Six Reasons Why I REFUSE to Have My Book Edited

1. I want people to tell me my book is horrible. I think it's great and that's all that matters.
2. I want 1-star reviews! It fuels me to keep writing; the 1-star reviewers are just jealous.
3. I want people to see me as an amateur, not a professional. After all, writing is my hobby.
4. I want to be known as an author who doesn't value my own work. 
5. I want people to refuse to buy my work in the future. One sale is plenty.
6. I want to sabotage my own writing career and keep my day job a good while longer.

Honestly, those are the only reasons I can come up with, and all of those reasons are asinine. I can't figure out for the life of me real reasons why authors seem to refuse to have their books edited (not read by their two best friends) before they decide to publish. I'm so disappointed by yet another author's work that I tried to read . . . I really tried. It was so full of mistakes that I had to turn my Kindle off and write this post -  instead of writing a 1-star review.

If you are an author who refuses to have your work professionally edited (and no - spell check doesn't count), you're yanking the rug out from under your own feet! I have to ask you - how many times do you have to hear that it is an absolute necessity before you'll get on board? Why won't you do it?

I think it boils down to one of two things:

1 - You don't know how.  
If you don't know how please let me help you. Google and shop around. We all have figured out Google has the answer to everything. Get to Googling and find an editor that works with your genre, jives with your personality, fits your budget, can meet your deadlines, and can provide you with a sample of his/her work.

Here are a few links for you just in case you don't know how to use Google.  Each provider listed below does EXCELLENT and affordable work.

Lynn Loves Editing
- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lynn-Loves-Editing/371274692913054?fref=ts

U Can Mark My Words
- http://www.ucanmarkmyword.com

Kai Wilson
- kaiberworks@gmail.com

Teresa Kennedy
- http://villagegreenpreenpressllc.com

Kissed Publications
- http://www.kissedpublications.com/

2 - You don't want to.
If you just don't want to have your work professionally edited, please return to the beginning of this post to read the six things that you obviously want instead!  Here's another fantastic article about a seasoned author making this grave mistake. - http://www.lorijometz.com/2012/10/22/self-publishing-my-most-important-mistake/

Kimberly T. Matthews

"I knew exactly how many condoms were left in his gym bag, in a little black box, wrapped in gold foil. Seven. Each time I randomly checked for no other reason besides I knew they existed, there'd always been seven. So I was taken aback that morning when I went to do his laundry, peeked in the box and only found three..."
 Lisa from - "Lisa's Dress" 
Click here to download on Kindle!

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

Enjoy my blog? Get a FREE 14-Day Subscription to your Kindle!  Just click below.

Why Is Facebook Checking Your Credit Report?

After temporarily deactivating my account, I logged onto Facebook today for the first time in three solid months. It took me only a few minutes to get back into the swing of wasting time reading people's status posts - mostly about the Presidential Debate, the soon coming demise of Big Bird if Romney wins the election next month, and other random things. Before I knew it a couple of hours passed me right on by.

My time spent wasn't a total lost though.  One of the things I did was re-established my Networked Blogs set-up so that my blog posts would automatically publish to my Facebook wall.  And that's when I took note of the nifty NEW feature (yes it's new . . . it just started 10/3) that allows you to promote your posts!  How cool is that, right?  For a small fee - only $7.00, you can have the post of your choosing displayed as a sponsored post, thereby potentially gaining more visibility and exposure.

Here's an article on it published by USA Today - 
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/personal/2012/10/03/facebook-promoted-posts/1611443/

So . . . interested in exploring this new opportunity, thinking it may be a new and innovative way to promote a book or three, I clicked on the "promote" button, then clicked on the link that reads "Terms Apply".  Of course there was a whole list of legal jargon, but I scrolled down quickly, trying to find out just how far that $7.00 investment would stretch in terms of days of promotion.  And that is when I saw it . . . Section 5.2

• Consent to credit check. Without limiting Section 3.2 above, your order constitutes your written authorization for us to obtain your personal and/or business credit report from a credit bureau. We may obtain your credit report when you place an order, or at any time thereafter.

What???  Why is Facebook trying to check my credit report??  What the . . .  

Or any time thereafter???  Facebook folks are just gonna pull my credit report any time they get good and ready???   No thanks.  Not worth the seven bucks to me.

By the way, here is what Section 3.2 says:

• Inquiries. By using Facebook Payments, you acknowledge and agree that we may make any inquiries that we consider necessary, either directly or through third parties, concerning your identity and creditworthiness.

Is Facebook crazy?  I'm not doing that. Instantly, I'd lost all interest. I have enough going on in my life without worrying about Facebook sneaking around checking my credit.  Well, you know what they say . . . look before you leap.  Glad I looked . . . this time.  Normally, I just agree to stuff without second thought.  (I'm not the only one who's done that am I?)

Here is the link to the terms if you want to read them all. 
 https://www.facebook.com/payments_terms/  I didn't. What I found was enough for me. I'll stick to Triberr, tweeting and spamming people's walls the non-credit-checking way!  LOL!





Kimberly T. Matthews

"I knew exactly how many condoms were left in his gym bag, in a little black box, wrapped in gold foil. Seven. Each time I randomly checked for no other reason besides I knew they existed, there'd always been seven. So I was taken aback that morning when I went to do his laundry, peeked in the box and only found three..."
 Lisa from - "Lisa's Dress" 
Click here to download on Kindle!

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

Enjoy my blog? Get a FREE 14-Day Subscription to your Kindle!  Just click below.

An Author's Monthly, Weekly and Daily Branding Checklist

Re-sharing for those who missed it the first time!

Here is an article by book marketing expert Pam Perry.

----------------------------------------

Most authors will not become millionaires unless they have multiple works or multiple streams of income that can keep their income level consistent. Otherwise, they will not be able to give up their “day jobs.”

But there are ways to build momentum, expand your platform and solidify your brand so you are successful. Most authors tell me, “I don’t have time” or “I don’t know what to next” or “I hit a brick wall – and I can’t seem to get motivated to market anymore.”

You can market yourself every day just by doing these things. When I coach clients, these are the things I tell them to do on an ongoing basis:

Monthly

• Attend a writers meeting or critique group.
• Ask for reviews or endorsements from those you’ve given “comp” copies too.
• Attend a civic organization and tell the members what you do.
• Read trade publications like Writer’s Digest or The Writer.
• Take a teleclass or attend another type of live internet event.
• Look for contests you can enter or awards you can nominate yourself for.
• Create a YouTube video message or be a guest on a local cable show.
• Hold or plan a teleseminar.
• Update your media list & research for new ones to add.
• Invite a media person you’ve admired to lunch.
• Participate at an event by speaking, presenting or teaching.
• Write articles and submit to article directories.
• Post reviews of other books you’ve read on Amazon.
• Write and post press releases.
• Write and pitch feature stories to the media.
• Create and distribute an online or direct mail newsletter.
• Reach out to bloggers and see if you can do a “blog tour” with them.
• Meet with your advisors, mentors or “master mind” partners.
• Add additional information to your website or blogsite (i.e. a blog article, a link).
• Keep in touch with key bookstores that are selling your books.
• Email mini-courses to those who sign up via an Eblast that you send out.
• Manage back end tasks such as customer support, accounting, sales, etc.
• Look for easier ways to do business. Ask others what systems they use.

Weekly

• Give someone you meet one of your books and follow up in 30 days.
• Visit an online forum and participate or get some PR coaching.
• Look for new articles to read on internet marketing and joint ventures (Google).
• Listen to podcasts (look for the topic of interest online in a podcast directory).
• Send an eblast to your email list – giving them a tip or link to blog post you found helpful.
• Mail a handwritten note or postcard to someone you met in person or connect with online.
• Post to your blog & add a new feature to “amp” it up (get cues from other blogs).
• Drop postcards or bookmarks at places where you regularly go – bookstores, libraries, hair salons, cleaners, restaurants, coffee shops.
• Update your website or blogsite by adding current “media hits” and interviews.
• Send an email to someone online you would like to connect with.
• Interact with a “group” on Facebook or LinkedIn.
• Get to know the key authors / leaders in your field. Follow their blogs or Google them to see what they are up to.
• Keep track of your stats on your website, blogs and Ezine opens.
• Do at least one blog talk show or at the very least call-in to one.
• Post a bulletin on your MySpace or Facebook and add some new blogs.

Daily

• Write. Write. Write. That’s your main job. Content is king!
• Read some trade pubs or read magazines in your niche.
• Comment on someone else’s blog.
• Make a phone call to a media outlet you’d like to be featured on.
• Read the daily newspapers looking for topics you can comment on.
• Scan columns by the regular columnists and give feedback their blogs.
• Add friends to your Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn accounts.
• Follow someone new on Twitter or Shelfari.
• Add people to your database that you meet or have not been in touch with (with permission).
• Add an automatic signature to all the emails your answer.
• Twitter by sending a link to your blog, or a favorite blog, or a free report they can download.
• Participate in message boards, chat group or yahoo groups that are industry related. This helps to increase exposure and give your information to stay on the cutting-edge.

For a creative writer and author, time is managed with calendars – not with clocks. What you are doing is leaving a virtual “footprint” everywhere you go – online and offline. These elements can be implemented with little or no outside help.

If implemented correctly and consistently, these mini-marketing tactics can help revolutionize your ministry or business in no time. By continually branding yourself with the key message of your platform, people will come to you for information and expertise.

Remember to have a marketing mindset and let people know why they should buy your book (mention the benefits of what the book will do for them.) Keep the main thing “the main thing” – focus on changing lives and making an impact for the Kingdom.

Building solid relationships is critical at every stage of branding. Don’t expect instant results though. Trust is the basis of all relationships. Trust is never freely given – trust is earned. Demonstrate your solid commitment and be willing to stay the course.

Enjoy my blog?  Read it on your Kindle! Just click below.

Ministry marketing pioneer, Social media strategist and PR Coach Pam Perry helps African American Christian authors garner publicity and leverage online strategies. As a 20-year PR veteran, she is also the co-author of “Synergy Energy: How to Use the Power of Partnerships to Market Your Book, Grow Your Business and Brand Your Ministry.” For a free MP3 of “What Every Author Should Know,” go to [http://www.PamPerryPR.com]http://www.PamPerryPR.com. She’s also the creator of the ChocolatePagesNetwork, a social network for Christian authors and the Chocolate Pages Show on Blogtalkradio. She offers free help at her blogsite: http://www.MinistryMarketingSolutions.com with her podcasts, Ezines and teleclasses.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?What-to-Do-Daily,-Weekly-and-Monthly-to-Brand-Your-Book&id=5232314] What to Do Daily, Weekly and Monthly to Brand Your Book

All Eyes On You - Increase Your Blog Traffic with Triberr

Win a $60 Amazon Gift Card!

REPOST:
Up until  March of 2011, I averaged about 150 visitors per month to my blog at http://www.kimberlytmatthews.com,  and had a total of about 1400 visitors from May 2009 to March 2011. My site today gets about 300-500 visitors a day, averages about 5,000 visitors per month, and has had over 60,000 visitors . . . all in the last year.  That's a lot of eyes on my work! :-)

Yes, I do blog more frequently than I did a year ago, but even with that said, I do not publish a new post everyday. I may publish a new post once a week, yet I am still able to get a BUNCH of eyes on my site and my work everyday.  

My current visitor stats . . . 

I attribute this consistent visibility to Triberr, a twitter app designed by Dino Dugan and Dan Cristo.  The concept is simple.  When you join a tribe at Triberr, you see the most recent blog posts of everyone in the tribe, and you have the opportunity to approve them with a click of a button or ignore them.  The posts that you approve are tweeted to all your Twitter followers one at a time in twenty minute increments (or you can select something slower if that is too much content for your followers - I currently have mine set to share every thirty minutes).  I’m the chief of the Fantastic Female Authors/Writers (And Males Too) tribe.  At the time of this blog post  the tribe has 18 members, with a combined total of over 21,000 followers.  Every time I post a blog, I have 17 other people (in this tribe, as I belong to a few others) who collectively share my blog post across their twitter feeds, giving my blog AMAZING reach and visibility, even on the days I don't post anything new.  

Triberr also allows me to share other writer's quality content without having to search Twitter for something to retweet. It takes me only minutes a day to review and approve posts, then I know my Twitter feed is set to go with topics my followers are interested in.  

If you are committed to blogging, and you’d like to join the Fantastic Female Authors/Writers (And Males Too) Tribe at Triberr, email me at kimberly@kimberlytmatthews.com or inbox me on Facebook.  with your email address and your blog URL, and I will send you an invite.  There is no charge to join Triberr, and I am limiting the number of members to this tribe, so that each member will get maximum exposure without spending hours reading and approving posts.

Teamwork makes the dream work!

Bubblin Brown Sugar - an anthology of love stories and poems. Available at Amazon.com

Enjoy my blog?  Read it on your Kindle! Just click below.

Ebooks - More Than a Passing Fancy

The results from the Book Industry Study Group’s “Consumer Attitudes Toward E-Book Reading” survey per Publishers Weekly:

Kindle and Nook are growing in popularity. 

Even those who were reading e-books before on different platforms are jumping on the Kindle/Nook bandwagon. Yes, more e-book readers are now opting to use dedicated e-readers to read their e-books. Fewer people are reading e-books on a computer, and owners of e book devices by more books . . . but spend less money since e books are considerably less expensive than their physical counterparts.

Fans of the e-book are growing. 

People who were e-book readers before are becoming even more devoted to the electronic versions of books. In fact, their purchases of e-books have only continued to rise, while their purchases of print books continue to fall. About 67% of e-book buyers said they increased their spending on e-books since last fall; 45% said they reduced spending on hardcovers.

Amazon Remains in the Lead. 

Amazon is the leader in the book-selling industry, E-books included. More than 70% of e-book buyers report making their purchases through Amazon. Barnes and Noble remains a distant second (27%), with the iBookstore and iTunes remaining below 10%.

The Price Is Right!. 

One of the greatest appeals of the e-book has always been the price. But e-book prices have actually risen over the last year (around 25%) which e-book readers claim has prevented them from purchasing more e-books. (Imagine what the stats would be if the prices had remained the same!)

Free Excerpts Sell Books. 

According to e-book readers, having access to free chapters or samples had the biggest impact on getting them to buy an e-book. In fact, this seems to be more of a decision-maker than online reviews.

So, authors, keep those e-books coming. They just may be your path to the bestseller list!

Get your custom ereader image featuring the cover of YOUR book and increase your marketing efforts! 
SHOW your readers that your book is available on their favorite reading device Just click HERE!

Enjoy my blog?  Read it on your Kindle! Just click below.

Does Your Blog Site Need a Face Lift?

If you are bored with your Blogger/Blogspot blog template, there is help for you yet!  You can give your site an almost instant facelift with the use of a template. There are lots of free templates available for download that can give your site a fresh new look.

For starters, check out www.btemplates.com. There are literally thousands of templates to choose from so something is sure to fit your personality and style.  Once you've done that, do a little editing and Well-Ah!  It's like fresh paint on the walls of a drab room!  If you get stuck on the editing - remember this one SUPER important tip...Google is your friend!  If you can remember that, and use it - you will avoid frustration, save time, and have a great looking blog!

For Wordpress users - there are free templates available for you too, however I have not tread through the Wordpress waters yet, so I can't talk much about them. 

Now before you tell me free is not always best...I can agree - not always. But sometimes the best things in life are free. This might be one of them. Especially before you start spending money.

Enjoy my blog?  Read it on your Kindle! Just click below.

How to Get 10,000+ Visits to YOUR Website

I started this blog back in May of 2009. By "started", I mean I set up an account with Blogger, selected a standard template, tried to jazz it up a bit, and posted something I wrote.  It was a small rant on how I felt about Crocs on Men that I'd actually written on  www.MySpace.com in December of 2007. You can read it here if you'd like.

From that date to March of 2011, I had a whopping 342 visitors. That's right, two years - three hundred and forty two visitors. Then in April of this year - something happened. My blog traffic began to sky rocket. I began to get more and more visitors every day, and in June of this year had just under 3,000 visitors in one month.

How did I do that? No, I did not buy leads. I have better places to spend my money, like www.amazon.com or the shoe store. I'm not gonna tell you that there's a secret magic button out there that I pushed and suddenly my traffic increased, because that would be a lie.  Actually - I take that back; there was a secret, magic button. It was called work. Here are 3 things I did:

1. - I shifted my thinking and started taking my site seriously. I stopped playing around and focused on making my site worthy of visitors. I began to post content regularly, meaning at least once a week, and as frequently as once a day. Some posts got more attention than others; some got hardly any, but I became more consistent with my blogging frequency. Once I looked at my site as a tool to expand my business instead of an account with my name on it floating out in cyber space, things started changing. 

Thanks for visiting my site at www.kimberlytmatthews.com

2. - I truly customized and optimized my blog.  Blogger templates are great - I don't knock'em because you gotta start somewhere right? Well that is where I'd started, but it was also where I'd stopped. Until one day, quite proud of myself, I asked for a professional opinion. The feedback I received was..."It's fine if you want to stay where you are, but if you want to go to the next level - it's not gonna cut it." Just like that, my balloon had been deflated, but it only made me roll up my sleeves even more. My blog has definitely gone through a couple of face lifts to get it where it is today. There were a few bumps in the road, I'll admit, but the next time I had my blog assessed, it passed the test.

3. - I connected myself with some fantastic marketing tools and implemented some key strategies. I started looking into tools that would better connect me with readers, visitors and audiences who would find interest in my posts. There are several GOOD ones out there that are worth their weight in salt, but most are free. I started linking my blogs to my Facebook page, and using auto-posting tools to drive my traffic. 

In essence, I did the work; I built it and they came. Today, I've had over 22,000 visits - in just six months!

In in just a few weeks, I'll be releasing my Ebook, From No Site to Outta Site! How to Build Your Best Blog.  This ebook will share everything I did to I accomplished this and show you how to duplicate it.  If I can do it, you can do it too! Get ready to explode your exposure in 2012! Just Submit your email address on the form below, and I will notify you of it's release.  (Don't forget to share this post by clicking the "Like" button below.)

Enjoy my blog?  Read it on your Kindle! Just click below.

Sign Up Today!

* required

Email Address: *








Email Marketing Software by VerticalResponse

Brand Yourself - Get Your OWN Domain! - K Matthews

Do you have your own domain name? You know, your OWN dot com, dot net or dot org?
Well, what are you waiting for??  Create your brand for just a few dollars.
DotEasy is having a sale!  Only $6.95 for the first year - that's an awesome deal!



Sharing the love!

Enjoy my blog?  Read it on your Kindle! Just click below.

Another GREAT Book Marketing Tool! - K Matthews

Get an EReader Display for Your Book!  

Spoonin' Display for Ipad

Spoonin' Display for Kindle

What an awesome way to promote your book!  Orders yours TODAY!

What you will get:
 - a jpeg image of your book cover displayed a Kindle, Kindle Fire, Nook or IPad layout
 - Super-fast turnaround (24-72 hours)
 - Secured ordering site
 - a portion of all proceeds will be donated to http://www.kingsransomfoundation.org/


Get both images for only 2/$25 (or less!)
  Just click here to order 

Enjoy my blog?  Read it on your Kindle! Just click below.

Free Social Networking Training - K Matthews

To fully enjoy this post, click the play button below!





Over the past 10 days, I've become more and more convinced that if you're serious, success is yours for the taking!  IF YOU'RE SERIOUS! There are so many training tools out here that it's ridiculous to say you don't know how to do something.

I am so excited to share my latest finding with you - A COMPLETE library of social media training.  I mean complete, step-by-step, front-to-back, beginning-to-end training for Facebook and other social media networks to get you, your business, your service, your product, and/or your book, on and poppin'!

There is even a Business in a Box set up - A COMPLETE business all set up for you, and all you have to do is open the box.  Are you freaking kidding me? There's just no excuse for failure.

If you are serious about grabbing your success, click on the banner  (yep - that big purple square) and let's get it!

 Come on and ride the train!

Feeding the Needy - One Cover at a Time

Do you need a cover for your next ebook project?  Take advantage of our Ebook Cover Special - only $50, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to A King's Ransom Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) charity dedicated to serving people in need, especially families and children, worldwide. 

You will get:
 - A professionally designed cover, in high resolution
 - Super-fast turnaround (24-72 hours)
 - Up to 3 revisions
 - Secured ordering site

Sample covers:

Front Cover Special - Only $50!!
Limited Time Only! Perfect for ebooks! 
The next step is - Click Here  and fill out the form.

Your Favorite Favicon . . . YOURS! - K Matthews

Have you noticed (and I'm sure you have) that when you go to many websites, a logo is displayed on the browser tab? For example, Facebook's white F on the blue background, or Amazon.com's  letter A with the smirky smile underneath. Or that super cute picture of me when you visit my site. :-)

Well that is a favicon - a mini logo display attached to a website.  Do you have one of those?  No?  Did you know you could get one of those, and put more professional polish on your site?  (I see you beginning to smile now. . . )  If you use a blogger site, (or probably any other blog platform) this is super simple to do from your design page.  If you use other hosting - here is a link that can help you get YOUR favicon up in minutes. http://websitefreebies.net/favicon.html.  And you know I love free stuff . . . this is one of them! :-)

Don't cheat yourself out of a great thing; get more great marketing tips RIGHT HERE! and take your business to the next level.

Keeping Up with Kimberly Aug 2011

Spoonin' Contest Winners Congratulations to the members of Ladies of Rare Book Club from Memphis Tenessee! They entered the Spoonin' Book Club contest, and have won a visit from me to one of their future book club meetings! Buy Spoonin' Online Here Thank you to all the book clubs around the nation who entered your club into the contest, and I hope that we can meet sometime in the near future.  My book focus for August is The Perfect Shoe, a delightfully humorous novel about December Elliott's quest for a Stiletto of a man - tall, striking and irresistibly sexy. But first she has to get rid of her flip-flop  ex-boyfriend, and few other ill-fitting "shoes" along the way. Be sure to enter this month's Perfect Shoe Contest for your chance to win a pair of beautiful, custom hand painted pumps.  Click here for full details.  Thanks for 10,000 Hits! Just a few days ago, I posted a quick blog sharing and celebrating a milestone in my blog's existence - 10,000 hits in just 90 days.  To some, that may be nothing but to me, in comparison to what my site traffic looked like between May of 2009 and March of 2011, it was a pretty big deal! So how did I go from 342 hits in 2 years, to over 10,000 hits in 90 days? I've posted several of my strategies on my site on the Marketing Tool Kit page in order to share them with you. It took some work; oh yes indeed, but as I watched my traffic grow day over day and week over week, it motivated me to go a little further, push a little harder and stay up a little later. I'll be adding more tools and strategies this month. Take advantage of what's there, then share your results. Meet VGWaymer of VGWaymer Illustration and Design Velicia Waymer grew up around musicians and artists so its no wonder that she does what she's always loved doing . . . creating.  Velicia studied fashion illustration and graphic design at the New England School of Art & Design in Boston, Massachusetts. She studied with Frank Raneo, a noted fashion illustrator of the time who was skilled as a traditional artist "B.C". . . before computers, learning to render fabrics and attitudes as well.  Velicia enjoys designing graphic imagery for printed as well as online venues. These days reinvention is what it's all about for Velicia. She is currently working on a line of handbags soon to be created from her own fabric designs.   Click Here to See Velicia's Work! August's Reader's Reward! Would you Rock 'Em? You Can Win 'Em! Enter The Perfect Shoe Contest and win a pair of custom hand painted shoes! There's nothing we women like better than a pair of hot shoes! When I saw this fabulous pair, I immediately contacted an incredibly talented artist and friend, Velicia, to see how I could bring this type of unique, one-of-a-kind creation to you.  Together, we decided to offer one lucky woman a pair of CUSTOM, HAND PAINTED pumps, as this month's Reader's Reward prize! So how can you win? 1.  Click here and purchase a copy of my novel The Perfect Shoe from Amazon.com. (Psst! You can get a copy of this romantic comedy for as little as $.01!  ONE CENT!!) 2.  Email your Amazon.com purchase confirmation to kimberly@kimberlytmatthews.com. 3. Go to my website at www.kimberlytmatthews.com and register your name into the Kimberly T. Matthews App (located in the sidebar). All it takes is a single click and you're done! 4 - And finally, cross your fingers and share the contest with your friends by posting it to your Facebook or Twitter Profile. You can easily do that from my site by clicking on the icon of your choice.  Purchase your copy Click here to "Like" me on Facebook Click here to follow me on Twitter.

Forward this message to a friend

Can I get a Hoot-Hoot! More Marketing Tools

Click HERE to get started on Hootsuite.  It's FREE! :-)

Must-Have Marketing Tools - July 2011

July 2011 - Marketing Tool Must Haves
If you are going to make it as an entrepreneur or an author-preneur, there are some tools you definitely need in your possession to stay on top of your game.  Many of these tools and resources are completely free, while some are very reasonably priced.


Check them out below and set yourself and your product up for success!

Square

Don't miss another sales opportunity because your customer only has her credit or debit card as a form of payment.  With Square Up, you can can easily accept credit cards with your IPhone, IPod Touch, IPad or Android device. Just plug the device into your headphone jack and swipe the card. Easy as pie and you get paid! Setting up an account is quick, easy and FREE.  And payments are made daily - no waiting until the end of the month for sales.  


Just click here - www.SQUAREUP.com





Customized Banners
Increase and accelerate your business, your book or your brand with a customized, animated and/or interactive banner, ready to embed on your website. Banners come in a wide variety of sizes to fit on your website or blog, from leader boards to skyscrapers, and every size in between. Here's a sample of one I created for myself which takes customers straight to Amazon.com. Direct customers to your site or your payment page with a banner.


Click HERE to see samples and order your customized banner for your product or business.  


Click on the banner below to see where it takes you! :-)


-----------------------------------





-----------------------------------




Mailing Lists and Opt-In Forms
Keep a track of your customer base by setting up a mailing list. You will be able to easily update your fans, customers or clients with your latest gossip, news, reviews, or releases.  I'm partial to Vertical Response over Constant Contact, simply because Vertical Response offers a pay as you go feature, rather than being subscription based.  While the account set up is completely free, it only costs me pennies on the dollar to send my readers and clients a newsletter or email.


Click here to get started: www.verticalresponse.com 

PayPal

PayPal is a service that enables you to pay, send money, and accept payments without revealing your financial information, and boasts more than 94 million users, including reputable businesses such as Barnes and Noble, Northwest Airlines, and Dell Computers just to name a few.  

Setting up an account is quick, easy and FREE; even the business or premiere account (which you will want to have!) The business account also allows you the privelege of having a PayPall - just click here www.PAYPAL.com

Want more tips?  Just sign up for my monthly newsletter to the right!
Need 1-1 Consulting?  Just click here! 

Three Tips to Sell More Books

If you ask a group of authors "how can I sell more books" you are likely to hear a number of responses, from scheduling book tours, to buying and distributing promotional items, to spending time on social networking and blogging sites. None of these are wrong, and honestly, no one really has a magic formula for what works 100% of the time. If there were such a thing, there would be no room on the best sellers' lists, right? 

I can tell you that the art of book sales takes a lot of work. A LOT of work. None-the-less, here are three quick and easy tips that are sure to be helpful.

Know HOW to Talk about Your Work.

Do you have an elevator speech? You know, if you and I were together in an elevator, could you tell me about your book before the elevator arrived at our destined floors? More times than not, when I've asked authors to tell me about their books, they stumble over their words, dig for a post card or bookmark so that I can read a printed synopsis, or begin a verbal dissertation that's far to lengthy to hold my attention. You should be able to sum your story up in 1-2 compelling and intriguing sentences.

Create and Maintain a Mailing List

Keeping and utilizing a mailing list allows you to reach your customers and fans with your updates, new releases and other information about you or your books. While Facebook, Twitter and the like are great tools, sometimes posts are simply missed. Sometimes you have more than 140 words of info. Sometimes  by the time I get to Facebook, your status has moved away from my initial viewing page, and you know what they say - out of site, out of mind. Opt-in lists are easy to build, use and manage, and can be a great way to showcase an excerpt. 

Promotional Items Alone Don't Sell Books

Bookmarks, postcards, key rings, t-shirts are great give-aways, but don't rely on promotional items to sell your books for you. They won't. We've all done it before...attended some type of event or trade show and collected items from various tables without a second thought of what the item promoted. Sure, it may have had functional value (a pen always comes in handy, and so does a tote bag) but does it sell a book? Not by itself. Learn how to be strategic with your items, exchange that pen or key ring for an email address that you can add to your mailing list. 

Of course this list could go on forever, but this is enough for now.  Stay tuned to more updates.  As a matter of fact - take the next step; sign up for my free newsletter, follow me on Facebook, or subscribe to my blog!