the difference. "Authors: If you learn how to “walk in your reader's shoes,” you WILL sell more books!" (Tweet) Therefore, here is a very quick definition of empathy and sympathy to get us started: Definition # 1. Empathy: refers to your ability to “walk in your reader's shoes.” You're trying to get into their heads and understand their reality, feelings, and motivations. The more intimate knowledge, or understanding, that you have about their motivations, their questions, their confusions, and their desires, the more you and your book will be truly able to help them find what they need and want. Deep down, you must know your audience – and you can't fake it. Definition # 2. Sympathy: refers to the compassion, sorrow, or pity, that you have for your readers. With sympathy, you might have compassion for your readers, but you don't know what it's like to honestly and sincerely “walk in your reader's shoes.” Empathy and sympathy typically go hand-in-hand. And, sympathy might have been an initial motivating factor to get you to write your book. But, simply having sympathy with your readers does nothing to help them find answers and solutions. And sympathy alone certainly won't help you sell more books. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to my blog post from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #99 Now, you might be asking yourself, “How Can Empathy For My Readers Really Improve My Book Sales?” Empathy can be shown for the readers, and can improve book sales at the same time, in two easily achievable ways: 1. Having Empathy Before You Write Developing empathy for your reading audience, before you write your book, also forces you to think about exactly who you are writing for. Who are you trying to help? Who can you relate to? Identifying your reading audience is imperative if you ever hope to build an audience that wants to listen to you, and read your books. Zeroing in on this specific group of people, and building an audience who knows what you write about, and what you are about personally, and what knowledge you have, and how generous you are with your knowledge, will help you to build an audience that will continue to grow over the long-term. This is how you build a continuous stream of income from your writing. "Successful Non-Fiction Authors Don't Confuse “Empathy” With “Sympathy.” (Tweet) 2. Having Empathy While You Write When writing non-fiction with the intention to share your knowledge and experiences with the...

Synopsis In order to become, or remain, financially successful as a self-publisher, you must be able to quickly and effectively get your marketing message to your book-buying audience. Your book's sell sheet is an excellent tool to do this. The sell sheet is a perfect marketing tool for offline AND online marketing – because it's simple to understand, and gets directly to the point. So, here is a short discussion of five certain ways to make your sell sheet a very powerful marketing tool. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn about the 5 most important elements that you must incorporate into your book's sell sheet. 2. You will learn how and why these elements are important for your book's success. 3. You will learn the 5 most important ways to optimize your sell sheet so that people want to read it. Introduction In order to become, or remain, financially successful as a self-publisher, you must be able to quickly and effectively get your marketing message to your book-buying audience. Your book's sell sheet is an excellent tool to do this. The sell sheet is a perfect marketing tool for offline AND online marketing – because it's simple to understand, and gets directly to the point. And, as The Professor likes to say, it's “no fuss, no muss, no waste, no bother,” for you or the buyer. (He has many insightful gems like that. I hear them all the time. He has one for every imaginable situation. But, he's a very wealthy business genius and he loves us, so we all listen and learn.) Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to https://kunzonpublishing.com/ with this graphic.

Synopsis Creating a huge platform with many thousands of followers might seem like the most obvious way to achieve success. But there's more to it than that. A huge email list, and huge Twitter and Facebook following, are all great, and are always an accomplishment to strive for. But the quality of those followers is what's really important. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn why a large author platform isn't always the best or most practical for most self-published authors. 2. You will learn why high-quality email addresses are more important than a large number of email addresses. 3. You will learn what you need to do to start building your author platform. Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to https://kunzonpublishing.com/ with this graphic. Introduction Is a large platform critical for an author's success? The quick answer is “no.” But, it's imperative that the platform be well-established. In today's “new media” world, it's not necessarily about the numbers anymore. It's now about “engagement” with the readers. Whether it's for a large niche audience or a micro-niche audience, it doesn't matter anymore. Is the author seen as the “go-to person” to that audience? Is the author making an emotional connection with them? Is the author getting his audience rallied around a particular niche? Is the author selling books and ebooks to that audience? Is that audience commenting on the author's blog posts? Are they re-posting or re-tweeting those blog posts? All of these questions will help you start to understand what it means to have a strong and well-established platform. More Is Not Always Better Because Not All Traffic Is Created Equal Creating a huge platform with many thousands of followers might seem like the most obvious way to achieve success. But there's more to it than that. A huge email list, and huge Twitter and Facebook following, are all great, and are always an accomplishment to strive for. But the quality of those followers is what's really important. Especially for those of us (99% of all authors) who don't have the market power and name recognition of really big money authors and mass-media celebrities. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #90 The Active Niche Vs. The Passive Mass For example, if your email list is mostly composed of those who simply downloaded your ebook because it was free if they gave you their email address, and then they never open your emails again, the quality of your email list will be very low. You need to know how to engage with those downloading your free ebook and try to convert them into true followers who are willing to visit your blog again and again. Give Them A Reason Not To Cut And Run The high-quality followers are the ones that won't “unsubscribe” after your first email to them. Those who remain on your list and continue to open your emails, will stay with you for the long-term, and be much more willing to share your blog posts and buy books from you. Your blog posts, and your emails, must give them a reason to keep reading and coming back for more. “A huge author platform might seem like the obvious way to achieve success. And a huge social media following is great and is always an accomplishment to strive for. But the quality of those followers is what's really important." (Tweet) It's Not About The Numbers Anymore You must never forget that in today's social-media-savvy world, it is more about how the author is interacting with the audience, AND how the audience is interacting with the author. It's not so much about the numbers anymore, but about the quality of the engagement between the author and his audience. Reach Out And Touch Someone Even if an author has a huge following, but doesn't know how to sell, or how to talk to his audience, or doesn't know how to really get that audience rallied around som...

Synopsis Do we write books for profit alone, or to gain favorable approval from others? Or is it a combination of both? Is money more important than fame? Does fame guarantee a stream of income? These questions are a good place to start to understand why we do what we do, and how we can, or should, be defining our own success as self-publishers. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn to look at how you define what success means to you as a self-publisher. 2. You will learn what the difference is between “financial success” and “critical acclaim”. 3. You will learn how and why you can have both at the same time. Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to "KunzOnPublishing.com" with this graphic. Introduction Do we write books for profit alone, or to gain favorable approval from others? Or is it a combination of both? Is money more important than fame? Does fame guarantee a stream of income? These questions are a good place to start to understand why we do what we do, and how we can, or should, be defining our own success as self-publishers. How Do I Define Success As A Self-Publisher? I believe that most of us that write and publish books are after two main things. These two can probably be shortened, or simplified, down to “money” and “fame”. I'm sure that you think that there must be countless ways to define success. And, I'm confident there is. We all have our own personal definition of what success means. But, I believe that most of those can be boiled down to the two main categories, or blanket terms, of “money” and “fame. So, here is a very brief definition of each of them: Success Ingredient # 1: Money/Financial Success: Some amount of financial return (money) for the hard work we put into creating and publishing our books; and, Success Ingredient # 2: Fame/Critical Acclaim: Critical-acclaim for ourselves and for our books (fame), from our peers, co-workers, readers, family, etc. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #86 Here are my personal definitions of these two terms, from my perspective as a self-publisher: Definition # 1. Financial Success: We all want or need more money. And it would be really nice to be able to develop a steady stream of never-ending income from our books. But, unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of self-publishers make little or no money from self-publishing. And only a few make a decent part-time living doing it. Even fewer make a full-time living at it. But, you must also realize that for most people, making money directly from the book alone is only one of many reasons to get involved with self-publishing. It is not uncommon for a non-fiction book that we have written to help us achieve financial success in other indirect ways. For example, some of us want to self-publish as a way to promote our own business. Some want to advance their career by gaining credibility in their chosen field – and credibility certainly helps bring and hold onto new business. Some might want to build a nice little side-business to supplement their current career or do during retirement. Many of these reasons might be much more important to a self-publisher than making money directly from the sales of their book on Amazon. Nowadays, having a book published is an amazing and powerful way to separate you from the crowd. Despite the fact that it's much easier and less expensive now, more than ever before, most people still don't make the effort to publish a book. Doing so can give you a nice competitive advantage. Definition # 2. Critical-Acclaim: We all want or need a certain amount of fame. Here I'm using the term “fame” as a blanket term for all types of positive approval, or praise, or good reputation for our professional work, our book, and our ability to help others. As authors, we greatly desire to be seen as highly credible in our book...

Synopsis In order for a book foreword to give a book a substantial strategic advantage over all the other books competing for the same audience, it must be written by someone with a high level of believable credibility. And this credibility must be backed-up by a combination of objective and subjective characteristics at the same time. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn how and why objective and subjective characteristics help a person's credibility. 2. You will learn about some of these characteristics. 3. You will learn some of the most important traits of a good foreword author. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #84 Introduction In order for a book foreword to give a book a substantial strategic advantage over all the other books competing for the same audience, it must be written by someone with a high level of believable credibility. And this credibility must be backed up by a combination of objective and subjective attributes at the same time. These elements work together, hand-in-hand, to build a person's credibility persona. We all size up a person by analyzing and weighing all of these characteristics. Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to https://kunzonpublishing.com/ with this graphic. What Characteristics Help Build Credibility? 1. Objective characteristics (provable facts) such as college degrees, job title, books written, achievements and awards, and membership in specific organizations, and so on. 2. Subjective characteristics (gut feelings) such as emotional character and intelligence, how someone dresses and speaks, how likable they are, their optimism, confidence, and how they relate to an audience, and so on. What Makes A Good Foreword Author? Credibility. A good foreword author is someone who is considered a known, credible expert in the general topic a book is written about. This can be a well-established author in the same genre, a well-established and well-known expert, a professor or speaker teaching the same topic, or someone with significant achievements in their work or private life. And they must understand the important role a book foreword can and must play in the overall success of a book. “A book foreword written by the right person can give you a strategic advantage over all other authors.” (Tweet) Established Experts Are In Great Demand Well-established, highly accomplished, and very credible people are in great demand – by the media, other businesses, and by authors like you and me, that need a book foreword. They're also very busy with their own books, businesses, and projects. In fact, the more established a person or expert is in a field, the more likely they are getting bombarded by requests to write someone's book foreword or provide a testimonial. As a result, most of the requests will get turned down. For these reasons, getting one of these credible experts to write your book's foreword will immediately make you and your book stand out from the crowd. Conclusion You must never forget that a book foreword is essentially a marketing tool for your non-fiction book. Even if the book is well written, and has an amazingly attractive cover, without credibility, the book will not achieve the critical success or financial success that you're seeking. Therefore, it's critical that the right person be found and convinced to write the book foreword. Then, both the book's foreword author, and the book's author, will benefit in many positive ways. Questions For Us To Think About And Discuss 1. How were you able to find and convince a “highly credible person” to write your book's foreword? 2. What advice can you give us about finding a person like this for our book? • This article also appears in Joel Friedlander's online publication Carnival of the Indies – Issue #84 The Strategic Advantage Of A Credible Book Foreword...

Synopsis Here is an explanation of the differences between the two main types of paperback books: mass-market paperbacks and trade paperbacks. As a self-publisher, these are the two formats that you'll be typically dealing with most often. Therefore, you need to be familiar with and understand the similarities and differences between them. So, here is a quick discussion and explanation of mass-market paperbacks and trade paperbacks. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn the significant characteristics of mass-market paperback books and a trade paperback books. 2. You will learn how each type of these paperbacks are similar and different. 3. You will learn how British paperback books compare to America's paperbacks. Introduction In the USA, the most common formats for fiction and non-fiction printed books fall into three main categories: 1. Hardcover; 2. Trade paperback; and, 3. Mass-market paperback. Each of them can then be broken down into several more categories. But here, we're concerned with understanding the differences between the two types of paperbacks. As a self-publisher, these are the two formats that you'll be typically dealing with most often. Therefore, you need to be familiar with and understand the similarities and differences between them. Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to https://kunzonpublishing.com/ with this graphic. Here is a quick discussion and explanation of mass-market paperbacks and trade paperbacks: 1. Mass-Market Paperback Books Overview For the masses on a budget. A mass-market paperback is a small, usually non-illustrated, and less-expensive bookbinding format. The standard size is 6.75” tall x 4.25” wide, and frequently uses a font, leading (pronounced: ledding), and line spacing that's smaller. When the big publishing companies sell them, they're frequently released after the hardcover edition. And, they're most known for being sold in non-traditional bookselling locations such as airports, newsstands, drug stores, and supermarkets, etc. Some people refer to them informally as “pocketbooks.” Examples of mass-market fiction and non-fiction paperback books. A. Sales And Distribution The books that are in the non-traditional locations are generally within the periodical-distribution industry. These books are distributed by the same companies that are placing magazines in these locations. Conversely, the trade paperbacks are distributed by book wholesalers and distributors – or trade channels – hence the name “trade paperback.” Title page of a mass-market paperback book. The paragraph in the middle discusses the cover and what happens when a book is stripped. B. Strippable Vs. Non-Strippable Mass-market paperbacks are also distinguished from hardcover and trade by the different business practices that publishers and booksellers apply to them. Mass-markets are “strippable.” This means that bookstores can rip off the front cover and return only the cover for full credit from the distributor. The book retailers are supposed to destroy the rest of the book. Inversely, trade paperbacks are not strippable. Therefore, the book retailers must return the entire book, not just the cover. “Understanding the differences between ‘mass-market paperback' and ‘trade paperback' formats will help you start to feel and sound like a real book publisher.” (Tweet) C. Self-Publishers When self-publishers publish their fiction books, they're typically only released in the mass-market format. These books will most commonly never receive a hardcover printing. This format helps keep the cover price down, making these books more attractive to a broader audience in a very competitive market. 2. Trade Paperback Books Overview Trade paperbacks are the less expensive version of the hardcover edition. They usually have a thicker cover than the mass-market books. They're typically the same size as the hardcover books,...

Synopsis Testimonials are a very effective way to get more clients and customers, and sell more books. As a business person, self-publisher, and author, you must understand what characteristics make up a great testimonial. So here I give you a list of five ingredients, and six examples, that can help you make a great testimonial, which will help get you more clients and customers, and sell more books. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn about the five essential ingredients that go into making a great testimonial. 2. You will learn what these ingredients might look like when used in an actual testimonial. 3. You will learn that you don't need a lot of testimonials in order to get new business. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #83 Introduction Testimonials are a very effective way to get more clients and customers and sell more books. Most people don't even bother to get testimonials from their clients and customers. And many that do only get mediocre testimonials. As a business person, self-publisher, and author, you must understand what characteristics make up a great testimonial. Here I give you a list of five ingredients, and six examples, that can help you make a great testimonial, which will help get you more clients and customers, and sell more books: Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to https://kunzonpublishing.com/ with this graphic. Item # 1. It should explain to your buying audience about how they will benefit from reading your book. Item # 2. It should speak directly and specifically to your audience's needs (the reasons that they are thinking about buying your book). Item # 3. They are short and get directly to the point in just a few sentences. Item # 4. They are signed with a customer's name, title, employer, city, and state. Item # 5. The ultimate testimonial will also have the customer's headshot attached to it. Here are six examples, with all made-up names and companies, to give you an idea of what a great customer testimonial statement should look like: Great Customer Testimonials Must Contain The Following Items: Customer Testimonial #1: “Michele's book helped me finally understand ACLS. Her book made it so clear and easy to understand. Reading Michele's book and watching her YouTube videos made studying for the exam fun and easy. It was almost as if I had Michele right next to me helping me study. Because of her book, I was no longer falling behind in my studies, and was finally able to pass the AHA certification exam on my first attempt.” Sandy Squire, RN, ANP, Palm University Hospital, Bikini Bottom, FL, SuperAmazingNurse.com “Testimonials are a very effective way to get more clients and customers, and sell more books.” Tweet) Customer Testimonial #2: “Michele's book is very well done. The minute I started reading it, I knew it was exactly what I was looking for. I have studied for and taken the ACLS and BLS certification exam in the past – but I always had trouble memorizing all the essential information – even after the exam is over. This book is clear and concise and offers much more information than I expected. Thank you and I am looking forward to using your PALS book." Heidi Miller, Meteorite Springs University Memorial Hospital, Meteorite Springs, CO Customer Testimonial #3: "Michele and Joe - you have no idea how much you have helped me and how much time you have saved me. The question and answer with explanation format is the best way to study and remember the information. Your book made studying for the AHA certification exams a breeze. Thank you very much." Jose MacMillan, RN, Director of Nursing Staff, Perth Surgi-Center, Los Angeles, California Linkedin - Great Customer Testimonial Statements Customer Testimonial #4: “I would actually like to take the time to thank you both.

Synopsis Whether your book's dedication is only a few sentences or an entire paragraph, you shouldn't miss this opportunity to give the reader a small look into your life's story. Here are a variety of book dedications that will help you to start to formulate your own. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn that a book dedication can become a marketing opportunity when written properly. 2. You will learn that the dedication has the ability to reach out and make an emotional connection with the reader. 3. You will learn that a powerful dedication is not difficult to formulate, and if written with some forethought, can very quickly set you and your book apart from many others. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #83 Introduction I have always been fascinated by book dedications. Unfortunately, most books don't have them. And many of the books that do have one, the dedication is usually too simple and cryptic to understand. Some lame examples are: “To my wife;” or “To Betty.” But luckily, some dedications will give you a peek into the life of the author. They will give us a slight hint at a personal story or relationship that we will probably never get to learn more about. Despite that, I always enjoyed finding a book dedication that made an effort to honor someone that had an impact on the author's life. But, at the same time, it is especially nice to find a dedication that can also reach out to me and make an emotional connection. Here are a variety of book dedications that will help you to start to formulate your own powerful, insightful, and interesting dedication: 1. Dedication (appreciation, hope) We dedicate this book to healthcare professionals everywhere who have dedicated their lives to helping those in need; and, To healthcare students who do not yet realize the potential and importance of the career they have chosen; and, To our students all over Long Island and New York City (and those that have spread out over the 50 states), and our readers all over the world, that work every day at making their career a success and our world a much better place in which to live; and, Finally, we dedicate this book to you all with our love, appreciation, and thanks for allowing us to be a part of your lives. Linkedin - Book Dedications To Spur Your Imagination 2. Dedication (honor, reverence) We dedicate this book to those who lost their life on 9/11/01; and also to those who have given their life in the Global War Against Terrorism. 3. Publisher's Dedication (hope, encouragement) This book is dedicated to every person, young and old, employed and unemployed, educated and uneducated, that dreams of becoming financially independent and building a happy, successful, and rewarding life, but is too intimidated to take that first step. It is the hope and dream of the Dickson Keanaghan family that this book might be that first step. The Dickson Keanaghan Family Long Island, New York, 2010 4. Dedication (predictable, sentimental) I dedicate this book to my wife, Michele, who has been my partner in life and business, since 1984. 5. Dedication (sentimental) To my wife Michele – it's a privilege to share my business, life, and love with you. To my children Eric and Erin – your growth provides a constant source of joy and pride. “Don't underestimate the power of the dedication to help you make a connection with your readers.” (Tweet) 6. Dedication (explanation, friendship) To Mom, who pushed me to “do”; To Dad, who loved me even when I didn't; And to Mary, who after 35 years has given me unconditional friendship and love. 7. Dedication (general, simple) This book is dedicated to the mentors, friends, and family of Dickson Keanaghan: John Doe, Jane Smith, Bob Squarepants, Jennifer Johnson, and Peter Pickles. 8. Dedication (hope) To my children Eric and Erin,

Click here to download this PDF ebook               Synopsis Here is a list of important questions that you should think about to help you make sure that you have written a full and complete foreword. Not all questions here will apply to your foreword. But, these 26 questions should help you to take a critical look at what you have written, and help you fine-tune your foreword. “This article will act as a review for seasoned writers. For those writing their first foreword, it is a must. I plan to give this (article) to any expert I ask to write a foreword in the future.” Carolyn Howard-Johnson, award-winning author HowToDoItFrugally.com What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn what questions you should be asking yourself before writing a book's foreword. 2. You will learn that the reader's wants and needs come first - before your need for self-promotion. 3. You will learn what the basic format of a book's foreword should look like. Introduction Here is a list of important questions that you should think about to help you make sure that you have written a full and complete foreword. Not all questions here will apply to your foreword. But, these 26 questions should help you to take a critical look at what you have written, and help you fine-tune your foreword. When answering these questions, you must keep in mind that a book's foreword is essential for a book's critical and financial success. The foreword will play an essential role in the marketing of the book. And, as the foreword author, you will also be using this foreword for your own marketing and promotion. A. The Initial Questions 1. Did you read the book? 2. And understand it? B. The First Section 3. Does the first section of your foreword explain how you know the author of the book? 4. Do you explain your connection to the book's author? 5. Do you know the author personally? How and why? 6. Do you introduce yourself to the reader in the first section? 7. Did you tell readers why you are qualified to be writing the foreword? 8. Do you tell the readers what you are famous for? Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #82 C. The Second Section 9. Does the second section show why the author is a credible person to have written this book? 10. Do you explain the contents of the book to the reader? 11. Do you explain the benefits of reading this book? 12. Did you explain why this book should be relevant to the reader? 13. Do you connect the book's content to experiences or feelings that the reader can identify with? 14. Do you mention some of the good points of the book? 15. Do you give a very brief synopsis of the book? 16. Did you use any anecdotes about the book and the author? 17. Did you use a real-world example that illustrates the theme of the book? “The foreword will play an essential role in the marketing of your book.” (Tweet) D. The Conclusion 18. Does the conclusion remind the reader why you are writing the foreword? 19. And why it matters? 20. Do you bring the foreword full circle by referencing something from the first section? E. Signing Your Name 21. Did you put your name, title, and location at the end of the foreword? 22. Did you include your own book's title? Linkedin - How To Write A Book Foreword: A Checklist F. Additional Questions 23. Throughout the foreword did you keep the tone simple and personal, but keep your writing tight? 24. Did you make sure your foreword has a beginning, middle, and end? 25. Did you make sure that each section has a beginning, middle, and end? 26. Did you spell check several times? Conclusion At first glance, these questions might appear too simple. And, maybe for a very experienced writer or someone that has written many forewords, they are too obvious. But 99 percent of writers have never written a book's foreword. And,

Synopsis Understanding how online and offline marketing channels can work together is essential for your book's financial success. These channels, if consistently used together, can help you as an author achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. It will also help your book build a continuous stream of income. Here is a short discussion and explanation about book marketing channels, and how they can help you become a more successful author. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn the differences between marketing channels and sales channels. 2. You will learn the differences and similarities between marketing channels that you control, and the ones that you don't completely control. 3. You will learn how and why utilizing online and offline marketing channels at the same time is essential in order to build a powerful and profitable marketing plan. Introduction Understanding how online and offline marketing channels can work together is essential for your book's financial success. These channels, if consistently used together, can help you as an author achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. It will also help your book build a continuous stream of income. Here is a short discussion and explanation about book marketing channels, and how they can help you become a more successful author: Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #82 What Is A “Marketing Channel”? Here is the quick explanation: A marketing channel simply refers to the places where you can interact with your audience. Each of these places, or channels, allows you to show your audience that you have a love for, and expertise in, your particular micro-niche. These channels also give you and your audience a direct way to listen to each other and share information. This listening and sharing process is how meaningful, long-lasting, and profitable relationships are built between you and your audience. How Is A “Marketing Channel” Different From A “Sales Channel”? Here is the quick explanation: A sales channel simply refers to the way your books are brought to, and sold to, the book buyers, or the end consumers. These channels include online bookstores, brick-and-mortar book stores, book distributors, wholesalers, and so on. These are typically called indirect sales channels. But, if you are selling your book directly from your home or office, you are also part of the sales channel. This would be called a direct sales channel. There are two major ways to look at the different categories of marketing channels available to book marketers. These are 1. online marketing channels, and 2. offline marketing channels. Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to "KunzOnPublishing.com" with this graphic. 1. Online Marketing Channels 1.a. The Online Marketing Channels You Control What online methods, or outlets, are you going to use to talk to your audience? And show them you have something to say? This could, and should, involve your blog, article marketing, guest posting, podcasting, making videos, using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. All of these channels would become part of your social media marketing efforts, also known as your author platform. 1.b. The Online Marketing Channels You Don't Control Other online marketing channels include those that you don't have direct control over. Such as blogs and websites that share or repost your blog posts. This also includes reviews of your book that are written and posted on other blogs. Or other bloggers that quote you or your book in their own blog posts. Or they share your infographics, or SlideShare decks, or videos, etc. “Using online/offline marketing channels together creates a powerful/profitable way to market your books.” (Tweet) 2. Offline Marketing Channels Offline channels can also directly affect your online marketing and sales.

Synopsis Helping book shoppers through the 3 stages of the buying cycle can dramatically improve your chances of making more book sales. If you understand what these 3 stages are about, and where the book shoppers are within that cycle, you will be able to fine-tune your marketing efforts and make them more effective and improve your book sales. Here is a quick explanation of the 3 stages of the buying cycle. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn about the 3 stages of the book-buying cycle. 2. You will learn why you must understand this cycle, and how it can help you sell more books. 3. You will learn ways to help the book buyer to move smoothly through the cycle. Introduction Helping book shoppers, and your current followers, through the 3 stages of the buying cycle can dramatically improve your chances of making more book sales. If you understand what these 3 stages are about, and where the book shoppers are within that cycle, you will be able to fine-tune your marketing efforts, make them more effective, and improve your book sales. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #80 What Is The Buying Cycle? The buying cycle is simply the thought process, or stages, that shoppers travel through before making a final decision about what they will purchase, who they will purchase it from, and how much they will pay for it. Every shopper goes through these stages. These purchase decisions can take a few minutes, to many months, depending on what is being purchased. For example, a 99-cent ebook might take a book buyer one minute to make the decision to purchase. But a $25 book might take a few days. But as the author, you can provide information to your readers that will help them through the buying cycle, which will help persuade them that you are the best one to help them with their needs and wants. Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to https://kunzonpublishing.com with this graphic. A Buying Cycle Analogy Look at the three stages like the dating process. Think of the book-buyer as someone that you are interested in dating. First, you want them to notice you, and realize that you are looking for a relationship. Secondly, while they are shopping around for a relationship, and checking out other potential people to date, you are doing your best to show that person that you are a trustworthy and likable person to date. The buyer keeps shopping around, but you keep giving them more proof that you are the best one to choose. You even go so far as to get your friends to give them a review of you and tell them what you are really all about. You try to impress them even more by cooking them fancy dinners, taking them to fancy restaurants, and so on. And finally, they eventually choose you over all the others that they dated because they realize that you are so much more of a good catch. That you tried harder to impress them and gain their friendship more than anyone else did. They now make the final commitment to you because they believe that you know and understand what they are looking for in a relationship better than anyone else does. Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to https://kunzonpublishing.com with this graphic. Here Is An Overview Of The 3-Stages Of The Buying Cycle: Stage # 1. Brand And Problem Awareness In this initial stage, the consumer might or might not even know about you or your book. They also might, or might not, be aware of a need or problem that they have. But in this stage, they are starting to realize that they have a need that they might want to fulfill or get help with a problem. They might have even come across your website by chance, and now realize that they have an interest in what you are saying because you and your words have stirred something inside them. Thank you very much to author Al Galasso, of NABE,

Synopsis Sell sheets have a simple mission. To Sell More Books. They're really just a way to showcase the benefits of your book in a concise and impelling way. And if your sell sheet is created and utilized skillfully, it can become a powerful marketing tool – especially when it's included as part of your media kit. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn the three most important steps to creating an effective sell sheet. 2. You will learn how important it is to your own financial success to study the sell sheets of other books and authors that are successful. 3.You will learn how imperative it is for you to ALWAYS keep the reader in mind. Introduction Sell sheets have a simple mission. To Sell More Books. They're really just a way to showcase the benefits of your book in a concise and impelling way. And if your sell sheet is created and utilized skillfully, it can become a powerful marketing tool – especially when it's included as part of your media kit. But in spite of the fact that it has a simple mission, is only 8.5” x 11”, and not overly difficult to create, many sell sheets that I see are still not very good. So, here's how to start creating a winning sell sheet for your book: Step # 1. Look At The Sell Sheets Of Other Books It's easy to search Google Images to find sell sheets to look at. If your book is non-fiction, for example, find the sell sheets of non-fiction books. Try to find books that are similar to yours. See what images, and colors, and copy are being used. How are they communicating their message about the book they are selling? How many images are they using? How big are those images on the page? How much white space is on the page? What are the hot points about their book that they are spending the most time on? Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #79 Are they using bullet points? How are they displaying the information? Is the author's head-shot included? Are there any testimonials? Are they using a one-line benefit statement on the top of the page? How is their contact information displayed? If you answer these questions, you will start to learn the differences between an ineffective sell sheet, and one that has the ability to capture the attention of the reader and sell more books. Step # 2. Keep The Reader In Mind Identifying and addressing the reader's needs is the most fundamental concept in book marketing. Your sell sheet will be a complete failure if their needs are not discussed in a convincing way. The reader must truly believe that you have the answers they are looking for. You will not sell books without accomplishing this. Your sell sheet must address these needs quickly and directly. Readers don't have the time or patience for long-winded and flowery sentences. “Identifying and addressing the reader's needs is the most fundamental concept in book marketing.” (Tweet) And they don't have any tolerance for ambiguous or deceptive language. Readers are way too sophisticated for this. They want to quickly understand how your book will benefit them. If you genuinely did the research for your book, and indeed understand your topic, you will certainly understand who the readers are for your book. Therefore, you should easily be able to write copy that shows the readers that you understand them and that you are the one that can help them solve their problems. This will unequivocally help you make an emotional connection with the reader, which will help you sell more books. Springtime in NYC. Taken from the Manhattan Bridge, showing the Brooklyn Bridge and lower Manhattan, by Eric J. Kunz Step # 3. Include A Great Cover Image Having an eye-catching and pleasant-looking book cover is important for many different reasons. Most of the marketing reasons are probably apparent to you already. But, including an image of your book's cover can also help to m...

Synopsis Tweetables can be a very practical and powerful way to improve the number of social shares that you can receive for your blog posts. Here I show you what they about, how they are typically used, and what they should look like. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn what a “tweetable” is all about. 2. You will learn some great reasons why you should be using them on your blog posts. 3. You will learn how and why tweetables can and should become a powerful part of your social media marketing plan. Introduction Many of us have seen tweetables used on blog posts, but not always sure what they are about. I've seen them but wasn't exactly sure what they were used for or how they helped a blog writer. Many times, I've found myself afraid to click on them because they looked too much like an advertisement. Because of this belief, I just avoided them, and instead shared any post that I liked by using the regular Twitter share button that was found on the particular blog post. But after I accidentally found out what they were called, I was able to research them and discover what they were really all about. I have since come to realize just how useful and powerful they can be if used properly. So, I wrote this blog post to share with you some of the information I have learned about tweetables. A. What Is A Tweetable? It's a short statement, quote, sentence, or comment that can be embedded into a blog post. It's designed, or formatted, in such a way that the reader can click on your quote, and it will be immediately shared on that person's Twitter feed. B.Why Add Tweetable Links To Your Blog Post? You might typically tweet the title of your blog post, which links back to that specific post. But using a short quote from your blog post can sometimes be more intriguing than your post's own title. This tweetable quote gives you a second way to share a tweet with your Twitter followers. In addition to this, a tweetable quote makes it painless and fast for your readers to click on the tweetable link in your post, and instantly share your quote on their Twitter timeline. “Tweetables are a practical and powerful way to improve the number of social shares that you can receive.” (Tweet) C. It Is Not The Typical Social Share Button Your blog posts most likely already have social share buttons. These are typically made up of little icon buttons that your readers can click on and share your blog post on social media sites. The most common examples of these might be Linkedin, Twitter, Reddit, Google+, Facebook, and Pinterest. D. It Provides An Additional Way For Readers To Share Your Post What makes the tweetable so attractive is that when it's embedded into your post, it gives your readers an alternative way to share your post. For example, the reader might like you and therefore share your post using one of the social share buttons. They might like your post's title or the content, and then share your post for these reasons. But the tweetable quote, or comment, or sentence, gives them an extra reason to share your post. E. What Is A Simple Easy Strategy For Using Tweetables? A basic easy to accomplish strategy might be to: 1. Tweet your new blog post, using the title of the post in the tweet. You would simply click on your own Twitter social share button that is showing on that blog post. At a minimum, you should send this initial tweet after you post your article on your blog. 2. Then, either later that day, or the next day, click on your own tweetable quote that is embedded in your blog post. 3. Occasionally, re-tweet both again, separated by hours or days. F. What Does A Tweetable Look Like? Here is how a very basic tweetable might look in your blog post:The completed tweetable as it appears in my blog post. Conclusion When done properly, and used consistently, tweetables can be a very practical and powerful way to improve the number of social shares that you can receiv...

Synopsis Here are three simple steps that I follow in order to create and embed a tweetable quote into my blog posts. The entire process is fast, easy, and free. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn how to add a tweetable to you blog post without a plugin. 2. You will learn how to create a tweetable in 3 easy steps using free websites. 3. You will learn how to create a bitlink, which is essential for every blogger to know about and use. Introduction I just recently learned about “tweetables.” I've seen them before but didn't know much about them. So, my first step was to research what they are about, and how to use them. And since I use WordPress to manage my blog, my second step was to find a plugin that would help make a tweetable. But when I tried to add the most popular plugins for this, none of the them would work with my WordPress theme. So I did some more research, took a bunch of notes, and figured out how to create them without using a plugin. I've been able to reduce the process down to three fast, easy, and free steps. Here are three simple steps that I follow in order to create and embed a tweetable quote into my blog posts: Bitly is a tool to shorten long url's making them easier to share on social media. The shortened link is called a Bitlink.Step # 1. Open Bitly.com Place the full link address of your blog post into Bitly. Example: Before Bitly, the long version: (Copy and paste your post link into Bitly to create a BitLink) https://kunzonpublishing.co/2016/09/what-is-niche-and-micro-niche-publishing-2/ After Bitly, the short version: (You will need to copy and paste this new link into the text box on ClickToTweet) http://bit.ly/2iDDJamm ClickToTweet is a tool that is used to create a tweetable, which makes it easier for reader's to share your content.Step # 2. Open ClickToTweet.com Click “Basic Link,” and paste the following items into the text box on ClickToTweet: Item # 1. Add the quotation: Book sell sheets are an essential and integral part of a book's marketing and publicity plans. Item # 2. Paste the shortened Bitly version of the link address of the post: http://bit.ly/2iDDJamm Item # 3. Add your Twitter screen name: @jckunzjr Item # 4. Add hashtags if there is any room left: (Remember, the 140 characters and spaces limit for Twitter) #selfpublishing #bookmarketing Completed Example: Niche and micro-niche marketing are essential and powerful ingredients for the success of your book. http://bit.ly/2iDDJamm @jckunzjr Now that this is done, uncheck the box to prove that you are human, and then click “Generate New Link” ClickToTweet is a tool that is used to create a tweetable, which makes it easier for reader's to share your content.Step # 3. Place Tweetable Into Blog Post Take the URL code that ClickToTweet gives you, and paste it into your blog post in the appropriate place: Example: (For the purposes of this blog post that you are reading, I had to slightly change the URL to get it to display properly in this post) Niche and micro-niche marketing are essential and powerful ingredients for the success of your book. href="http://tt.ec/R8Pml" target="_blank">(CLICK to tweet this quote) Item # 1. You replace my code: http://tt.ec/R8Pml, with your own that ClickToTweet gives you. Make sure you leave the quotes in. Item # 2. target="_blank" this means that when someone clicks on your link, it will open Twitter in a new tab/page, and leave your blog post open in its own tab/page. Item # 3. (CLICK to tweet this quote) this text can be replaced with whatever you want it to say. You do not need the parenthesis. The url code for the tweetable placed into my Wordpress blog post.Conclusion That wasn't so bad, was it? After you do it a few times, you'll be able to do this very fast. If your WordPress theme accepts the plugins to help you create tweetables, it'll be even easier and faster.

Synopsis Protecting your computer's data files is something every self-publisher must know about and deal with before it's too late. Therefore, it's essential that you keep the backup process simple and automatic. It's also imperative to create multiple copies, on-site, and off-site. Here's a run-down of how we do this in our office. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn how create a simple and inexpensive way to back-up your computer data. 2. You will learn how make the entire process automatic. 3. You will learn why it is imperative to use multiple methods of back-up. Introduction Protecting your computer's data files is something every self-publisher must know about and deal with before it's too late. And it's not a complicated or expensive process. It can be as simple as having an external hard drive and using cloud storage. No special knowledge or fancy equipment is needed. And, the process is very easy to automate. But it's essential that you keep the backup process simple and automatic. It's also imperative to create multiple copies, on-site, and off-site. Here is a run-down of how we manage our data storage in our office: A. Using An External Hard Drive For Data Backup We started out using one external hard drive in our office. This is the most basic and easiest way to protect your data that's located on your internal hard drive. We currently use several brand-name 2TB external hard drives. Make sure that you purchase a hard drive that can store 50 to 100% more data than is currently on your computer's internal hard drive. Purchase only the correct size that you need now, and then upgrade with a newer and larger unit when you need it. We purchased an external USB hard drive that is physically very small in size - about 3" x 4" x 0.5". This gives us an easy way to put the hard drive into our fire-proof safe, or safety deposit box, or take it with us on a working vacation. B. Using Multiple External Hard Drives For Data Backup We now use multiple external USB hard drives. This way even if one drive fails, we would still have several others still working. All hard drives will eventually fail – and fail when you least expect it. Multiple hard drives help reduce our risk of this type of exposure. “A small-business data backup-strategy is really about mitigating the risk of losing data, and not a guarantee of total protection.” (Tweet) C. Using Cloud Storage For Data Backup Storing your data online is called “cloud storage”. You should consider using cloud storage because it's a safe and simple way to store your files away from your office – where they can't be stolen from your office, lost or mistakenly deleted by you, or burned up in a fire. And you can access these files that are stored “in the cloud,” whether you are in your home, office, or on vacation. There are many cloud storage companies, and all are easy to find on the internet. Many offer some basic storage for free. There are also many reviews and comparisons of the different services on the internet. Some companies will even automatically backup your data to an external hard drive and, at the same time, also to the cloud. Play it safe and pick one of the big-name cloud storage companies to deal with for your business. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #77D. Isn't Backing Up To The Cloud Risky? Your data will be stored in an encrypted format when it's backed up to the cloud at the storage company, which should prevent most hackers from accessing your data. If you require a greater level of security, you can use your own private encryption key to further reduce possible exposure to data intrusion. The likelihood of a server like Apple's, or Amazon's, or Google's going down is far less than the possibility that your own hard drive or local backup will fail. E. Working Away From Home Or Office

Synopsis Book sell sheets are an essential and integral part of a book's marketing and publicity plans. For this reason, it is important for you to understand what goes into a great sell sheet. So, to help you get a firm handle on the basics, here is a list of terminology that you will need to know when preparing your sell sheet for your book's marketing plan. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn the terminology of the items that will be included on your sell sheet. 2. You will learn marketing terminology that you need to know when deciding how to use your sell sheet. 3.You will learn printing terminology that you need to know before sending your sell sheet to the printer. Introduction Book sell sheets are an essential and integral part of a book's marketing and publicity plans. And having a professional-looking sell sheet can easily and quickly distinguish you and your book from the others. Book retailers, wholesalers, libraries, news outlets, and book reviewers, are all overwhelmed with the number of sell sheets that they receive from authors and publishers. Thank you very much to author Malcolm R. Campbell for quoting my blog post. Therefore, you must design your sell sheet to help you stand out from the crowd. For this reason, it's important for you to understand what goes into a great sell sheet. So, to help you get a firm handle on the basics, here is a list of terminology that you will need to know when preparing your sell sheet for your book's marketing plan. Here are three short lists of typical and essential items: A. that will be included on your sell sheet; B. some marketing terms that you need to know when deciding how to use your sell sheet; and, C. some printing terminology you need to know before sending your document to the printer: A. Sell sheet terminology for items that are typically included on the sell sheet: • Author Name: Your name as it will appear on your book's cover. • Author Photograph: If you have enough room, include a high-resolution photo; make sure that it is easy to see, and that you look great in it. • Available From: Ingram, Baker and Taylor, Amazon, for example. • Call-To-Action: You must tell the reader what you want them to do, such as telling them to visit your website, or your Amazon author page, or YouTube video page, etc. • Category: List the shelving category (BISG category heading), or subject of your book. • Co-Author Name: If you have one. • Description: A short, but enticing, description about your book. • Foreword Author: This person typically has a well-known name, so if this is true, include it. “Book sell sheets are an essential and integral part of a book's marketing and publicity plans.” (Tweet) • Format: Trade paperback, hardcover, pdf, mobi, etc. • ISBN 13: The standard book number assigned to your book. • Marketing Plans: Retailers need to see how much effort and money you will be putting into your book's marketing, such as for targeted internet. advertising, direct mail and email marketing, co-operative catalogs and trade show exhibits, social media marketing, and video marketing. • Picture/Image: A high-resolution picture or image of your book. • Pages: The total number of pages between the covers. • Price: The cover price. • Publication Date: The date your book will be available for purchase. • Quotes/Testimonials/Blurbs: This is important, especially if you have great ones to use. • Title: The full title, including the sub-title. • Trim: The dimensions of your book (5.5”x8.5”, 8.5”x11”, 6”x9”). Linkedin - Sell Sheet Terminology For New Self-PublishersB. Marketing terminology that you will need to know when deciding how to use your sell sheet: • Co-Operative Catalogs: Some self-publishing industry groups issue co-op catalogs that get sent to book retailers. • Direct Mail: Sending your book's sell sheet directly to book stores and book reviewers, etc.

Synopsis In order to become a successful self-publisher, you will need to devote a large part of your life to marketing. This will encompass marketing yourself, as well as your book. Understanding these five ingredients will ensure that your book marketing efforts will be a success, and lead to more book sales, more fans, more followers, and more clients. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn about the five fundamental ingredients of successful book marketing. 2. You will learn why credibility is the most fundamental ingredient for building an audience and selling books. 3. You will learn that all five ingredients working together will help your audience start to trust you. Introduction In order to become a successful self-publisher, you will need to devote a large part of your life to marketing. This will encompass marketing yourself, as well as your book. Like most self-publishers, you the author, and your brand, go hand-in-hand with that of your book. You will quickly learn that writing your book was only the beginning of a long and interesting journey. So, with that in mind, always keep these five basic ingredients in your thoughts when you're marketing and promoting your book. Understanding them will ensure that your book marketing efforts will be a success, and lead to more book sales, more fans, more followers, and more clients. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #76Ingredient # 1. Credibility Credibility is everything for a successful author. You, the author, are the product as much as the book is, so never claim to be what you are not or promise what you can't deliver. A clever marketing pitch may initially get their attention, but ultimately you must deliver on your promises. Your failure to deliver can alienate your audience. “In order to become a successful self-publisher, you will need to devote a large part of your life to marketing.” (Tweet) Ingredient # 2. Emotional Connection Making an emotional connection with the reader is imperative. People want to buy from those that they feel a connection to. All of your marketing materials, media kit, blog, website, videos, articles, etc. will all contribute to helping you make an emotional connection with your audience. Ingredient # 3. Look Professional Every piece of your marketing material must look like it was designed by a professional. If you want to be taken seriously by your audience and peers, you must look the part. If you look professional, and all of your marketing materials look professional, and your book looks professionally produced, your audience will start to trust you and believe your message. Looking the part is an easy first step to help you build credibility. Thank you very much to Lynnette Phillips for posting and linking to my article Ingredient # 4. Understand Audience A successful author must understand the needs and problems of his/her audience. Your audience must believe that you understand their problems and needs, and have the solutions for them. The more that they believe this, the more books you will sell. This goes hand-in-hand with making an emotional connection with your audience. Linkedin - The 5 Basic Ingredients Of Book MarketingIngredient # 5. Repetition All of your marketing materials must be used to their fullest extent, over and over again. Most prospects don't respond immediately to a single marketing communication, or perhaps even several of them. Repetition helps build familiarity, which in turn helps build credibility. “A successful author must understand the needs and problems of his/her audience.” (Tweet) Some prospects will start to recognize you and your book only after they've seen you over and over again. Gradually they come to recognize that you are stable, not just another fly-by-night operation, and will eventually start to develop enough trust to start doing business with...

Synopsis A sell sheet is a one-sheet flyer that gives some detailed information about a book and its author. Here is a short discussion of what a sell sheet is and is not, how to use it, and what information it should include. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. Learn how a sell sheet is defined, and how it compares to a press release. 2. Learn what the basic items are that must be included in a proper sell sheet. 3. Learn how to market your book with a sell sheet. Introduction What Is A Sell Sheet? A sell sheet (sometimes called a “one-sheet” or a “tip-sheet”) is a one-sheet flyer that gives some detailed information about a book and its author. The major point of a sell sheet is to convey your book's benefits in a short and concise manner. It's used to help you market your book directly to book buyers. It's typically used to promote and sell your book to retailers, wholesalers, and even consumers. The sell sheet should always be included in your book's media kit so that news outlets, book reviewers, and bookstores can have quick access to specific details about your book and your marketing plans. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #76How Does A Press Release Compare To A Sell Sheet? A press release and a sell sheet are two different marketing tools. A press release focuses on the news that you or your book is making. The press release is a way to share news-worthy information and is saying, “Hey, look at me, I have some news-worthy information to share with you.” Conversely, a sell sheet is more of an announcement that your book is out and available. The sell sheet is saying, “Hey, look at me, I have published a new book and I want you to buy it. Here is all the information that you need to know before buying my book.” Thank you to Elizabeth Spann Craig for sharing and linking to my post "Sell Sheets: A Guide For New Self-Publishers."What Must A Sell Sheet Include? • Picture/Image: A high-resolution picture or image of your book • Description: A short, but enticing, description about your book • Title: The full title, including the sub-title • Author Name: Your name here, as it appears on your cover, or website • Author Photograph: If you have enough room, include a photo • Co-Author Name: You guessed it, the co-author's name • Foreword Author: This person typically has a name bigger than your own, so if this is true, include it Sell Sheet Example• Category: List the shelving category (BISG category heading), or subject of your book • ISBN 13: The standard book number assigned to your book • Format: Trade paperback, hardcover, pdf, mobi • Publication Date: The date your book will be available for purchase • Pages: The number of pages of your book • Price: The cover price • Trim: The dimensions of your book (5.5”x8.5”, 8.5”x11”, 6”x9”) • Available from: Ingram, B&T, Amazon, for example • Marketing Plans: Targeted internet advertising; direct mail and email marketing; co-operative catalogs and trade show exhibits; social media marketing; video marketing • Quotes/Testimonials/Blurbs: This is important, especially if you have great ones to use • Call-To-Action: A statement such as “Visit MyBooksWebsiteDotCom for more info.” Thank you very much to book publishing expert and author Dr. Judith Briles, of TheBookShepherd.com, for sharing my blog post. Conclusion How Do You Market Your Book Using A Sell Sheet? When designed properly, the sell sheet will be like having a shortened version of your book's webpage. You must use your sell sheet to communicate as many useful and informative details as you can about your book – but without overdoing it. “Sell sheets should communicate as much useful and informative detail as possible – without overdoing it.” (Tweet) Be sure to put a call-to-action that asks the book buyer to call a phone number, or visit your website,

Synopsis Trying to get bookstores to accept your book and give it shelf space is very time-consuming, difficult to achieve, and can become very costly for the self-publisher. Here are ten good reasons that a new self-publisher should AVOID spending valuable time and money trying to get their book into brick-and-mortar bookstores. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn the main reasons that you should avoid selling your books to bookstores. 2. You will learn why most self-publishers will not make money selling through bookstores. 3. You will learn the two biggest reasons that bookstores don't want to sell self-published books. Introduction Trying to get bookstores to accept your book and give it shelf space is very time-consuming, difficult to achieve, and can become very costly for the self-publisher. Most bookstores are not anxious to get your book. And to make matters worse, as a small independent publisher, or self-publisher, you would be at the complete mercy of the bookstores. They set all of the terms, whether you like them or not. Thank you to Joel Friedlander for linking to this article from his website Carnival Of The Indies #28But even if you do everything they want, and spend lots of time and money in the process to get a bookstore to accept your book, and give it some self-space, there is no guarantee that they will sell your book. Here are ten practical good reasons that a new self-publisher should avoid spending valuable time and money trying to get their book into brick-and-mortar bookstores: Reason # 1. Bookstores Only Take Books That They Deem Will Sell More Than A Few Copies They will almost never believe that a self-published book will sell more than a few copies. They know that small publishers don't have the power, connections, budget, or time to execute a large and sophisticated marketing plan. Reason # 2. Bookstores Will Typically Order Less Than 10 Copies Even if they accept your book and agree to give it a few inches of shelf space, most bookstores will order less than ten copies at a time. Limited space in the stockroom is one reason. A second reason is that your book will only be given a short time to prove to the bookstore that the book will sell. If it doesn't sell, they will remove it from their shelf. “Avoid all of the hassles when you are starting as a self-publisher, and stay away from the bookstores.” (Tweet) Reason # 3. Bookstores Only Accept Books That Can Be Returned And they might return all of your books to you – and you must pay to get them back. Some big bookstore chains know that small publishers cannot afford to buy back the books. They will then offer to buy your books back for almost nothing, and then put your book on their discount table. Reason # 4. Bookstores Expect The Publisher To Pay For Shipping Both Ways This is a fact of life for the self-publisher that self-distributes. It's also time-consuming to package your books for shipping, and postage is expensive. Linkedin - 10 Reasons Self-Publishers Should Avoid Selling To BookstoresReason # 5. Bookstores Sell Very Few Books Compared To The Online Retailers This is especially true for self-publishers. Big-name well-established authors, and the biggest publishers, are the ones that get the best displays and locations in the bookstore. Reason # 6. Bookstores Physically Do Not Have Enough Room To Stock All Titles The small bookstores might stock 5,000 titles. The huge bookstores might stock 140,000 titles. Amazon stocks a few million titles. You will end up spending lots of time and money trying to get your book into bookstores, most of which simply do not have the physical space to store your book. Reason # 7. Bookstores Will Force You To Take Back All Of The Damaged Copies Your book will sit on the bookstore's shelf, get handled, bent, banged-up, etc., and then the bookstore will force you to take them back, and expect you pay for the return shipping.

Synopsis Your sell sheet is the equivalent of your book's resume. And, because of this, it can become a very powerful and profitable marketing tool. The five places on this list are where you can most quickly get your sell sheet to the actual audience for your book. These five are also the preeminent places where you should begin, in order to start utilizing your sell sheet for maximum impact. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn about five places to use your book's sell sheet for maximum impact. 2. You will learn how these five places can all work together to help give you a very powerful marketing plan. 3. You will learn that all five ways are easily within your grasp, and can be utilized almost immediately for a very low cost. Introduction Your sell sheet is the equivalent of your book's resume. And, because of this, it can become a very powerful and profitable marketing tool. The whole purpose behind creating a sell sheet is to tell the world about your book. In order to accomplish this, you must get your sell sheet into as many hands as possible. The five places on this list are where you can most quickly get your sell sheet to the actual audience for your book. These five are also the preeminent places where you should begin, in order to start utilizing your sell sheet for maximum impact. EzineArticles.com - 5 Profitable Ways To Use Your Book's Sell Sheet1. Media Kit A media kit is often referred to as a press kit. It's a set of promotional and marketing materials that are distributed to the media to create awareness of your new book. A sell sheet is an integral part of this media kit. Each and every book that you publish needs to have its own media kit. This kit needs to be very well prepared and complete, and viewable as a pdf. You can also have one basic media kit for all of your books, with an individualized sell sheet for each book. 2. Website Also include a link to a pdf of the sell sheet for each book that you publish, directly on the webpage for each book. Doing this will allow everyone to be able to easily and quickly find it and view it. Business2Community.com - 5 Profitable Ways To Use Your Product's Sell Sheet3. Email Marketing Email marketing is amazingly cheap, quick, and easy to implement. One of the best things about email is that it's trackable. This data can be used to analyze open rates, clicked links, and conversion details. All of this data can help you fine-tune your email content and message. Use email to stay in touch, and share your sell sheet with all of your leads, and your current customers. Email bookstore managers, library book-buyers, book reviewers, and print and online media about your new book. Linkedin - 5 Profitable Ways To Use Your Book's Sell Sheet4. Direct Mail Marketing Direct mail will get your sell sheet directly into the hands of potential book buyers. The very buyers that might not have been able to find you or your book in today's crowded book market in the first place. The sell sheet is also your chance to lead them to your website. This is where you must provide more marketing material for your book, and also impress them with information about you. Non-chain bookstores and library mail addresses can easily be found online. And your own customer mail list can also provide a great source of names and addresses. “Your sell sheet is like a resume and can become a very powerful and profitable marketing tool.” (Tweet) 5. Hand-Out Whenever you present at a conference, or have a set-up at a trade show, or teach a class, use the sell sheet as a hand-out. If you have an office that clients and prospects visit, leave the sell sheet at the receptionist's desk where it can easily be seen by all visitors. Conclusion If you start out by utilizing these five basic ways to get your sell sheet into the “right hands”, you will quickly make a great impression and increase your chances of selling more books,

Synopsis Anecdotes are an amazing literary device for writers, as well as marketers. They are a deceptively powerful writing and marketing tool. Here is a short discussion about anecdotes, and how to use them in a book's foreword to help make an emotional connection with the reader, and sell more books. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn what an anecdote is about, and how it can help you sell more books. 2. You will learn how to use anecdotes and how they can turn your book's foreword into a powerful marketing tool. 3. You will learn why I continually emphasize the fact that each part of your book, including the foreword, if planned out properly, can help you sell more books and get more clients. Introduction Anecdotes are an amazing literary device for writers, as well as marketers. They are a deceptively powerful writing and marketing tool. Using anecdotes in the foreword will immediately make your book stand out from the crowd. When written properly, they can be very engaging, and grab and hold onto the reader's attention. This is what the foreword is all about. Hooking the reader with an interesting story, and then reeling them in to make an emotional connection with the author of the foreword. Then hopefully the reader will want to continue reading the entire book. Thank you to Joel Friedlander for linking to this article from his website Carnival Of The Indies #58A. What Is An Anecdote? An anecdote is a very short and interesting personal story from a person's past experiences - that is used to illustrate a point. It can be an experience from the writer, or from someone they know or have heard about. The anecdote, or mini-story, immediately puts the reader directly into the middle of the action. It usually describes one dramatic moment in time. It's written as a way to show, or illustrate, a particular point (show, don't tell). It typically involves something that happened such as a business or personal problem, or challenge that had to be overcome, or mistake that had to get fixed, or misunderstanding, etc. Linkedin - Personalize Your Foreword With Anecdotes To Make It More PowerfulB. How To Use Anecdotes In A Foreword Here is one paragraph from a book foreword that I wrote entirely as a personal essay. I utilize personal anecdotes to show how the book had an effect on me – how I relate the information in the book to my life. I reveal my real-life story to show the reader how I connect with the book. I use my personal story to illustrate a larger point about the content of the book. My job as the foreword author is to show the reader that I made an emotional connection with the book, and thereby the hope is that the reader will make an emotional connection with me – and then develop the desire to read the entire book. Wallace Wattles wrote the book. You can read the entire foreword on my blog. “Anecdotes are a deceptively powerful marketing tool that can help you sell more books.” (Tweet) a. An Example Of An Anecdotal Story Used In A Foreword “But now, looking back at my family life, I have since come to realize that my mother, with almost no formal education, no career skills, no money, and three small children to feed, inherently understood many of the basic concepts in this book. My mother was not as eloquent as Wattles, and she didn't have much of an opportunity to put Wattles' principles into practice." "But me and my brothers were inadvertently living and learning Wattles' concepts every day – through the actions of our mother. She taught us that even in the worst of times, that by sticking to our single-minded vision to grow and thrive, that we will survive; and acting every day with the purpose to achieve our goals, that our faith in each other and in our dream of creating a successful life will help us succeed; and our gratitude to God for keeping us healthy so that we could keep working and studying, we would eventually be successful.

Synopsis In order to become a financially successful author, you must learn how to differentiate and position yourself and your book as the go-to person and book that will help the readers solve their problems. This is not a difficult or overly sophisticated thing to accomplish. But it's something that most other authors do not bother to achieve. Here is a short discussion about differentiation and positioning, and how they relate to each other. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn the definition of “differentiation”. 2. You will learn about “positioning". 3. You will learn how the two work together to help you develop a strategic advantage over other authors. Introduction The never-ending quest to get more readers, and their hard-earned money, is more competitive now than it has ever been before. And as you might have already surmised from your efforts to sell your own books, in order to become a financially successful author, you must learn how to differentiate and position yourself and your book as the go-to person and book that will help the readers solve their problems. And fortunately for you and me, this is not a difficult or overly sophisticated thing to accomplish. And luckily for us, it is something that most other authors do not bother to achieve. Here is a short discussion about differentiation and positioning, and how they relate to each other: Thank you to Sabrina Ricci of DigitalPubbing.com for featuring my blog post "Differentiation And Positioning For Authors" on her blog.A. What Is “Differentiation”? The definition of “differentiation” is as simple and straightforward as it sounds. What attributes do you and your book have that the readers will see as different and desirable? How are you and your book different from other authors and their books? What makes you a better expert in your subject matter? Why should the reader believe that you and your book can do a better job of helping them solve their problems? Why should the reader listen to you over the thousands of other authors? You need to take a hard introspective look at yourself and answer these questions as honestly as possible. If there is any hint of dishonesty in your answers, the reader will see right through it, and NEVER trust you again. “To become a successful author, you must learn how to differentiate yourself and your book from others.” (Tweet) This is not a time to be slick or boastful – just speak from your heart. Readers will immediately feel and appreciate the sincerity. For example, if you write about nursing, perhaps your unique value is that you have been a nursing instructor and director of nursing education for nurses and nursing students for over thirty-five years. And you have extensive experience in critical care, informatics, and policy-and-procedures. You have also won several awards for your teaching from different hospitals and nursing organizations. You have been a medical consultant and advisor to a popular video game and movie. You have been teaching nurses about several different aspects of nursing, as well as teaching other nurses how to become nursing teachers. All of this helps differentiate you from the other nursing authors. It shows that you have achieved career and financial success to a level where most in the nursing profession will never reach. Thank you to Joel Friedlander for linking to this article from his website Carnival Of The Indies #62B. What Is “Positioning”? The definition of “positioning” is also as simple and straightforward as it sounds. Where are you and your book positioned within your niche? For example, your general subject matter might be nursing, but your particular niche might be “critical-care nursing”. Then you might also have a “micro-niche” of an even more specific topic within critical care. You might also position yourself as, for example, the author who speaks at those big critical-care nursing conferences,

Synopsis Turning your passion, or passions, into a profitable business takes planning, research, commitment, an honest assessment of your life and your abilities, and a realistic assessment of what the market needs and wants - and is willing to pay for. Here is a discussion of three questions that you might be struggling with if you are trying to decide how to create a profitable business from your passion. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn how to decide if your passion can become a profitable business. 2. You will learn what questions you must start to ask yourself that will help you discover your passion. 3. You will learn why you need to understand where your passions, your talents, and the market's needs intersect. Introduction Deciding how to create a profitable business based on your passions is not a silly, time-wasting, money-wasting, pie-in-the-sky project. But, it's also more than dreaming about what you love to do, or simply chasing after any passion that you have, or turning your hobby into a business, or figuring out what job you would do for free. Turning your passion, or passions, into a profitable business takes planning, research, commitment, an honest assessment of your life and your abilities, and a realistic assessment of what the market needs and wants - and is willing to pay for. Here are three questions that you might be struggling with if you're trying to decide how to create a profitable business from your passion: Building A Profitable Business Based On Your Passion Infographic, by Joseph C. Kunz, Jr. Question # 1. What If Someone Else Is Already Doing It? “But, if someone else is doing the same thing, then I can't do it!” Wrong. If they're making a living at it, then it's a proven concept that makes money. They paved the way for you. This is a good thing. And why should you care whether someone else is already doing the same thing? It's your passion, one in which you bring your own personality, abilities, and experiences into. In contrast, if no one's doing it, then there's the possibility that there's no serious money to be made in it. Business2Community.com - 3 Questions To Help You Decide If Your Passion Can Become A Profitable Business, by Joseph C. Kunz, Jr.Question # 2. What If My Passion Is In Something That Is Very Obscure? The more niche something is, the better you must be at it, and the better you must understand that particular audience - especially if you want to make a good living at it. If a particular niche is extremely small, this most likely means that very few people are interested in it. But, if those few people are wealthy, for example, and they see you as the expert in that tiny niche, maybe there is money to be made. But, who's to say that you can't pursue more than one passion or niche, that all together form one or more businesses? Job.com - 3 Questions To Help You Decide If Your Passion Can Become A Profitable Business, by Joseph C. Kunz, Jr.Question # 3. How Does My Passion Align With My Talent? In order to make a profit with your passion, your passion must align with your talent. But how does your passion align with your talent? Don't make this more difficult on yourself than it really needs to be. This isn't rocket science. You are just so close to the subject that it seems more difficult than it really is. So, with that said, you should already have a good idea of what you are passionate about in life. “Turning your passion into a profitable business takes planning, research, commitment, an honest assessment of your life and your abilities, and a realistic assessment of what the market needs and wants - and is willing to pay for.” (Tweet) And hopefully you've done an honest assessment of what your talents are. Now would be a good time to reach out to your family and friends around you and ask for their unbiased help. Ask for their honest advice and guidance.

Synopsis Testimonials from a wide variety of people are a great way to bring credibility, exposure (eyeballs), and higher sales for your book. Here are eleven sources to find free testimonials that you can use to help promote your book on your website, and in all of your marketing materials. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn where to get free and powerful testimonials for your book. 2. You will learn about the power of a testimonial to bring credibility, exposure, and higher sales for your book. 3. You will learn that getting a variety of testimonials from many different types of people will greatly enhance your credibility, and your book sales. Introduction Testimonials are a great way to bring credibility, wider exposure, and higher sales for your book. Nothing helps to give your book greater and faster attention than a positive quote from a prominent figure or celebrity who is knowledgeable in the field of your book's subject matter. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #75 But regular people can also be a great source of honest, credible, and powerful testimonials. Using a variety of testimonials from many different types of people, celebrities and non-celebrities, in different professions and industries, will greatly enhance your credibility, and your book sales. Here are eleven sources to find free testimonials that you can use to help promote your book on your website, and in all of your marketing materials: Source # 1. Teachers, professors, educators: Think about some of your favorite educators that you had in school, especially the ones that taught a subject similar to your book's subject. Make sure that you also consider the educators with impressive titles, like “Dean”, and “Chairman”, etc. Many in this group will also have been published, so make sure that their most famous, or most successful, or most recent book title is attached to their name. Source # 2. Authors, bloggers: If you have already written your non-fiction book, you will already know who these people are. Email them at their publisher or at their blog and very nicely ask for a testimonial. Source # 3. Industry insiders: Big shots within your industry can be difficult to get testimonials from, but you should try anyway. These will be much easier to get if you are socially active within your industry. But anyone else within your industry that has good accomplishments, or many years on the job, or authored a book, will be just as good for your needs. Source # 4. Professional organization leaders: This group is worth pursuing. Small local celebrities such as those on local TV news, or successful business owners, newspaper reporters, and anyone with a fancy title. Larger celebrities that appear regularly on national TV shows can be very difficult to get – and sometimes want to get paid for their testimonial. Never pay for a testimonial. “Testimonials from a wide variety of people are a great way to bring credibility, exposure, and higher book sales.” (Tweet) Source # 5. Local celebrities: This group is worth pursuing. Small local celebrities such as those on local TV news, or successful business owners, newspaper reporters, and anyone with a fancy title. Larger celebrities that appear regularly on national TV shows can be very difficult to get. Source # 6. Suppliers, manufacturers: Talk to some of the suppliers or manufacturers that you and your company deal with. The best testimonials will be from anyone at these companies with a professional title. But don't forget, those without a fancy title can also be good, especially if they have direct knowledge of you and your work. Source # 7. Charitable organizations: Any charity or religious organization that you belong to, especially if you are actively involved with the group, is a good source of testimonials. Again, try to get someone with a title or impressive ...

Synopsis Amazon provides two very powerful and easy-to-use tools to get our books in front of millions of potential readers and buyers. Together these two tools help form the basic foundation of an author's marketing plan. So, to help get you to start taking advantage of Amazon's benefits, here is a quick look at the two best marketing and selling tools on Amazon that can help make your book a financial success. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn about the two most important Amazon marketing tools that are available to authors. 2. You will learn how to use these tools, in conjunction with your blog and social media accounts, to create a powerful and profitable marketing program. 3. You will learn some of the different aspects of each tool, and how they can work together to make you more money from your books. Introduction As an author and self-publisher, it's absolutely essential that you have a presence on Amazon. And luckily for us, Amazon provides a very powerful and easy way to get our books in front of millions of potential readers and buyers. Even if you use a traditional book-publishing company to publish your book, you still need to have a presence on Amazon. Especially if you expect to sell any books. It's by far the largest book retailer in the world. Amazon has more market presence, more marketing power, a better website, faster delivery speed, and better customer service than any other big company in America. So, to help get you to start taking advantage of Amazon's benefits, here is a quick look at the two best marketing and selling tools on Amazon that can help make your book a financial success: AMAZON BOOK MARKETING TOOL # 1. Amazon Author Central This is the main page for authors in which Amazon allows you to provide your profile, add a video and photos, and link to your blog's feed. This powerful feature is like having an extra webpage devoted to you and your book. Here you'll also be able to track your book sales and see all of your customer reviews. Using Author Central, in conjunction with your blog, will create a very powerful way to market yourself and your book. Having a blog, and an Author Central account, are the very least that you should have for a basic marketing plan for your book. Here Are Some Of The Best Features Of This Tool: Thank you to Joel Friedlander of the BookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his website Carnival Of The Indies #30A. Look-Inside-The-Book This feature allows shoppers to read parts of your book – such as 10%, or 20%, and so on. The reader can see your cover, table of contents, index, foreword, introduction, and parts of different chapters. By applying this feature to your book, a buyer can feel more comfortable when choosing to buy your book over another. If you don't use this Amazon feature, you'll dramatically hurt your book sales. B. Connect Your Blog Feed As an author, it's absolutely essential that you have a blog. This is where you can discuss your book, and anything related to your particular topic. On your Author Central Page simply type in your blog's feed (RSS or Atom). Amazon will display a short portion of your most recent blog postings, which will appear on your Author Page that shoppers can view. By doing this, shoppers will be able to quickly visit your blog and see who you are, and what you care about. Thank you very much to Washington Romance Writers of DC for posting and linking to my article.C. Customer Reviews It's imperative that you get reviews posted on Amazon. The more the better. But for the biggest impact, try to get as many positive reviews as possible posted on Amazon during the first few weeks your book initially appears on Amazon. These first weeks can be crucial to help give your book the higher ranking it needs to help attract more buyers early on. Never stop asking for book reviews from as wide a variety of people as possible. From different demographics,

Synopsis The term “healthcare” will eventually become widely accepted as one word, not two, whether die-hard grammarians, linguists, and editors like it or not. Our language, and any discussions about health, will be greatly improved by ending this battle. The Battle Over Healthcare In America Today What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn who is to blame for this problem. 2. You will learn what side we have chosen to align with. 3. You will learn what you should do. Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to "KunzOnPublishing.com" with this graphic. Introduction Is it “health care”? Or “health-care”? Or “healthcare”? The battle over how to properly use these terms has trudged on in America for many years. I have been involved in educating healthcare professionals and students here in New York City and on Long Island for over 31 years. For that entire time, I have watched the term “healthcare” (all versions of that phrase) get grammatically abused and misused by all – even by the largest book publishing companies, dictionaries, newspaper, and magazine publishers, medical institutions, and government agencies in America.> EzineArticles.com - The Battle Over “Healthcare” in America Today Who Is To Blame For The Confusion? These very same publishers and institutions are to blame for the prolonged confusion. Some of them mandate the use of “healthcare” as one word for all grammatical situations. And some of them still insist on using both “healthcare” and “health care”, depending on the specific topic being discussed, or the context in which it's being used. To make matters much worse, some publications will even switch around the term and the way that it's used – all within the same publication. How We Handle It Here at our company, we have consciously chosen to use “healthcare” as one word for our writing guide policy. But we certainly understand both sides of the argument. New compound terms can seem awkward to use for a while. But eventually, we all accept and conform to the change. Most of us in America have already accepted the change to using “healthcare” as one word for all of its uses. Now it is time for the last few defiant holdouts to accept this change and start using “healthcare” as one word, not two. Our language, and any discussions about health, will be greatly improved by ending this battle. Linkedin - The Battle Over “Healthcare” in America TodayWhy We Use "Healthcare" Why does my medical training and publishing company embrace “healthcare” as one word? Well, “health care”, “health-care”, and “healthcare” may have grammatically been used in different ways when these terms first came about. But now, in all rational practicality, it should be one word. The distinction between them was always a fine one – and way too subtle, obviously, to keep up. Before long, writers and editors alike started dropping that confusing extra space, and the hyphen, and transforming what had become a purely semantic nuance into no nuance at all. The Reader's Needs Come First At my company, our core belief is that we have an obligation to our readers and students to make everything that we publish and teach to be as easy to read and understand as possible. So if this means using one word versus two, or using an unpopular or grammatically incorrect hyphen in a word, or splitting an infinitive, or using extra commas, then we'll do it. Our first and foremost duty is to our readers and students, not the grammar editors or linguists. Writing in such a way as to make the reading experience clearer and more productive has nothing to do with lazy writing or poor spelling skills. It has to do with clarity and common courtesy for the reader. Evolution And Refinement Of Our Language But can we blame our language for simplifying and evolving? It's equally possible that American society, in its infinite semantic wisdom,

Synopsis How a carefully written book foreword can boost the career and book sales of both the author of the book, AND the author of the foreword. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn how a carefully written book foreword can boost the career and book sales of both the author of the book AND the author of the foreword. 2. You will learn how and why a foreword helps both authors gain credibility, trust, and respect from the readers. 3. You will learn that a book foreword can give a strategic advantage over other authors who don't understand how to utilize the marketing power of the foreword. Introduction A credible book foreword can and should be, a powerful marketing tool for the author of the book, as well as for the author of the foreword. Both of these authors must not underestimate the power of a credible and authentic foreword, and how it can, if done correctly, forever enhance the career, and book sales, of both authors. Thank you to Joel Friedlander for linking to this article from his website Carnival Of The Indies #65 1. Advantages For The Author Of The Book a. Credibility The book's foreword, especially if written by someone who has already developed a stellar reputation, can certainly help the book's author in countless ways. Not the least of which will be selling more books, helping to bring in new clients, and help build the book author's credibility within his own market. "Never underestimate the marketing power of a great book foreword to boost your credibility and book sales." (Tweet) b. Leverage Basically, the book's author is hoping that the foreword author's well-earned and well-known reputation will rub off onto the book's author. For this reason, the book's author needs to choose someone very carefully. The hope is that the book's author can leverage the foreword author's reputation into boosting his own reputation and gain additional renown for himself. All of this can translate into a following of more readers and more connections on social media, and eventually more sales. Thank you very much to best-selling author and podcaster Kim Smith for sharing and linking to my post. 2. Advantages For The Author Of The Foreword a. Gain Trust And Respect The author of the foreword can also benefit in countless ways, especially IF the book is well-written and very credible. No one should write a book foreword for an author that is not very serious about the topic and has not taken the time to create a well-written, well-thought-out, and professional-looking book. You must understand that as a prominent person in your field, readers and followers are looking to you for guidance, and trust your advice, about a particular subject matter. And by writing the foreword to a book, you are giving your blessing to the book's author. You are essentially telling your own audience, and the book author's audience, that the book is worth reading and trusting. This relationship with the audience is not to be taken lightly or toyed with in the slightest. But if you write an honest and informative foreword, the audience will continue to give you their trust and respect. How A Book Foreword Can Help An #Author's Career https://t.co/zGtOo44uvU @jckunzjr #selfpub— Carla Douglas (@CarlaJDouglas) February 12, 2016 How A Book Foreword Can Help An Author's Career: https://t.co/KJpL7urrHq @jckunzjr— Elizabeth S Craig (@elizabethscraig) June 24, 2016 EzineArticles.com - How A Book Foreword Can Help An Author's Career b. Solidify Reputation But, once the prominent person decides to write the foreword, writing a believable, unbiased, and honest foreword that can make an emotional connection with the reader, can help further solidify the foreword author's reputation. It can help solidify or enhance a reputation because all readers understand that the book foreword is always reserved for a person that plays a prominent role in the book author's life or withi...

Synopsis How to start the questioning and exploration process that will help you discover your passion. Here are three basic questions that I believe you should ask yourself to help you start your journey to discovering your life's passion. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn the three basic questions you should be asking yourself in order to start discovering your life's passion. 2. You will learn that these three questions are simply a way to start the process of discovery. 3. You will learn that the process of discovering your passion will help make you a much happier and more productive person. Introduction Searching for and discovering your passion or mission in life, and building a fulfilling life, can begin by asking yourself certain inward-looking questions. The answers to these questions are unique to each of us. And the learning and discovery process of searching for the answers to these questions will help you begin to formulate what you are passionate about in life. Hopefully, these questions will lead you to more questions and to more self-discovery. “Each of our lives is a work-in-progress. And this work takes planning and effort. Accept this and embrace it, and you will create a wonderful life with passion.” (Tweet) Business2Community.com - 3 Questions To Help You Discover Your Passion In Business, by Joseph C. Kunz, Jr.Here are three basic questions that I believe you should ask yourself to help you start to discover your life's passion: Passion Discovery Question #1: What Gets You Fired Up? What is your hot button? What gets you excited to jump up out of bed in the morning and immediately start working on? Is it that book idea that you have had for many years? What do your family and friends think your passion is? Why don't you ask them? What do you have a strong opinion about? Soap-box issue? What gets a lively reaction out of you? These are just some of the most obvious questions that you need to be answering now. Linkedin - 3 Questions To Help Discover Your PassionPassion Discovery Question #2: What Career Would You Do For Free? Assuming time and money was irrelevant, what would you be willing to do without collecting a paycheck? Answer this question as if you were independently wealthy. What do you think would be a great career fit for you? Would this activity with no pay enhance, or benefit from, your current career? EzineArticles.com - 3 Questions To Help Discover Your PassionPassion Discovery Question #3: What Do You See That Is Wrong With The World Around You? It doesn't need to be a huge worldwide problem. It can be something as small or as simple as something related to gardening, or car washing, or whatever is a problem within your own surroundings or daily life. What is in your world that you would like to see improved? What is in your own life that you would like to improve? Maybe something personal about yourself? Maybe something about our society? AXA - Business Strides - 3 Questions To Help You Discover Your Passion In BusinessConclusion Discovering your passions will help make you a much happier and more productive person. Because once you discover and understand your passions, and what experiences in your life have led you up to this moment, your life can and will begin to build itself around these passions. Each of our lives is a work-in-progress. And this work takes planning and effort. Accept this and embrace it, and you will create a wonderful life with passion. Questions For Us To Think About And Discuss 1. What paths are you exploring in the hope of finding your passion? 2. How and when did you discover your passion? • This article is also posted on Business2Community.com • This article is also posted on LinkedIn.com • This article is also posted on EzineArticles.com • This article was also posted on the AXA Equitable Financial Services company website, but not available anymore.

Synopsis An effective call-to-action is the linchpin of a successful sell sheet. If it's done right it can help generate greater book sales. The sell sheet's call-to-action will play a pivotal role in making this happen. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn four ways to create a better call-to-action that will improve your response rate. 2. You will learn how to strategically place your CTA for a better response rate. 3. You will learn how and why being aggressive and overselling can hurt your response rate. Introduction Any sell sheet without an effective call-to-action (CTAs) is missing out on a huge marketing opportunity. These simple yet targeted instructions to the reader are directly responsible for encouraging your audience to take the next step toward becoming a buyer of your book. Without an effective call-to-action, your sell sheet will amount to little more than an unprofitable writing exercise. Here are some tips that I have developed from my self-publishing experiences that will help you improve the response rate of your sell sheet: Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #74 Tip #1: Place it strategically Put your call-to-action statement in the appropriate place on your sell sheet. On a book's sell sheet, the CTA will typically be included within the section of the publisher's company information, and near the physical details of the book. It might be included in a list of items, or in a separate text box, or simply lined-up on the bottom of the page. It could be a short statement, or a button, or a graphic. Thank you to best-selling author Elizabeth Spann Craig for sharing and linking to my post. Tip #2: Keep it short, simple, and actionable It doesn't need to be long or complicated. And keep it as simple as possible. Your readers don't have time to be wasting trying to figure out what to do to get more information about your book. On the printed version of your sell sheet, make sure that the links are short and easy to follow, and not long or complicated. On the PDF version of your sell sheet, make sure that all of the links are live and clickable. Linkedin - 4 Tips To Writing Better Calls-To-Action Tip #3: Don't just send them to your webpage On my sell sheets, I simply tell them that my books are available from “B&T” and “Ingram”. Every book buyer at every library, university bookstore, and library, and every bookstore retailer knows exactly what this means, and within minutes can order my books. I also list “Amazon” so that the general public can get more information and buy my books within a few minutes. I also offer an email address for more information, as well as my publisher's website address. All very direct, simple, and effective. Meltwater.com - 4 Tips To Writing A Better Call To Action. Thank you to the team at Meltwater.com for posting and sharing my article. Tip #4: Don't oversell Don't appear too aggressive about asking for the sale. You don't want to scare them away. They already know you want to sell your book to them. Instead, your sell sheet should be trying to convince the book buyer that you have a great product that they can benefit from. “A sell sheet without an effective 'call-to-action' is missing out on a huge marketing opportunity.” (Tweet) You can accomplish this by making your sell sheet professional looking and polished, have a great book description, include specific details about your book, show a connection to major book distributors, and give an easy and simple way to get more information and buy your book. Thank you to best-selling author Elizabeth Spann Craig for sharing and linking to my post. Conclusion An effective call-to-action is the linchpin of a successful sell sheet. If it's done right it can help generate greater book sales. Getting the reader interested enough in your book,

Synopsis If your book's description does not grab the reader by the collar, and quickly convince them that you have the answers that they are looking for, you are going to lose them. This short list of tips can improve how you write your book's description - and increase your sales. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn nine ways to write a better book description that will improve your sales. 2. You will learn how important it is for your book's success to grab the reader and hold on. 3. You will learn how addressing the reader's needs, and making an emotional connection, and sincerity, all work together to make your book's description a powerful marketing tool. Introduction If your book's description doesn't grab the reader by the collar and quickly convince them that you have the answers that they're looking for, you're going to lose them. In a matter of seconds, they'll move on to the next book and continue searching for answers. I discovered this very early on in my quest to become a successful self-publisher. So, to deal with this, I have developed a shortlist of tips that can improve how you write your book's description - and hopefully help increase your sales: Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #73Tip #1. Develop an introduction that will grab the reader's attention You wrote your entire book for a particular audience in mind. You should already know exactly what you need to say to grab their attention. Try to grab them in the first sentence. This introduction is the hook. And once you hook them, they will be more willing to keep reading. Tip #2. Keep it on the short side If your book description is too long, you risk losing the reader. Get right to the point. As a general rule, you should easily be able to write a very good book description within 100 to 150 words. Linkedin - 9 Tips On Writing A Great Book DescriptionTip #3. Make an emotional connection Making an emotional connection with the reader is essential if you expect the reader to like you and want to read more of what you have to say. Tip #4. Don't oversell by using insincere superlatives All hyperbole that you use must be backed up with real proof. Without believable proof, your reader will very quickly lose all trust in you and your book. Readers can spot insincerity a mile away, and won't tolerate it. “If your BOOK'S DESCRIPTION doesn't quickly grab and hold the reader, you are going to lose them.” (Tweet) Tip #5. Write it in the third person, present tense Whether you are the book's author or publisher, you should write the book's description in the third person and in the present tense. This will make the book description much more believable. Tip #6. Use a quote or testimonial from a third party Testimonials are a very powerful marketing tool, especially if it's from a well-known or very accomplished person. Tip #7. Explain how the reader will benefit from your book What are the most important things the reader will learn from your book? How will the reader personally benefit from reading your book? They want specific and realistic details here. Thank you to Elizabeth Spann Craig for sharing and linking to two of my posts "4 Tips To Writing Better Calls-To-Action;" and "9 Tips On Writing A Great Description For A Non-Fiction Book"Tip #8. How will your book help them solve their problems? The answer to this question is crucial to getting the reader to buy your book. This answer is the main reason that the book buyer is looking at your book in the first place. You must explain in detail how your book will help them with their problems. Tip #9. Add a short call-to-action Subtly ask readers to buy your book, in a non-aggressive way. Ask them to visit your blog to download some free information, or ebook, or free chapter, for example, or your Amazon Author page for more information.

Click here to download this PDF ebook               Synopsis No matter how small your business is, you must still have a data backup plan in place. No one method alone is a guarantee that your data is completely safe. So here are some tips that show you how to protect your business with simple and inexpensive methods. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn eight very specific tips to safeguard your computer data. 2. You will learn why it is imperative for your business's survival that you have multiple back plans in place. 3. You will learn how to keep make your plan fool-proof and simple to manage. Introduction No matter how small your business is, you must still have a data backup plan in place. Protecting your computer's data files is something every small business must know about and deal with before it's too late. And it's not a complicated, time-consuming, or expensive process. So here are some tips that show you how to protect your business with simple and inexpensive methods: Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to "KunzOnPublishing.com" with this graphic. Tip # 1. Use Two External Hard Drives Two is the minimum. This is the most basic and easiest way to protect your data that is located on your internal hard drive. Always keep one of the external hard drives locked up in a heavy-duty, fire-proof safe. If possible, keep another one at an off-site location. Multiple internal hard drives are nice too but are difficult to lock up or take with you. Tip # 2. Use Backup Software It's very important to take human error and forgetfulness out of the equation. Use backup software that will automatically and regularly be backing up your data. This software will keep your backup strategy simple and consistent. This can be as simple as using Apple's Time Machine, for example. Business2Community.com - Tips For Small-Business Data Backup And StorageTip # 3. Use Cloud Storage Your data will be stored in an encrypted format when it's backed up to the cloud at the storage company. This should prevent a hacker from easily accessing your information. You will also have easy access to your own data. This can be achieved by simply using something like Apple's iCloud, for example, or a big-name service like BackBlaze. Tip # 4. Don't Use Encryption For Your Hard Drives For most purposes, encryption of your computer or hard drive isn't necessary. Encryption is only necessary for extremely sensitive data – like patient medical records, for example. Tip # 5. Don't Keep Very Sensitive Data On Laptops Keep very sensitive data on flash drives, and external hard drives, not on the laptop's hard drive. Flash drives, and external hard drives, are easy to lock away or keep safely in your pocket. Use at least two flash drives just as you would use two external hard drives. Linkedin - 8 Tips For Small-Business Data Backup And StorageTip # 6. Buy Big-Names Only When you buy any hard drive or flash drive, buy the big brand names only. It doesn't cost any extra money to do this. And when choosing a cloud storage company, only use the biggest, and longest established, company. Tip # 7. Restrict Access To Your Data This means keeping your kids off of your office computer, or teaching them what they can and cannot do on your computer. If you have people working in your office, you need to restrict which files they can access. Using a password on certain computers and files is a quick and simple solution for this. Tip # 8. Test Often At least a few times a year, you should access your data that you have stored on each of your flash drives, external hard drives, and on the cloud. Do this from your main computer, as well as from your other computers. “No matter how small your business is, you still must have a data backup plan in place.” (Tweet) Conclusion Don't Put All Your Eggs Into One Basket! Use flash drives, external drives, and cloud storage.

Synopsis A foreword is an essential marketing tool for your non-fiction book. If it's written properly, and with some understanding and forethought about its role in your book's success, it can have a substantial impact on your book sales. In order to create this impact, there are two main ingredients that should be part of a great foreword. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn the two main ingredients needed to create a powerful book foreword. 2. You will learn that a book foreword if planned out properly, can become a powerful marketing tool for your book. 3. You will learn that the foreword has two main goals: to establish your credibility, and to motivate readers to buy your book. Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to "KunzOnPublishing.com" with this graphic. Introduction A foreword is an essential marketing tool for your non-fiction book. If it's written properly, and with some understanding and forethought about its role in your book's success, it can have a substantial impact on your book sales. In order to create this impact, there are two main ingredients that should be part of a great foreword. The first is establishing your credibility for the subject. The second is motivating people to buy your book. These two essential ingredients will give you a very tasty foreword. Thank you to Joel Friedlander for linking to this article from his website Carnival Of The Indies #57Ingredient # 1. Establish Your Credibility Here is a quick overview of what it takes to establish your credibility with readers: The person that is writing your book's foreword must understand what needs to be said in order to show the reader why you have the proper credibility to be writing the book. By using anecdotes, stories, and facts, the foreword's author will show the reader your commitment to the subject, your reputation within the industry, your competence, integrity, values, likeability, and so on. All of this will showcase your credibility for this subject. This ‘third-party' endorsement of you is extremely powerful and can become very profitable for you. All of this discussion about you will also help the reader make an emotional connection with you. The deeper this connection becomes, the greater chances you have of selling them a book. “The foreword has two main goals: to establish your credibility, and to motivate readers to buy your book.” (Tweet) Ingredient # 2. Motivate People To Read Your Book Here is a quick overview of what it takes to motivate readers to buy your book: The person that's writing your book's foreword must also understand what needs to be said about your book in order to motivate the reader to buy your book. This can be accomplished once it's understood that all people are basically motivated by (1) the need to avoid a loss, and (2) the desire to gain a reward. These motivations can be used to your advantage. You do this by showing how your book will give the reader what he needs, or how to solve his problem (both avoiding a loss). Or, show her how she can make more money, or get what she wants (both gaining a reward). Many readers already know that they have a need or a problem. But some don't. Therefore, the foreword must explain the need or problem and show how your book will help get them what they need or fix their problem (both motivations). Linkedin - 2 Ingredients That Make A Book Foreword GreatConclusion Here is what you must take away from this article: 1. As your credibility increases, the reader begins to trust you more, which also increases the emotional connection the reader makes with you. 2. The more you can satisfy the reader's desire to get what they need, or fix their problem, or show them how to make more money, or get more of what they want, the more they'll be motivated to buy your book. If you understand nothing else about book marketing, but intimately understand these two ingredients,

Synopsis Niche marketing and micro-niche marketing are essential and powerful ingredients in the success of your book and your self-publishing business. Here's an introduction to some of the terms and ingredients needed to develop and grow your specific niche and make your book and self-publishing business a financial and critical success. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn what the word “niche” means, and how it relates to self-publishing. 2. You will learn what you need to do to become an expert in a particular niche. 3. You will learn why you will become a more successful self-publisher by devoting yourself to your micro-niche. Introduction Niche marketing and micro-niche marketing (sounds like nitche, not neech) are essential and powerful ingredients in the success of your book and your self-publishing business. With niche and micro-niche marketing, you'll be primarily concerned with who your tightly defined audience is, what specific problems do they need help with, and where exactly are they to be found. Here's an introduction to some of the terms and ingredients needed to develop and grow your specific niche and make your book and self-publishing business a financial and critical success: 1. Niche Publishing Defined Niche publishing means publishing to a very specific, tightly defined, focused audience. If, for example, you've been living in New York City's Manhattan for many years, and have become an expert in ‘roof-top gardening in the city', this would be your niche. Your niche would not be ‘gardening in North America'. It also wouldn't be ‘gardening in the North East'. Share This Image On Your SitePlease include attribution to https://kunzonpublishing.com/ with this graphic. 2. Micro-Niche For Super-Expert Status But, if you didn't want to ever write about gardening in any other city, and wanted to be considered the foremost expert only on New York City roof-top gardening, you could further refine your niche to be ‘roof-top gardening only in New York City'. Nowadays, this very small specific niche would be called a ‘micro-niche'. Thank you very much to marketing expert and author Neil Patel for sharing my infographic on his blog NeilPatel.com By focusing only on your micro-niche of New York City roof-top gardening, you don't waste your time, effort, and money on chasing after the audiences in other cities. You would be devoting all of your efforts to building your personal brand as a passionate expert in this one very narrowly defined micro-niche. “Niche and micro-niche marketing are essential and powerful ingredients in the success of your book.” (Tweet) 3. Become An Expert To promote your books, and give yourself credibility with your readers, you would need to write articles, and a blog, and a website, etc., devoted to ‘roof-top gardening in New York City' – which is where you live and maintain your roof-top garden. You might expand on this niche to cover all gardening within New York City. You could then become well known as an expert in this specific subject. Therefore, your readers, and potential customers, would trust that you have very extensive knowledge about this subject or niche, and happily buy the roof-top gardening books that you write. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #664. Publishing With A Mission After you successfully publish your book on your niche, you might decide to grow your self-publishing business into a niche publishing company. To do this you might go out and find other authors to publish, that are experts in city gardening, in each of the other big cities in the U.S. Your company would become known as the publisher that specializes in helping city-dwellers build and maintain a successful garden. This would become your company's mission. 5. The Best Way To Grow Your Self-Publishing Business This expertise,

Click here to download this PDF ebook               Synopsis Your book's Introduction is a crucial first step for readers. It prepares them for what's to come AND ignites their interest to read on. This makes your book's Introduction an important marketing tool for your book. Here is a short list of questions that you must think about AND answer BEFORE writing your book's Introduction. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn the five main sections that a great book Introduction must include. 2. You will learn what questions you must ask yourself BEFORE writing your Introduction. 3. You will learn how these questions will help you write a better book, that will help more people, and make you more money. Introduction Before writing your book's Introduction, you must put yourself into your reader's shoes. How will they view your book? What might be their first impression? What's in it for them? Your readers will only buy your book if they believe that your book is going to help them resolve a problem or need that they are trying to find answers for. Prospective readers scan the Introduction before making a buying decision. Serious readers are sure to devour it. And with the Introduction positioned at the beginning, it's logical that most people who pick up your book will start reading there. Remember, your Introduction is a crucial first step for readers. It prepares them for what's to come AND ignites their interest to read on. This makes your book's Introduction an important marketing tool for your book. So, to help you get started, and get your creative and marketing juices flowing, I have created this short list of questions that you must think about AND answer before writing your book's Introduction: Thank you to Joel Friedlander for linking to this article from his website Carnival Of The Indies #27Part 1. The Hook a. Why should the reader buy your book? b. What is the most telling sentence or paragraph in your book that is about your book? c. What statement in your book has the ability to grab your reader's attention? d. Would that statement grab your attention if you were the reader? e. What facts and statistics can you use to grab the reader's attention? f. What shocking or amazing news headline can you use to grab your reader's attention? g. What are the biggest concerns and challenges of the audience for your book? h. Is your book's hook big enough to grab the reader? Publetariat - April Hamilton's website for people who publish Part 2. The Connection a. What can you say to make an emotional connection with your reader? b. What problems, concerns, and issues, can your book help the reader solve? c. Why is your audience having these issues? d. Why haven't they been able to solve them? e. Why are these issues so hard to fix or solve? f. How will you explain to your audience why and how you know about these questions? g. How will you convince them that you are the one with the answers and that you want to share this information with them? h. Are your credentials on this topic relevant enough to tell the reader about them? i. Will the reader care about your credentials? j. How else can you relate to the reader? Linkedin - Questions To Ask BEFORE Writing Your Book's IntroductionPart 3. The Benefits a. How will your book help the reader? b. Will your book be useful to the reader? c. Will it inspire or help the reader with a problem? d. What are the benefits to the reader, if they read your book? e. What are some of the general benefits? f. What are some of the specific benefits? g. What are your book's most important benefits? h. Why would your reader buy your book? i. What kind of results have other readers of your book achieved? “Your book's Introduction is a crucial first step for readers. And written properly, can help you sell more.” (Tweet) Part 4. The Format a.

Synopsis Testimonials need to be one of the key ingredients of your book's marketing plan. If they're created and utilized properly, they can have a very positive impact on your sales. This list gives you a quick run-down of a variety of testimonials. What You Will Learn In This Post 1. You will learn about the seven most common types of testimonials. 2. You will learn the essential ingredients that enable a testimonial to help your book sales. 3. You will learn why you must get an assortment of testimonials. Introduction Testimonials need to be one of the key ingredients of your book's marketing plan. If they're created and utilized properly, they can have a very positive impact on your sales. This list gives you a quick run-down of a variety of testimonials. Thank you to Joel Friedlander of TheBookDesigner.com for linking to this article from his blog Carnival Of The Indies #73 By reading this list you will get a good idea of what makes an effective testimonial, a mediocre one, and a useless one. Once you understand the differences, you'll be better prepared to explain to your readers and fans how to create a testimonial that will help you improve your book sales. Here is my list of the 7 types of testimonials that you should know about and recognize: Type # 1. Faked Testimonial I strongly advise against using a fake testimonial. Readers, who are also your customers, are very sophisticated, and very tuned-in to what is real or fake. If there's even the slightest hint of being contrived, you'll lose your audience – and they won't come back. Don't forget, it's extremely easy to get legitimate testimonials. So, there's no practical reason to create fakes. You must be very careful not to do things like this because it'll cause you and your book to lose credibility with your audience. And, as a self-publisher, credibility with your audience is absolutely essential if you expect to have any kind of success – financial or critical. Building credibility with your audience can take years to build. Don't ruin all of your hard work by being too lazy to get legitimate testimonials. Thank you very much to Heather Woods for posting my article.Type # 2. Real Testimonial, without person's name, title, and company For example: “Jones' book was really good.” Zachary S. This testimonial is a total waste of time, and insulting to your audience. Your audience will automatically assume that these are fake – even if they're real. And, if by remote chance they're not perceived as fake, your audience will question why none of your readers would give their full name and title. You'll lose sales either way. There are plenty of people out there that are willing to use their full name and title – and your buying audience knows this. Your job as a self-publisher and book marketer is to find them. Type # 3. Real Testimonial, with person's name, title, and company, talking about your book in generalities For example: “Jones' book was really fun to read.” Dr. Zachary Smith, associate physics professor, MIB University. This one is also way too vague to be of much value to your buying audience. But at least this one has a real person with a fancy title attached to it. You'll need to get back to this person and ask them for a more specific testimonial. Mention to them a few things in your book that they might have noticed or been interested in. Tell them more about what you were trying to accomplish with your book. Linkedin - 7 Types Of TestimonialsType # 4. Real Testimonial, with person's name, title, and company, talking about you the author For example: “Jones is an amazing author and teacher. His writing is so clear and concise.” Dr. Zachary Smith, associate professor in physics, MIB University. This is a nice statement about you, the author, but doesn't say anything about the book itself. Some of your buying audience might be swayed to purchase your book because it says nice things about you.