Marketing Your Self Help Book Online: Article Click-Through

Posted on January 31, 2011 by

 

Writing articles is a powerful and effective way to spread the word of your book, speaking business or website. Using bits and chunks of your book you have a vast source of short articles to publish and drive traffic with. But online articles are different than print. With print the money is made when the reader purchases the magazine. With online articles, the money isn’t made until the reader clicks out on the link in the article and goes to the website to purchase. How then can we get as many readers as possible to click out?

A “call to action” is needed to get readers to click on a link. You want to suggest to your reader that a benefit awaits at the other end of the link. Often, posing a question that the reader really needs to know the answer to can do the trick. At the end of most articles you will publish on the web, there is appended an “author resource box” or bio profile. You fill this out yourself and it is usually a blurb about you, the author. Most authors simply say something like: “Bob Jones is an expert on leadership. Visit him at XXXX.com”

This just tells people that they are going to another website and they don’t even know why. A better way is to cloak the website link in a phrase that piques the readers interest and pose a question that begs an answer first: “How can you take your leadership skills to the highest level of success? Bob Jones, an expert on leadership skills, gives you the number one secret to building yourself into the leader of tomorrow.”

The words “number one secret” is the clickable link. The reader is pulled away from thinking it is just another website and gives them the psychological impression that the link is a resource or an answer to the question. Of course, it is a website, but now the reader can identify a purpose for visiting. A benefit has been established and a call to action has been made in their heads. Try this with your next article and watch the clicks go through the roof!

There are thousands of authors, teachers, healers, psychics, empaths, coaches and trainers that have a message to give to the world but have no clue where to start. That’s where I can help! From just a spark of an idea, discover the book marketing techniques that can build your celebrity status. I have helped hundreds of people take their businesses to the next step and find their voice.

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Internet Marketing: How Many Social Profiles?

Posted on November 26, 2010 by

How many is too many when creating those social profiles? There are hundreds it seems that you could be a part of, but would you want to? There is a new social networking site popping up everyday, but there is no need to spend any time on all of these sites. But there is an advantage to at least having a profile created at many of these sites.

Social profiles can provide a lot of information about you and you business with clickable links to your websites, blogs, videos and other social sites. When you search your name on Google, how many entries are there? 1? 10? 1000? Some people have 10,000 or more entries in the search engines and it can make you look like an expert. The fast track to having that many entries in a search result has everything to do with articles, videos and social profiles.

Social profiles can be an effective and powerful way of advertising your business and showing off your expertise for free. It may take some time to create all of these profiles but you rarely have to update them and they work for you 24/7. Spending time networking however, would be impossible. You should only pick the networks that work well for your business to spend time on, but a general profile on as many networks as possible can create a avalanche of traffic to your websites.

If you need more video views, posting them on social profiles is the way to go. If you can put a signup form on your profile you could be building a list all the time. One big advantage of having a lot of social profiles that is often overlooked are the links that tie your profile to your website, called a “backlink.” Search engines look at the number of links to your website from other sources as a way to determine search positioning. Learning the tips and tricks to effective social networking can drive a ton of new business to your site!

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Playing Hard To Get: The McRib Strategy

Posted on November 9, 2010 by

McDonald’s is bringing back its elusive fan favorite sandwich, the McRib. For most of its existence, the McRib has only been available at select McDonald’s stores across the country for just a few weeks at a time. This time, McDonald’s is still keeping its rollout limited (to one month), but making it available at stores nationwide.

It could have been a fad, but by playing “hard to get”, McRib has become more than a product- it has become part of pop culture. Parodied on the Simpsons and the subject of hundreds of fan groups Internet-wide, customers travel from every corner of the US in search of an unparalleled 500 calories of tastiness.

McDonald’s spokeswoman Tara Hayes told AFP that by limiting the sandwich’s availability, it “helps to keep fans passionate about the product.” Only a product “so delicious, so special, so elusive and so legendary could create such a widespread affection among its fans”.

The strategy works because the product was strong to begin with. There was interest generated by the limited availability and continued by that same strategy. If you crave it, you know there is a limited window to indulge- otherwise, no McRib for you…until who knows when?

It also works because it is authentic. It isn’t a false strategy. There are Internet marketers that try to use exclusivity when there is none (aka, there are only 10 seats left to my free webinar!). It’s not like you can go to a McDonald’s, give the secret McRib handshake and get one anytime. It really is limited and when it’s gone, it’s gone.

Think about how you might use the McRib strategy to prolong the life of a fad product or service or create interest in something special you are offering. Playing hard to get can be an awesome strategy, but there has to be something to back it up.

Thanks to Carol Roth for this post.

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Publicity For Your Self Help Business – Bring Your Spirituality To Your Business

Posted on November 1, 2010 by

 

Your passion is what sells your products and services, because in essence, you are selling
yourself. For self help based entrepreneurs, the knowledge and expertise from years of practice
is the products. Sure, you may have DVD’s, CD’s and books, but inside each of those is you. When
promoting your business on radio or TV interviews, your passion is what will win people over.
Personal stories turned creatively into 30 soundbites will zero in on your excitement and connect
well with the viewers.

There is a lesson in every story. Sharing that lesson with the twist of your spiritual leanings
will easily convert a complicated scenario into simple concepts. Many self help authors and
trainers tend to over complicate their business with phrases that may sound confusing to people
that are being introduced to them for the first time. Yet, the principles behind the thought is
where the power is. The challenge is to find the happy medium.

The balance between selling out your spirituality and over stating your concepts needs to be
established. Stories and soundbites with simple parables will create an easy to understand
message that is media friendly. Media producers want your message to be easily understood by
the various viewers they get. They are far different than the audiences that your speak to
regularly who may have some degree of familiarity to your concepts. But never tone it down so
low that your passion disappears. Sell yourself without selling out.

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Public Speaking Academy: Audience Involvement

Posted on October 8, 2010 by

If you make the audience the stars, they will make you the star by giving you higher evaluations and buying more of your ideas, products and services. Here are a few ways to do it:

=> Get them on stage with you. I find an excuse in virtually every presentation to have one or many people up there with me.

=> Mention their individual names, or subgroups during the program. Praise their accomplishments and mention the good ideas you got from them in your pre program research.

=> Put quotations of the audience members in the handouts. . . . again you could have easily gleaned quotes during your pre program research.

=> Put quotations and ideas of the audience members in custom visuals (overheads, slides and computer generated images). I do custom quote overheads with my company name on them at the bottom. After using it in the presentation, I give it to the person who gave me the information. I’ve seen these pinned up on the recipients bulletin board long after my presentation.

=> Give out awards. Find out who the unsung heros are and make up an award to present during your presentation.

=> Give out prizes for people who participate in a positive way.

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How To Make Effective Traffic Driving Videos

Posted on October 8, 2010 by

Here’s a simple formula for YouTube videos designed to drive people to your site (as opposed to videos where people are already on your site)

=> Hi I’m [insert name]

=> I know you’re here looking for information on [insert keyword]

=> Well you’ve come to the right place.

=> Add some of your credibility. Example: I’ve been working in the field of feng shui for 22 years…

=> Give them a tip.

=> For more great tips like this visit [insert your website and spell it out if necessary] where you can download [insert your freebie here]

=> I hope to see you at my site

Here’s a very simple formula for shooting videos that are “on” your site. They are different than the videos designed to drive people “to” your site. It would be kind of stupid for you to tell the people watching your video to “visit” your site when they are already on your site watching the video.

=> Hi I’m [insert name] and welcome to my site

=> Tell them what they will find at your site

=> Remind them to sign up for your freebie so that you build your database and give them a command to do so. You could also give them a command to buy something.

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Five Tips To Self Publishing

Posted on October 8, 2010 by

1. Figure out your market.

“Bookstores are lousy places to sell books,” says self-publishing guru Dan Poynter in USA Weekend . “Find the places where your audience gathers and sell directly to them. If your book is about cats, go to pet stores.”
2. Spread the word.

When you are ready to start selling, don’t be shy. Talk about your book, carry a copy around with you and look for every opportunity to mention it. Also be ready to give copies away to influential people who will build buzz about your business.
3. Venture outside your target market.

After you’ve pursued all venues focusing on your specific audience, start marketing your book to other groups outside your target market.

Look for secondary sources that may be interested in purchasing your book as a gift for a friend, co-worker or family member. Perhaps you can partner with a business, charitable organization or hobby-group related to your book-topic?

4. Take advantage of business relationships.

If you used an online publisher in developing your book, advertise on their site. If you used a local printer, ask if you can leave a couple copies at their front desk.

Visit all of your local establishments and leave some kind of information about your book. If you are a regular customer, most of these businesses will be happy to help you and the local economy.

5. List your book online.

This may be obvious, but you really need to list your book online to reach the broadest possible market and increase “buzz.” Review your target audience and try to get information about your book posted on all of the pertinent sites they visit.

Also create a simple website. And don’t worry. Today, there are many services that offer cost-effective or free websites to self-published authors. You don’t need to be a technical genius or have a lot of money to take advantage of these services and create an online presence.

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Getting On A Radio Show: SoundBite 101

Posted on October 8, 2010 by

Can you deliver the main idea for your book or product in 30 seconds?

Good. Because that’s how long you have for most TV spots. Even during interviews, 30 second chunks with flow more smoothly and you can get far more information in the time given to you. How many times have you seen someone being interviewed on TV and right in the middle of a sentence the host will say, “And that’s all we have time for.” It can be a very embarrassing situation for the guest and it makes the guest look long-winded and unprofessional.

As authors and coaches, we get excited about our ideas. We believe that our ideas can change the world… and they can! But we are rarely afforded the chance to expound long concepts when on TV or radio. Here are some tips to getting your message out in the least amount of time:

1) Problem-Solution-Story: People have a problem and come to you to help them solve it. Get their attention with a problem, briefly say how you solve it, and paint a picture by telling a success story.

2) Say what you do best: Practice rounding off the finer points of your book or system in 30 seconds or less.

3) Start by making a list of specific ideas you want to get across. Next, write 1 to 3 sentences following one
of the formats above. Read it out loud. Refine and rewrite. Eliminate extra words that don’t add anything. Then,
try it out with 2 to 3 people, get feedback and revise it accordingly. You’re now ready to try it out. Keep
practicing your sound bite until you feel confident and comfortable delivering it.

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Video Marketing With Emails

Posted on September 18, 2010 by

Sending an email with a link to a video is a powerful way to market your products or services. A non-profit businesses or fundraising groups that regularly market to contributors can make a more specialized impact with a video.

Online video can capture the essence of a fundraising project: showing children in need, showing testimonials from other contributors and updating the status of past projects. More emotionally viable than just standard text based emails, video is the new tool for successfully marketing any kind of business.

Sending a clickable link to an S3 video or just a Youtube page is the quickest and easiest way to do this. You can attach a video to an email if the file size is small enough. For most short 2 – 3 minute features this can work well. In my Hotmail account, the video is playable in the email body without actually downloading it or opening the file. Not all email programs will do this however, but this kind of usability will be more widespread in the near future. If you are not shooting video and experimenting with the power of it’s marketing, you need to start now.

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