More Clients - the Online Marketing Newsletter
for Independent Professionals
from Action Plan Marketing
and Robert MiddletonIn This Week's Issue: What are some of the biggest misconceptions about writing and publishing a book?
Three Fallacies About Authoring a Book
In this issue of More Clients I'm interviewing my friend and colleague John Eggen, who has helped some of the most highly recognized InfoGurus in America to succeed. If you've ever thought about authoring a book, John has some compelling insights for you to consider.
The essence of being an InfoGuru is promoting yourself as an expert, and nothing brands you as an expert better than writing and publishing a book. In this interview, we explore thee of the biggest fallacies that hold many back from going into print.
RM: Based on your 21 years as a publishing and marketing guru for professionals and experts, what are the main fallacies people have about publishing a book and what is the truth about them?
JE: A big one is that authoring a book really isn't that important to your career. In fact, a book is the ultimate credibility builder for a self-employed professional.
If you want to set yourself apart from mounting competition, 3000 years of history have made a book the ultimate symbol of expertise. The word "author" and "authority" have the same root meaning. Therefore, as soon as you start writing, begin telling all your prospects and clients you are authoring a book. Watch the shift in how they treat you.
A client who did this called me two weeks ago. Within his target market of CEOs, he said it resulted in his getting 30-40% more first meetings, about a 25%increase in those who close, and less negotiation on his prices because they perceive him as an authority. This is a geometric increase in his results, even before his book was finished.
A book is also the ultimate lead generator, if it is developed in the right way. Which would you trust more, a glossy brochure or a how-to book written by an expert? And there is a lucrative, symbiotic relationship between the media industry (which needs fresh content daily), and book authors (as culturally-respected authorities who provide valuable content). Your book is the ticket into this elite club.
In return for author interviews, the media gives authors highly-credible, client-attracting exposure you could never afford to buy. A good way to start is with a top-notch press release. But if you want business, make sure to target it specifically to your niche's media instead of mass media. A client did this, announcing she was starting a book. She told me that the press release resulted in $150,000 to $200,000 in new business within just a couple of months.
RM: That's significant. What's another misconception?
JE: Robert, a key one is that authoring a book takes a long time and is a lot of work. Sure, it takes some work, but it can be done in as little as 90 days with the right approach.
Not too long ago I helped Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G. Allen to develop their current bestseller, The One Minute Millionaire. While developing it, they discovered research from Dr. W. Edwards Deming revealing that 94% of all failures occur when a person is not following a tested system.
The fastest, easiest path to success in anything is to locate someone with a system that has produced the kinds of results you want consistently and then learn their system, and apply it.
If you want a book quickly, there are simple, time-tested systems to do it, keeping you accountable so you get it done. About five years ago, an associate of mine used such a system and wrote his 292 page book in 90 days. It became a bestseller. Since then he has been teaching others to use the system, too.
Also, ghostwriting is a time-saving system where a highly-experienced writer does almost all the work for you. You don't need to be a writer to be an author. Successful, busy people from Bill Gates to Ted Turner plus many professionals use ghost-writing all the time. It's possible to have a professional-looking paperback written and produced for you for $10,000 or less.
RM: Yes, I have a client that did exactly that with great success. What is another big fallacy?
JE: Robert, most think the way you make big money with a book is to do a lot of time-intensive, nationwide book promotions like celebrities do, and sell a lot of your books.
But, for independent professionals, there are alternative, simple, low-cost tactics that typically make you a lot more money. First, your book should be developed as a lead generator for your niche. Although there are several keys here, a priority is your cover. Decades of testing have identified about nine elements that can turn it into a client-magnet, starting with the choice of title and subtitle.
Next, because it is the ultimate symbol of expertise, focus on using the book to leverage your existing marketing efforts. Out of dozens of tactics, a powerful way to start is to simply give away free copies of your autographed book to prospects and clients. Recently, three of my clients who used these tactics reported they earned from $24,000 to $92,000 from new clients within only 30 days after their books were printed.
But a big secret to generating more money from your book is to re-cycle your book chapters into an appropriate mix of dozens of higher-priced information products or programs that can promote you as an expert, attract clients automatically, and generate multiple streams of lifelong income.
This model is used today by leading "insiders" in many fields to get exponentially-greater results. One client who has been using the system for years now has five books he has recycled into many higher-priced info products for his niche. Thanks to this system, he says every word he writes is now worth $20 in short-term and long-term income!
RM: Well, my experience has borne this out completely. My online book, the InfoGuru Marketing Manual, has been the source material for workshops, TeleSeminars and my Marketing Action Groups that earn me a substantial income every month.
John, thanks for your insights on the importance of getting published as an InfoGuru and for addressing some of the common misconceptions about writing and publishing a book.
JE: Thanks, Robert. It was my pleasure.
See below for more information on John's fast-start publishing system and Free TeleSeminar next week.
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A Publishing Program for Would Be InfoGuru Authors
Last year about 50 of my clients and I were involved with one of John's quick-start book publishing programs. It was extremely successful. My clients were quickly repositioned into leading experts. And they have been making great money because of the book.
Now John is starting what I think will be an even better book publishing program. It's designed for InfoGurus who want to not only publish their own book, but to leverage that book into an ongoing stream of new business. I am involved with it, too, because I am starting to write a new book and am facing all the same issues every other Independent Professional does.
If you would like to know the details of John's publishing Program, just click on the link below:
http://www.actionplan.com/bkpro.htmlAfter doing this interview I told John, "You have covered some very good ideas here but I think my subscribers would appreciate more in-depth information on this approach to getting published. Would you be willing to do a free TeleSeminar on this topic?"
John agreed, and we have scheduled it for one week from today on Tuesday, October 26 at 4:00 p.m. Pacific time. You can reserve your space here:
http://www.actionplan.com/bkts.html* * * * * * * *
InfoGuru Marketing How-To-Series: Lets you both read and listen
Ever read something in a book and it didn't leave much of an impression on you, and then heard the same thing spoken by the author and you "got it" for the first time?
That's the power of the spoken word. And that's why our live and recorded TeleSeminars are so popular. People want to hear these marketing ideas from the horse's mouth to help them understand the subtle distinctions of what attracts clients to your business.
I've collected six of my most popular TeleSeminars into one big package, recorded them onto CD, transcribed them word-for-word and put them into a 195 page Transcription Book. So now you can both read and listen to marketing ideas that will help you attract more clients.
To learn more about this program, click below:
http://www.actionplan.com/transformmktg.htmlNote: If you have previously bought one or more of the programs included in this package separately - either the CD or TeleSeminar - let me know in the comments section of your order form and I'll refund the full price of the original program!
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InfoGuru Marketing Manual is the foundation of it all
Are you struggling to attract clients? Do you want to attract clients more consistently? Are you looking for specific marketing how-tos for Independent Professionals? Do you need specific, tested action plans for networking, speaking, marketing messages, web sites, referrals and email newsletters?
Get all of this and much more in my comprehensive 288 page manual along with 11 hours of Real Audio programs and a Support Forum that will answer all your marketing questions.
We have over five thousand customers who have used the InfoGuru Manual to help them take their business to the next level. People like Guy Levine in Liverpool England:
"I Bought the manual when I was 21, three years ago. I was making about £3K/yr when I bought the manual. I diligently applied its lessons and, three years later at 24, I'm now making £120K per year.Find out more about the manual here and order online:
http://www.actionplan.com/infoguru.html~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next week, all the best,
Robert Middleton
ACTION PLAN MARKETING
Helping Independent Professionals Attract More Clients~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
210 Riverside Drive
Boulder Creek, CA 95006
831-338-7790© 2004 Robert Middleton, All rights reserved. You are free to use material from the More Clients eZine in whole or in part, as long as you include complete attribution, including live web site link. Please also notify me where the material will appear. The attribution should read:
"By Robert Middleton of Action Plan Marketing. Please visit Robert's web site at http://www.actionplan.com for additional marketing articles and resources on marketing for professional service businesses."
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