Do You Know What’s Hype and What’s Fact to Build Your Business?
By Kathleen Gage
Please leave comments as Kathleen will be coming by on 3/17 to answer your questions.
Make millions, drive fancy cars, buy big houses, enjoy trips around the world. All without effort, work or time invested. And anyone can do it.
All of this and more has been promised to speakers and authors who are eager to build their business using the Internet. The problem? It’s hyped-up baloney.
Although you can make a great living, drive luxury cars, live in a beautiful home and travel extensively, it’s not without work, effort and commitment.
How do I know? I’ve had an Internet-based business for years. I make a great living for one very important reason. I run my Internet-based business like I would any other type of business — like a business.
Sadly, far too many people get sucked into plopping down money with the promise of fame and fortune only to be disappointed when things don’t happen as promised. The fact is that anyone who says you can have it all without effort is blowing smoke.
So how do you know what’s hype and what is the real deal when it comes to learning what it takes to build a business using the Internet? Research, patience, no rose-colored glasses and commitment.
In the 15-plus years I have been a professional speaker and 10 years plus I have been an author, how we —my counterparts and I — market has drastically changed. The fact we have to market has not, but how we do has. In many ways it is a lot easier than ever before.
Yet, there are many speakers and authors who are so intimidated by marketing they continually avoid it.
The reality is most authors will never sell more than a handful of books because they haven’t given much thought to how potential readers will find their books. Many think their book is going to be “discovered” simply by writing it.
It’s the same with professional speakers. Many live with the misguided belief that all they have to do is have a great speech and everything else will take care of itself.
However, in order for you to sell your books, speeches, consulting services, coaching and anything clients will pay for, you must market.
This is where lots of people freeze, shut down and run the other way — fast! They love writing and speaking, but fear the unknown of getting the word out. They are often the same people who say how lucky bestselling authors and superstar speakers are.
Luck has very little to do with one’s success. A solid marketing plan with focused implementation of the plan is more likely the driving force behind one’s success.
It’s essential to create balance that allows you not only to develop your craft, but to market, too. If you’re not one who wants to do your own marketing, an option is to hire to assist you someone who specializes in Internet marketing for speakers and authors.
This is where I get lots of pushback from those on a limited budget. “I don’t have the money to hire someone!” is their constant battle cry.
The fact is either you get on board with your own marketing, you accept that you need to budget for reliable and knowledgeable help or accept that your success will never be at the level you truly desire.
With all that’s available by way of the Internet it’s actually a lot easier to market and sell books, presentations and consulting services than in the past.
However, in some ways it is more difficult due to the number of authors and speakers vying for the same market as you. Your job is to stand out in such a way that people know about you and are eager to buy whatever it is you sell.
There are dozens upon dozens of ways you can promote your products and services from the comfort of your home.
Here is a partial list of what you can do.
• Virtual book tour
• Promote to your opt-in subscribers
• Web-radio interviews
• Dedicated blog
• Guest-blog postings
• Article writing with a link back to your blog or the Amazon page
• Facebook FanPage
• Teleseminars
• Joint-venture promotions campaign
• Video trailers
• YouTube Channel
There are countless more, but you get the idea. Each day do something to get the word out. However, it is best to avoid trying to do everything all at once.
Begin with one idea to implement and add something new every few days. If I had never marketed before I would begin with a dedicated blog. Why? Because the blog is the hub of all your other marketing. You can use your blog postings in a number of effective ways that all link together.
Regardless of what you choose to do first, just start. Avoid one of our main enemies as authors and speakers — procrastination. “I’ll start tomorrow” is one of the most dangerous phrases you can say. Tomorrow will never come.
To successfully market and sell, begin today. Even fifteen minutes a day can make a huge difference. The difference between the dream of a successful business and actually experiencing success is the difference between thinking about marketing and actually doing so.
Kathleen Gage is an Amazon.com bestselling author. She works with spiritually aware speakers, authors, coaches and consultants who are ready to turn their knowledge into money-making products and services. Learn exactly what you need to do to market your books, your services and yourself with Kathleen’s VIP Club. Click here to learn more.
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One Response to “Do You Know What’s Hype and What’s Fact to Build Your Business? ”
Lisa Orrell
March 16th, 2010
THANK YOU for sharing this. So many of my clients come to me thinking the “get rich quick” hype they see about making bank as a speaker is true. I help them, like you, get the ball rolling but it’s never overnight success like so many “less than ethical” marketers promise them.