marketing Archives - Ron Kness Writing

4 Things to Outsource When Publishing a Book

If there were ever a Kryptonite for authors, it would be this: trying to do everything yourself. Maybe you think that’s the best way to do it. Maybe you worry that you just don’t have the time to hire and train someone.

But when you insist on doing everything yourself, it takes longer to publish your book. The finished product isn’t as strong as it could be and you struggle to gather readers and find your tribe. It’s much smarter to consider outsourcing in these four key areas…

The Book Cover

This is your almost advertising tool and you want it to be a good one. When you research best-selling books in your niche, pay attention to their covers. Look for patterns you can spot—do all the covers use a certain font or the same basic colors? What elements are common? Which covers stand out?

You can find a book cover designer by asking for recommendations from other authors you know. You can also try looking on a website like Fiverr to find a good graphic artist.

The Formatting

Formatting your book correctly for the various publishing platforms is essential. Nothing is more disappointing for buyers than being unable to read your book because it won’t display correctly on their favorite device.

The Editing

Everyone makes mistakes in their books. Maybe you attributed a quote to the wrong person, misspelled the name of your hometown, or had several embarrassing typos. A good editor can polish your words until they shine.

Sometimes, authors are tempted to skip hiring an editor but if there’s one person you really need on your team, it’s a strong editor. Your book can overcome many flaws but if the content contains too many errors, readers will give review it with a single-star and leave negative comments.

The Marketing

Publishing your eBook is only half the battle. Once it’s up on online, you need to begin marketing it regularly. This involves hosting contests, getting interviewed on podcasts, setting up social media advertisements, guest posting on other blogs, building a street team, crafting press releases, blogging on your own site consistently, attending live events, and more.

Fortunately, you don’t have to manage everything yourself. You can hire a virtual assistant to take some of these tasks off your plate. This frees you up to get back to working on your next book or selling your products.

Outsourcing can be a wonderful experience, if you hire the right professionals. They’ll help to ensure that the writing, publishing, and marketing of your book flows smoothly.

But if you have not yet published a book, but would like to do so yourself, then get my free 4-week ecourse “30 Days To Becoming a Published Author”.

3 Surprising Reasons to Publish a Book on Amazon’s Kindle

When it comes to publishing your book, there’s no shortage of platforms to use. However, one of the most popular is Amazon’s Kindle store. Here’s why you should seriously consider using it…

Amazon makes it easy. Some publishing platforms use too much jargon or have complex steps that take hours to complete. With Amazon, you can have your book published and making you sales within just a few hours. If you run into trouble, you can also post to the Kindle Boards, which are filled with helpful authors who want to give back to other writers.

Amazon makes it free. Years ago if you wanted to self-publish your book, you had to pay a printing service to do it. That fee could range anywhere from several hundred dollars to several thousand (or more). Fortunately, Amazon leveled the playing field for everyone when they made their Kindle program free for any author.

Even better, you control the price of your book. You get to decide how much your book is worth and what it sells for. Traditionally published authors don’t get to do this—they have to go with whatever price tag the publishing house decides to set.

Amazon gives you exposure. The truth is that Amazon has one of the best algorithms out there. It’s constantly working to predict what their customers will love next, which means they’re always suggesting new books to readers.

But in order to get Amazon to suggest your book, you’ll need to get a few reviews up. Reach out to 70-100 reviewers that read in your genre or on your subject matter. Offer them a free book in exchange for an honest review.

Not every reviewer will have time to post about your book, but most authors get 10-20 reviews this way. When Amazon sees the reviews begin rolling in, their algorithms will go to work on your book’s behalf.

You can also choose to publish your book exclusively on Amazon’s Kindle platform. If you do that, you’ll get included in their special promotions of books, gaining you more exposure by potential readers. Even better, you can have a special sale or promotion period during this time, which can boost your book’s ranking.

If you haven’t already, consider publishing your book through the Kindle program. Your book will be more visible and you’ll still have all the perks of being a self-published author.

And if you have not yet published a book (but have one in you dying to come out, but are unsure of how to start), then get my free 4-week ecourse “30 Days To Becoming a Published Author”.

Kindle Amazon, Kindle Books, Kindle Create, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle Ebook Format, Kindle Ebooks, Kindle Epub, Kindle Self Publishing, Kindle Services

Write Your Book Yourself Or Outsource It?

You want to publish an eBook but you’re not sure how you could go about it. You could write it yourself or you could hand the task off (outsource) to a trusted writer. However, you’re torn between the options and you’re not sure which one is right for you. Here are three quick questions to ask before making your final decision:

Do I Have Time to Write?

Think about how long it takes you to write a blog post or short report. Does it take you all night to write a 2-page blog post or three weeks to churn out a short report? There’s nothing wrong with being a slow writer. But be honest with yourself—how long will the book realistically take you to complete? Can you really write it in a week? Or will it take several months?

Do I Have the Budget to Outsource?

Outsourcing a project can be fun and easy—if you’re working with a professional writer. If you’re dealing with a bad writer, you could spend hours trying to fix their terrible work and wondering why this book is so hard.

However, keep in mind that with a professional writer a professional price tag also comes in the bargain. Be prepared to pay a good wage to a talented writer you trust to complete your book on time.

Do I Enjoy Writing?

Before you make the final decision, consider the writing process. Do you get bogged down when writing blog posts or short reports? Or do you zip through writing content with ease and joy? Is it something that you leave feeling energized or drained?

There’s no wrong or right answer to outsourcing your book. Some marketers love writing and wouldn’t dream of hiring someone else, while others prefer to leave content creation to a ghostwriter.

It is smart to have an outline if you plan to outsource it. This will help the writer you hire see what your vision is and what topics he (or she) should cover in each chapter.

If you have not yet published a book (but have one in you dying to come out), then get my free 4-week ecourse “30 Days To Becoming a Published Author”.

Outsource Company, Outsource It, Outsource Resource, Outsource Services, Outsource Solutions, Outsource Website, Outsource Work, Outsource Writing

You Have to Work at Email Marketing Success

If there’s one thing that’s become clear, it’s that email marketing takes work, but it’s very much worth it. Your email list is an invaluable asset to your business that allows you to stay in touch with your target market, send them commercial offers and to cement a loyal relationship from them.

It’s also an asset you wholly own, unlike a following on Facebook or Twitter…those are things that can be taken from you at a moment’s notice, but an email list is 100% yours.

If you’re new to email marketing, I hope I’ve provided you with the knowledge you need to take the plunge into email marketing. From the technology to the techniques, we’ve gone through all the nuts and bolts. Of course, everyone’s business is different, so you may worry you don’t have all the answers to get started, but the best way to learn is to do.

There will probably be bumps in the road, but these are tremendous learning experiences that can help you improve your email marketing along the way.

To give you a little summary about the important keys to get started, here are some things that will help ensure your success:

Choose the right autoresponder service: While there are many choices and it might be difficult to decide which is right for you, you can change things later on. Sometimes moving lists is tricky, but it can always be done.

Set up your offer: Know what value you are going to bring your potential subscribers and shape your offers around that. Create at least one opt-in page that will be central to your list building efforts.

Get to know your audience: Use the tips for engaging your subscribers to understand what they need and deliver it to them. This includes understanding the types of products they would find helpful and creating or promoting them as well.

Track your results and tweak: The more you grow your list and the more you email them, the more data you will have at your fingertips to improve your results. Do more of what works and toss out what doesn’t.

Take it one step at a time, but keep moving forward. The power of email is an indispensable part of your business success. Thanks for taking the time to read through this series and all the best to and your business.

The Importance of the Opt In or Squeeze Page and What It Should Include

If you’re new to email marketing then you’ll probably need to learn some new terms and concepts. One important concept is that of the “squeeze page,” also known as an “opt-in page”.

Squeeze Page

A squeeze page is a page on your website that exists for the specific purpose of getting a reader to give you their email address so that you can send certain information or information products to them. This opt-in process can be for a new subscription to something that you offer on your site, for the purpose of receiving a particular item from you (such as an ebook), or to join your mailing list to receive future offers, or some combination of these.

Why do Squeeze Pages Matter?

Why Squeeze Pages are Important Squeeze pages are important because building your mailing list is an essential part of doing business online. In fact, building your list of email contacts could be the single most important element of your online marketing success. And one of the best methods for getting new prospects to give you their email addresses is through the use of well-designed and well-implemented squeeze pages.

What Should Your Squeeze Pages Include?

Email spam continues to be a significant problem, so be clear on what you’re offering, and what you’re going to do with the prospect’s email address once they give it to you. You don’t need to include your entire privacy policy, but you should at least include a summary of the most important points. How are you going to use their email address? Do you plan to send special offers or anything else beyond what they’re specifically signing up to receive?

Also be clear on what the next step is. Are you going to send them a confirmation email that they need to open and click on before they’re subscribed? If you’re going to send them an ebook, or start an autoresponder series, when can they expect to hear from you – right away or within a couple days? Setting your prospect’s expectations is key to your success.

What Should Your Squeeze Pages Not Include?

Each squeeze page has one and only one purpose – to get someone to agree to give you their email address. This means that the page shouldn’t contain anything that doesn’t further that goal, or require the reader to click to another page to learn more. Your squeeze page therefore shouldn’t have any links to other pages of your site – just a “Submit” or “Sign Up” button if they decide to accept your offer, and a “Close Window” or “X” button if they decide not to. These should be the only methods of navigating away from the Squeeze Page.

Furthermore, you should only request the minimum of information – chances are this is just going to be the prospect’s email address. and first name. If you don’t need to know their last name, how they found your site, or any other extra information, then don’t ask for it on your squeeze page. The more information someone has to provide, the more likely it is that they’ll click away without giving you anything at all.

online marketing success — Click the Image to See the Squeeze Page.

Click on the image to the left to see a working example of one of my Squeeze Pages. Enter your first name and a good email address to see how a squeeze page works.

In the next post we’ll discuss some sure-fire ways for you to build up that mailing list, but all of that is much easier once you’ve set up your squeeze or opt-in page.

Understanding the Difference Between Autoresponders and Broadcast Emails

In our previous article we discussed the autoresponder services that can help you become significantly more efficient with your e-mail marketing efforts. It gets confusing when we use the phrase “autoresponder services” and then talk about “autoresponder messages” and “broadcast messages”, but an autoresponder service can generally send both types of messages. So don’t worry, once you have chosen an autoresponder service, you’re ready to use both of these different techniques.

Comparing Broadcasts to Autoresponders

Let’s discuss some of the differences between autoresponders and broadcast emails, so that you know what type of communication is likely to be better suited to each of your promotional campaigns.

Autoresponder Messages

Autoresponder Messages Autoresponder e-mails are a series of messages that are sent to a subscriber at predetermined intervals once they sign up for your mailing list. The interval term is generally somewhere between a few days and a week or two, depending on the nature of your content. This allows you to build a relationship with each subscriber over time, and position yourself as a trusted source of information.

Pros:
• Autoresponder messages are relatively easy to administer. Once you’ve prepared a series of e-mails, you can use an autoresponder service to have them sent out at predetermined intervals to each new subscriber who signs up.
• Autoresponders can strengthen the relationship with your readers because they allow you to communicate with those individuals over an extended period of time.

Cons:
• Autoresponder messages may grow stale. Even though your messages can be reused for multiple subscribers over time, you still need to periodically assess whether the text of those messages needs to be revised in light of developments within your niche or industry.
• Autoresponder messages, if not drafted properly, can come off as impersonal and perhaps even having too strong of a sales message.

Broadcast Messages

Broadcast messages are those that occur outside of an autoresponder series of e-mails. One of the key features of a broadcast e-mail is that it can be highly topical and relate to “breaking news” type events. Broadcast e-mails can also make your mailing list aware of a new item or new promotion that you may be running.

Pros:
• Broadcast messages can be highly specific and targeted to some or all of the individuals on your email list.
• Broadcast messages don’t require the reader to commit to reading a series of emails over time; each message is a self-contained marketing message.

Cons:
• In contrast to autoresponder messages – where your subscribers have signed up specifically to receive them – you don’t always know when your subscribers will find a broadcast message interesting or valuable.
• It can sometimes be difficult to determine “how much is too much” when it comes to broadcast e-mails. The last thing you want to do is have one of your broadcast e-mails cause someone to unsubscribe from your list.

Now that you have a better idea of when to use an autoresponder series and when to use a broadcast message, you can decide what techniques you should use to build your mailing list and that’s exactly what we’ll talk about next time.

Choosing an Email Marketing Autoresponder Service or Software

Autoresponder Decision Ah technology. It’s such a great thing, but sometimes can be frustrating to figure out what exactly we need and then how to use it. Let’s explore some of your options when it comes to email marketing and hopefully things will become a bit clearer.

As your mailing list grows, it should quickly become apparent to that you don’t want to try to manage it manually. Not only will it become a significant administrative burden, but sending emails with more than a dozen or so recipients can greatly increase the likelihood that your autoresponder messages will be marked as spam, and never reach your intended audience.

An autoresponder service can help accomplish the dual goals of freeing you up to work on other important tasks within your company, and making sure your email messages reach their targets. Here is a summary of a few of the leading services, and the pros and cons of each.

Aweber

Aweber is one of the leading services for automating the process of building your mailing lists, and sending emails to everyone on your list.

Aweber

Pros:
• Aweber has a very reliable delivery mechanism.
• Aweber offers strong support for autoresponder series, including conditional moving of subscribers from one list to another. For example, if someone buys the product you’re promoting with a particular autoresponder series, you can configure Aweber to move them from that autoresponder series to a different one immediately after their purchase (after all, you don’t want to continue promoting the product after they’ve already purchased it).

Cons:
• Aweber does not offer a free trial (although it does offer the first month of service for just $1, with a money back guarantee).
• They have changed their interface a lot recently and many complain that it has become more difficult to

arpReach

arpReach, formerly known as AutoresponsePlus, takes a somewhat different approach to the other major services in that it offers downloadable software that you pay for once, rather than an online service that you pay for each month.

arpReach

Pros:
• One-time cost; there are no monthly fees, and your initial license fee is not tied to the number of addresses on your list or the number of messages you send.
• Full control over your list with the ability to import subscribers as you’d like.

Cons:
• The arpReach software must be installed on your web server, but you can pay one of their recommended installers to install it for you.
• arpReach is currently not compatible with GoDaddy hosting services.

Constant Contact

Constant Contact has rapidly become one of the most recognizable services for email marketing, and has a strong customer base that includes some very large companies.

Constant Contact

Pros:
• Constant Contact allows you to run social media campaigns to supplement your email marketing efforts.
• A free 60 day trial is available for a mailing list of up to 100 names.

Cons:
• Potentially more expensive than other services as your list grows.

iContact

iContact, formerly known as Intellicontact, provides email marketing support services as well as higher value advisory and strategy services.

iContact

Pros:
• A large number of highly stylized email templates.
• The ability to create custom messages with the proprietary MessageBuilder and MessageCoder applications.

Cons:
• Only larger customers with Premier Accounts can use Google Analytics and split testing features.

If you’re looking for your first autoresponder service or software, the best approach is to try a few of the ones on this list before making a commitment.

Next up, we’ll be talking about the difference between autoresponder and broadcast messages. Both have their benefits, so let’s take a closer look at that.

Meet Andy Johnston, Our New Guest Blogger

If there’s one thing for certain, email still makes the online world go around. Despite the doom and gloom many have predicted for email with innovations like RSS and social media, email still rules the day. It’s a crucial marketing medium for the success of any online business (or any business at all), so I’ve brought in our guest blogger, Andy Johnston, to take you through all the important aspects of email marketing.

I’ll let Andy tell you a little more about it…

Hello to all and thanks for the welcome. I am looking forward to sharing a whole lot about email marketing in the coming weeks. I plan to cover everything from why email is important to all the nuts and bolts stuff you need to know to make email marketing successful for you business.

Here are the topics I’ll be covering for you:

– Why email marketing is important for business
– Choosing an autoresponder service or software
– Understanding the difference between autoresponder and broadcast emails
– Should you use confirmed / double opt-in?
– Your first steps to setting up a mailing list
– The importance of the opt-in / squeeze page
– Surefire ways of growing your list
– Engaging your readers and delivering exactly what they want
– Email conversion tips

If any of that terminology isn’t familiar with you, don’t worry, I’ll explain everything. We’re going to cover a lot in the next few posts, and I look forward to helping you turn your email marketing into an important profit source for your business.

Attract New Customers with a Business Blog

For a business owner, a new year means putting new strategies in place to accomplish your goals for that coming year. You’re probably asking yourself how to grow your business, operate more efficiently, pay off debt or maybe even expand to a new location.

What can you do if that list of goals includes growing your business by attracting new customers online? One of the best places to start is by creating a business blog.

There are plenty of reasons to start a business blog today, but here are the ones I see as being most important.

Blogging for Traffic (and Dollars!)

The more you blog and create relevant and informative content, the more website traffic you will receive. Writing about topics important to your prospective customers casts a wider net of opportunities for your site to be found online.

Let me explain how this happens.

While your website may be found on Google by typing in the name of your business, it doesn’t guarantee your site shows up for terms related to your business that could attract new customers.

If you’re a new company that sells luxury pet items for example, web users won’t be searching for your store name, but instead for the term “luxury dog beds” in Google. (In case you were wondering, the keyword “luxury dog beds” gets searched approximately 8,100 times per month.)

If that web user sees your blog post titled “The 5 Best Luxury Dog Beds Your Puppy Will Love” in the listings, clicks to your site, reads your informative article and then finds out you sell luxury dog beds, you are on your way to securing a new customer.

Your Blog Positions You as an Expert

Updating your blog frequently with industry-related posts demonstrates you know what you’re talking about. These posts then have the ability to be shared on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Not only does this social sharing bring you more web traffic, the shares themselves act as endorsements that you are an expert and that your content is valuable.

Why would you want expert status? First off, it makes it easier to do business with you. If you’re trying to secure new customers who are experiencing buyer objections, you can use blog posts that demonstrate your experience and credibility as reference points to help move the sales process along.

Also, achieving expert status makes you the go-to person in your industry. When people start turning to you for questions on a topic, ask you to blog about certain industry news or to submit a guest blog post to their blog, you are creating momentum that will drive more traffic to your site that turns into leads and customers.

Customer Success Stories for More Sales

A blog can also help you make the most of your current web traffic that isn’t converting into customers. It’s possible through what we call social proof.

What is social proof? Well, it might be helpful to ask this question in a different way.

When you’re thinking of doing business with a company, do you always believe what they say about themselves? Or do you look for reviews or testimonials that feature like-minded people sharing their experience with the company you’re thinking about?

We all do those searches. This is part of the reason for the success of places like Amazon that feature its customer reviews so prominently.

Having a blog on your site creates a chance for you to write about what you have done for customers and any successes they have had. If your current website visitors read these customer success stories on your blog that establish your credibility, they are more likely to do business with you.

While your blog should focus mainly on industry topics that answer questions or provide necessary information, having posts that showcase your customer success stories with your products or services is perfectly acceptable.

Are you planning on starting a business blog anytime soon? What are your concerns about getting started? Let us know by sending in a quote request or send us a message via our Contact Page!