Do You Have Professional Marketing Materials?

Not getting the media attention you deserve?

Not attracting new clients?

Not getting speaking gigs?

Speaker Services Team Can help

Services Include:

√  Speaker Listing for the web, social media, calls for proposals and in Speaker Services Online Directory. http://www.speakerservices.com/adv_pkt.html

√  One-sheets Made Easy
A one-sheet combines text with colorful photos and graphics to spotlight who you are and what you do. It can be one- or two-sided. Many speakers use one side to promote their speaking and the other to feature a book or product. Great for event planners and talk-show producers because they can quickly “get” what you’ll offer their audiences.

√ Bios and profiles: short, medium, long
Bios in three formats: short, medium and long, so you’ll always have what the media outlet needs.  Also write-ups and listings for corporate publications and professional directories.

√ Interview questions
Talk show hosts and producers love guests who send questions in advance ─ it cuts down their prep time and results in a better interview. We know how to create interview questions that allow you to hit the high points and tell the story you want to tell.

√ Introductions
Show up at your next speaking engagement armed with an intro you actually like!  We can provide short intros for TV, radio, and teleclass appearances; medium-length for speaking engagements.

√  Testimonials
We  can edit testimonials for maximum impact.

√  Pitch letters to editors, reporters, producers
You don’t have to wait for your next event to attract media interest. A strong pitch letter sent to reporters, editors and talk show producers can suggest story angles that generate interest in you, your work, or your product.

√ Press releases
Professionally done to announce an event or the release of a book, film or product; can also be used to link what you do to a local or national news story so the media will call on you as an expert.

√ Videos and Media Coaching
We can provide short, affordable video clips of clients talking about what they do. Great for  websites, blogs and YouTube, and better quality than most Web cams.

√ Website review + write, edit, or rewrite
Make your website copy short, compelling and user-friendly.  We’ll review your site, suggest ways to make it better, and write, re-write or edit the copy.

√ Book Mentor coaching to complete and publish your book
Need help writing or publishing your book? Should you query a literary agent and go mainstream, or is self-publishing best for you? If you opt for mainstream, we can show you how to write a powerful query letter and book proposal and how to play the publishing game like a pro. If you decide to self-publish, we can guide you through the process so you’ll get a great-looking book for the best possible price per copy.

√ Copy for book cover, front and back
Book covers sell books. We can write or re-write your front and back cover copy to make it irresistible.

√  POSITION, PROSPECT AND LAND GIGS NOW taught by Susan Levin & Jean-Noel Bassior (one-on-one or group sessions)

Success strategies for you and your staff. Identify target markets and decision makers. Learn how to leave voice messages that get call-backs.

Session 1
We coach the VA so she/he can market your client as a speaker in a more effective way. We’ll do four sessions. In the first, we’ll show how to make cold calls and get to the right person. We’ll also show how to follow up the first call with a proposal for meeting planners that clearly shows why they should book your client. We’ll coach the VA on how to write the proposal in a way that tailors it to each group’s needs. The VA will send us a draft of the proposal so we can make sure she’s on the right track.

Session 2
We go over the draft of the follow-up proposal with the VA and offer editing suggestions to make it as strong as possible. We make sure she understands how to write a powerful proposal that shows why the group or organization should book your client as a speaker.

Session 3
We show the VA how to prospect for gigs and research target audiences for both speaking and PR. A special report with the information covered will be provided at the end of the call. We will give a homework assignment to choose two or three organizations or companies to call. The VA will make the calls and report back to us in the next session.

Session 4
In the fourth session, we listen to the VA’s experience in contacting meeting planners and sending out proposals. We answer her questions and offer feedback to make sure she understands everything we have covered as she moves forward.

Call for a complimentary session today!

Speaker Services, Susan Levin: 310-822-4922 PT

Speaker Services offering for workshops in Los Angeles

Click on the links to read more and to register.

Saturday, October 16, 1-5pm

Should You Self-Publish or Go Mainstream in a Changing Publishing World? Jean-Noel Bassior, $125

Explore the pros and cons of the many ways to get published.
Publishing is changing as we speak… 

You can write an e-book today and post it for free on the Web tonight. Publicity? Just make a video on your webcam, dispatch it to YouTube, and use social networks, blogs and website promotion to let readers in cyberspace know that your book has arrived. 

So is mainstream publishing still an option for writers? Sure, if you’ve got a mainstream idea. If you’re writing about a popular topic and you envision your book in Barnes & Noble, then you may want to query literary agents and/or editors and learn how to play the publishing game. http://tinyurl.com/3694ojt

Saturday, October 23, 10am-5pm

The Presence in Presentation…Inspired Improvisation for Speakers and Seekers. Jack Barnard, $155

There are two parts to the speaking universe, what we will call: a) The Ticket & b) The Game. The Ticket is anything and everything that it takes to get you the speaker in front of your eager audience. Which includes:
• Speech Structure
• Command-Branding
• Media Training
• Promotional Material
• Marketing Strategy
These are the things I teach…and the bottom line of the Ticket is that it’s all a matter of time — taking as much time as necessary to get your ducks all in a row. http://tinyurl.com/2bfb6nq

Saturday,  October 30, 11am-6pm

Web Video & Marketing Workshop, Barbara Niven, $99

In this interactive workshop we will show you how to create and market dynamic videos for your website, social media, video tips, video blogs, You Tube, info products, video email and more.

Video is one of the top forms of viral marketing on the web, and viral marketing is one of the most effective forms of marketing. There’s no reason why your business can’t capitalize on this.

Video gives instant credibility and a personal connection to your audience and target market. It brands you as the authority and celebrity expert in your niche.  Barbara and Susan will  share their many years of acting and marketing secrets and coach you to look and sound great even if you never have done this before.

Even if you don’t know what to say, Barbara will help you get your message and sound bites clear, which will also media train you for radio & TV interviews.  http://tinyurl.com/yd22zay

Saturday, November 6, 10am-2pm

Market Yourself as a Speaker Workshop, Susan Levin, $125

Are you a seasoned expert with years of advice and experience to pass along? Whether you are an executive, educator or salesperson you could be missing out on an important source of your income: THE SPEAKING CIRCUIT.
The information, techniques and tools that you’ll receive from attending Market Yourself as a Speaker are essential to building your speaking business.
http://tinyurl.com/25572zn

Saturday, November 13, 10am-5pm

Storytelling…Every Great Speaker is a Great Storyteller. Period! Jack Barnard, $155

We live in a storytelling culture. Our movies are two-hour stories, our sitcoms twenty-two minute stories, our songs three-minute stories, our commercials one-minute and thirty-second stories. We the people are so used to absorbing through stories that when we don’t get them, the medicine doesn’t go down as sweetly.

All the great teachers — Jesus included — were great storytellers. Storytelling is an art. As a speaker you can tell us the point you are trying to make and we may understand it, but we get meaning through stories.
http://tinyurl.com/2aeh4zt

Saturday, December 4, 10am-5pm. Small Talk…The Elevator Speech, Networking, Media Interviews… the language your audience already speaks. Jack Barnard, $155

Some of what will be covered:
• The secret of the short presentation
• How to create dynamite sound-bites
• The power of brevity
• The default approach to absolutely every media — and audience — question
• How to block questions you don’t want to answer and bridge over to what you do want to share
• The Tricky Trio — the critical three questions that you need a dozen answers for

Small Talk focuses on getting juicy and succinct about your approach, so on one hand it’s a media training and on the other it’s an exciting journey into the heart of your message. http://tinyurl.com/33ebee3

Invite from Susan Levin

COMPLIMENTARY

YOU…THE STAR!!! SPEAK-WRITE-MARKET MINI SUMMIT & VIDEO DEMO SHOWCASE In Los Angeles

Sunday, Sept.26, 9:30am-5pm   $FREE  Register Now

In this day and age, to truly make a lasting impact, you need to be a media conglomerate: a compelling speaker…a credible author…a believable video performer…a master marketer.

In “YOU…THE STAR!!!” you will learn — from acknowledged experts in their respective fields — the ins and outs, the secrets and strategies for being a multi-faceted media personality.

Regardless of profession, everyone is an expert in their field and this event is a perfect opportunity to turn your expertise into a successful business; to master the game of speaking, to navigate the latest technology, and learn exciting new strategies for producing active and passive income.

THE PROMISE OF “YOU…THE STAR!!!”

- EARN why the magic of speaking is invisible

- POLISH your performance, presentation and communication skills, no matter what field you are in

- TRICKS to sharing your passion & excitement that translate into action and sales

- WITNESS a live video demo shoot

- DISCOVER why a speaker video demo is the ultimate calling card

- GET the #1 secret so you can “play” on camera – it’s the magic secret sauce that brings you $$S!

- LEVERAGE videos into your marketing campaign and convert visitors into customers

- EXPLORE self-publishing vs mainstream publishing

- CREATE time to write your book

- TURN your content into cash

- FIND out how event producers decide who gets booked

- UNCOVER what’s uniquely marketable about you and your mission

- MASTER Social Media, Blogs, Article Writing, Teleseminars, UTube

PRESENTERS:
Jack Barnard is a master presentation & branding coach, a media trainer & writer: a true maverick in the business. He works with speakers, authors & entrepreneurs, both one-on-one and in groups. His original method emphasizes the uniqueness of the individual, focusing on the permission to bring forth one’s distinctive style.

Susan Levin is owner & founder of Speaker Services. Susan is an International Marketing Consultant for speakers & authors. Her company offers marketing & training services & video production service.

Jean-Noel Bassior is a book coach & journalist who specializes in celebrity interviews. She is the author of Space Patrol: Missions of Daring in the Name of Early Television published by McFarland.

Barbara Niven is an Actress, Speaker and Performance Coach.  Barbara is in demand as a Performance Coach for actors, hosts, speakers & executives. In her studio she videotapes sessions for instant replay & feedback.

Location:  Marina del Rey, 9:30am-5pm

When you register you will receive the address and location.

REGISTER NOW

Are you a conference professional speaker? Is your present marketing working? Working well enough you have enough profits to vacation each year, buy a nice car, or pay your child’s tuition?  Now you can replace low results marketing with these five solutions. It will change the way you do business if you are willing.

Perhaps you’ve tried high-cost, but low results marketing already. In person networking groups can steal your time and not yield big results. Free talks and book signings are fun for the extrovert, but don’t yield alot unless you give at least six talks a month.

Replace low results marketing with these five solutions. It will change the way you do business!

Top Five Questions Answered So you can Update Your Authentic Marketing Messages  

 1. How can I update my email signature file to attract more clients?

Remember, to engage your audience and get action you need to include a signature file at the bottom of every email. Without it, you miss possible sales and clients. Don’t just taut yourself or your book; show some benefits of your service with a written concept statement such as “I help business people manifest their book dream.”  Offer a free report or white paper through a link either to a squeeze page or to your free ezine. Your purpose is to capture your visitor’s email and add it to your growing data base. From the report they will see you as the trusted expert in your field.

2. Should I brand my speaking business with a short book?

Yes! Either an electronic book or print book, or both. Test your ideas with an eBook; then write your print book for in person programs. Many authors waste a lot of money printing too many copies and don’t realize even the printer makes mistakes. Know your book is your best business card and you can even write a short version to give away or sell for under $10.00. Many speakers I know  practice this. Your target audience is hungry for your information  and they will buy your books. Books are the  #1 product bought online. Your audience is out these awaiting your wisdom. And your book will bring you higher paid speaking jobs.

3. Why is knowing my preferred audience so important to know before I start a book or web marketing project?

The biggest mistake speaking professionals make is to not to be clear on who their audience is. This is the kiss of death. Aim each print marketing message to a particular audience. That includes short sales messages for each book, seminar, teleseminar, web site product sales and your soft sales letter on your website for your service.

Your headlines and titles matter. Make sure they include hot key word phrases that are low competition only and benefits to your audience. You’ll write much better copy when you slant your materials toward just one audience. If more, your copy withers away, and no one is satisfied.

4. Why should I write short articles to submit to the top high-traffic article directories or blogs?

Your targeted audience visits these websites and blogs because it wants free information in your field of expertise. When they like your article, and if you have a powerful original resource box, you will attract droves of unique visitors to your Web site.

The most popular length article is from 250 (blog entry) to 800 words.  Before you post these articles on your own site, make sure that Ezinearticles gets the first version. Google knows who the biggest sites are, and will get your article page up from this source.  Isn’t it better to do just a little work in the right place than to shotgun your marketing and spread yourself thin with far less customer following?

Know that the top sites offer multiple categories that are sure to fit your niche.  You give the article; the resource box brings your target audience to you.

Article marketing is faster and easier, because you already have content from your talks, books or programs to put into your articles. And, with the new rules today, you only have to submit to a few high-traffic sites–much less time with a lot more credibility and unique web visitors.

It’s great that article marketing is free except for your time. I recommend that you start key word research before you submit because the game has changed. You must only use 3 keyword phrases that are in the low competition scale. I recommend you delegate submissions to a VA or webmaster when you can. I credit my Google rating as still #1 with the keyword “bookcoaching” from the 290+ article submissions we sent out over the past eight years.

5.  Why should I write a benefit driven sales letter for each product and service?

You have the marketing down with articles. But, when your unique visitor comes to your site, do you get low sales conversions? Maybe it’s because you haven’t let your visitor know the benefits of your products or service.

A list of talks doesn’t motivate sales.  You won’t get many telecoaching attendees if you don’t share how you’ll solve your audience’s problems.  The same thing goes for your service. Although it’s a bit softer, you still need a unique marketing message for it. How will your customers choose you if you don’t show your values and solutions to their needs?

Book and Internet Marketing Coach Judy Cullins helps  businesses get all the clients and sell all the books they want.  Author of 11 business books including How to Write your  Book Fast and Advanced Article Marketing 3-Book Special. Judy offers free articles and eBook “Book Writing and Marketing Tips” with monthly ezine subscription at http://www.bookcoaching.com and http://www.advancedarticlemarketing.com

The following post is by Judy Cullins

You already know article marketing brings you high visibility, optimizes your website in Google page ranking, and builds your data base and ezine subscriber numbers. When you post a well thought out article on http://www.ezinearticles.com your readers will visit your web site and first sign up for your free ezine.

That’s how I built my list from hundreds to over 10,000 in just a few years. And, that’s just for starters.

Your articles bring your target market to your web site to see what you have to offer. Don’t disappoint them. When you keep adding new content to your site and submit articles to blogs and article directories, new subscribers and visitors will keep showing up. These become loyal customers.Knowing these benefits, you want to create and submit as many excellent articles as you can. At times, you have the articles complete, but don’t have anyone handy to edit them. Edit them yourself–with a little help from your book coach.

Use this Checklist to Edit your Articles Before you Submit

1. Start your introduction with a hook: ask a question, show a benefit, or give a startling fact.You must hook your readers with something that reaches their emotions. Show them you care. Include questions about where they are now that your article will answer.

2. Make your hook only a few sentences.Make it rich with key words and phrases.Your readers want to get to the heart of your article fast. They want readable, quick tips. Long stories can bring a yawn to your reader. Save them for print publications.

3. Place the article thesis at the end of your introduction.Your whole article must link to the thesis to keep you on track and focus for a more clear and compelling article. For instance, “Use this checklist to edit your articles.”

4. Make all of your sentences short. Since standard sentence length is 15-17 words, make most of your sentences under that number. Complex sentences and multiple phrases make the reading slower and tougher. Make it easy for your readers to find the subject and verb of each sentence, so they get the point fast. Online article readers want easy to read and short articles.

5. Avoid dull, slow sentences.To avoid passive sentence construction, start them with a subject, and then follow with a action verb. For instance, “The coach marketed her business and books through submitting articles online” is an active sentence. “The coach’s books were marketed online through submitting articles.” is passive. Drop linking verbs such as “is,” “was,” “seemed,” or “had.” Keep the total number from 2-4% to create active sentences. Replace them with power, active verbs. Instead of “She is beautiful,” you could say, “Her beauty compels you to stare at her.”

6. Aim for compelling, clear copy.Write for the10th grade reader. Don’t try to impress with pompous words such as “utilize.” The shorter word is always better than the longer one. Always think “What’s in it for them?”

7. Use concrete, specific nouns and names.General references don’t engage your readers’ emotions. Let them see the size, color, and shape. Rather than say, “Write your book fast to make lifelong income,” say “Write and finish your book fast so you can take that well-deserved vacation to the Virgin Islands. Give your reader their ideal picture, let them feel their emotions. Money alone doesn’t motivate, but what we can do with it does.

8. Let go of certain adverbs.Words like very, suddenly, and sparingly, tell instead of show. Use adverbs as often as you celebrate your birthday. Did this past sentence show, rather than tell? Your readers are hungry to experience feelings as well as picture themselves in your examples. Adverbs tell, don’t show.

9. Let go of adjectives. Let the noun make the statement. Instead of saying, She is a super-intelligent person,” you could say, “She’s a genius.”

10. Use the present or past tense of the verb rather than the “-ing” form of the verb.Instead of “she is singing,” say, “she sings or she sang.” Instead of “She had known her article was weak.” Say, “She knew her article was weak.”Make your article noticed by thousands of readers. Remember, your word choice does make a difference–both in commercial acceptance as well as audience understanding. Self editing will help. Get professional feedback on the final version of your article.

www.bookcoaching.com

Why write an eBook?

By Judy Cullins

 You want ongoing, lifelong multiple streams of income. You want to raise your credibility and trust ratings with clients or customers. You want to get your message out so the world can be a better place and you are seen as the savvy expert through your book. You can repurpose your book’s content for big sales and profits through your other offerings.

Yet, You want to spend only a little time on it. (Would you be willing to spend 4 hours a week?) You want to get it out fast (Would 4-8 weeks be OK?) You want to market online at a low-cost investment. And, for some of you, you are ready to be innovative and even take a small risk to get your eBook read by millions, rather than hundreds!

Remember your book’s virtual benefits. No travel, no print book fufillment and distribution, no techie knowledge, no agent, no publisher to slow you down, no big staff and you do it in the comfort of your home office in your best time. And, you can delegate the administrative work to an assistant.

Where are you now?

You have the idea for your eBook; you have a lot of ideas! Take a moment and decide which one you are most passionate about now and will be for the next year. Focus on one great idea, then add others after you finish and market the first book you know will attract your target audience.

Maybe you have your eBook well on its way, but aren’t finished. You need advice on the next step–how to get it done, what’s needed to publish (not much!), and how to distribute it.

Every part of your book can be a sales tool. When you know and apply the essential “Hot-Selling Points” before you write chapter one, you’ll sell more books than you ever dreamed of! Because, when you know your preferred audience, your book’s benefits, its thesis and more, you write a focused, compelling, easy to read book that your readers will love.

Seven Ways to Write Your eBook that Sells Well

1. Write for your niche audience.

You may think everyone will want to read your book, but this assumption will lead you to the general content book graveyard. Specific topics sell better than general and general topic books have a lot more big name competition. When you know your specific audience and write for them you’ll be able to write fast and give your audience solutions they need. What problems does your book solve for them? Where can your find your book buying audience? Hint: your best audience is probably someone like you.

Create an audience buyer profile and keep your audience’s picture in front of you as you write. Ask yourself, is my topic narrow enough? Give your book an angle and include the audience and benefit in the title and sub title if possible

2. Write a book title derived from your target audience.

Survey your audience and ask them what’s the most important challenge they want answers to. You have eight seconds in your title to hook your potential buyer. Check out best sellers at http://www.amazon.com. Notice their subtitles that put forward the book’s promise. You spend less effort and improve on what’s already out there when you creatively imitate the top selling books.Your book title and cover should compel your audience to buy.

3. Write a thirty-second “tell and sell.”

When you answer the question “What’s your book about?” don’t go on and on; use sound bites to grab your reader’s attention such as, “This book’s skills will do more for you than instant cappuccino.” Or, “This book on passion is the senior’s Artist’s Way.

You only have a few seconds to impress your potential buyer. Include your title, a few benefits, and the audience. For example, “Write, Publish and Market your eBook Fast to Pull Online Sales- shows professionals how to shortcut each step of writing, publishing, and promoting a book your audience wants.

Compare your book to a successful one such as “How to Write an eBook Fast!” is the Chapter Blueprint companion to Dan Poynter’s “Self-Publishing Manual.”

4. Write your sales letter before you write your book.

Your book’s sales information can go on the back cover and also on your web site. This important sales tool gives the benefits your potential buyers want. Include compelling ad copy, benefits, testimonials, and a small blurb about you, the author. If your potential buyer likes it, they will buy on the spot.

5. Write your eBook’s introduction.

Hook your readers with a background story of where they are with their particular challenge, your books solutions an benefits why you wrote the book, and its purpose. In a few paragraphs include more specific benefits, and how you will present it (format). Keep it under a page. Your introduction will help you write your sales letter.

6. Create a table of contents for your book.

Each chapter should have a title, preferably a catchy one. If your reader can’t understand the chapter title, then annotate it. Add some benefits or a sub title (chapter’s promise).. Added to the first chapter called “Why Write an eBook! was this partial list of benefits: Create ongoing lifelong multiple streams of income, credibility as the expert, products that sell easily online.

More profits comes your way when you give your readers what they want emotionally and need.

7. Reach out to opinion molders.

After an initial contact of asking for feedback, resend them the same chapter and the table of contents of your book. Ask for a testimonial then. These influential contacts’ testimonials will help promote your eBook online and offline, and bring that audience back to where you offer your services, teleseminars and other repurposed content.

Design every part of your eBook to be a sales tool and a beacon that brings out your best: writing–compelling, understandable, organized, and enjoyable. Knowing the “Essential Hot Selling Points before you write your book will bring you thousands, even hundreds of thousands of customer contacts.

Book and Internet Marketing Coach Judy Cullins helps  businesses get all the clients and sell all the books they want.  Author of 11 business books including How to Write your  Book Fast and Advanced Article Marketing 3-Book Special. Judy offers free articles and eBook “Book Writing and Marketing Tips” with monthly ezine subscription at  http://www.bookcoaching.com

Promoting Your Books:
The Top 10 Things You Can Do to Promote Your Books

post from John Kremer www.bookmarket.com

1. 90% of marketing efforts are wasted. This is not a bad thing. Learn how to use this insight to set better priorities.

2. Book marketing is all about creating relationships. The only reason to hire a publicist is to hire them for their relationships. Ask, “Who do you know?” It’s all about creating friends.

3. You can’t do everything. Prioritize what you do best.

4. Packaging is important. As an author, this offends me, but the reality is that if a book isn’t packaged well, it won’t sell. An instant judgment on your book is based on the packaging. Packaging not only includes the cover, but also the title, the contents, and the interior design.

5. Build a brand with your books. For example, consider the Dummies brand or Chicken Soup of the Soul.

6. We are in the business of creating and selling rights. Licensing rights can make the difference between a profitable publishing operation and a losing operation.

7. Remember that small presses can create bestsellers. In fact, they’ve created more than 400 bestsellers in the past 20 years.

8. New standards are coming for submitting info to booksellers. You need ONYX compliant data. Get familiar with it. This information allows retailers to pull up information immediately about your book.

9. What was your strength can become your weakness. For example, New York publishers depend on chains and have almost lost touch with the independents.

10. Make no little plans, because they have no power to move the hearts of men and women. So many books are published that don’t come to their potential because the publisher didn’t have the confidence. Let your vision shine through. Don’t let the media sell you short.

This post about LinkedIn comes from Mahesh Grossman, President
The Authors Team, and Author of Write a Book Without Lifting a Finger.

He writes:

LinkedIn, the social network for professionals, just changed my life.

To be honest, until a few weeks ago, I never took it seriously. From time to time a friend or an acquaintance would ask me to “link” with them, and I would, but I didn’t understand what to do with my network. In fact, I’m not sure I ever invited anyone to link with me.

Now I understand some of the power of this tool–and it’s especially useful for authors.

So here are five ways you can use LinkedIn to help you write, publish, and promote your book:

1) Ask for help with your content, including Web sites and people to interview.

LinkedIn has a feature where you get to ask questions, either of your network or of people in a particular industry. I am working on an e-book that will be a list of a particular group of sites. I asked the network where to find more of these sites and I got an amazing response that made this e-book my top priority. But you could also ask a question like “Do you know how I could find people to interview for my book who have a successful arranged marriage?”. Not only would you get suggestions on where to find people to interview, anyone with a successful arranged marriage would be likely to offer to be interviewed.

It’s also possible that people have already asked questions on your topic, so if you search the Answers section using appropriate keywords, you are likely to find some usable information as well.

2) Get introduced to famous authors and ask for testimonials

I am shocked at how many famous authors are on LinkedIn. I have a few bestelling authors as direct links myself–and I am only one introduction away, meaning someone in my network can introduce me–from several authors who have sold more than ten million books–and there aren’t that many authors who have done that. So if you were to join LinkedIn and link to me, you would be one level away from the bestselling authors I know, and two people away from these authors who have sold massive quantities of books. That’s pretty amazing. So if you have high quality work that has been vetted by a professional coach (one that has been published by traditional publishers!), you could approach a very big name author through LinkedIn.

3) Have a particular agent you want to be introduced to? There are 326 agents on LinkedIn.

I did a search on the term “literary agent” and found 326. I wouldn’t try to get introduced to all of them, but you do your homework and find a particular agent that is the most likely to be interested in your work, it could be a good way to make a connection. Once again, you have to really have studied the publishing business and know what you are doing to make this work. But it is an interesting strategy. (And I know of a number of editors from major publishing houses who are also on LinkedIn.)

4) Want publicity? There are lots of periodical editors and TV producers you can network with.

I know several publicists on LinkedIn, and some are connected to top editors and producers. Want to get in Time magazine or Sports Illustrated? There are writers and editors from those publications. Want to get on national television? Once again, you can reach out and try to connect with these folks, who are also on LinkedIn.

5) Want to connect to people who might help market your book? Ask the right question.

Once again, LinkedIn Answers gives you the opportunity to ask how to do something, and let people volunteer to help you. Ask a question like “I’m the author of a book about living a balanced life. I would like to be interviewed on 50 teleseminars this year. How do I find people who might want to host me on a teleseminar?” Whatever your goal is, ask how you can do it, or find people to help you. Some good Samaritans will come forward and say, “I’d be happy to have you on a teleseminar.”

So those are five ways to work with LinkedIn.com. The bigger your network, easier it is to get help.

Mahesh Grossman is the author of Write a Book Without Lifting a Finger (www.writeabooktoday.com) and President of The Authors Team (www.AuthorsTeam.com), a company that helps credible business experts become Incredible Business Authors, through ghostwriting, editing, coaching, publishing, publicity and marketing. For a fr/ee list of more than 400 agents as well as a newsletter with tips on planning, writing, publishing and marketing your book, go to www.getanagentnow.com.

Here’s to your bestseller.

This is a question I get asked all the time. Let’s see what Scott Jeffrey, www.BestSellingAuthor.com has to say.

The decision to self-publish versus publishing with a major publisher is sometimes irrelevant. Can you get a publishing contract from a major publisher? Naturally, this isn’t such a straightforward question since you really don’t know until you try, but here are some questions to ponder:

Can you get a book proposal in the hands of someone who will read it without going straight to the slush pile? Do you have any contacts in the publishing field? (Contacts aren’t essential, but they certainly can help.)

Do you have an agent? Someone who will champion your work—someone who is passionate about your message? (If you’re approaching small to medium-sized publishers, you don’t need an agent.)

Do you have a platform for selling large numbers of books like a radio or television show, a weekly or monthly column in a highly circulated magazine/newspaper, or a huge customer/fan base that buys your existing products?

Do you have an enticing, fresh idea (or a new spin on an old idea) for a book that a publisher will want to publish? And do you have the “expert status” to back it up?

Other Factors for Making your Decision

Motive: Why are you writing this book? Are you looking for fame or fortune? Are you just trying to share your message? Your motive for writing this book is an important consideration: You may be happy just getting a hundred copies of your book from a print-on-demand service. Or you may want to walk into a bookstore and find your book on the shelf. Perhaps you just want an additional product to sell at your speaking engagements.
Time: You can self-publish your book in about a fifth of the time (if not less) than it will take a big publishing house. Do you need the book right away to begin building your career? The publishing process of a major publisher generally takes a little over a year. Add the time it takes to land a publishing contract and you’re dealing with a long timeline.
Money: There are two factors to consider about money.
Are you financially “able” to self-publish your book? Self-publishing a run of 5,000 hardcover books will cost you $20,000 to $50,000, depending on the quality of the final product. There’s a misconception that self-published work has to look self-published. This is only true if you cut corners: one can typically distinguish a $250 book cover from a $5,000 one.

Do you want to make money with the book? This goes back to your motive for writing the book: if you already have a platform from speaking, etc., your book can become an income-generating product in the back of the room. From an economic standpoint, you can make considerably more money if you self-publish instead of going with a publishing house. Conversely, if your book has bestseller potential, a major publisher will give you significantly greater distribution capabilities.

The Economics: An Illustration

Self-Publishing: Let’s say each book costs you $2 to print (all costs included) and the book sells for $15. For every book you sell, you earn $13.

Publishing House: Let’s say, as the author, you get 20 percent royalties (meaning you get 20 percent of what the publisher makes, which is around 55 percent of the retail price of the book). With the same $15 book, you’ll earn only $1.65. (From the discussion above in “The Advance,” 30,303 books at $1.65 equals your $50,000 advance.)

If you sell 10,000 books at your venues, you’ll bring in $130,000 versus $16,500 from a publisher—that’s a 780% difference! Of course, if you don’t have a built-in platform for selling those books, they can take up a lot of space in your garage.

Advantages of a Major Publisher

There are many advantages to going with a major publisher:
Self-publishing a book is like starting a company—there are innumerable hours of work and challenges involved in producing the final product.

Publishers generally offer strong distribution capabilities for getting your book on the store shelves. Although there are a select number of distributors that work with self-publishers, it’s difficult to match the distribution capabilities of a large house. Plus, there are loads of headaches in dealing with these distribution channels.

You’re enrolling an entire team of professionals to help. Publishing houses have graphic designers, editors, copy editors, proofreaders, etc. in-house. Finding all of these components on your own can be a daunting task.

Publishers have relationships. You never know what contacts your publisher might have that could catapult your book to stardom.

Publishers take on all the risk (and invest all the money). Instead of investing tens of thousands of dollars of your own money, publishers take on this responsibility and even give you an advance prior to any book sales.
There’s a certain level of additional legitimacy that you get from a large house. It’s as if they are validating your existence in the marketplace.

Scott Jeffrey is an author coach and the author the 10-CD audio program, Everything You Need to Know to Become a Best-Selling Author. For more information, please visit www.BestSellingAuthor.com

by Jean-Noel Bassior

1. Forget the horror stories you’ve heard about the publishing world
Your friend Jason told you that his cousin’s mother, Edith, sent her manuscript to a publishing house or literary agent two years ago – and she’s still waiting for a response. What Jason left out is that Edith wrapped her 400-page manuscript in brown paper and addressed it to “Editor,” Simon & Schuster. Are you getting the picture? You wouldn’t respond either if you got a thousand packages in the mail each week for “Occupant.” A lot of stories circulate about what happens when authors submit their material to agents and editors, but be slow to judge. The truth is, if you learn to play the publishing game like a pro, you won’t have Edith’s experience.

2. Be a letter, not a package when submitting to literary agents
Believe it or not, literary agents open their mail. Why? Because they’re looking for gold – a lively, focused query letter. What’s in it for them? Sheer joy. They know that if a writer can craft a dynamic query that actually tells them what the book is about, it’s worth their time to ask for more material – and they do. That’s when you send a package – and when you do, on the outside you write “Requested material.”

3. Know how agents and editors think
Ever been to Manhattan? It’s not just the center of the universe – it’s the hub of the book publishing world. And even though not every agent lives there, most of them are in a New York state of mind. If they seem brusque, don’t be fooled. That impatience is just a drive to get to the Next New Thing – which, hopefully, is your book project. They want you to hook them on your query in 10 seconds or less because they’re on your side. They’re looking for fresh, focused ideas, and they’re hoping your query letter, book proposal and sample chapters will be page-turners. In short, they want you to succeed.

4. Your query letter must do two things
Whether your book is fiction or non-fiction, your query has to (1) make agents and editors see the book in their mind, and (2) make them ask to see more material. There’s an art to writing the irresistible query. It may take some time to get the hang of it, but don’t give up. Learning how to write powerful queries and book proposals sharpens your writing skills.

5. To beat writer’s block, write it badly
Most writers never show you their first draft. Why? Because it ranges from fair to awful, with flashes of brilliance in between. Writing is about bringing visions and concepts from your mind into physical reality and you don’t always get it on take one. Fortunately, there’s an activity called “rewriting” that gets you from “Geez, will this ever come together?” to “Wow, I like that!” So relax and start anywhere – at the end, in the middle, even with just one word – and write it badly. Get something – anything – down, and trust the rewriting process to shape it. It’s like chipping away at a block of marble to get the sculpture inside to emerge. Or, as artist Paul Klee once remarked, “take a line on a walk” and see where it leads you.

6. Where there’s a will, there’s a way to organize
Ever feel overwhelmed by stacks of research? Are you staring at piles of notes, e-mails, interview transcripts, clippings and reference books, wondering how all this material will ever flow magically into chapters? Relax. You can find a way to organize your material. Here’s just one:

Print out a few pages of notes or an interview transcript, or photocopy some pages from that book with the info you need. Number the pages with a felt tip pen at the top right-hand corner of the page (1, 2, 3, etc.). What you’re going to learn is how to divide the info on each page into bite-size chunks that can be indexed with, well, index cards. Let’s begin.

Let’s work with that transcript of your interview with Dr. Snark, a famous scientist you’ll be writing about in your book. As the interview begins, he’s talking about the discovery that won him the Nobel Prize. As soon as he changes the topic (or you ask him about something else), take your felt tip pen and draw a horizontal line across the page. Mark a big “A” in the right-hand margin. That’s section A, where he talks about winning the Nobel Prize.

Read on. Now he’s talking about his childhood, still on page one. When he finishes, draw another line across the page and label that section “B” in the right-hand margin. As soon as he changes topics, draw another line and label that section “C.” Keep reading the transcript, drawing a line with your felt tip pen across the page whenever the topic changes and assigning that section a letter in the right-hand margin. Begin with “A” on each new page. On some pages, there will be three subjects, so you’ll have “A,” “B” and “C” in the right-hand margin. On other pages, Dr. Snark may talk about six different things, so you’ll go from “A” to “F.” Remember: Every time you begin a new page, start with “A.”

After you’ve done a few pages, reach for some 3 x 5 index cards and create a card for each section. For example: Remember where Snark talked about winning the Nobel Prize? That’s 1A. Mark 1A in the top right-hand corner of an index card, and write a key word in the middle of the card that will bring back that part of the interview. “Nobel Prize” may be enough. Take another card, label it 1B, and write some key words that will remind you of what he said about his childhood. And so on. Are you getting the hang of this? Eventually, you’ll have a card for each section of the transcript, and you’ll know precisely where everything is. And guess what: You can plan your chapters by shuffling the cards into different orders, experimenting with the organization of a chapter – or the entire book. Then, when it’s time to write, lay the cards out in order on your desk and follow the plan – or change it. You’re in control.

Yes, it’s a challenge to do this grunt work, but it beats thumbing through hundreds or thousands of pages of research over and over, muttering, “I was sure I saw that quote in this pile.” You can index anything – e-mails, old newspaper clippings, even those opening lines for Chapter 8 that you scribbled on a cocktail napkin one night in a stupor. (Just tape the napkin to an 8½ x 11 page and number it, too.) And this is just one way to take control of your research. You can create a system that works for you. The important thing is to know that you can take control of your raw material instead of feeling it’s about to crush you. Even if you end up with hundreds of index cards, you’ll know where everything is – and that’s a great feeling. It’s the way out of overwhelm.

7. Do these 3 things in bookstores when nobody’s looking

• Read Acknowledgments. Look at books similar to the one you want to write. Does the author thank his or her agent or editor? Grab those names. You may want to send those folks your query letter.

• Go on a title search. Looking for a title for your book? Browse the titles of bestselling books on display. Notice the rhythm and play between title and subtitle. Make it a game – you may want to jot down titles you like, but the important thing is to let that rhythmic play seep into your subconscious mind. (Don’t be surprised if you wake up one morning soon with a great working title for your book.)

• Read at random. Open a book that looks interesting and read a page. Like it? Keep reading. Bored? Put it down. Why do you like some books and not others? The ones you like keep you glued to the page, right? How does the author do that? Study his/her style and figure out why it keeps you reading. Your own style will improve as you notice what skillful writers are doing.

8. Hey, kids! Start your collection of rejection slips now!
Every writer has them. They mean you’re serious, you’re in the game. See them as badges of honor.

9. If you crave love or a response to your query, include a SASE
Be sure to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope so the agent or editor can reply on your dime. Or, use a pre-paid postcard with a box for them to check if they’d like to see more, that is, your book proposal or sample chapters.

10. Believe that you can and will get published. In the end, that’s what counts.

Jean-Noel Bassior is a journalist who specializes in celebrity interviews. Her work has appeared in many publications, including Redbook, Parade, McCall’s, Woman’s World and AARP The Magazine, and she’s been syndicated worldwide by The New York Times and Knight Features (London). She is the author of, Space Patrol: Missions of Daring in the Name of Early Television, published by McFarland.

For more info about the Book Mentor Program, call 310.285.3009 for 24-hour taped message or e mail thebookmentor@gmail.com .