Booklet Tips From Paulette

One Size Fits All with Booklets and Marketing - NOT

2009-11-12T09:37:00.001-08:00

It warmed my heart this week to see my colleague, Marcia Yudkin, talk in her Marketing Minute ezine about the need to market based on who your clients and prospects are and how they make their buying choices. Seems pretty obvious, doesn't it? Yet you may lose track of that as you get swept up in the enthusiasm of Internet marketing.

Marcia contrasted the common wisdom of current Internet marketing "squeeze pages" (give me your name and contact info and I'll let you in the door to then sell you what I've got) compared to the longer buying process of committees, considerations, and communication.

It can be tempting to succomb to what can seem easier (note all those wiggle words I purposely included there). The fact is that a large-quantity booklet buyer probably won't be attracted to what has now become an accepted Internet marketing approach, one that works well for a single-copy buyer.

Whether you're marketing booklets or anything else dealing with humans, one size does NOT fit all in your marketing approach.

Until next time,
Paulette - who is amazed that clothing manufacturers still think we believe one size fits all, too

www.tipsbooklets.com
www.CollectionOfExperts.com
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Booklet Becomes Entire Product Line - Great Example

2009-11-10T10:16:00.000-08:00

Several years ago, my friend and long-time colleague, Andrew Chapman, wrote a tips booklet about how to get straight A's in college since he had done that very thing - got straight A's! He recently expanded that information to create an entire product line based on keeping a high college GPA and is now focusing on large-quantity buyers and licensees to use a range of formats of his materials as promotional tools.

You'll find an excellent example of how he presents this whole product line at:
http://www.collegestudentmarketingsolutions.com/solutions.html

Andrew also understands the value of joint ventures, in case you have any introductions you'd like to make on his behalf and share in the profits.

Until next time,
Paulette - expecting great results from this for Andrew and everyone else involved

www.tipsbooklets.com
www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
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Booklets are Cheesy

2009-11-05T10:07:00.000-08:00

Yes, some of them are. They have been poorly produced, their content is "ho-hum," or it's good content that wasn't professionally edited. And the booklet turned out cheesy for any or all those reasons, I agree.

However, if none of that is true, and you are comparing a booklet to a book when you say it's cheesy, then your perspective is limited.

* Susan Friedmann of www.thetradeshowcoach.com sold more than 250,000 of her booklets to a company who used them promotionally to increase their sales

* Peter Thomson of www.PeterThomson.com sold hundreds of thousands of his booklets to corporate clients who used them to increase their sales.

* I sold limited rights of a quarter million copies of my booklet to a then-major catalog company who increased their sales 13% by giving away the booklet free with any purchase in one of their catalog editions

And many, many booklet authors have had a wide range of positive results in using booklets as a marketing tool, income stream or both, regardless of whether they had a book to sell or not. 3,500 well-constructed words took less time and money to create, and served their readers and buyers (who are not always the same as each other) well.

Booklets cheesy? Depends on your point of view, doesn't it?

Until next time,
Paulette - who has made a living for 18 years on 3,500 words

www.tipsbooklets.com
www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
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Paper or Pixels?

2009-11-03T09:24:00.001-08:00

"Paper or plastic" is a common question posed at the check out stand at many grocery stores. You are asked for your preference of containers to carry out your purchases, even in these times of bringing our own re-useable bags to the store.

There are numerous elements in that exchange that are relevant when it comes to tips booklets and your sales.

When was the last time you asked your buyers (whether single copy or large quantity buyers or even the media) if they wanted the paper or the pixel (PDF) version of your product? People typically have a preference, and sometimes for reasons you might not imagine. Here are just a few things that influence a choice of paper over pixels or pixels over paper:

immediacy of delivery
cost
conservation
focus on content more than container or other way around

The key thing here is to ask what someone wants. If it turns out more of your people want pixels rather than paper, you directly benefit in both time and money. It costs you less of each to take the buying conversation to the next level. And as for the folks who bring their own bag to the store, well, the parallel to that with booklets turns out to be the licensing deals, where the buyer gets permission from you to do the production themselves.

Until next time,
Paulette - delighted by how pixels are increasingly being chosen, yet paper still matters

www.tipsbooklets.com
www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
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It's All About ...

2009-10-29T09:55:00.000-07:00

...them, not you and not your tips booklet or any other format of your product. That includes when you're talking with a colleague about possible joint venturing, or to a large-quantity prospect at a company or association.

Someone who has known of my work for many years contacted me last Friday afternoon to invite me into a joint venture with her. The entire time we were on the phone, the person made it all about herself and her achievements. While I agree it's useful to have some background about a potential business partner, there was no give and take, no balance, no real interest in a conversation as much as it being a monologue. Then she followed up on Monday with an email in the same way. What WAS she thinking? Even if there had been any remote match here in what she was proposing, there was less than zero interest in my part in doing any business with her. It's too bad, too, since I think she probably has a good product.

It is and will always be about them - whoever it is you are contacting. It is about how your products and services improve the business of the person you are approaching. There are endless ways you can positively add to their business. Focus on that and see the improvement in your business as a result of it.

Until next time,
Paulette - still trying to shake off the "stuff" this woman left all over me

www.tipsbooklets.com
www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
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So Many Booklet Prospects, So Little Time

2009-10-27T09:45:00.000-07:00

Many booklet authors suffer an embarrassment of riches when it comes to prospective directions to go with their booklet and other information product sales. That was the case with a booklet author I recently spoke to. She created an excellent and lengthy list of directions to go to sell large quantities of her booklet and related info products. The list included companies, associations, websites, retailers, private practitioners, and more.

First we discussed approaching any of the private practitioners through their professional associations instead of individually. That immediately led to talking with people the booklet author knew, to get introductions to the associations and also to companies. The more the booklet author and I talked, the more people came to mind for her to approach, even though we started the conversation with "who do you already know to put at the top of your list to talk to?" It wasn't until we started exploring specific directions did specific names come to mind.

The more we talked, the more the booklet author came up with people -- family members, professional people she had gone to, neighbors, colleagues.

How do you streamline your process, especially when you have many, many directions to go? Sometimes it's a direct route to identify those people you already know, and other times it takes roaming around in your thoughts to be reminded of who those ideal people are. Regardless of how you do it, start capturing names and ideas so you always have a destination in mind no matter how you're feeling at any given moment.

Until next time,
Paulette - remembering how some of the least likely prospects turned into the biggest and best sales

www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
www.tipsbooklets.com
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Hot Topics and Hot Sales for Booklets

2009-10-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

What's the hottest topics for writing tips booklets? It the one(s) you get most excited about. Simple as that. Many people talk about writing to topics in great demand. Some oldies and goodies are things like food, kids, pets, money, and sex. If you have to do specific research on a topic and it is a stretch for you to be passionate about it and it needs separate marketing from a business you already have, you are likely to have different (lower!) sales results than when you create products representing something that's meaningful to you and that you're already promoting. It will probably be harder for you to sustain your own interest over time.

In the past few weeks, a wide range of fascinating booklet topics have been birthed by people whose life is represented in their booklet. Here's a sample of those topics:

How to Choose a Nursing Home - from a geriatric specialist who works in nursing homes
Tips for Girls Volleyball - from a former pro women's volleyball athlete
Selecting a Financial Planner & Managing Your Money - from a financial planner
Self-Care for Caregivers - from a long-time spousal caregiver
Guide for Single Women to Find Their Guy - from a single female author on the same topic
Parenting the Troubled Teen - from a pediatrician who works with teens
Creative Ways to Use Leftovers - from a military wife who does this for her family

While food, money, and kids are among the topics represented in that list, they are done by people whose lives are greatly involved in those areas.

The above list doesn't scratch the surface of the thousands of booklet authors, worldwide, who are writing and selling their booklets. These people have a passion for their information and have contacts they are approaching for large-quantity sales.

Next time you ask yourself what the hot topics are for booklets, ask yourself what it is you bubble over about anytime you've got the opportunity to share your knowledge with anyone who will listen. That is your hot topic. Start writing your tips!

Until next time,
Paulette - always happy to explore this with you to discover your hot topic

www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
www.tipsbooklets.com
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Print Catalogs Still Deliver Sales - Booklets Do, Too

2009-10-20T10:02:00.000-07:00

An article in the October 16 issue of the Wall Street Journal captured my interest as someone who has been in the booklet business since 1991. The article was titled "In Digital Era, Marketers Still Prefer a Paper Trail."

"So why does the catalog which helped Richard Sears launch his eponymous retail empire more than a centruey ago, continue to thrive in the electronic age? Because glossy catalog pages still entice buyers in a way that computer images don't. Catalogs, marketers say, drive sales at Web sites, making them more important than ever."

The article goes on to cite high sales statistics from paper catalogs, and talks about why mail-order catalogs will never go away.

There are two big points in mentioning this article to you:

1. You can find new ideas, reminders, and confirmation of your ideas for new business by reading newspapers, magazines, trade publications, Web sites, and your mail -- when you're open to seeing things through the filters of opportunity.

2. The mail-order catalog companies have used booklets to generate more business by offering a booklet (or other forms of information products) as a gift with purchase, usually for a certain dollar amount, or for any purchase in a particular issue of their catalog or for opening a new account, or in other ways. What catalogs are good matches for your topics?

Until next time,
Paulette - thinking back fondly on an excellent five-digit catalog licensing deal payment

www.CollectionOfExperts.com
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www.tipsbooklets.com
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Tell the Truth About Your Booklet

2009-10-15T09:53:00.000-07:00

What value do you put on your booklet?I'm not only talking about the price you charge, I'm talking about how valuable you think it is in the life of those who receive it. In fact, the price you charge is often a reflection of how valuable you think it is to the recipient.

This week I got yet another phone call from a person who has called or emailed me at least once a year for about five years, a person who has yet to produce a booklet. This week she wanted to know if my prices had changed. She said she had written about 20 booklets in recent years (currently as Word documents, I believe), and still didn't have the several hundred dollars to have one, much less all of them, professionally edited and professionally designed. When I told her to start with one of those booklets and get a product sheet created to pre-sell the others before getting them edited and designed, it fell on deaf ears. I am sure of it from what I heard in her reply.

Now I am certain this person has had the several hundred dollars in question at various points in the past five years, as she told me about conferences she's attended and professional associations she's joined. What she hasn't had has been the courage or the commitment to move forward with her booklet.

She's been dishonest to herself with her story. The truth is that she's scared. She doesn't believe her booklets are valuable enough to bring the thousands and thousands of dollars they are likely to bring her once she starts talking to people who need and want what she's got. I'm not saying there is ever a guarantee in sales, because there isn't. What I am saying, though, is that this person is very unlikely to ever find out as she continues telling herself she doesn't have the several hundred dollars to move ahead.

What's your truth? What's your story? And, as Dr. Phil, the therapist on television is known to say, "How's that workin' for ya?"

Until next time,
Paulette - who loves most working with people who take action

www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
www.tipsbooklets.com
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Cut Corners and Cut Booklet Sales

2009-10-13T11:05:00.000-07:00

"I can edit and layout my booklet to make it more cost effective for me."
"I have a friend/neighbor/relative who can edit and design my booklet."
"My booklet is simple enough it doesn't need a graphic designer or editor."

If you have thought or said any of the above three statements or any variation of them, you are at high risk of shooting yourself in the foot, one foot at a time. It is a difficult thing to edit your own work. In fact, the editors I refer booklet and other written work to actually hire other people to edit anything they themselves write. That's partly because there are numerous specialties within the discipline of editing and it's also because the person who created the document is too close to see it objectively. We're talking about more than only proofreading, though that's very important, too.

And about the layout, it is nothing short of penny wise and pound foolish to think you can do your content the justice it deserves with an amateurish attempt at using the features of Microsoft Word to create some numbered pages and a couple of columns, with some graphic elements thrown in. You may get a pardon in this rant if you are, in fact, already a graphic designer or very well versed with a publishing software product.

Otherwise, do yourself the service of hiring people who do these things every day of the world so your content is presented at the high level it deserves. You'll find referrals to our tried and tested excellent service providers at
http://www.tipsbooklets.com/index.php?page=vendors.htm
You will make more sales when your good content is presented as well as possible.

Until next time,
Paulette - who has seen fewer and fewer catastrophes over the years as people learned how important this is

www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
www.tipsbooklets.com
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How to Talk to a Large-Quantity Booklet Buyer

2009-10-09T09:50:00.000-07:00

"I've got something that will help your company/association make more money."

How would that grab your attention when someone starts a conversation with you that way? I'd probably at least let them get another sentence or two out, wouldn't you? It's all about the buyer and the buyer's needs/wants -- and it always will be.

It's about getting some idea of what may be helpful to them, and then verifying that with them. Yes, it can and is as simple as that. The size of the booklet, the length of it, the number of pages, the cover design, the number of ink colors on the cover are all much later in the conversation.

First it is and will always be about how your product can make your buyer's life more (revenue/profit), better (position out in the world), or different (from their competition). When you address the buyer's wants and/or needs, you start a relationship, one that can last for years.

Until next time,
Paulette - reflecting on the fact it's about them not you/me

www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
www.tipsbooklets.com
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Booklet Marketing Collaboration at Its Best

2009-10-06T11:07:00.000-07:00

The following article is from a colleague and client of mine, Beth Woodward. It exemplifies the point she is making by doing collaborative marketing right here.

=============

When I think of marketing I first look at what makes me sing. I market through my strengths, which promotes a lot of positive energy. For me, collaboration is key along with helping others gain visibility and giving back. Let me give you an example.

One marketing vehicle I chose to use is ‘article collaboration’ across the globe. It is very simple. The first collaboration is swapping articles to benefit your readers through your ezines or blogs. I’ve established guidelines to article submission and you’re welcome to use mine. http://marketingontheplayground.com/articles/Article-Guidelines-2009.pdf

The point is, your article will drive traffic to your website and here begins the 2^nd part of the collaboration.

Driving traffic to your website for what? Increasing your database is one good reason and another is to bring visibility to the booklet you want to sell. Here is where the 2^nd part of the collaboration is really key. Invite professionals to be a part of your booklet promotion. This is where I have the opportunity to help others gain visibility. At the bottom of your article you have a signature line that leads your reader to your website. Here’s an example.

Create a website page with free offers to register in your database.
See this link. http://marketingontheplayground.com/articlepromo.html
Create a thank-you page with free offers from other professionals when they purchase your booklet.
The professionals’ free offers lead to their products, giving them visibility
A percentage of the proceeds can go to help an organization you are passionate about. This is the ‘giving back’ portion that I enjoy.

Now, you can also do the opposite. You become one of those professionals donating your booklet to a product sale. You can…

Give your booklet away and use it as a marketing promotion to further your business.
Create a tips sheet on how to make a booklet for your give-away promo. On your thank you page let them know about your booklet. I have combined my thank you page with my sales page for my e-storybook, Marketing Ideas For Women In Business (the guys like it too)

What type of marketing do you enjoy? Bring that up front first and create your marketing steps from there. Article marketing happens to be one of the top ways to build your business.

Receive your complimentary 5-Step e-Course On Marketing YOUR Way. http://tinyurl.com/ye34h6j

Beth Woodward, CPCC, Chief Executive Kid

Marketing On The Playground

beth@marketingontheplayground.com

www.MarketingOnThePlayground.com

====================

Who can be good collaborators for you? Approach them today like Beth Woodward did with me. Look what happens!

Until next time,

Paulette - delighted to bring you good stuff from other people

www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
www.tipsbooklets.com
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Booklet Buyers and Timing

2009-10-01T09:06:00.000-07:00

What story are you telling yourself about the perfect time to contact large-quantity buyers? You might be saying it's too late or too early or the wrong time of year or the perfect time of year. In some industries, yes, there is an ideal time to approach them. If you miss it, you'll probably need to wait a year for the next point in their cycle. Calendar companies are a perfect example of that. They are more than a year ahead in planning, manufacturing, and distributing their calendars. If you have a booklet or other product you want a calendar company to consider, that's the kind of lead time you're looking at.

Sometimes logic gets in the way of taking action rather than supports it. A booklet author who wrote a booklet for college students was happily surprised when a college made a fast decision to purchase a quantity of his booklets in the spring for the incoming students arriving in late summer. The entire transaction took about 6 weeks - record speed for such a purchase. Other colleges could have a similar process that happens in January or some other point in the year. This particular one happened in the spring.

Let your clients and prospective clients be the ones to tell you what their timing is about rather than you attempting to second-guess it. Stay in motion, filling your pipeline with people and organizations who are interested in what you have when they are ready.

Until next time,
Paulette - who can't even count the number of guesses that have been off the mark, in a good way

www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
www.tipsbooklets.com
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Booklet Series - Sometimes a Good Idea, Sometimes Not

2009-09-29T10:04:00.000-07:00

Someone who will be attending the public workshop I'll be doing in Denver next week http://www.tipsbooklets.com/denver.htm informed me she's excited about coming because she's done one booklet and has 19 more in the plan for the next couple years.

Of course I applaud her enthusiasm and the fact she gets it about the value of booklets. However, it'll be interesting to explore with her the thinking behind creating 20 booklets. There's no hard and fast "rule" (like I would live by those anyway?) about whether doing a series is a good idea or not. It comes down to the old "it depends" answer. For some people's business and personality, a series makes perfect sense and is an excellent idea. For others, it's really unnecessary.

A few reasons TO do a series:

You're a keynote speaker with 4 main speeches. Do one booklet for each speech
Your business has several primary divisions or product areas. Do one booklet for each.
Your clients are enthusiastic about doing business with you. Create more to sell them.
You are in a field that is constantly changing. Do periodic revisions rather than a series.
Your information lends itself to going greater in depth. Start basic and go more advanced.
You like creating products and are willing to market and sell them.

This is certainly not an exhaustive list, though you get the idea. For me, my business and personality dictate taking a single 3,500 word document and finding many ways to leverage it into other formats and languages. Doing a series was not necessary or desirable at any point since 1991. And I've done just fine, thanks! Do what's best for you. It's the only way it works.

Until next time,
Paulette - encouraging you to do a series as long as it makes sense and you're not just hiding from marketing and selling

www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
www.tipsbooklets.com
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Booklet Reasons or Results

2009-09-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

"My dog ate my homework." Isn't that one of the oldest excuses in the world for not accomplishing the results that were expected of you? For some, it's become a humorous way to express missing the mark on a due date. For others, it's often a major annoyance, a cop-out. All the reasons (aka excuses) in the world don't change the results. It doesn't matter how good the excuse. Yes, there are times when an emergency happens, and it is literally impossible to do what you said you would when you said you'd do it. However, more often than not, it's a matter of a zillion stories you tell yourself and anyone who will listen, stories that seem completely reasonable. See if some of these resonate for you:

* I don't have enough information to finish the booklet.
* I've got too much information and don't know what to leave out.
* It's not written well enough for people to want it.
* I'm not a writer.
* It doesn't go into enough depth for people to want it.
* My wife/husband/significant other thinks writing a booklet is a waste of time.
* I have too much to do in my life to write 3500 words.
* I don't know how to sell it.
* I don't have a website yet for my business.
* I'm an unknown in my field.

Anything there sound like stories you've told yourself? If so, you're busted! They are stories. They are not results. Each and every one of the 10 items in the above list has a solution if a booklet is really the result you're committed to having.

So, what's the truth for you? Reasons or results?

Until next time,
Paulette - reflecting on the stories some people offered with their belated birthday wishes this week :-)

www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
www.tipsbooklets.com
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Booklets and Telling Your Life Story

2009-09-22T10:17:00.001-07:00

Years ago I recall having a discussion with the executive director of the professional association in which I was heavily involved. We talked about the difficulty that many members of the association had in focusing on communicating the benefits of their services. More of them were involved in telling their entire and complete life story, at length, in an excruciating amount of detail to anyone who would listen.

I sometimes hear the same situation with booklet authors. Well, let me break this to you gently. It's not about you and your life story. Yes, your life experiences are usually the basis for what your work is and has become. However, it really, truly is and will always be about the recipient of your work. It's about how what you've got will benefit them, how it will make their life more, better, or different. Once you make it about them, you'll be happily surprised to see how much it becomes about you and your business, your booklet, your products and services. Your people will want more of what you've got because you're making it all useful to them. Not such a big stretch now after all, is it? Nah, I didn't think so.

Until next time,
Paulette - who knows it is and will always be about you!

www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
www.tipsbooklets.com
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Booklet Messes Versus Mistakes

2009-09-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

There is no difference between a mess and a mistake, in my opinion. Here's why I say that. In both situations, you and I make the best choices based on the information and resources we have. Then it turns out differently than we expected. After all, do you wake up in the morning and declare you're going to make 4 "wrong" choices (aka "mistakes") today? I sure don't. We make the best choices we can, with the information and resources we have at that time.

Many consultants talk about making your mess your message. That means teaching others how to do it differently than you did so they increase the odds of a better result.

When I think back over the past couple decades to the things that turned out differently than I thought they would in my booklet journey, without exception, it was because I was missing some information or other resources. Once that was changed, so were the results.

So yes, I teach people how to go down roads that don't have the same potholes I fell into, to get better results quicker. Your first-hand experiences and observations of other people's experiences may well be the basis of your booklet journey, too.

I personally don't believe in the concept of "mistakes." Each one is actually a learning opportunity. Some are more fun and less costly than others, and, some outcomes matter more than others. Is it truly the end of the world if the ink color you wanted came out just a tad off from what you got? 3M's Post-It Notes (plus many other products and services worldwide) happened as "mistakes." Get it? And, well, isn't that what life is about? Rolling with it, and making course corrections along the way.

Until next time,
Paulette - leveraging those learning opportunities so you can, too.

www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
www.tipsbooklets.com
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Give Your Booklet Away to Make Money

2009-09-15T13:35:00.000-07:00

Today was the first of the 3-part Booklet Author Success series. It was even more fun than I thought it would be. That speaks to the difference between creating something in a vacuum and then putting it into real time. I mapped out 4 questions for each of he 3 booklet authors, including a completely open-ended question, providing a certain framework, and then let it rip. Each of the 3 booklet authors not only brought their unique perspective to the conversation, they added things I had overlooked, and we all shared some chuckles along the way.

One of the big things I originally overlooked was the technique of giving away the booklet, in printed copy or as a download, as a way to generate other sales in your business. Years ago I had a client who did that very successfully with his family law practice. He strategically gave copies of his booklet about ways to diffuse the battle of divorce to professionals who were in a good position to refer the level of client he was seeking. That meant judges, mediators, therapists.

Today, Caleb Scoville of www.northbankaudio.com talked about some promotional campaigns he recently did where he focused on the collaborative Collection of Experts booklet he was in as a give-away to successfully reconnect with previous clients and prospective clients and generate new business as a result of it. That was, of course, only one of the things he shared with us.

The other two booklet authors on today's call (Peter Thomson from the UK www.PeterThomson.com and Andrew Chapman www.achapman.com) brought completely different experiences to the discussion about product development and big sales. In case you missed this, you can still sign up for the remaining 2 calls in the series, and get downloadable audio recordings and text transcripts of all three calls. Do it now! Just one new idea or perspective could catapult you to heights you never imagined.

Click here to reach the Booklet Author Success series

Until next time,
Paulette - who happily had way more fun today than anticipated

www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
www.tipsbooklets.com
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Booklet Imperfections and Other Truths

2009-09-10T09:46:00.001-07:00

Several colleagues have talked about the imperfection of their entrepreneurial efforts over the years, whether it's been imperfect pricing, packaging, client communication, business expansion -- you name it, we have all done it. I absolutely include myself in there, without question. There have been many things I've done imperfectly in the past 18 years of this business, and the many years of other business ventures starting in childhood. And guess what? We're all still here to tell about it. S

So a pricing or product packaging wasn't the best match for a particular product or service. It got changed until it became the best match. There was actually a typo in my booklet, which stayed there in the first 50,000 copies or so that I sold. I could give you many, many examples of imperfection. However, I can also give you lots of examples of things that worked. Maybe it worked the first time out of the shoot on it, or maybe it was after numerous modifications.

That brings me to what's starting next week. I've hand-picked 9 booklet authors from the US and the UK to share with you some things that worked for them in what's called the Booklet Author Success Series.

These folks will tell you some of the happy surprises they encountered in giving away and selling their booklets. You'll want to hear it from them, first-hand. If you can't make the live sessions, sign up anyway. You'll get the transcripts and recordings, and you'll also get the recently revised 4th edition of "How to Promote Your Business with Booklets" as a free bonus.

And, if you're an affiliate of mine, you can actually make money on anyone who comes in on your affiliate link! Go check it out -- NOW!

Until next time,
Paulette - who sometimes seems to specialize in imperfection

www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
www.tipsbooklets.com
Follow me www.twitter.com/pauletteensign

Booklet Authors Teach You About Booklets

2009-09-08T09:40:00.000-07:00

One of my newest favorite television programs is called Shark Tank. It's composed of 5 people (4 guys and 1 woman) who review entrepreneurs' business and product ideas to consider investing in them. The investment is money, expertise, and time. It's not just money. I like the show for a number of reasons. The most recent piece of learning I got from it was the outstanding value of having a mentor in someone who has a proven track record in a particular area of business. It went like this.

Two investors (aka "Sharks") jointly made an offer of a certain amount of money and expertise in exchange for a particular percentage of the two business owners' company. A third shark attempted to out-bid the first two with double the amount of money. However, this higher money offer came from someone who had no background at all in the business owners' type of business. While the money was considerably more, the knowledge was not there.

The business owners accepted the deal from the two investors who offered less money and proven knowledge and experience with their type of business. Makes perfect sense to me!

You will now have a similar opportunity to learn from people who have proven knowledge in the booklet business. In fact, you'll have the opportunity to learn from a total of 10 people - 9 others and me - each with our own unique and related experiences. We're not offering to invest in your business for a percentage of it (yet!). However, we each have useful stuff to teach you.

We've each been there and done that. We can and will share our experiences with you.

Get yourself over to Booklet Author Success series right now and sign up for it. It starts a week from today! Even if you can't attend the live sessions, sign up anyway. You'll see why.

Until next time,
Paulette - excited to share these outstanding learning opportunities with you so you succeed, too

www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
www.tipsbooklets.com
Follow me www.twitter.com/pauletteensign

How Do You Do a Booklet Product Launch?

2009-09-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

Your first or next booklet is almost finished and ready for prime time. You've created it because you determined there is a need that your booklet will fill. Then what?

Have you mapped out the who, what, where, why, how, and when of letting the world know what you've got for them? Your market may quite naturally be more than a single one. It could include the consumer as well as a corporate audience. How and when will you reach each of them?

I'm in the process of launching several new things during the 4th quarter of 2009, starting as early as next week, in fact. Although I've done many product launches in the zillion years I've been in my own business, each and every one has their own unique components. I now involve more players in a launch. Years ago, there was no website to consider, much less support people to do that for me since they do it better than I. Years ago, there was no email or blogs or social network sites. Now each of them has their own unique culture and etiquette.

All those details to make it work so people have access to the best solutions to their challenges. Most times, it's not the end of the world if a particular detail is only excellent and not perfect. Once in awhile, yes, it IS a big deal. Anticipating as many of the "what if's" as you can will minimize the overlooked details.

In the meantime, watch this blog and your email inbox, and your Facebook and Twitter accounts, and a whole bunch of other places to see just what it is that'll be coming out next week from me. Whether you've been dealing with booklets for a long time or are just getting started, I promise you'll love what I've got for you!

Until next time,
Paulette - excited to soon be bringing you some new things

www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
www.tipsbooklets.com
Follow me www.twitter.com/pauletteensign

Instant Booklet Success and Other Fictional Stories

2009-09-01T10:59:00.000-07:00

Years ago when money was really tight (no, I mean REALLY tight), I remember a business advisor saying "it's only another couple months until people are back to business mode after the summer." Another couple months might as well have been centuries away at that point for me. It's not fun to be caught in a cash flow crunch. Been there, done that, don't like it, don't ever wanna do it again in this or any other lifetime.

That's why I truly understand when a booklet author who is "white knuckling" it expects fast results within a month from their web site, their social networking efforts, their bulk sales efforts, their traditional media efforts, and everything else they do to think a sprint will magically cure all ills. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon. A sprint is the fastest route to burnout, frustration, and enhanced fear.

Yes, it is completely possible for some things to happen fast. The more likely thing is that it'll take time and focus. I know, that's not what you want to hear right now. I remember that part. However, keep reading.

I've seen several people become household names within a year or so. They came out of nowhere and utilized every promotional vehicle they could find, on a very consistent basis. They kept their name and their products out there, everywhere, no matter where or when you looked. I've personally done that over many more years, however, I can point to a handful of people who have done it within a year. They were relentless as they strategically made sure they became the "go-to person" for their area of expertise. My guess is that some happily unexpected gifts came their way during that building phase.

Now, can you make a large-quantity booklet sale within a few weeks? Yes, it is literally possible. Is it likely? The odds are slim, though definitely possible. If you are one of those folks who is losing sleep about where the money will come from for your immediate living needs, do everything in your power, starting today, to reach the people who have the biggest checks to write. If nothing else, that gives you some relief and lets you tread water as you lay groundwork for that long-term marathon I mentioned.

Until next time,
Paulette - remembering all too well what it was like being broke and isn't doing that again

www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
www.tipsbooklets.com
Follow me www.twitter.com/pauletteensign

By the Way, Your Booklet Topic Can Be ...

2009-08-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

People often ask me what topics are "hot" to write about. I always say it's the one(s) that excite you. Our colleague, Marcia Yudkin, adds perspective to that in her weekly Marketing Minute, which, by the way, is very much worth sharing with you.
==================

                      The Marketing Minute
     by Marcia Yudkin, Marketing Expert and Mentor
            http://www.yudkin.com/markmin.htm

                *******************

Successful people often reveal they discovered what
rocketed them to fortune by others saying, "You know, you're
good at such-and-such.  Can you teach me/help me?"

Beat them to it by highlighting and exploiting hard-to-name
talents or unintended accomplishments.  Ask yourself:

* In what ways do I love going above and beyond, or deeper
than others?

* What kind of commentary of mine - in conversation, on my
blog - seems to strike a nerve?

* Which unexpected skills have I mastered to do what I do?

* What data have I collected that others could use?

Ask customers:

* What do you like about doing business with me that you
don't experience elsewhere?

* Looking back, what results from the work we did together
seemed to come out of left field?

The answers may point to a lucrative sideline service or
information product you can develop - or your next career.

For instance, maybe your B&B hospitality generates matches
among guests or your sports coaching produces better
posture. 

Identify your "by the way" assets, bottle them for sale and
enjoy the extra profits.

                *******************

HOW ABOUT ME?  While teaching my Launch Your Information
Empire course, I realized that I enjoy and get appreciated
for compiling business models for marketing.  Instead of
teaching only what I've done successfully, I also find and
report how others succeed with a different approach.  I
arrange the information so participants can figure out the
model that's right for their personality, audience and goals.

Even if you've already got a system working, you might find
a more congenial model or a way to expand and grow that had
not occurred to you.

Alternative business models are one lesson in the Launch Your
Information Empire course:
http://www.yudkin.com/informationempire.htm

If you're interested but not yet committed to creating
while-you-sleep income, opt into my information products
email series (no cost):
http://www.yudkin.com/infomarketing.htm

Interested in marketing with postcards?  I have a $19.97
report specifically on 10 business models for that:
http://www.yudkin.com/postcardmodels.htm

Or look at the Mighty Postcard Marketing Course:
http://www.yudkin.com/postcardcourse.htm

                *******************

MORE MARCIA...

CD of the Month Club:
http://www.marketingformore.com/cdclub.htm

Marketing Thought of the Day:
http://www.yudkin.com/mantras or twitter.com/marciasmantras

Get Mentored:
http://www.marketingformore.com

Naming & Tag Line Service:
http://www.namedatlast.com

Press Releases & Distribution:
http://www.pressreleasehelp.com

                *******************

If you enjoy The Marketing Minute, please forward it to
friends and colleagues.  It comes to you every Wednesday
from publicity and marketing consultant Marcia
Yudkin, author of Web Site Marketing Makeover and
10 other books.  P.O. Box 305, Goshen, MA 01032.

For a free weekly marketing tip, subscribe: 
http://www.yudkin.com/markmin.htm

++++++++++

Until next time,
Paulette - who knows "by the way" often becomes a pot 'o gold

www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
www.tipsbooklets.com
Follow me www.twitter.com/pauletteensign

Booklets Are Always About People

2009-08-25T09:45:00.000-07:00

When you write your booklet and when you offer it up for sale or free distribution, it can sometimes be easy to lose track of the fact that people are involved in all parts of the process. The content reflects your experiences in some part of your life as a human being. The production touches the lives of your service providers. And ultimately, the booklet is intended to improve the lives of those who receive your booklet, whether it's distributors first and end users second, or directly to the end user.

I've had several experiences in the past few days where the human side of the interaction got lost in the shuffle, and where it made a big difference in anything beyond that. The first one truly surprised me. I tried out the services of a new massage therapist who came highly recommended to me. I've experienced professional massage for over 25 years, on 2 coasts, and as you can imagine, a wide range of experiences. This person never asked me a thing about whether there was any part of my body that needed extra attention or that she should avoid or if I preferred a stronger or lighter touch. Nothing. The sad part was that her technique as a massage therapist was fine, at about 85-90%, in fact. I will not be going back to her though.
We never connected as people.

Today I got an email from someone who had attended a fee-based teleclass and was looking for the recording and transcript that hadn't arrived. The person didn't include their proper name, just an email address. Um, I deal with people.

There are other examples I could offer, though I'm sure you got the point. Remember that you are always dealing with people every step of your booklet journey.

Until next time,
Paulette - who is 100% human

www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
www.tipsbooklets.com
Follow me www.twitter.com/pauletteensign

Is Your Booklet "Either/Or" or "Both?"

2009-08-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

Which topic needs to be in your booklet, Passion #1 or Passion #2? If they have anything at all that's remotely related to each other, many times the best answer is to include both topics in one booklet. You can make one booklet with multiple related topics in it, and still come out with a 16-page booklet that has 3,000-3,500 words in it. My booklet, "110 Ideas for Organizing Your Business Life," has about a dozen related topics in it, in fact, so people can sample various areas of organizing their business life.

Yes, there are times it makes sense to focus on a single topic in a booklet. Even then there are sections or sub-headings within a particular topic. You may be a professional speaker who presents keynotes. It would be ideal to have one booklet on each of your keynote topics.

When you see that you're headed way beyond 3,500 words, the suggestion is to have two smaller booklets than one larger one, even if you are dealing with multiple topics.

Start writing and see where you're led. The answer often presents itself once you're in motion.

Until next time,
Paulette - who ran out of organizing tips at 110

www.CollectionOfExperts.com
www.PublishingProsperity.com
www.tipsbooklets.com
Follow me www.twitter.com/pauletteensign