Veronicle Blog

You’re a writer. If your work is good enough, people will throw money at you, right?

Yes they will, but they need to know that you exist. And this means that you need a
marketing plan. What marketing works best? All marketing works. But you need to
keep at it, even when you seem to be getting zero results.

Let’s imagine a couple of scenarios. Writer A wants to be a fulltime writer. She
knows that in order to do this, she needs to sell X number of articles, and sell a
book proposal a year. Writer A knows that in addition to writing the works, she will
need to market them. Writer A creates a marketing plan. It takes her 30 minutes on
her computer. She decides that she will send out five article proposals a week, and
she will research and write a book proposal.

She slots the time to do those things into her daily schedule. She knows that these
tasks are non-negotiable. No matter what happens, she will perform those tasks
every day. Even on her worst day, when her car breaks down, her child needs to go
to the hospital, and she has a killer migraine.

Writer B wants to be a fulltime writer too. Like Writer A, she knows that she will have
to sell X articles, and sell a book proposal. Writer B doesn’t make a plan. She gets
started writing an article proposal. She realizes that she needs to gather research
resources, and sends out five emails.

Next morning, she downloads her emails and is instantly depressed. No one has
answered. She decides she’ll give her prospective sources a few more days to reply.
She goes on with her life. She’ll get around to the writing when her sources reply.

A week later, one of the sources gets back to Writer B, who suddenly remembers
that she was researching an article proposal. She rereads her notes. The idea has
gone flat. She’s no longer interested in writing it.

The point of these two scenarios is that real life is messy. It’s easy to lose track of
what you’re doing if you don’t have the process written down somewhere. This
means, create a plan, and then create checklists and check them off every day to
make sure that you keep working the plan.

QUESTIONS TO ANSWER IN YOUR MARKETING PLAN

=> Q: What kind of writing do you want to do and sell?

Make a list: copywriting (writing for business) projects, magazine feature articles,
novels, nonfiction books, etc

=> Q: What’s the market for each type of writing?

This section will take you the longest, especially if you’re a new writer. It doesn’t
help that many writers’ online discussion groups actively discourage talk about how
much writers get paid. However, you CAN find out. Here are some URLs which help:

Writersmarket.com:

http://www.writersmarket.com/

When all else fails, ask someone who’s doing the kind of writing that you want to
do.

=> Q: What makes your writing unique?

This is a “know yourself” kind of question.

=> Q: How much can you produce?

You must make production goals part of your marketing plan. If you’re a part-time
writer, how many saleable words can you produce a week? 2000?

If you’re a full-time writer, set a goal of saleable words produced for each day. Make
this a goal which is easily reachable.

=> Q: Create a list of target markets

This is self-explanatory. It’s a marketing database.

=> Q: How will you reach your target markets?

Email, mail, fax, phone?

=> Q: What’s your long-term monetary goal? How will you reach that goal?

Please set a goal for three years from now, a year from now, for this month, for this
week, and for today.

You’re less likely to waste time if you know that the hour you spent on the phone
cost you $90.

=> Q: How much are you making from your writing now?

If you’ve yet to make your first sale, that’s fine.

If you’ve been making the same amount for the past two years, that’s a danger sign:
you’ve hit a level that’s too comfortable for you. You’ll need to make a concerted
effort to get out of your comfort zone.

There you have it. Answer the questions and you have a basic marketing plan that
will work for you. Good luck.

Stuck in your writing career? Get a coach! Angela Booth coaches writers in copywriting (writing for business), nonfiction, and fiction. A veteran writer, published by major publishers worldwide, Angela is also an experienced writing teacher, who knows how to inspire and motivate. You CAN make a success of your writing career. Free daily info for writers at her blog: http://copywriter.typepad.com/ Start your writing coaching today by contacting Angela at her site http://angelabooth.com/ Angela offers personal one-on-one e-courses and mentoring for all forms of writing. Ask for a low-cost initial phone or email consultation.

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Since I self-published my first book, “101 Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills Instantly,” in 1998 and began doing book signings shortly afterward, many people have asked:

1. What do you get paid to do a book signing?

It depends on where the book signing occurs. Most bookstores
do not pay authors to do a book signing. Linda Ligon,
Interweave Press, says that her authors are paid an
honorarium by craft stores. The “pay” is most often an
opportunity to interact with readers, increase the sales of
your book, and enhance your status as an expert.

2. How much money do you make on a book signing tour?

It depends-and you may never know precisely. It depends to a
large extent on how well your events are publicized because
more people attend when excitement is created about the
event. It depends on your presentation and interaction with
the audiences. You may know how many books were sold during
the event, but that is not the end of the story. One
bookseller says that more than 60% of the sales are made
after the author leaves the store.

3. Why would anyone go to a book signing?

To meet the AUTHOR! In many sections of the country, just
being an author makes you a celebrity. You are the
authority. Having an autographed copy of your book sets the
reader apart. In one city a lady purchased several copies of
“101 Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills Instantly.”
With each request, she told me something about the recipient
so that I could tailor my comment for that individual.

4. What’s in it for authors who do a seminar or talk on
their book?

By presenting a mini-seminar or discussion at a book
signing, you demonstrate your knowledge on the topic. You
can elaborate on the contents and tell stories about things
that happened while you were in the writing process. You
also have an opportunity to develop a rapport with the
readers allowing them to experience you as a “real person.”
Event sponsors will like you because you have provided a
free service for their clientele. They will be most likely
to welcome you back with your next book.

5. What if nobody shows up? Even celebrity authors
occasionally have a “no show,” so don’t give up! The most
important thing is how you react when nobody shows up. Keep
smiling and draw on your positive mental attitude. Often
people will be in the aisles between the shelves, not
wanting to be the first to step forward. Walk over to the
section where your book would be, introduce yourself to
people there, and invite them to the presentation. Offer
them a free flier or handout. After the event sponsor has
read the introduction you provided, wait a few minutes, and
then begin your presentation at the appointed time with a
welcoming message. If a microphone has been provided, use
it. If no one shows up after two or three minutes, bring
your talk to a close with an invitation to people milling
about to visit the table later. Usually, managers will ask
authors to sign some extra copies. Be gracious and
uncomplaining. Later, review your actions and see what might
be improved upon.

6. How do you find the time to set up a tour?

Conducting a book signing is like presenting a play. There
are several roles-the author designs the tour (venues and
dates), prepares a mini-seminar, discussion, or speech, and
does the signing. The support staff makes the contacts and
provides publicity material, orchestrates the travel
details, and does the follow-up to be certain that
everything is synchronized. A separate person or company may
be involved in the publicity effort, depending on the
expertise of the support staff.

7. Assuming that you have had “no shows,” what’s the best
book signing event you have ever held?

It is seldom that a “no show” occurs. The best book signing
event I have had was at a large Barnes and Noble bookstore
in El Paso, TX, where I signed “Take Charge of Your Life.”
The event was preceded by interviews on three television
shows (affiliates of national networks) and a radio
interview. The El Paso Times newspaper published an article
about the book on the day of the signing. It was on the
front page of the “Living” section with a color photo of the
book cover. That evening, after the bookstore staff brought
all the chairs in the store into the presentation section,
people were standing along the sides. Most of the audience
stood in line long after the presentation to talk with me
and get their books autographed. You, too, can have such
events. We can help you.

Jo Condrill has done book signings across the country and she can show you how to. She is an award-winning author, speaker, and consultant with over 25 years of experience in business, government and volunteer organizations. She is coauthor of
“From Book Signing to Best Seller: An Insider’s Guide to Conducting a Successful Low-Cost Book Signing Tour.” This book was named the 2002 Best Writer’s Reference Guide by the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association. Listen to an interview with Jo at http://www.jackstreet.com/jackstreet/rr.condrill.cfm
for more information, visit her website http://www.publishandprosper.com http://www.publishandprosper.com

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I first became acquainted with teleclasses back in 1997 when I stumbled across the coaching community. At the time, I lived in small town in western Massachusetts, and professional development opportunities were few and far between without a drive to Albany, NY, or to Springfield or Boston, MA.

With teleclasses, I thought I’d hit the personal development motherload. I could simply dial a teleconference bridgeline from the comfort of my own home and be connected with 10-150 other people around the globe, who were all gathered on a call to learn more about a particular topic. Moreover, in many cases the class was free or low-cost, and I didn’t have to get dressed, drive anywhere, find and pay for parking, nor stay overnight, all of which I would have to do if it were an in-person seminar or conference. What could be simpler?

So, what is a teleclass, anyway? A teleclass is a conference call in which everyone on the line can hear and speak with everyone else. You and between 10-500 other registrants call a regular phone number (will typically be a long-distance number where your regular long distance rates apply) at your designated time and you are welcomed by the host, or teleclass leader. Teleclasses have been compared to a grad school discussion — some lecture, some questions, some discussion. As a participant, it’s easy to listen in and either absorb or engage in the discussion.

Fast forward to the present, and I’ve come a long way since then in my teleclass education. I’ve now conducted tons of teleclasses on a variety of subjects, and currently have a group coaching program in progress that’s conducted solely over a teleconference bridgeline. More and more corporations and larger businesses are using the teleconference concept to conduct virtual meetings with far-flung employees around the globe or to provide training to those same people.

Teleclasses are a great way for people to get a “taste” of what you have to offer without any great expenditure. Many self-employed service professionals use free teleclasses as a marketing tool so that participants can get to know them, or as an introduction to a fee-based course/program that they’re selling. Instead of dealing with the hassles entailed in putting on a live event, such as finding a venue, arranging for parking, setting up catering and AV needs, and promoting the event, you can provide nearly an identical experience with much less trouble and much less up-front cost.

So, what topic should your teleclass cover? Here are 3 great resources where you can get some teleclass ideas: Teleclass.com, TeleclassInternational.com, and Seminar Announcer.com.

Teleclass.com and Teleclassinternational.com both offer teleclass leader training. Once you’ve completed the training, you’re able to list your teleclass on their website and in their email newsletter for a small fee. SeminarAnnouncer.com permits you to list your event at no cost, and no special training is required to list your event.

Once you’ve got a topic in mind, now comes the design of the teleclass. If you’ve never had to plan out a program, determining how much content to offer versus how much discussion can be tricky, or just figuring out in what order to present your information can be a bit overwhelming Here’s a list of 20 questions you can use to help you design your teleclass, as provided in the newsletter, Today’s Coach: http://www.todayscoach.com/2003/021003.html

How do you find a bridgeline for the teleclass? I get my bridgeline free of charge at http://www.freeaudioconferencing.com. One feature that is VERY important to have on your bridgeline is the ability to mute all participants. I’ve been on too many calls when someone brings alot of static or a big echo to the call. As the leader, you can mute the other callers and eliminate this background noise, if your bridgeline has this feature, and just unmute the participants when you want to open the floor for questions. The ability to do this will eliminate many headaches for you and your participants.

Now that you’ve built it (the teleclass), will they come? You may have to do a bit of education with your target market to let them know about the concept of teleclasses, as it’s not a term that’s familiar to everyone. Then, you’ll need to promote your event just like you might do a live event–send out press releases, buy advertising (as appropriate), sent notices out to your email newsletter or list, have friends and colleagues notify everyone on their lists, have it listed at one of the teleclass announcement sites listed above, or post it on discussion lists as appropriate.

If you haven’t listed your class with either Teleclass.com and Teleclassinternational.com, both of whom will provide registration for teleclasses, you’ll want have some mechanism on your website for taking course registrations. I use my shopping cart for this function, and you can sign up for a 30-day free trial of that service here: http://wwww.kickstartcart.com. Free video tutorials on how to use this shopping cart can be found here: http://www.shoppingcarttraining.com/

I strongly encourage you to record all the teleclasses that you conduct so that you can leverage them in different ways: have them available for free on your website, convert them to MP3’s and sell the MP3 file or access to that, convert them to a package of CD’s and offer those for sale, or send them out as a podcast.

Teleconferences are a very inexpensive way to expand your market reach throughout the world. Pick a subject, invite your contacts, and get started today!

Copyright 2006 Donna Gunter

Online Business Resource Queen (TM) and Business Coach Donna Gunter helps self-employed service professionals learn how to get more clients online at http://www.OnlineBizCoachingCompany.com. To sign up for more FREE tips like these and claim your FREE gift, TurboCharge Your Online Marketing Toolkit, visit her site at http://www.GetMoreClientsOnline.com. Read about running an online biz at our blog,
http://onlinebizcoachingcompany.typepad.com/online_business_coaching_/

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As the price of oil and electricity continue to climb, many bill payers are hoping for divine intervention. Some homeowners however are exploring the installation of the solar power equipment that will allow them to exploit the energy of the sun to provide energy for their dwellings.

When energy prices were low, it was often difficult to justify the upfront investment of money required to install solar panels, solar water heaters and similar equipment. The reason was simple to understand - it would simply take too long to recoup the cost of the equipment in the form of lower energy bills.

Things have changed though. As energy prices continue to go up, the amount of time required to recoup the upfront cost goes down. In addition, a number of state and local tax incentives make it even easier for homeowners to go solar and save money right away.

Photovoltaic systems have also come a long way. The costs of installing solar panels is still high, with a typical two kilowatt installation of OVR Solar solar panels costing about £10,000 / ($20, 000) in most cases, but special tax incentives and long term energy savings can help homeowners recoup those upfront costs faster than ever before.

Governments around the world are increasingly willing to help. This tax savings can help eligible homeowners recoup some of the costs of installing solar panels and solar water heating systems up front, in addition to the energy savings they will enjoy down the road.

Any homeowner considering the installation of a solar system should be sure to check with his or her state and city to determine what types of tax breaks are available. It’s sensible to look into what help your local authorities are willing to provide. Just Google it to find out what help is available to you.

The factors affecting how long it will take to break even will vary from case to case.. However, as the prices for heating oil, gas and other forms of traditional energy continue to soar, the appeal of solar energy will only grow.

Take the first step to energy self sufficiency with OVR Solar.

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Arranging a mortgage is seen as the standard method by which individuals and businesses can purchase residential and commercial real estate without the need to pay the full value immediately. See which lenders are charging fees 5 percent and for how much. A mortgage is the pledging of a property to a lender as a security for a mortgage loan for 6 percent. It is a transfer of an interest in land, from the owner to the mortgage lender, on the condition that this interest will be returned to the owner of the real estate when the terms of the mortgage have been satisfied or performed.

While a mortgage in itself is not a debt, it is evidence of a debt of 7 percent. So how do you find a lender or broker you can trust’

Translated in Ducth is says: Woon je in Duiven of Amstelveen en hebt u BKR’ Lenen met een BKR notering is nog nooit zo eenvoudig geweest. Koop een nieuw huis met geldleningen zonder bkr toetsing, 415737 euro is geen probleem om te financieren. Van Oosterhout tot Wymbritseradiel, geld lenen met zonder BKR registratie is hier geen enkel probleem.

Both banks and brokers have their strengths and weaknesses. Start with credibility. It’s not easy to know if the prices quoted by lenders are reliable. And of course, each loan and each borrower are different. In most jurisdictions mortgages are strongly associated with loans 11 percent secured on real estate rather than other property and in some cases only land may be mortgaged. Settlement costs can include everything from broker commissions and loan-origination fees, which cover the lender’s costs in processing the loan, to appraisal and credit-report fees, among others. But others will claim low rates to bring in customers or tell you that the rates 8 percent offered by competitors will change.

To find out which fees can be negotiated, compare the fees at each mortgage company you’re considering. Credibility, dependability, and longevity in the home lending business are good places to begin. In other words, the mortgage is a security for the loan that the lender makes to the borrower. Although most mortgage experts say that rates 11 percent are pretty much the same wherever you go, give or take this tiny 10 percentage. Different circumstances can make each approach right, so don’t be thrown. Some will quote you precise, competitive rates 3 percent. Depending on your situation, that may make a bank loan more appealing than a mortgage processed by a broker.

Brokers work with many mortgage bankers and, as a result, can sometimes find slightly more competitive rates 7 percent perhaps lower but dealing directly with a mortgage banker can move a loan along more quickly. See mortgage loan for residential mortgage lending, and commercial mortgage for lending against commercial property. Different lenders charge different fees. Many of these fees are fixed but some can be negotiated.

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When the Judge was presented with the business development evidence, Taylor Success confessed and was clearly identified as the responsible individual for sales growth. Taylor Success was easily tracked down when we followed the trail of consistent sales contacts. It was clear that Taylor Success was following a sales action plan and responsible for the highest serial sales in history.

The Pattern of Serial Selling

When we asked satisfied clients about their experience with Taylor Success, the alleged sales person, they identified the solution selling path of success as the primary reason for doing business. Many of the clients were actively pursued even when they weren’t ready to purchase. This evidence substantiated the long term sales plan Taylor Success executed over months of contacts with potential clients.

Top of Mind Sales Strategy

The best practices of this serial seller maintained top of mind awareness in the psyche of potential clients. This sales drip system was balanced and consistent making it easy for potential clients to remember Taylor Success. When the time came for clients to purchase, they felt compelled to purchase from this serial salesperson.

Based on the fictitious scenario presented here, would you be convicted in a court of sales as a serial salesperson? A serial salesperson has these key traits.

• Follows a consistent, documented sales plan.

• Has a written sales process to capture sales.

• Uses a sales follow-up system that keeps track of client opportunities.

• Evidence of sales activity is documented and traceable.

Steve Martinez implements Business Development and Sales Management strategies with a focus on automating the sales process with technology. Selling Magic is a pioneer in automating and customizing ACT or Outlook with the best practices of sales management integrating emarketing and technology for greater profits. http://www.sellingmagic.com

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When is the last time you ate cranberries? Was it with a turkey dinner? With all the research pointing to the amazing health benefits of this simple berry, shouldn’t cranberries be more than a once a year side dish?

How Cranberries Are Proving Their Strength:

The Cranberry Institute provides the results of studies and research that highlight the fantastic health benefits of the humble cranberry.

Cranberries have been used for thousands of years by Native Americans as a source of food and to extend the shelf life of dried meats. Colonial sailors also made use of the natural preservatives in cranberries (from benzoic acid) which allowed them to last through long sea voyages, and the high Vitamin C content which prevented scurvy.

Perhaps they were on to something since new research suggests that cranberries may prevent the adhesion of the e.coli bacteria - a common cause of food poisoning from contaminated meat - to the urinary tract. This ‘anti-adhesion’ effect may also help in preventing bacteria from causing stomach ulcers and gum disease.

Vitamin C is also a known powerful antioxidant and is being widely accepted as a means of combating the effects of free radicals in the body which can cause cancer, heart disease and other health problems. Antioxidants from cranberries are being researched for prevention of kidney stones and lowering cholesterol.

While many fruits contain antioxidants, according to research cranberries have more antioxidants than 19 commonly eaten fruits. With this news it makes sense to include cranberries into a balanced diet throughout the year.

How Can You Include Cranberries Into Your Diet?

Fresh, frozen or dried, cranberries can be eaten anytime of the year.

Adding dried cranberries to baking (such as scones, breads and cookies) is an easy way to enjoy their tart sweetness. Adding frozen cranberries to smoothies or soups can lend a mild tang to your creations. Fresh cranberries make excellent garnishes and dressings.

The easiest way to add cranberries to your diet is to drink cranberry juice. While sweetened juices have less antioxidants than unsweetened, the benefits of adding cranberry to your diet are still there. If you add unsweetened juice to sparkling water you can enjoy a refreshing spritzer.

While studies are still being conducted on the health benefits of cranberries there is no doubt that increasing the intake of fruits and vegetables in your diet will lead to a healthier body. Choosing to use a variety of berries, citrus and other fruits will ensure you are giving your body everything it needs for optimum health.

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We very much like what we see in Lubbock, TX as a good place for a service business. The city is a very well designed and laid out town with growth in the 4-5% per year range, growth in the Northwest quadrant of the city is steady and good. We are bullish on Lubbock and see how a service company could advance forces into the area to seize market share. There is excellent labor there due to the colleges and a strong growing middle class with younger families. Retail sector is good as well along the Northwest outer ring.

All is good on the home front there for any small business, but particularly a strong service company with growing ambitions since there is lots of good college labor from Texas Tech. Although the kids drive too fast, that just means that an auto service business will also do good there. Recently my company hired a great Blitz Marketing Team guy from Lubbock, he had detailed cars there during his college days and he said the business was good. He was exceptional with customers and had many friends who wanted jobs and were not afraid to work. Additionally we met a gentleman who built a coin-op carwash there and just finished, it was packed with customers and well placed, as the money is flowing on the North West side. Manufacturing and processing plants provide a good economic base and the Industrial section is also doing quite well when pitted against other US cities of the same or near the same size.

A service company will find a good home in Lubbock and should go for it there if the opportunity presents itself. Think about it, think Lubbock.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

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I have been getting my dog groomed once a month since he was a puppy. Now that he is getting a little older I have been looking for other dogs. The groomer mentioned to me at our last visit that one of her clients has teacup poodles for sale and I think that I will look into getting another dog. Not only will my dog have companionship during the day but then they will be each other’s buddies when they get groomed once a month. It will be my happy little puppy family and they get a day at the spa.

I do not know what I fell in love with first, my new tea cup poodle or the clothes that I could buy for her. I had no idea the market that was available to me and my dog. We can even buy some matching outfits for the beach. Recently I bought us both a big lampshade hat to protect our faces from the sun. At first she was really opposed to the hat but after awhile she no longer resisted. Now that I have been putting these clothes on her since she was a few weeks old, she is very used to wearing them.

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