Write | Market | Design

Marketing Mishaps: The "I should hope so!" factor

2011-09-20T09:12:00.000-07:00

Marketing Mishaps: The "I should hope so!" factor

A few years ago, I read an article offering advice about how to be an "exceptional" employee. This was before the big stock market crash of 2008 that precipitated the recent unemployment surge, but presumably intending to guide folks toward keeping their jobs, nonetheless. The advice contained suggestions like:

Be on time for work.
Dress approrpiately.
Know where all your files are, so that when the boss asks for them, you can hand them to him/her immediately.
Don't use work time for personal matters.

I am not kidding or exaggerating — these were the tips this writer offered about being an exceptional employee. Of course, my first reaction was, "Are you serious?! This is the very least someone should do to be an ADEQUATE employee, one who receives a check next to the 'Meets Expectations' box on those infernal reviews."

Well, these sorts of "I should hope so" episodes are not limited to advice articles. Sometimes you find them in companies' marketing materials, and there's no quicker way to blend in with the crowd.

Yesterday I saw a bus stop ad for a law firm. The main message of the ad was, "WE WIN CASES!" Immediately, I thought to myself, "Really? Isn't that what you're supposed to do? And how many cases do you win? 20 percent? 30 percent? 90 percent?"

To their credit, they had a fairly small space in which to work. However, what they gained in space they sacrificed in a compelling message. What if they changed their message just a bit, to say instead, "We win cases other firms won't take"?

This happens more than you may realize. Have you seen ads for bedding companies that tell say, "You'll sleep through the night on our mattresses"? Or hotel promotions that emphasize their "clean, comfortable rooms"? Isn't that the least you expect from a mattress or a hotel room? I suppose it's a slightly different matter whan an airline brands itself as the "On-Time Airline" because the industry standard is to seldom be on time — but even so, isn't arriving on time a pretty average expectation? It's kind of like saying, "We screw up less than everyone else in our business."

I once saw a brochure for a summer camp. This was a glossy, full-color, 12-page booklet touting the beautiful location and all the exciting activities children would experience at this $2,000/week camp. Then came the testimonials, which said things like, "Little Bobby had so much fun and made lots of new friends!" Again ... seriously?! Isn't that the least you should expect from a summer camp? How is that in any way compelling to a parent?

It can be difficult to stand out in a crowded field, but mine your features, benefits, and characteristics until you hit on what really makes you unique and different from everyone else — and then promote THAT.

Location.
Price.
Success rate.
Specializations.
Length of time in the business.
Green technology.
Additional apprecaited by unexpected offerings.

Whatever you do, avoid using words that will make people think, "Really? Isn't that the least this company should do?!"

Until next time — happy marketing!

____________

I invite you to do 2 things next:

(1) Visit Marcie Brock - Book Marketing Maven and subscribe for twice-weekly book marketing tips and strategies.

(2) Visit my Facebook page — and "Like" it if you like it!

Marketing Mishaps: Pushing the "Edgy" Envelope a Bit TOO Far

2011-08-23T05:17:00.075-07:00

Marketing Mishaps: Pushing the "Edgy" Envelope a Bit TOO Far

Twice in two days, I came across branding that caught me off-guard. First, I was directed to this "coaching" site; then, I saw a new business near my house.

Now, I'm not a prude, but the coaching site really stunned me. Maybe it's the giant cow's nose on the Facebook page. Maybe it's the whip. Maybe it's just use of a crass word for a business that looks as if it desperately wants to be professional.

f
The F-Bomb store actually made a lesser impact. More of a "Hmm ... check that out," because I know it's not a place I'll likely ever shop.The thing about my responses to these two "brands" is that they are personal. My dad must have told me a thousand times, "There's no accounting for taste," usually when I was complaining about politics, food, or someone's choice of a partner. And he was right — there IS no accounting for taste. Except for places and instances when we generally expcet things to be tasteful.

f
You may have heard me rant about the business coach I once heard speak who described herself as a "business pimp." Crikey — that term still gets under my skin. Wonder how that branding worked out for her.

f
Another incident involving a speaker brings home this idea of each person's taste being unique. A friend recently told me about losing all respect for a national speaker who, in telling a story during her keynote at national convention, said something to the effect of, "I laughed so hard, I nearly peed my pants."
f

"So what?" I wanted to ask my friend, who clearly thought the comment was tawdry and unworthy of the speaker. We each have differing degrees of what we consider appropriate.

f
Entertaiment may be the one place where it can benefit an act to push things to an extreme. I was just out of college when Van Halen released an album titled, "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge." In case the words don't ring a bell, check out the initial caps in the title.

Then, more recently, a little Law of Attraction movie created quite a stir. Initially titled, "What the #$@! Do We Know!?" it became colloquially known as "What the Bleep?" I'm not sure the title had anything to do with the movie's success, but I'm not sure it didn't, either.

People have different perspectives about coarse language in the business world. Right Spot Media makes the case that such language can actually help public speakers: "[R]esearch shows that—at least for speakers delivering presentations—obscenities can increase the perception of passion and enthusiasm." Of course, they go on to mention mild epithets like "hell" and "damn," but in some places not long ago, use of those by a speaker would have been considered scandalous.

Similarly, the following excerpt from Influential Marketing Blog makes a case for pushing things a bit to attract attention:

The first time I thought about this was when reading about a wonderful social marketing campaign from Saatchi and Saatchi that was done close to 20 years ago. It was for an organization fighting childhood hunger on the streets in Canada (I think) and as the ad featured visuals of young homeless boys on the street just trying to survive, the following voice-over of a boy's voice came on:

                "If I said 'I'm hungry,' that probabbly wouldn't bother you."

                "If I said f*ck, it probably would."

                "F*ck, I'm hungry."
f
That being said, there are still those who seem to agree with me that some words just don't belong in business, particularly in a brand name. Case in point: this discussion on the use of swear words in domain names.
f

There's no accounting for taste.

f
It was from branding expert Peter Montoya that I first heard the comment, "Good branding repels as much as it attracts." The thing the marketer/brand/business owner needs to determine ahead of time is how far they can safely push the envelope and still reach their intended audience. I may be the perfect demographic for the whip-wielding coach, but I will never hire her because I find her brand name tacky.

When you're building a brand, it will serve you to remember a couple of key points:

You are not your client.
Test everything.

If you have examples of branding that gave you a bad taste in your mouth or left you wishing the business owner had been a bit more selective, please share them in the comments section below.

Until next time — happy marketing!

____________

I invite you to do 2 things next:

(1) Visit Marcie Brock - Book Marketing Maven and subscribe for twice-weekly book marketing tips and strategies.

(2) Visit my Facebook page — and "Like" it if you like it!

Good copy is relatable to your readers, regardless of the venue

2011-08-19T06:00:00.003-07:00

Good copy is relatable to your readers, regardless of the venue

Years ago, I had a conversation with an Internet marketer who asked me how my writing differed, depending on my audience. He was taken aback when I told him that my writing doesn't really differ much depending on my audience. My single goal is always to communicate my message as clearly and simply as possible.

"But ... but ... but ..." he protested, "what about times when it needs to be formal, times when a more specific kind of writing is called for?"
OK, there may be small degrees of difference in formality, like perhaps fewer contractions or an upleveling of vocabulary, but overall, my tone and style of writing don't change from project to project. They are almost universally upbeat and conversational.

My friend implied that I must be mistaken, insisted that was definitely a need for different kinds of writing. I pushed back. "Even legal writing is only stuffy and formal because we've come to expect that — and it keeps lawyers in business. But as long as all the required elements in a brief or legal filing are included, the way it's said is more or less irrelevant."

This, I believe, is the gist of Brian Clark's quote, and as founder of CopyBlogger, he should know!

People often seem to be terrified of writing because they think it's difficult, when in reality, every piece of writing is an act of storytelling. Yes, there is a bit of an art to selecting the words that will draw your reader to you, as opposed to sending her packing, but it's not about the formality, structure, or informality of the writing. It's about how well the words themselves resonate with the reader. No matter how much time, effort, or money you pour into your copy, it will ring hollow if the reader doesn't feel you are speaking to him in language he can understand.

Regardless of your venue — social media conversations, ad copy, your website, or your blog — spend time honing your relational writing. Take a page out of Joe Vitale's book and discover the art of hypnotic writing. If you worry less about correct and formal and more about connection, you will find your writing resonating in a way you may never have dreamed possible.

Here’s to your successful writing!

____________

Next, I invite you to do 2 things next:

(1) Visit Write | Market | Design to download your free eBook copy of The First-Time Author's Guide to Hiring the Right Editor for YOU! (2) Visit my Facebook page — and "Like" it if you like it!

Blogs: Still the place you should begin your social media campaign

2011-08-12T00:28:00.003-07:00

Blogs: Still the place you should begin your social media campaign

You know social media is crucial to your marketing strategy, but if you're like many who have hesitated to jump in, you may be wondering where to begin. This very question often arises with my clients when discussing social media and other low- to no-cost marketing strategies. I've got to agree with Chris Brogan: Blogging offers, hands-down, the best ROI on your time and energy.

Before you tackle Facebook, start Tweeting, or create your LinkedIn profile, get your blog underway. There are a few keys to successful blogging:

Quality content
An image/graphic with every post
Posting on a regular schedule
Commeting on other relevant/related blogs

But why should you start with a blog? What exactly is the power in this platform that began as an online journal tool?

Blogs allow you to do 6 important things:

Generate lots of relevant content that the search spiders love. The World Wide Web turned 20 this week, yet generating traffice remains perhaps the biggest challenge for new sites. Because a blog is much more dyamic than a traditional website, in that the best bloggers are adding new content at least once a week, the search engines love well-populated blogs. A blog is the perfect platform through which to add gallons of relevant new content to your site. Not only will the spiders love this content and pull you up in the rankings, but if it's relevant to their searches, your readers and prospective clients will love your content, too.
Work wonders in long-tail* searches. Generally speaking, smart bloggers focus their blogs around a reasonably narrow topic or niche, rather than taking a kitchen-sink, one-size-fits-all approach. When writing on such focused topics, an interesting thing tends to happen. Search results and traffic will wend their way to your blog via long-tailed queries that might never have occurred to you. Long-tail searches can generate a lot of traffic to a newer blog, with much less competition for those all-important rankings.

* As explained by MarketingHub.info, "The term ‘long tail’ is used to describe the strategy of targeting less-competitive niche markets rather than the hugely competitive broad keywords. A long-tail keyword might be something like ‘Small Business Web Design,’ while the short-tail would be ‘Web Design.’"
Produce high-quality, link-worthy content. Although links to your site from other well-populated sites are not as crucial to successful SEO as they once were, they are still important. But the only reason anyone will link to your blog is if you create content that's worth linking to. Producing regular, high-quality blog posts will give you something to offer site owners so that they will want to link to your blog.
Become a credible expert. If you're new to your business or industry, one of the biggest challenges, both on- and offline, is becoming a credible expert. A blog can be a means to catapult right over that little difficulty, if you take the time to do your research and write posts that demonstrate your qualifications and expertise. A great blog post won't necessarily seal the deal for you, but it will lead prospects to you and open the door for an initial conversation. It can also demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of your subject matter so that your prospects feel a certain level of comfort in doing business with you. A high-quality blog can also give you an advantage over the others in your industry if you become the person in your industry who stands out as the expert.
Provide a focal point for your social media. Blogs are the organic nexis of any well-crafted social media campaign because they offer syndication tools that make it easy to link to other social media outlets such as Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Build rapport with your clients, prospects, readers, colleagues, vendors, and other interested folks. Once upon a time, not so long ago, when you wanted to contact a company, you scoured their packaging for their mailing address, wrote a letter, smacked a stamp on it, found a postbox, and crossed your fingers that someone who cared enough to write back would open the letter. Then came traditional websites, which allowed you to learn a lot more about the company – things like their mission statement, product descriptions, and even employment opportunities with their organizations. But there was still a disconnect between you, the consumer, and the folks running the company. Blogging has changed that. Now, companies – even large ones – use blogs to communicate directly with their customers. Take GoDaddy's Bob Parsons, for instance. He’s famous for his personal blog in which he offers commentary and advice to GoDaddy patrons. Think of your blog as your opportunity to sit down for a cup of coffee with every client or potential client. Chat with them. Be personal. Build a relationship. The fact that your readers can post feedback and comments helps you create a conversation with them, which is the first step in building rapport.

So if you have a new mission, message, company, book, service, or product the world needs to know about, I encourage you to wholeheartedly embrace social media – but start with a blog.

Here’s to your successful blogging!

____________

Next, I invite you to do 2 things next:

What if you had to spell "there" correctly before you could post a comment online?

2011-08-11T07:38:00.002-07:00

What if you had to spell "there" correctly before you could post a comment online?

Yesterday, I posted a blog at Marcie Brock, Book Marketing Maven about the annoying trend of misusing apostrophes to create plural words. My brother-in-law saw it, and sent me these hilarious graphics from DangerousMinds.net.

I know it's snarky, but I love this idea. Of course, I also did a recent post about spelling skills (or lack thereof) not equating with intelligence. There's a giant distinction, though, between actual learning challenges that make spelling difficult and laziness or apathy.

Sometimes it feels as though we're losing the smart language battle, but I insist that attention to these details matters. This is especially true if you plan to publish your writing publicly, whether in a book or a blog.

Here’s to your successful writing!

____________

I invite you to do 2 things next:

Visit Write | Market | Design to download your free eBook copy of The First-Time Author's Guide to Hiring the Right Editor for YOU!

Visit my Facebook page — and "Like" it if you like it!

Marketing Mishaps: Using Tech Speak (or Industry Lingo) with Non-Techies

2011-08-08T12:18:00.000-07:00

Marketing Mishaps: Using Tech Speak (or Industry Lingo) with Non-Techies

Sense. You're not making any.

I came across a blog today, the intent of which is probably to help the company build business. The problem is that it's a tech company whose writer(s) does not know how to address a non-techie audience.

This month I promised to tell you how to save money by virtualizing your server(s).

This is one of the most powerful money-saving and environmentally friendly concepts in computing today. And one of the cool things is that you don't sacrifice performance. In fact, in most cases performance is enhanced.

Again, this might be a little technical, but [our company's] techs are always able to help you navigate any issues you might have.

The problem here is that the blogger/company assumes (a) the reader understands enough of the concept of "virtualizing your servers" to know (b) they need to do it and (c) be willing to spend money on this upgrade. Pay particular attention to the text in red. This writer KNOWS the info is technical, but instead of figuring out a way to simplify it, he/she thinks the fact that they have pros on their team is going to get him over that little challenge. WRONG.

Granted, there is more to this post than I am quoting here, but it's full of more techie mumbo-jumbo like "redundant machines," "virtualization platform," "load balancing across diverse hardware," and "host architecture."

Say you run the small to medium-sized business that is looking to enhance its technology performance. Are you going to read this and think, "Yup. That's probably what we need. Let's write a purchase order"? Or are you going to head back to the search engine to find a company that speaks a language you can understand?

Years ago, I remember my friend, master techie Matt Moran, telling me he threatened to fire any of his employees who spoke tech-speak to their clients. His thinking? Their job wasn't to overwhelm the clients with the depth of their computer knowledge; it was to explain the situation to the client in words they could understand and fix the problem. Period.

The thing to remember is that this issue is not exclusive to the technology field. I was in a meeting recently with a printer who was obviously adept at his business but had ZERO ability to translate the conversation into everyday English for my client — who was his potential client. She had no idea what full-bleed (printing that goes to the edge of the page) meant, not did she need to. Not in this meeting.

A while back, I did a post about the dangers of being too insider in your industry. Going top-heavy with the insider language is a perfect example of what you don't want to do.

If you're not sure whether your copy is resonating with your clients — and PROSPECTIVE clients — test it. Have non-insiders read it and give you their honest feedback. If they can describe to you what you meant to say, you know you've succeeded. If they're confused by any of it, it probably needs to be rewritten. Remember, the onus of communication is on the communicator, not the one receiving the information. Don't lose potential clients by talking right past them.

____________

I invite you to do 2 things next:

Visit Write | Market | Design to download your free eBook copy of The First-Time Author's Guide to Hiring the Right Editor for YOU!

Visit my Facebook page — and "Like" it if you like it!

The least you need to know about Self-Publishing from David Carnoy

2011-08-03T06:43:00.000-07:00

The least you need to know about Self-Publishing from David Carnoy

I just came across an article titled Self-publishing a book: 25 things you need to know, by David Carnoy. It's truly the best, most succinct lists of need-to-know info on the subject I've ever come across.

Written from his personal experience publishing a novel, Carnoy cuts through the clutter, the BS, and the drama to give those considering self-publishing a real look at the pitfalls and plusses of heading into this enormous undertaking.

Here's the list, with my comments - but I HIGHLY advise that you go read his column for the nuts and bolts.

1. Self-publishing is easy. True enough.

2. Quality has improved. Also true. The self-publishing industry has come a long way since the horrible production jobs where you were lucky to make it to Chapter 2 before the pages started falling out of the book.

3. Some of the more successful self-published books are about self-publishing. There are a LOT of books on self-publishing out there. But think about it - what's in it for a traditional publisher to print a book about self-publishing? Some are definitely better than others.

4. Good self-published books are few and far between. While this is true about self-published books, I would also argue that it's true about ALL books.

5. The odds are against you. Only in that there are 200,000 new titles released every year, so the odds are against everybody.

6. Creating a "professional" book is really hard. Yes, yes, yes. But if you're going into this to brand yourself or your business, make the best book you can!

7. Have a clear goal for your book. File under "Duh!"

8. Even if it's great, there's a good chance your book won't sell. You MUST have a marketing plan if you want to sell books!

9. Niche books do best. True about almost any business.

10. Buy your own ISBN - and create your own publishing house. And do NOT make the name of your publishing house in any way reflect YOUR name.

11. Create a unique title. If you're using this book as a branding tool, make sure your keywords are in the MAIN title, not relegated to the subtitle, which frequently is left off in reviews and online cataloug

12. Turn-key solutions cost a lot of money. Think of yourself as the general contractor for your book.

13. Self-publishers don't care if your book is successful. I think he means the companies that offer self-publishing tools. Why would they care, as long as they get paid?

14. Buy as little as possible from your publishing company. True. Create Space's printing costs are highly competitive. They're like a car dealership, though. They make their money on the upsell of ancillary services.

15. If you're serious about your book, hire a book doctor and get it copy-edited. Eh-hehm ... it's good to be validated!

16. Negotiate everything. Practice ahead of time, if you need to, but get this one down!

17. Ask a lot of questions and don't be afraid to complain. Not so much on the complaining, but yes, make sure you get your needs met!
18. Self-publishing is a contact sport. And how!

19. Getting your book in bookstores sounds good, but that shouldn't be a real concern. For the most part, this is true.

20. Self-published books don't get reviewed. Unfortunately, still very true.

21. Design your book cover to look good small. EXCELLENT advice!

22. If you're selling online, make the most out of your Amazon page. So many authors neglect this very easy step.

23. Pricing is a serious challenge. Do your homework. A self-published book is considered successful if you recoup your costs in the first year after publishimg.

24. Electronic books offer the most potential for self-publishers. The wave of the future - and if you've already written it, why NOT make it available for the growing ereader crowd?

25. Self-publishing is a fluid business. The entire publishing industry seems to be changing daily. Either make a commitment to stay on top of it, or hire someone who can help you do that.

All that being said, it's time to get busy writing, building, and marketing your book! Don't let this list scare you. Let it inspire you and guide you so that your experience is as seamless as possible.

____________

I invite you to do 2 things next:

Visit Write | Market | Design to download your free eBook copy of The First-Time Author's Guide to Hiring the Right Editor for YOU!

Visit my Facebook page — and "Like" it if you like it!

At what point should you think about showing your work to an editor?

2011-08-02T06:06:00.000-07:00

At what point should you think about showing your work to an editor?

Had a great question from a prospective client yesterday:

At what point would it be beneficial for you to see a sample of my writing?

My response:

That's a good question. Typically, when I'm interviewing a prospective client, I ask to see EITHER the first chapter OR the section of the book that is most representative of their writing. The reason being that we sometimes rewrite the first chapter a bit, so it tends to be somewhat cleaner than the meatier portions of the book. How's the writing going? Do you feel you have enough pages (5 to 10 should do it) to show me a representative sample?

The interesting thing is that there's no right or wrong order to things when it comes to writing a book. Some people feel like they need more than just editing; in that case, they might hire a book coach to help them through the writing process. Others are very disciplined, follow an outline well, and won't bring in an editor until their manuscript is finished. You'll have to determine the right process for you.

Regardless of where you are in the process when you bring in your editor, there are a few things to keep in mind when interviewing the person who will edit your book project:

Any editor worth their weight will give you a courtesy sample edit. This happens for 2 reasons: (a) so they can see a sample of your work and (b) so that you can get an idea of how they would approach your text.
Make sure you feel confident that your questions are being fully answered before you engage an editor.
Find out ahead of time how the editor works and whether their style jives with yours (another reason for that all important sample edit).
An editor’s PRIMARY role is to make your words sound like you, just better.
Keep in mind that your editor is bringing their professional expertise to your text; however, their changes are ultimately only suggestions.
Avoid using price as your sole determinant when hiring an editor: as with most things, you get what you pay for. A good editor is going to be somewhat pricey, but worth every penny.

I can’t emphasize enough how important a professional editor will be to your finished work, especially for someone who’s not a practiced writer – but remember, even the pros have great editors!

Here’s to your successful writing!
____________

If you’d like more thorough information on this subject, do one of the following to get your free copy of The First-Time Author’s Guide to Hiring the Right Editor for YOU!

1. Visit our Facebook page — and "Like" our page for access to the free ebook.

2. Visit our Web site and enter your email address for access to the free ebook.

Marketing Mishaps: Using TOO MANY FONTS on a single mailer

2011-08-01T12:27:00.001-07:00

Marketing Mishaps: Using TOO MANY FONTS on a single mailer

There's an old rule of thumb when it comes to designing an ad, mailer, or other marketing piece that involves copy: unless you are a very gifted graphic designer, limit yourself to TWO fonts. In case you doubt me, here it is from the Creative Marketing Guru blog:

Why It's Ugly

Too many fonts. Use only 2 fonts per marketing piece, max. Change in a typeface signals a change in function or purpose - restrain yourself!

Care to see an example?

This mailer fails on a couple different levels, but the fonts are the most immediately noticeable, because it doesn't stop at 2 fonts, or 3 fonts, or even 4 fonts. It goes all the way to FIVE fonts on one smallish piece of paper. It's just too much.

For one thing, the message looks disjointed and disorganized. Additionally, the fonts don't really represent what they were apparently chosen to describe. For example, the BIG is much bolder than the BOLD. And that BOOMING looks more like boomeranging to me. Lastly, the main font - the one meant to convey details such as the date and call to action - is unnecessarily difficult to read.

Other Mishaps

Another problem with this mailer is the Web site. Go back to the image above and see if you can locate the Web site.

Don't feel bad if it took you awhile ... the Web address is utterly lost in the middle of that challenging font, with no space around it or other reference to it.

The final problem for this one little mailer is that the image appears inconsistent with the message. It references a "Hollywood Event," and yet the background picture more readily depicts a Hawaiian beach than a Hollywood event. Do a Google images search for Hollywood and the first five results are the famous Hollywood sign; the next three are stars on the Walk of Fame.

There is a reason graphic designers and advertising copywriters command big bucks: They know what they're doing! That is not to say you MUST hire an expensive pro for your ad campaign to succeed. However, IF you are going to venture into the design world, I highly recommend that you get some education first. The following are a few books that were recommended by Dexigner, an international design links directory.

Basic Brochures

Direct Mail Design

The Best Advertising and Design in the World

May the graphic design and copy writing force be with you!

Marketing Mishaps: Having a Poverty Mindset

2011-07-19T06:23:00.000-07:00

Marketing Mishaps: Having a Poverty Mindset

This one is admittedly a bit off our regular topics, particularly for Marketing Mishaps. One might even call it somewhat "woo-woo." Whatever you call it, though, one fact remains clear: The best marketing in the world will NEVER help you succeed in your business if you come from a poverty mindset.

What exactly do we mean by a poverty mindset? A thought process that is based in lack, want, a perception of being 'less than', victimhood, or any other mindset that focuses on what you do not have. Whether you know it or not — and more importantly, whether you believe it or not — your thoughts are incredibly powerful, and they are constantly working to attract to you exactly what they're focused on.

Say your #1 client just pulled their account for a reason completely unrelated to you. Now you're looking at your quarterly projections, starting to feel stressed out and worried about how you'll make up that deficit. This is a completely normal reaction, right? Yes — it's normal, but it's not productive. In fact, it's 100 percent counterproductive to attracting a new client to replace the one you lost.

So what are you supposed to do when a challenge comes at you unexpectedly? First of all, take a giant, deeeeeeep breath. Then another. And another still. Keep going until you feel the stress dissipating, at least a little.

Next up, get into a space of gratitude. "Are you out of your mind?" you might be wondering right now. "I've just lost my biggest client and you want me to be thankful?!" Yeppers. Thankful. Hopefully you don't have to think too hard to come up with something for which you are grateful. Write it down. Then, think of another thing, and write that one down, too. Keep going until you have a list that covers the entire sheet of paper.

What's the point? Gratitude refocuses our thoughts, moving them away from what we do NOT have to instead concentrate on what we DO have. In this way, we move out of lack thinking and that poverty mindset into a consciousness where we can more easily embrace and attract the wealth we ultimately seek.

What if you're just starting out, and you only have a few clients? Be fabulously grateful for those few clients! What if you don't have any clients yet? Be grateful for the opportunities awaiting you to meet and connect with new clients. I promise you, as long as you're breathing, you can find something to be grateful for.

CHALLENGE FOR YOU

How can you turn around the following statements, which are focused on negativity and lack, instead building them into powerful, positive affirmations based in a wealth mindset?

I don't know why I even bother networking; I never get any new clients from these events.
Oh, great. Another [_____fill in the blank with your industry title_____]. How can I compete when there are so many of us in this business?
Susie Smith doesn't even try and she gets business. It's just not fair.
I'd have more freedom and flexibility to build my business if I had a wealthy husband to rely on, too.
I'm so behind — I don't think I'll ever catch up.

Can you see how each of these scenarios is focused on lack or victim thinking? Part of transitioning to prosperity thinking is recognizing the sabotaging language for what it is, and then practicing at reframing those concepts into supportive, grateful, positive language. For example, we could change the first bullet point to say something like, "I look forward to networking because I get to meet so many interesting new people. If I keep showing up, I'm sure I'll make great connections."

Additionally, it may help to have a phrase at the ready to substitute when you catch yourself spouting negativisms. My personal challenge is a tendency to run just a bit late to get to meetings. Sometimes, I'll get behind the slowest driver on the road, just as I'm in the biggest hurry. The phrase I always fall back on is, "Everything is perfect, exactly the way it is." If I just remember to say that a few times, I calm down, no matter how stressed out I might be.

The most important thing to remember is that you are the biggest factor in your success. Not the economy. Not your business partner. Not the strength of your networking groups. YOU. Develop a prosperity mindset, and watch your marketing campaign ignite!
____________

We invite you to do 2 things next:

Visit our Web site to download your free Website Design Worksheet.
Visit our Facebook page — and "Like" it if you like it.

Beware the Brain-Pickers!

2011-07-18T14:47:00.000-07:00

Beware the Brain-Pickers!

I had an experience this morning that I'm sure is familiar to many consultants, coaches, doctors, attorneys ... pretty much anyone who is considered an expert in their business or industry. A friend texted me a few days ago, asking if we could meet soon. She didn't say what about ... but I had a feeling I knew before we got together. My subconscious must really have known, because I forgot to put the meeting on my calendar, and as a result was late to meet her.

We are in similar businesses, but she's very new to this line of work. As I sat down at the restaurant, she explained that she just wanted to "pick my brain" a bit about a couple of things. And then she proceeded to do just that — not without my permission, I must add. I've been here before on perhaps two other occasions with the same friend, so this whole setup was not really a surprise to me.

One sentence in our conversation caught me quite off-guard, however. She was telling me about her challenges billing a new client, because the client has a limited cash flow right now and wants the work to proceed anyway: "I told her, 'Yes, but I have expenses. I have to do research, meet with people (gesturing to me), and increase my knowledge so I can give you the best service.'" She did not even see the irony ... or notice my hackles going up.

I was unsure how to proceed. My inclination was just to decline the next offer for a "meeting." But as the check came and I found myself paying for my own breakfast, I knew that silence would not suffice. My friend thanked me for my time, which I used as an appropriate moment to tell her — perhaps a little harshly — that while she was welcome this time, if there was going to be a next time, it would have to be for a fee. A look of utter astonishment washed across her face. I then reminded her that she'd just told me she was charging her client for meeting with me, but seemed to be expecting me to share my expertise with her for free, simply because we're friends.

Those of you who've been there understand how awkward this can be.

The thing is, I bet we've all done it at one time or another, called on a friend for their expert advice. What we may not realize is when we begin to step over the line of "asking a favor" into the area where they normally and reasonably charge for the information we're after. For what it's worth, here are a few tips on this idea of "free advice."

FOR the ASKER

NEVER ask someone if you can "pick their brain" (or worse, tell them you'd like to).
Respect your friends'/colleagues'/associates' expertise and recognize when your favors are traipsing into areas of information for which they would normally charge a consulting fee.
At the VERY least, offer to buy them lunch/dinner for their time. More appropriately, ask if you can schedule an hour of their time (indicating that you will pay for this hour), and let them tell you that you don't need to pay them.

FOR the ASKEE

Decide in advance if you're willing to gift certain friends with your time/expert knowledge — and where/why you draw the line. Sure you're a nice person and you don't want to make enemies, but you also don't want to be a doormat.
It's your time, and they're your friends — you get to decide whom to help, to what degree, and how often.
You might let them know that while you're happy to have one brief conversation, you normally charge a rate of X for a consultation on this topic.
Have a standard answer prepared for those who want to "pick your brain."
Suggest they call your office during business hours to schedule an appointment.
If the "asker" has a product/service you can use, perhaps you might suggest a trade.
Even if it's a difficult conversation, be willing to set boundaries.

Here's the thing both "Askers" and "Askees" should remember. Askees have invested time (perhaps many years) and energy and money and brain power becoming the experts they are. They now charge for that expertise, as they should. Askees must learn to set sensible boundaries; Askers must learn to respect them.
____________

We invite you to do 2 things next:

Visit our Web site to download your free Website Design Worksheet.
Visit our Facebook page — and "Like" it if you like it.

Marketing Mishaps: Failing to Reply to Queries from Your "Contact" Page

2011-07-15T13:28:00.000-07:00

Marketing Mishaps: Failing to Reply to Queries from Your "Contact" Page

You have a blog or a Web site – duh. More than likely you also have a "Contact" page on your blog or Web site. Yeah! Here's a quiz, though:

#1. How easy is your "Contact" page to find?

Why would I ask such a silly question? Have you ever had to DIG and DIG and DIG – sometimes 3 or 4 levels down – to get to someone's contact page? I have, and not just once. Let me tell you, (a) I'm not the typical Web visitor, and (b) I kept digging because after the second level, I was just curious how far this site owner was really going to make me go before they revealed their precious contact info.

W|M|D SUPER-DUPER WEB MARKETING TIP

Make your site easy to use.

If your visitors have to click through to even a second level to find your contact info, you've probably lost them.

#2. Do you use a Contact Form or an eMail Link?

Is one really better than the other? Well, according to the Flyte Web Marketing blog, the Contact Form is preferred for a number of reasons:

Better contact information capture
Better conversion tracking
Easier data entry to a contact database
Reduced spam

While I cannot argue with this logic, the part of me that says "easier is always better" knows that some people are always going to prefer the e-mail link, so I'd always be inclined to include one somewhere on my site. Would you rather risk getting less data up front so that you can be sure to receive that message from a prospective client, or use a one-size-fits-all approach?

#3. Do you have a "catch all" address so that you can capture misspelled e-mail addresses?

Could this lead to more spam? Sure. But I have to go back to making things easy for the end user. Say they've got Clumsy Finger Syndrome and type LittleMissMuffet@gmail.com as LittleMiddMuffet@gmail.com. Do you still want to hear from them? If the answer's yes, how are you going to hear from them if you don't have your e-mail set to catch all spellings, even the goofy ones? Even the ones addressed to Info@?

#4. Who reads the messages sent via your Contact Form or contact e-mail address? How skilled are they at prioritizing?

Why is this important? Let's say you've got a summer intern who's quite green. You figure the perfect job for them is doing something that, for the most part, requires rote, standardized answers. What happens, however, if the inquiry that comes in via that contact page is not an order, a question about how to order, or some other easy topic, the answer to which can be found on your FAQ page? What if it's an invitation for you to speak or write an article or guest lecture or be interviewed? What if it's a dissatisfied client who wants options for recourse? What if it's someone who wants to reprint one of your articles or blog posts? What if it's someone looking to create a joint venture with you? None of these is a throwaway question with a standardized answer. But does your intern (or whoever reads this e-mail) know whom to forward the mail to? Are they empowered to follow up? Do you have a system in place for handling ALL queries?

#5. How quickly do you respond to these e-mail queries?

Perhaps the single biggest challenge for entrepreneurs and small businesses is follow-up - mostly because most entrepreneurs and/or small business owners have no systems in place for following up. Does this require discipline? Of course! But if you can keep a couple things in mind, perhaps you will be motivated to move this to the front burner of your marketing stove.

When was the last time you submitted an e-mail query and received a prompt response?
How did you feel when your question was answered right away?
How did you feel if your question was left to languish on the vine?
How will YOUR end user feel if you don't answer their query in a timely manner?

ON THE FLIP SIDE

Here are a few tips to help ensure any e-mail YOU SEND gets read and receives a response:

Use a good SUBJECT line.
Be SUCCINCT.
Indicate WHAT you want from them (e.g., a refund, an answer, a further contact, etc.)

Let that contact form do what it's made for ... allow new people to contact and engage with you!

____________

We invite you to do 2 things next:

Visit our Web site to download your free Website Design Worksheet.
Visit our Facebook page — and "Like" it if you like it.

Are you READY to join SpongeBob at the Twitter party?

2011-07-12T15:53:00.000-07:00

Are you READY to join SpongeBob at the Twitter party?

Who would have thought a goofy cartoon character named SpongeBob would take the lead in a new — but all too obvious — use of the machine that is Twitter? According to a Fast Company update:

This week kids' favorite SpongeBob SquarePants will be the center of a new story on a wholly new medium: Twitter. The Ice Race Cometh — A Twitter Tale is an original story, from the official SpongeBob writing team, and will consist of multiple tweets and images broadcast throughout each day from July 12th to July 15th. Fun? Sure. Novel? You bet. Silly? Quite a bit.

I absolutely LOVE this idea, and wonder about the fact that other authors have not picked up on it sooner.

Now, knowing what I do of human nature, I can hear the groans and protests already. "No way — I'm not going to GIVE AWAY my book for free..."Well, I'm going to fall back on my favorite Cher quote, from Moonstruck: "SNAP OUT OF IT!"

This Twitter series idea is phenomenal for a number of reasons:

Twitter is approaching 300 million registered users, and has just surpassed 100 million apps designed specifically for it. So, as a social medium, it's no fad — it's here to stay.
Get over your fear of "giving your work away." This is the way marketing is done today — if you don't want to play the game by the new rules, maybe it's time to find a J-O-B.
Releasing this stories in a series of tweets is creating sustained interest in the @SpongeBob Twitter handle. People (who are captivated by this story) are going to follow, follow, follow!
Following a Twitter feed is like watching TV — you can't watch all of it, ever. Yes, people can go back and read the whole story through the @SpongeBob feed, but they're going to have to wade through all the other intermittent tweets. If I really liked the story, I think I'd be inclined to purchase it, not sift through all the tweets to read it for FREE.

The goal is to attract attention to the story — and I have no doubt it's going to work!

As always, I encourage you — especially the authors in the crowd — to do some brainstorming and visualizing to determine how you can extrapolate from this SpongeBob experiment and use the idea to promote your own book, brand, or service.
____________

We invite you to do 2 things next:

Visit our Web site to download your free Website Design Worksheet.
Visit our Facebook page — and "Like" it if you like it.

Marketing Mishaps: Just because your WordPress site can have lots of boxes doesn't mean it should!

2011-07-05T14:41:00.001-07:00

Marketing Mishaps: Just because your WordPress site can have lots of boxes doesn't mean it should!

There's no arguing that the world we live in today is a lot more complex than it was 30 years ago. Information flies at us from all directions, and is available to us from every corner at every second of the day and night. As a result, we're getting better at processing that seemingly unstoppable flow of data. Sometimes, though, more options are NOT better.

I just had a pretty typical experience of following a tweet to a site that looked promising ... until I got to the site:

It looks pretty, right? But this is the site of a self-proclaimed branding company whose brand says only one thing to me: TOO BUSY to be focused.

You've no doubt heard about making a good first impression when you meet someone. Well, the exact same thing is true of your Web site or blog. You have literally about 3 seconds before that coveted brand new visitor decides whether to stay and explore, or chooses to hit the back button or the little X that closes your tab forever. If you want them to stay, your site has got to have a natural navigation and symmetry to it.

The problem with the site above is that there are WAY too many options. Where are you supposed to go first? The giant picture? Great. You tab through 5 or 6 images. What then?

When it comes to Web design, we sometimes get caught up in this idea that if we offer sooooo much good stuff in one place, our unique visitors will want to stay and check it all out. Wrong. They're not going to check anything out without a reason — and a natural pathway to guide them from section/option to section/option.

Think about the times you've followed a tweet to a blog post. One post, one topic. If you read the first paragraph and liked it, you probably kept reading. If you didn't like it, you left. But you lingered long enough to let the content do the persuading — it wasn't the layout of the site that sent you packing.

Simple isn't boring. Sometimes, it's more useful than we realize.
____________

We invite you to do 2 things next:

Visit our Web site to download your free Website Design Worksheet.
Visit our Facebook page — and "Like" it if you like it.

When a client gives you chills — in a good way!

2011-06-28T11:23:00.000-07:00

When a client gives you chills — in a good way!

I'm very privileged to be working with a new client on an important book, the working title of which is The Time to Heal. To preserve her confidentiality regarding topic, I'll just say it's a groundbreaking work about a misunderstood illness.

As part of our workflow, we have a standing appointment for a weekly phone call check-in, during which we review our progress, address questions and issues, and set the schedule for the following week's work.

Today, just before we got off the phone, my client said, "There's one more thing I want to do before we hang up. I want you to take note of these 6 questions, because as we go through the process of writing this book, I want to keep these in mind at every stage." Her questions nearly brought me to tears:

Is it true?
Is it helpful?
Is it kind?
Is it clear and concise?
What is healing about it?
Who is healing from it?

What a thoughtful individual she is — and what a massively different world we'd live in if every author, writer, TV news commentator, blogger, social media user, individual would review these questions on a daily basis. My client's point was that although this will be a noteworthy book on what can be a terribly controversial issue, she wants her underlying purpose to be life-giving. Period.

Where can you apply these questions in your writing, work, and life?
____________

I invite you to do 3 things next:

Visit Write | Market | Design to download your free eBook copy of The First-Time Author's Guide to Hiring the Right Editor for YOU!
Visit my Facebook page — and "Like" it if you like it.
Visit my new book marketing blog, Marcie Brock - Book Marketing Maven. If you like it, subscribe — and tell your friends!

____________

Your thoughtful comments encouraged and appreciated.

Considerations when publishing an anthology of other writers' work

2011-06-22T20:59:00.000-07:00

I received a very interesting question from life coach Nicole Bandes today:

I am working on my next book which will be a compilation of stories. Thechallenge I am running into is that many of the stories being submitted arealready written on blogs somewhere.

I'm ... wondering ifthis is a problem or if I should request exclusive only stories. Maybe I cantake the story written on the blog and rewrite them so they aren't identical(I'd need to do that with most anyway).

Do you have any thoughts or suggestions?

My response to Nicole's question was 5-fold:

(1) Are you saying these stories have been posted by thewriters on the writers' blogs? That's not an issue unless you make it one byinsisting on original material.

(2) If the material has been submitted by the original author to another blog or article site, you'llneed to find out who actually owns the piece because there could be fine printsaying the blog owner/article site now owns the content.

(3) Make sure you insist on an affidavit or waiver from each storysubmitter stipulating that they wrote the material and have the rights toreproduce it.

(4) I would also insist on a signed release from each contributor, giving youexpress permission to reprint their material and agreeing to allow you to useit however you are planning to (e.g., book only, on your blog, in your marketingmaterials, etc.).

(5) You need to be VERY explicit about compensation — or lack thereof —especially if you're not offering cash payments for the stories. Maybe you're agreeing togive them a resource box at the bottom of each story in exchange for using it.Whatever the agreement is — make it clear that they know what they are agreeingto.

Brenda Warneka and Arlene Uslander, in an article titled "The Art of Assembling Anthologies," offer this additional valuable information:

Provisions to include in the contract with the contributors
Among other things, you must decide what story rights you willask for, and what payment you will offer to contributors. We areaware of payment by the best selling anthologies of as much as$300 or more; others run contests for stories; new anthologiesmay pay with a copy of the book and a bio, which is an acceptedpractice. Many fine writers are willing to allow a one-time useof their work simply because they are interested in the theme ofthe book. New writers may be seeking the writing credentialsprovided by having a story in print.

There may be other money-making opportunities for contributorseven if the anthology is nonpaying; e.g., the sale of reprintrights, speaking engagements, or other writing assignments as aresult of the exposure.

Anthologies are a great, usually easy, way to put together an informative book. Just make sure you cover yourself and your contributors before embarking on such a project.

____________

I invite you to do 3 things next:

Visit Write | Market | Design to download your free eBook copy of The First-Time Author's Guide to Hiring the Right Editor for YOU!
Visit my Facebook page - and "Like" it if you like it.
Visit my new book marketing blog, Marcie Brock - Book Marketing Maven. If you like it, subscribe – and tell your friends!

Professional Editing - It's NOT Optional if You Want a Professional Book

2011-06-07T17:18:00.000-07:00

Professional Editing - It's NOT Optional if You Want a Professional Book

Staying on top of one's industry takes a lot of time and effort, but it's essential if you want to be worthy of the expert status you should be claiming for yourself. One way I keep informed and in touch is through membership in several writing/editing/publishing groups on LinkedIn.

Yesterday, a man posted a question about the best way to sell a spiritually compelling autobiography. He was specifically interested in information about securing an agent and/or traditional publisher and how to craft a successful book proposal. I was the first in the thread to post a fairly comprehensive answer. As is the case with many of these "conversations," a number of people often chime in to offer their expertise. I have to imagine that is both good and bad for the question-asker. Good, because they can get a lot great of information; bad, because sometimes they have to wade through some dreck with a BS detector to discern the good info from the less useful remarks.

Case in point. One woman, in responding to my second comment on this particular thread, wrote the following. Please pay specific attention to the portions I have highlighted.

Laura is right. The first step is to write and not focus on how you write. It sounds as if you've done that. The next step is to either edit it yourself or pay someone to edit it. But nobody can write it like you can. I still suggest you study up as I did. Sometimes a critique group can help. Don't publish it until it is the best it can be. Have people read it and comment. Read other successful memoirs and see how they did it.

This is flat-out contradictory information. It doesn't matter how good a writer you are, a professional editor will ALWAYS improve it. In the past, I have likened this to an interview I once heard with Michael Jordan. The reporter asked him what made him such a great player. His answer: "I had great coaches." If even the great Michael Jordan, with undeniable natural basketball talent, needed good coaches, then even the best writer needs a good editor.

Another way to think about it is like preparing a succulent meatloaf. You select the choicest meats, add the perfect spices, choose the ideal baking dish, get the meat settled in just right ... and then decide not to cook it. Who would DO that? No one. But that's essentially what you're doing if you decide you don't really need the services of a skilled editor experienced in your genre.

Price is not always commensurate with skill, but it's a decent indicator. And quality editing is not inexpensive. But if you want to take the good part of the advice in the quote above – Don't publish it until it is the best it can be – you will spend the money and invest in a professional editor. Notice the use of the word "invest." If you really want to make a book you can be proud of, a book a publisher or agent WILL look at with interest, a book that will sell well, you will make an investment in editing.

Of course, there are other expenses involved in creating a really good book: cover design, interior layout, and pagination, to name only a few. But think of it this way. The cover and title draw in the potential reader and get them to pull the book off the shelf, pick it up from the sales table, or "Look Inside." But it's the words that sell the book. If you have the best message in the world, but your words are not polished, you won't sell many copies, and you especially won't create the buzz that comes from word-of-mouth praise.

You've worked long and hard on this book. Don't you owe it to yourself – and your readers – to do everything possible to publish the best book possible?

____________
I invite you to do 3 things next:

Visit Write | Market | Design to download your free eBook copy of The First-Time Author's Guide to Hiring the Right Editor for YOU!
Visit my Facebook page - and "Like" it if you like it.
Visit my new book marketing blog, Marcie Brock - Book Marketing Maven. If you like it, subscribe – and tell your friends!

http://bit.ly/marciebrockbookmktmaven

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind is a great example of building marketing INTO your book

2011-05-16T05:01:00.000-07:00

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind is a great example of building marketing INTO your book.

DON'T Buy into the Hype that Self-Published Authors Are Not REAL Authors

2011-04-06T11:01:00.000-07:00

DON'T Buy into the Hype that Self-Published Authors Are Not REAL Authors

I just read on another "writing coach's" Facebook page that "Self-Publishing Will Kill Your Reputation as a Quality Author." She's trying to make a clear distinction between self-published authors who use vanity presses and true independently published authors, but all she does is conjure up the same old "self-publishing has a stigma" line from years ago.

“Self-publishing.” A term often confused, skewed by greedy vanity publishing companies, and a stigma to the entire publishing industry. What do you think when you hear, “I am self-published?”
That author wasn’t good enough to get a ‘real’ publisher.
Their book probably wasn’t edited.
Their cover design is horrible.
They just wanted a quick fix, an easy road to get their book out.
This is only a smidgen of the stigma true independent publishers have to fight from those in the “self-publishing” industry. The fact is, any company you pay to publish your book, who pays you royalties, or who puts their logo on the back of your book – any company that handles the distribution of your book for you that is not a real book distributor – is not a self-publishing company. They are vanity, plain and simple.

The fact is, the publishing business is changing, and many "BIG NAME" authors are now choosing the self-publishing route.

Just to make sure I wasn't crazy — and that the many articles I've been reading over the last six months to a year support this position, I did a quick Google search for "perspectives on self publishing." The FIRST article that comes up is about Alissa Valdes-Rodriguez, who walked away from St. Martin’s Press to self-publish. That's the term they use, "self-publish" — not "independently publish." Her comments are telling:

Self-publishing, you see, gives me control. And if I’m not in control, God only knows what will happen. My work might end up shelved under “foreign” in my own country again, or the press release might once more call it “spicy” and me “a hot tamale.” I might, again, get booked to read at a store in Arizona, only to have the manager ask me if I speak English — my native and only tongue. Shudder.

And I recently posted an on my Facebook fan page a link to a conversation between authors Barry Eisler and Joe Konrath about this very subject ... the primary focus of which is that Eisler walked away from a 6-figure agreement in favor of "self-publishing."

Here's the thing: this other coach is not wrong about vanity presses. They're low-budget, and working with them can give you a black eye in the literary world. But she does all of her readers a grave disservice by dismissing the facts that:

(a) The publishing industry is changing — anyone recall a little chain called Borders recently going under?

(b) Self-publishing (aka indpendent publishing) does not carry nearly the stigma today that it did 10 or 15 years ago.

(c) As many OR MORE opportunities exist for savvy self-publishing authors than for those tied to traditional publishing houses today.

(d) High-quality self-published books are being released every day.

This "coach" would have done her readers/clients much more good by discussing the things one needs to do to make sure their self-published book is well received, such as:

Hire the best editor you can afford.
Hire a professional book designer to create your cover and interior layout.
Have your book professionally typeset.
Make sure your book has a table of contents and index, if appropriate.
Get an ISBN and LCCN.
Register your book with the US Copyright office.
Make sure you create a "publishing company" that does not have the author's name/initials in it.
Create a logo for said publishing company, and include it on the spine, the back, and the copyright page of the book.

A whole bevvy of new self-publishing authors would likely skip one or more of those steps, and thus run the risk of being decried "not good enough to get a ‘real’ publisher." Those are the clients I love to work with. In fact, I recently helped two self-published (aka indpendently published) authors complete their books. Can you tell, by looking at the covers?

___________

If you'd like help to get your book project off the ground, please message me on Facebook, send me an e-mail, or call me at 602.518.5376. And whatever you do, ignore the shouts that "self-publishing will kill your reputation as a quality author."

NOTE: Bill Greaves at Concept West did the covers for both Find Fulfill Flourish and Gabriel's Angels.

Top 10 Ways to Celebrate Library Lovers' Month

2011-02-08T16:18:00.000-07:00

Top 10 Ways to Celebrate Library Lovers' Month

February is Library Lovers' Month, a month-long celebration of school, public, and private libraries of all types. This is a time for everyone, especially library support groups, to recognize the value of libraries and to work to assure that the nation's libraries will continue to serve.

If you don't have a library card, GET ONE! They're free!!
Send a Valentine to your favorite librarian or take him/her to lunch. If you don't have a favorite librarian, buy or send a bouquet of flowers for the whole library staff. You will be guaranteed to make their day!
Host a book club meeting to celebrate your favorite genre (mystery, sci-fi, romance, NY Times or NPR-suggested, etc.). Who knows - maybe you'll want to make it a regular thing.
Take your child (or a child you know) to story time. There's no better way to connect with books than to hear them read aloud - and the children's enthusiasm is infectious.
Rent a movie that features a character who is a librarian. There are far more of these than you would think!
Make an official proclamation to celebrte Library Lovers' Month in your school, town, or community. Download a template here.
Give bookmarks instead of Valentine's cards. Or Valententine's cards that double as bookmarks!
Post a Library Lovers' Month image on your blog, Web site, or Facebook page.
If your library has one, join the Friends Group - a support group of volunteers who provide fundraising and other assistance for many libraries. As a member, you will be kept informed of library funding issues. If your lirary has no Friends group, start one!
Start a book collection drive. Ask your friends, neighbors, and coworkers to clean out their bookshelves and give their old books to your favorite library.

_________
Visit Write | Market | Design today to download your free copy of the eBook: The First-Time Author's Guide to Hiring the Right Editor for YOU!

Top 10 Lessons Authors Can Learn from the Super Bowl

2011-02-04T10:40:00.000-07:00

Top 10 Lessons Authors Can Learn from the Super Bowl

Yup, it's that time of year again. Interestlingly, many literary types tend not to be sports types. Nevertheless, there are lots of things authors can learn from watching Super Bowl teams in action. Here are my Top 10.

It takes guts and conditioning to make it to the top. Elite athletes don't get to the top of their games by accident. They train, practice, and commit themselves to success. How committed are YOU to succeeding at your craft?
The best team doesn't always make it. Sometimes, a lesser team has a good game, and the team you think should win doesn't win. This is true of books, too. Wonder why a bad writer becomes popular? (A) Right place at the right time. (B) It's who they know. (C) A little luck goes a long way. (D) All of the above. Leverage everything you can to give yourself the best advantage.
Good coaching matters. Almost without exception, good teams have good coaches. As a writer, you can do the same. Gather around yourself a writing coach, editor, designer, and others who will help you lift your work to become the best it can be.
Getting on the field and making it to the endzone ... two entirely different things. An author understandably heaves a giant sigh of relief on finishing that manuscript, especially if it's been years in the making. However, finishing the writing is only the FIRST step in the publishing process. Make it to the end zone of strong sales with a good plan for editing, design, and - most importantly - marketing!
Sometimes you have to take a risk. On the field, that could mean a Hail Mary pass or running instead of punting on the one-yard line. As a writer, it could mean taking a controversial stand, approaching someone famous for a blurb, or spending a lot on a marketing pitch. Be strategic, but remember that it's often the case that the bigger the risk, the bigger the payoff.
When you fall down, get up quickly. Things don't always go according to plan. Sometimes you hire a bad editor, the designer quits before they've finished your cover, no one reads your blog, or the book itself is a flop in spite of your best efforts. Are you going to sit and contemplate the challenge awhile, or get up and get back in the game ASAP?
Having rabid fans helps enormously. Whether you're a Cheesehead or a member of Steeler Nation, you're ready to root on your favorite team. Successful authors appreciate the fact that the energy of the fans has an incredible effect on the players. If you don't have a screaming fan base yet, this is the time to start building it!
Be creative with your advertising. So many people watch the Big Game for the ads that they've begun an odds bracket so we can call our favorites. As an author, pay special attention to the Super Bowl ads this year. What about them is captivating? And where can you mimic their success, if even in a small way?
Throw a big party! When you're ready to launch your book, don't let it come quietly into existence - THROW A BIG PARTY and invite everyone you know! Send written invitations. Send media releases. Print flyers and postcards. Have food at a place where you'll be welcome to spread out and sign lots of books.
The whole world is watching you. OK, maybe not the whole world. But parts of the world. With a book launch, you're going public. So be ready to meet the public by speaking fluidly and intelligently about your book, having good people out there promoting it for you, and being ready to make as big a splash as you can.

___________

Visit Write | Market | Design today to download your free copy of the eBook: The First-Time Author's Guide to Hiring the Right Editor for YOU!

Silencing the Watcher so that the Writer can WRITE

2010-12-28T05:39:00.000-07:00

Silencing the Watcher so that the Writer can WRITE

You may be familiar with this routine:

You write a line. You read it. You change a word. You read it. You change another word. You add a comma. You delete the comma. You add the comma.

You write a line. You read it. You change a word. You change it back. You visit thesaurus.com and find a different word. You read it. You change another word.

You write a line. You read it. You change a word...

This is known as the most painful possible way to write. Unfortunately, it's the only way a lot of beginner - and some veteran - writers seem to be able to do it.

As Geoff Williams says on the Songwriting & Beyond blog, "The worse 'creativity killer' is the analytical part of your mind. This is the part that judges everything you do. If you try and judge something AS you are creating it, the creative part of your mind 'shuts down.'"

I think I was a junior in high school when I first learned of this phenomenon. My English teacher recommended a book about the "Watcher" and the "Writer" - the dual roles we play whenever we sit down to string letters into words into writing that makes sense. If you've become accustomed to letting the Watcher have free reign while you write, it may take some reconditioning to break that habit and silence the buttinsky until it's time for them to do their work - during the editing process.

As a recent post on Copyblogger states, you've got to put the writing first:

So sit down and write. That’s the key. Don’t go back and edit. Don’t sit there and contemplate what you’ll say next. The more you can just write or type your thoughts out as they come to you, the easier the whole project will be. Don’t allow yourself to rethink what you wrote at this point. Don’t stop to go back and make changes yet. Just write it until it’s finished.

My biggest personal challenge is the struggle for precisely the right word. Having lost more than one train of thought on this red herring, however, I've learned to write the closest imperfect word and circle it, highlight it, change the font, or just leave a blank (________) so that I can keep on writing. I can always come back later and find the proper word ... but I can't always call back the creative thoughts that flew out the window while I was needlessly exercising MS Word's thesaurus function.

The thing to remember is that you're changing a habit, so this new behavior is probably going to take some time to develop. And as with developing most new behaviors, the first step toward success is noticing when you're doing the thing you want to change. Although our goal may be effortless, relaxed writing, for the next little while, you'll want to watch for your Watcher and catch him/her in the act. As soon as you notice yourself editing, STOP. Make a note if you need to. And go back to writing.

It may not be easy, but soon this new writing process will become the norm for you, and you'll wonder how you ever let the Watcher have so much control. Only when you've finished with the writing part (blog post, article, chapter, poem) is it the Watcher's time to shine.

Fluency is when self-editing happens so quickly that we can’t see it. ~Copyblogger

___________

Visit Write | Market | Design today to download your free copy of the eBook: First-Time Author's Guide to Hiring the Right Editor for YOU!

A NEW Idea for Garnering Book Reviews

2010-12-22T05:44:00.000-07:00

A NEW Idea for Garnering Book Reviews

Every author dreams of writing a book that garners dazzling reviews. They also dream of conquering Amazon. Here's a great idea for a way to do both: reach out to Amazon users who write prolific reviews on the site!

According to a very informative article on the Amazon site, here are a couple of tips:

Identifying and contacting 100 to 300 potential online reviewers and sending a copy of your book to each respondent who expresses willingness to look at it and perhaps post an honest critique.

If you spend two or three days contacting about 300 potential Amazon reviewers, you can expect to receive about 40 to 50 responses, and wind up with perhaps 35 reviews, a quite satisfactory result.

(Author's note: Recently Amazon seems to be restricting communications between authors and readers, and not all Amazon Friends invitations have been going through. Whether this is a policy change by Amazon or simply a glitch isn't known.) 4/13/2009

Look for potential reviewers on Amazon’s Top Reviewers list - and target the people who regularly post reviews of books similar to yours.

Getting your book in front of traditional publications like The New York Times and Booklist would still be a great goal - but why not take your book to the masses, right where they're looking for it anyway?

___________
Visit Write | Market | Design today to download your free copy of the eBook: First-Time Author's Guide to Hiring the Right Editor for YOU!

Are Christmas cards dead?

2010-12-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

Are Christmas cards dead?

For many, many years, I took great pride - and an enormous amount of time - in making my own Christmas cards. In fact, I don't think I've bought pre-printed cards in nearly 25 years.

Over the last few years, though, I've taken to making my cards digitally - and sending them that way, too. Interestingly, the images here are samples of the physical cards I've made over the years ... the digital ones seem to have become lost in cyberspace.

In her December 20 post for Slate, Kate Julian asks, "Did Facebook kill the Christmas card?" I would say no - and yes. For me, running a business killed the Christmas card. The wanton unnecessary sacrifice of trees aside, I agree with Kate, in that I absolutely love printed cards. Time, though, is precious. And since I just can't bring myself to buy store cards anymore - not with the nice ones going for upwards of $5 EACH - making my own is the only way I can go. And making individual cards for 50+ people no longer fits in my time budget.

So digital it is. I re-upped my Blue Mountain subscription this year, along with subscribing to a couple other e-card services. The good news is that since they're digital, I make the effort to send them to a lot more people ... more than likely because it's so much easier than buying/making a card, putting a stamp on it, addressing it, and crossing that last hurdle of finding a mailbox into which to deposit it!

I'm with you, Kate - I miss the Christmas cards, too. I hope you're wrong about 2010 being the year they died - maybe if I put it on my calendar now, I'll remember to make my 2011 Christmas cards during the summer lull. In the meantime, here's this year's digital card. Happy Christmas to all!

______________
Visit Write | Market | Design today to download your free copy of the eBook: First-Time Author's Guide to Hiring the Right Editor for YOU!

Rewriting the Classics: Audacity or Common Sense?

2010-12-19T09:59:00.000-07:00

Rewriting the Classics: Audacity or Common Sense?

Jesse Kornbluth has a lot of nerve. He had the chutzpah to rewrite one of the most beloved Christmas stories of all time: Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. The editor of HeadButler.com has what he considers a valid reason: he wants his nearly 8-year-old daughter to experience the story, but she was so bored with it she refused to listen. So he changed it up.

In his HuffPost piece, Kornbluth makes a fair point:

Books change over time, and over 170 years, "A Christmas Carol" has changed more than most. We like a punchy opening; "A Christmas Carol" is a slow starter. By our standards, the language is clotted and the piece is seriously overwritten - as I was reading it, I was scanning ahead to see what I could paraphrase or cut.

I'm not parenting, and I'm not sure how I would feel if my son were to have dumped my all-time favorite, The Grapes of Wrath, after giving it a go for less than a chapter ... so I appreciate Kornbluth's desire to share this literary holiday gift with his daughter. Yet the purist in me recoils a bit at the thought that we should have to change literature to soup it up or dumb it down or somehow improve it for the newer generations.

After all, classic, by its very definition, means something that withstands the test of time. As the author of Paisley and Plaid writes, "A classic portrays life as complex and depicts negative and positive aspects of human nature and the trying of values and character." This is precisely Dickens' gift.

Perhaps the question to be asked is whether or not this gift is lost in translation.

Given the choices Kornbluth faced - (1) allowing his daughter to walk away and miss out on the classic, (2) forcing her to sit through it against her will, and (3) rewriting it so it would be more appealing, I suppose his solution is the best of the three. Maybe. My face is scrunched up as I write that ... liking it not at all, but allowing it, because I have long believed that reading something is almost always better than not reading at all.

But it's Dickens! We don't REwrite Dickens! Unless, of course, we do.

____________
Visit Write | Market | Design today to download your free copy of the eBook: First-Time Author's Guide to Hiring the Right Editor for YOU!

So There IS Profit in a Customer-Centered Business Model!

2010-08-27T21:57:00.000-07:00

So There IS Profit in a Customer-Centered Business Model!

In a post a couple weeks ago titled "Done Is Better Than Perfect," I referenced a chart that included PERFECTION along the Y axis and EFFICIENCY along the X axis. At the halfway point between the two lies EXCELLENCE. The examples I cited were MicroSoft, who's known for shipping products without waiting to perfect them, and BP, who felled an entire segment of the ocean due to its bottom-line concern for cost-cutting efficiency.

Another place you often see larger companies trying to contain costs is on the telephone. Call center employees are monitored to ensure that their calls are quick, efficient, to the point. The result is that things get missed, customers often go away dissatisfied, and the bottom line is the bottom line.

The August 16 issue of Fortune magazine reports how one household name company is changing the face of call-center customer service:

[L]ast year when [American Express] gave its global customer service division a makeover, it decided to focus on making life better for its 26,000 call-center employees. The theory: Happier employees mean happier customers. "We've learned the impotance of the attitude of the employee," says Jim Bush, EVP of world service.

AmEx started by asking customer service employees what they wanted to see - and then delivered better pay, flexible schedules, and more career development. It also switched from a directive to keep calls short and transaction-oriented to engaging customers in longer conversations. Collectively, the moves have boosted service margins by 10 percent.

That's no small potatoes. And it's amazing how investing a little more time (and, subsequently, a little more money) on the front end is paying dividends on the bottom line.

Is there a place in your business where you are cutting corners that - if you examined it - might actually increase your revenues if you were to stop the penny-pinching and begin viewing the costs as an investment? From in-house Web design to printing to accounting, we all want to stretch our dollars as far as they'll take us. This is not to suggest blowing your budget or going on a wild spending spree. But I'm thinking your overall strategy might simply warrant another look.

This is Day 38 in the 60-Day Content Challenge. I've been posting every day since I accepted the challenge on July 21st. See you tomorrow for the next post! Laura
_______________________________________

Sign up today for Laura's next workshop, Want to Charge More? Start Writing! Or e-mail your writing, marketing, or design questions to Laura.

70 Tips for Improving the Next Phase of Your Life and Your Business

2010-08-26T22:34:00.000-07:00

70 Tips for Improving the Next Phase of Your Life and Your Business

As a certified retirement transition coach, Barbara Penn-Atkins helps people move into the next phase of their lives. She recently authored a book entitled, 70 is the New 40. In her book, she lists 70 tips for living their golden years joyously. The thing is, these tips are invaluable to all of us, regardless of our age or state in life.

Most of them are even applicable to creating a joyous, successful business. Here, with all due credit to her, are Barbara's 70 tips.

Write a plan for your next stage of life - starting today.
Develop a vision for your life and create a vision board.
Develop a vision map, a step-by-step guide to implementing your vision.
Identify your ideas and perceptions about aging.
Define your perception of life satisfaction.
Cultivate and maintain a positive attitude.
Establish and maintain a vertical connection to your higher being.
Eliminate negative thoughts and distractions from your life.
Always do your best, look your best, and be your best.
Have a sense of humor - laughter is good for the soul.
Reassess and reorder priorities periodically.
Nurture healthy relationships and discontinue unhealthy ones.
Be active and involved in church, synagogue, religious, community service, or civic activities.
Establish trust and maintain your integrity.
Stay spiritually active - find perfect rhythm in life through daily meditation and prayer.
Stay physically active; exercise daily.
Maintain a healthy mind; practice healthy habits; continuously learn new things and expand your knowledge.
Create positive affirmations.
Eat a balanced diet, including whole foods - fruits, vegetables, and grains.
Know your values and personal belief system.
Stay socially active; stay connected to people you enjoy.
Leisure: play and have fun. Take mini-vacatins for relaxation.
Travel; explore new territories; change your scenery.
Experience different cultures and lifestyles; meet new people.
Get plenty of sleep; rest and restore for physical and mental strength.
Learn a new language, and study the customs and governments of other cultures.
Provide leadership and guidance to youth.
Share your knowledge, wisdom, and experience.
Mentor, coach, and tutor others.
Develop a financial vision; plan and map to achieve it.
Help others develop their own value and belief systems.
Sponsor and support youth organizations.
Chaperone students at school events.
Break through personal barriers.
Establish accountability systems; hold yourself and others to them.
Learn computer technology.
Use the Internet to connect with the world.
Develop global relationships.
Join social media networks, such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Organize and simplify your life; clear out the clutter.
Give heirlooms to family.
Give unused items to charity.
Repurpose your talents, skills, and experiences.
Re-career - start a new business.
Turn your hobby into an opportunity.
Become a consultant.
Journal; write your memoirs; share your story.
Improve your communication skills.
Plan your legacy. How do you want to be remembered?
Become a philanthropist.
Give unconditionally.
Cultivate a spirit of love for all you meet.
Contribute to make a difference.
Buy a life insurance policy and assign your favorite charity as a beneficiary.
Leace a legacy for the next generation - a foundation for others to build upon.
Seek happiness in the present.
Appreciate nature and the natural order of the universe.
Begin each day with gratitude and thanksgiving.
Advocate: use your voice to champion change in the political, social, and economic landscape of our country and the world.
Be diligent about implementing your plan.
Practice and improve self-discipline.
Set priorities and eliminate distractions.
Learn how to convert criticism into confidence.
Practice and improve time management.
Discover your passions and find time to engage them often.
Forgive, and develop compassion.
Focus.
Take action every day.
Discover your strengths and find partners who balance your weaknesses.
Always be ready for opportunity as life unfolds.

OK - it's a daunting list if you try to tackle all of them at once. But read through it again - and choose one or two items on which you can focus. Do so for a month or six weeks and see what happens. Then choose two more, and repeat the process. You are in full control of your life and your success. These 70 steps can help you get there more easily. Let me know how it goes!

This is Day 37 in the 60-Day Content Challenge. I've been posting every day since I accepted the challenge on July 21st. See you tomorrow for the next post! Laura
_______________________________________

Sign up today for Laura's next workshop, Want to Charge More? Start Writing! Or e-mail your writing, marketing, or design questions to Laura.

AUTHORS: What's Your Marketing Strategy, Now That the Book Is Done?

2010-08-25T07:41:00.000-07:00

AUTHORS: What's Your Marketing Strategy, Now That the Book Is Done?

I've been hearing a lot lately from authors, or about-to-be authors, who tell me they that it's the marketing that scares them.

I get that. You're a writer. You enjoy writing. You have an important message to share with your audience. You've put your heart, sweat, and soul into this book. You should be done. But today more than ever, just because your book is wondrefully written, perfectly proofread, beautifully laid out, and built with a creative cover that screams out this book's amazingness - nothing will happen to it unless people know about it.

That's why they ubiquitious "platform" is ever so important. Without a sizeable and significant platform, no traditional publisher will give you a second thought, regardless of the quality of your book. So what is a platform? It's your influence, your reach, your pre-existing audience, your exposure in the media. How many people already know about you, and how many are clamoring to get their hands on your book as soon as it rolls off the press?

Whenever possible, I encourag the authors with whom I work to beging thinking like marketers. The earlier this occurs, the better - even as early as the pre-writing stage.

Questions to Ask That Will Get You Started Thinking Like a Marketer

Who is your audience? What are their demographics (age, education, marital/parenting status)? What are their psychographics (personality traits, values, attitudes)?
What kinds of books, magazines, and Web sites do they already read?
Where, how, and with whom do they spend their time?
To which organizations and associations do they belong?
How can you best gain access to them, both virtually and in real life?
How big is your list? How can you begin/continue to grow it? With whom can you partner to help grow it?
Who do you know that will help you promote your book? Spend some time combing through your network to determine how best to leverage the contacts you already have.
What kind of pre-launch promotions will you do?
What do you have planned for the actual launch of the book? Date? Venue? Invitations? Food? Will you do a reading or just a signing?
Which venues OTHER THAN BOOKSTORES will you approach and suggest carry your book? What's it about? What are the obvious tie-ins? A novel about a quilting group is a natural fit for a quilting or fabric store. A book about releasing stress would likely work well in a spa or salon.

Social media is huge right now, but it is not the end-all for marketing, and it certainly should not be your only method.

If you'd like some help, I'm offering a complimentary 20-minute strategy session to the first two authors who contact me via e-mail. Make sure to put "STRATEGY" in the subject line.

You've worked too hard to let this book just sit in boxes in your garage. Get your marketing thinking cap on, and be smart about it! You owe it to the world to share your great information.

This is Day 36 in the 60-Day Content Challenge. I've been posting every day since I accepted the challenge on July 21st. See you tomorrow for the next post! Laura
_______________________________________

Sign up today for Laura's next workshop, Want to Charge More? Start Writing! Or e-mail your writing, marketing, or design questions to Laura.

Marketing Mishaps: Over-learning and Under-applying

2010-08-24T08:52:00.000-07:00

Marketing Mishaps: Over-learning and Under-applying

The best practitioners, in my opinion, are lifelong learners. They constantly add new tools to their toolbelts, so that they keep up with changes in technology, marketing strategy, and their clients' needs. There's an important distinction, however, between continuing ed that supports you in your business, industry, or work and serial education that keeps you from putting what you are learning into action.

Loral Langemeier put it best when she asked, "When will you ever use all those shelf-help books and programs you've bought?"

And these programs abound, do they not? Best e-mail marketing campaign strategies. Fool-proof list-building techniques. Best Facebook practices. Public speaking 101. Perhaps you've taken a class or purchased a product along these lines. Here's the question, though. How well are you implementing what you've learned? How many times have you reread your notes? How often have you listened to those CDs or MP3s? Where are these steps on your action plan?

Help - I'm overwhelmed. I have no idea where to begin!

First, slow down and take a deep breath! Then, take another deep breath.

Next, take some time to do a needs assessment for your business. What kind of marketing are you using now? How is it working? Which parts are working? Where do you need to put more emphasis?

Now, evaluate your skills. How much do you know about the areas of marketing in your business that need some further emphasis? You've taken classes and bought programs - but how much do you really know? Can you fill the gaps through the materials at hand? Do you need to learn more or enlist help from a professional to create that blog, use e-mail effectively, or implement a social media program? And by learning more, I mean learn a specific technique, as opposed to taking in any further theory about why you should be using this method of marketing.

Next, you need to discern how you will know you've succeeded. This is a step many people skip - but it's crucial to the success of your campaign. First - how much is the campaign going to cost to implement, both in terms of dollars and that other very valuable currency: time? What kind of return on this investment do you need for it to pay for itself? This will be different for every business owner - but you must know the answer before proceeding. If you send 100 SendOut Cards, how many phone calls need to come in for the effort to be considered successful? How many clients must come on board out of those phone calls?

Once you've got down the method, the process, and the anticipated outcomes, all that's left is to implement. This, however, requires some strategy and planning. What are the steps involved in implementing? How long will each step take to complete? What's the timeline for completing the steps? Who will implement these steps - you, an assistant, a staff member, a friend, a hired professional? When is your launch date?

You've heard the axiom, "Knowledge is power." This is, if not a fallacy, at best an incomplete statement. More accurately, "Applied knowledge is power." What steps can you take today to begin applying all the knowledge you've been accruing?

If you'd like some help crafting a plan to implement your marketing strategy, I'm offering a complimentary 20-minute strategy session to the first two individuals who contact me via e-mail. Make sure to put "STRATEGY" in the subject line.

This is Day 35 in the 60-Day Content Challenge. I've been posting every day since I accepted the challenge on July 21st. See you tomorrow for the next post! Laura
_______________________________________

Sign up today for Laura's next workshop, Want to Charge More? Start Writing! Or e-mail your writing, marketing, or design questions to Laura.

How Are Your Observation Skills? Six Tips for Improving Them

2010-08-23T19:43:00.000-07:00

How Are Your Observation Skills? Six Tips for Improving Them

I just went out to take the recycling bin to the curb for the way-too-early truck that will come rumbling down our street in the morning, and as I headed back to the house, I noticed a small lizard on the window. Haven't seen too many of them this season, but I do love the little guys (and gals). He was noticeable to me because of the backlighting of the dining room window, but it occurred to me that most people would probably have missed him clinging to the screen and then scurrying away as I approached the door.

We've all got special skills - one of mine has always been observation. I'm not really sure why, but it always seemed to bug my sister, niece, and other family members that I was so observant. If someone got a haircut, shaved their mustache, or started wearing glasses, I always noticed. I noticed if the gas tank was full or empty, and where the mail carrier was in the neighborhood as I went by. This skill serves me now, as I spend a lot more time on my bike these days!

It also helps in my work as an editor, because I notice words, phrases, and constructions that others tend to miss. Was listening to an NPR news report yesterday, and the reporter said, "The White House reckons..." OK - I'm not perfect in my observation because I can't recall now what it was the White House reckoned, but I did notice the use of the word reckon because it was so oddly colloquial in this otherwise professional report.

Regardless of your business or industry, I'm willing to bet that stronger observation skills will help you improve your work, too. It will certainly enable you to write with more detail and clarity - e-mail, blogs, memos, eBooks ... you name it. Think about it. Aren't you much more likely to get a helpful response if you change Example A below to become more like Example B?

EXAMPLE A: My manager wanted me to ask you about the shipment.

vs.

EXAMPLE B: Stephanie Jones suggested I contact you to find out the anticipated arrival date for the wireless server we ordered last week.

Sure - it's easy for you. You already said you've got a natural talent for observation. I don't. I honestly wouldn't notice a snake if it were about to bite me!

Well, yes. Some people are not as naturally observant as others. The first thing is that you've got to want to improve your observation skills. Here are a few tips - almost all have to do with a little notion known as practice:

Be aware of your surroundings and the space you consume within them. At the grocery store, in line at the post office, waiting to return a movie at the dollar-a-day kiosk. Are there others in line with you? Are you crowding them? Are they crowding you? Do you stop at the top of a stairwell when others are coming up behind you? Simply choosing to notice how you use your space will make you a lot more aware of other areas of your life.
Routinely make eye contact with the people you encounter during your day. Make a mental note about each person. Male or female. Short. Dressed up or casual. Hat or scarf. Ethnicity. Tattoos or piercings. Not that you're practicing to give details to a police sketch artist, but just begin noticing the people around you.
Don't diss Where Is Waldo? Books like that and card games like Concentration, where the goal is to remember where individual cards are laid out on the table, can be great practice vehicles for growing your observation skills.
On your way home from work, the market, or any familiar route, make a point every day this week of noticing something you've never seen before. Make and model of a neighbor's car. A flower bed. Toys in a yard. Just open your eyes and start seeing.
Use all of your senses, not just your eyes. Pay attention to the sounds and smells and textures that surround you. These will help heighten your sense of awareness. Also, use your peripheral vision, rather than focusing only on the things that are immediately in front of you.
Write it down. Take notes on things that interest you or you would like to remember. Book titles, Web addresses, music. Be open to the world, and if you see something you'd like to know more about, make a note and then do the research.

Work on your powers of observation and you'll be amazed at the return on this simple investment.

This is Day 34 in the 60-Day Content Challenge. I've been posting every day since I accepted the challenge on July 21st. See you tomorrow for the next post! Laura
_______________________________________

Sign up today for Laura's next workshop, Want to Charge More? Start Writing! Or e-mail your writing, marketing, or design questions to Laura.

17 Editing Tips ... if You Absolutely HAVE to Do It Yourself

2010-08-22T16:05:00.000-07:00

17 Editing Tips ... if You Absolutely HAVE to Do It Yourself

It is my opinion as both an experienced, professional editorand as a writer, that it’s a fool’s errand to attempt to edit your own work –particularly anything as important as a book manuscript. Self-editing is a lot like performing a medical procedure on yourself.It’s just not possible for any author to bring an objective, critical eye tohis or her work. You’re too close to it and, understandably, protective of it.In the long run, it’s unlikely that you will be able to see all the intrinsicchanges necessary to make your writing as good as it could be.

However, for those of you who remain unconvinced of thebenefits of getting a professional on your team to elevate, enhance, andimprove your writing, I offer the following tips for self-editing.

1. Find the right synonyms. Buythe best thesaurus you can find. It helps if it has a “category” section thatallows you to browse by large ideas. Read your work and look up synonymswherever you feel a better word might more accurately describe your ideas. Becareful though: remember to match your words to your audience's level of sophistication. The last thing you want to do is turn your readers off with words that are overly complex.

2. Beselective with your similes and metaphors. Use them sparingly, and try tobe appropriate within the context of your descriptions. Sometimes too broad ametaphor (or too flashy a simile) can distract from the actual meaning of yourmessage. Don’t mix metaphors by comparing something to a teapot only to compareit later to an automobile.

3. Use positivelanguage. Occasionally the word “not” is useful for emphasis. Most of thetime, though, a sentence is stronger when it uses positive language; use your word processor tosearch for the word “not” and rewrite the sentence using other positive descriptives.Example: Rather than say, “He was not in the mood to work,” you might say,“Shawn’s lazy, contemplative mood led to lying around the house all weekend.”

4. Writeactions and use the active voice. Your writing will be clearer if youstructure your sentences as subject-verb-object, which means it works best if you employ action rather thandescribing situations. Use your word processor to search for words ending in“-ed” – if this word is preceded by “is,” “was,” or similar verbs, the phrasewould probably be better rewritten. Also check for instances of “there is” and“there are” and eliminate them as much as possible. Example: Rather than write,“After chasing the ball for an hour, the dog was tired,” you might write, “Thetired dog collapsed in a heap after chasing the ball for an hour.”

5. Checkfor verb tense consistency. This is a basic one, but a mistake almosteveryone makes at one time or another. Make sure that your writing consistently uses the present tense or past the tense – or that if you switch tenses, youhave a very good reason for doing so that is absolutely transparent to yourreader. Confused tenses are another easy way to confuse your reader.

6. Be consistentwith your voice. Decide at the outset of your writing whether you willwrite in first person (I/we), second person (you), or third person(he/she/it/they). It’s essential that you maintain consistency in this aspect of your writing,and not switch back and forth – as this can seriously confuse your readers! Anamazing number of people start out in one voice, and then inadvertently switchat some point.

7. Use cautionwith commas. A comma followed by the word “but” is okay. Commas separatinga list of things are okay. Commas setting off parenthetic expressions are okay.Other commas, however, need careful scrutiny — should it be a semicolon, acolon, an em-dash, or parentheses? If you’re still confused, go get the greatbook, Commas Are Our Friends, by JoeDevine.

8. Reorderyour words and sentences. Keep related words together – adjectives next totheir nouns. The important words go at the end of the sentence; the importantsentences go at the end of the paragraph. Avoid dangling modifiers, like “Takinga shortcut home from school, a giant boulder sprung up unexpectedly in Joe’spath.” Who was taking the shortcut, the boulder or Joe?

9. Wordshave rhythm – notice it. Sometimes reading can be awkward due to the“bumpiness” of the accented syllables. You can avoid this by taking the time tomark up your document with the accented syllables and reword singsong-ypassages or places with too many accented syllables on top of each other. Occasional alliteration and rhymes do work to punctuate your copy.

10. Cutthe cuties. If something sticks in your mind as being ever so clever,that’s probably a good sign that it's actually too cute for your readers.

11. Watchfor repetition. This may be something about which you need to consult anobjective, third-party reader, as you may be too close to your work tonotice it. From little things, like reusing an odd word more than a couple oftimes, to repeating descriptions and actualcontent . . . try to avoid repetition. Some authors use itas a literary device with great effect. However, if this is not a deliberateeffort on your behalf – and you will know if it is! – all it does is exhaust, and perhaps turn off, your reader.

12. Pay particularattention to your references. References require particular care. Keep a printedcopy of your reference list and, while reading through your text, make sureeach reference that appears in the text also is entered into your referencelist. It is surprising how many references in otherwise excellent works aremissing or contain inconsistent or incorrect details.

13. Check the dictionary. Gothrough your document and look up in a dictionary any words where you aren’t 100percent sure of their meaning. I’ve surprised myself a couple of times when Ihave used a word repeatedly only to one day look it up and find it has an utterly different meaning from what I'd been presuming.

14. Always print and proofread a hard copy. Although we’re all very adept at using word processorsfor writing, it is virtually impossible for our eyes to catch everything on acomputer screen that we notice when we’re reading printed materials. Make sure you print at least one version of your text for ahard copy read.

15. Readin short sections. Avoid reading large sections in single sittings, as youwill likely miss a lot by doing this. Rather, concentrate on a chapter or several pages at atime, so you can focus your attention. Otherwise, the writing that is sofamiliar to you stays familiar and you fail to notice new aspects that needattention.

16. Readaloud. Read the text aloud, as your ear will find clumsy rhythms,repetitions, awkward and complex sentences, missing links, etc. thatyour eyes might easily skip over. Don't worry – no one's asking you to do this in front ofother people. Surprisingly enough, even reclining on your sofa all alone, youcan immediately catch awkward phrasings and words you may be using toofrequently.

17. Performa spell and grammar check. Finally, give the document the good oldSpellCheck. Remember, though, that you cannot rely on italone. A word that is spelled correctly might not be the correct word. The ones Ioften confuse are “your” and “you’re.” Since they are both correctly spelled,they will go unnoticed. Unfortunately, the GrammarCheck is wrong almost asoften as it is right, so I’d forego that one in lieu of a living, breathingeditor/proofer/grammarian.

It's simply impossible to proof and edit your own work as well as an impartial person who brings "new eyes" to your writing. If you find yourself needing to do so, whether it's because of cost or time considerations, here's hoping the above tips will help you.

This is Day 33 in the 60-Day Content Challenge. See you tomorrow for the next post!
_______________________________________

Sign up today for Laura's next workshop, Want to Charge More? Start Writing! Or e-mail your editing, marketing, or design questions to Laura.

Eat Pray Market

2010-08-21T19:05:00.000-07:00

Eat Pray Market

Although I had not previously read the book, I jumped in and joined the EPL fray today, joining a new group of women known as the Family of Women to see Julia Roberts take on the fictionalized role of real-life author and memoirist, Elizabeth Gilbert. Earning only a 37% freshness rating on the Rotten Tomatoes "TOMATOMETER," the film has earned $47.1 million since its US opening on August 13. Hypercritical moviegoer that I know myself to be, I decided to go in with an open mind ... knowing as I went that Peter Travers, of Rolling Stone Magazine , had given the movie a single star (out of four possible).

My opinion is that it certainly deserves more than one star - but I'm not sure I'd go as high as two-and-a-half. On my personal Three-Tier Movie Rating System (Must See, Wait for the Video, and Don't Waste Your Money), it's definitely in the WTV category.

Having sold more than 8 million copies and been translated into 30 languages, the book must have done something right, though. And now, it seems that everyone is looking to cash in on the EPL machine.

As Jeannine Stein put it in her August 16 LA Times article,

"This is enough of a paradigm shift that it's not just another Friday-night movie opening," says Peter Sealey, former president of marketing and distribution at Columbia Pictures and now a professor of marketing at the Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management at the Claremont Graduate University. "This movie has a uniquely different approach to generating buzz and marketing."

Eat Pray Love is one of those rare convergences of a chick-lit bestseller set in exotic locales turned into a chick flick starring Julia Roberts. In other words, a marketer's dream.

The question for me is not whether or not lots of people besides Elizabeth Gilbert will make loads of money, but rather, should they? I realize we live in the Land of Entrepreneurs where capitalism still rules the day. Hey - one of the main functions of my job is to help small businesses better market their goods and services to potential clients. And this movie certainly is, as Stein points out, a marketer's dream. But according to an August 11 Arizona Republic article, aptly titled "Eat Pray Shop: Movie Inspires Loads of Products,":

These products' explicit link between "something more" and "personal adornment" has some feeling cynical about the memoir's marketing.

"It's like the medieval practices of buying indulgences so you could get into heaven," said Diana Barnes-Brown, author of the article "Eat, Pray, Spend" in Bitch magazine, a feminist monthly publication.

She objects to the way marketing deftly mixes essential states of being like sanity and wholeness with luxurious products like jewelry and lip gloss.

Barnes-Brown argues that this type of marketing creates the illusion that spirituality and wellness are commodities that are financially inaccessible for most American women.

Yet marketers always attach abstract ideas to products, said Michael Wiles, assistant professor at the W.P. Carey School of Business at ASU. Advertisers pitch face creams that increase self confidence (while decreasing wrinkles) and or men's deodorants that elevate masculinity (while masking body odor). "The irony here is that the experience being purchased is anti-consumerism and self-fulfillment," Wiles said.

But movies have been creating merchandising tie-ins for years - so why is this one so bad? Mind you, this is my blog, so it's my opinion - but I think it's precisely because of the alleged spiritual mission and message of the film. How commercially viable would the movie (and all the subsequent tie-in retreats and oils and candles and scarves and beads and bracelets and yoga mats) have been if it'd been done by an indie house, unknown director, and having cast an ordinary, non-household name, rather than the famed Pretty Woman?

Just because you can make money by riding a tidal wave of marketing, does that mean you should? There are, no doubt, those who would argue, "Of course! What a stupid question." But honestly, if you're not really adding something of value to the experience, providing an option, idea, product, or service not already available under some other guise - in short, if you're marketing something simply for the end goal of cashing in - I suspect there may be reasons to back off and let well enough alone. Gordon Gecko's mantra "Greed is good," seems to have no place around this story about a woman's quest for self-identity and purpose.

Have another opinion? Please feel free to share it below in the comments section.

This is Day 32 in the 60-Day Content Challenge. See you tomorrow for the next post!
_______________________________________

Sign up today for Laura's next workshop, Want to Charge More? Start Writing! Or e-mail your writing, marketing, or design questions to Laura.

Schoolhouse Rock: An English Geek's Cartoon Nirvana

2010-08-20T12:21:00.000-07:00

Schoolhouse Rock: An English Geek's Cartoon Nirvana

If you were an English geek like me in grade school, theparts of speech came easily to you, and you looked forward to diagrammingsentences on the chalk board. (For those younger readers, a chalk board was a largegreen or black slate on which the teacher and students wrote and did mathproblems. Think erasable white board, but with a much grainier appearance andlots of annoying dust.) Kids who found English and writing tiresome, boring, orchallenging, on the other hand, probably looked forward to these aspects ofschool with as much anticipation as they would a dental appointment.

Fortunately, on Saturday mornings, there was the ever-interestingand entertaining Schoolhouse Rock. This charming educational cartoon seriescovered not only grammar, but math, science, American history, money, and inits more recent incarnations, computers and technology.

English and language being my gig, though, my favorites byfar were the grammar songs. Come on – tell me that if you were in grade schoolin the late 70s, you’ve ever forgotten Conjunction Junction!

The following is a tribute to one of TV’s successes. Nineepisodes of Grammar Rock, from the Schoolhouse Rock folks!

CONJUNCTION JUNCTION

A NOUN IS A PERSON, PLACE, OR THING

VERBS: THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING

UNPACK YOUR ADJECTIVES

LOLLY, LOLLY, LOLLY GET YOUR ADVERBS HERE

BUSY PREPOSITIONS

RUFUS XAVIER SARSAPARILLA (pronouns)

GRAMMAR ROCK: PERSONAL PRONOUNS

GRAMMAR ROCK: INTERJECTIONS

THE TALE OF MR. MORTON

Hope you enjoyed this trek back down Memory Lane. Thanks to Madonna Kash for reminding me about the simple beauty of Schoolhouse Rock!

This is Day 31 in the 60-Day Content Challenge. See you tomorrow for the next post!
_______________________________________

Sign up today for Laura's next workshop, Want to Charge More? Start Writing! Or e-mail your grammar, marketing, or design questions to Laura.