Jan Fernandez and Nancy Juetten at the Patrick Snow Best Seller Publishing Institute Event on Bainbridge Island. Photo by Gus Fernandez
What a fabulous group of aspiring authors I met at Patrick Snow’s Best Seller Publishing Institute, held last week on Bainbridge Island. Randy Broad, James Donaldson, Dr. Patricia Nan Anderson, Cody Hill, Alex Snyder, Gus and Jan Fernandez, Frank Reed, Cheryl Dore, Marlee Haber, Janice Brady, Brandon Chin, Kris Walton, Sandra Lynn, Jack Fecker, Shiloh Schroeder, Howard Howells, Sara Harvey Yao, and Michele Lisenbury Christensen were among those in attendance.
We all learned a thing or two about the essential steps to take to write our books and market them to earn best-seller status. I was on hand to share some essential do-it-yourself publicity tips and resources to empower the guests to get seen, heard, and celebrated in the media in their own backyards and beyond. I also helped some of the guests turn their boring bios into rock star bios on the spot. The gratitude flowing my way from guests who has previously struggled to get their stories right was abundant and rewarding.
If you’ve set your intention to write YOUR book in the New Year, Patrick offers these tips::
Write 20 of the greatest lessons you want people to learn as a result of reading your book.
These lessons become chapter headings.
Put those lessons in logical order. That list becomes your “Contents” page.
Then, it’s a matter of writing three pages a day or putting pen to paper for one hour a day.
Get up an hour earlier, use your lunch break to write, and do what it takes to get the job done.
Repeat this affirmation: “I will do today what others won’t so I can have what others don’t.”
Over a six to ten month period of time, you’ll write your book.
Then, you can engage an editor, a cover page designer, and other experts to bring your manuscript up to an A+ effort.
If you have a book in you and need a coach to guide you through the steps, Patrick does a great job in this regard. If you want to get a taste of the guidance Patrick offers, he hosts a weekly call every Monday at 8 a.m. PST. Send him an email at patrick@patricksnow.com with my name in the subject line, and ask for the phone number and PIN number so you can sample his guidance and decide when you would like to be part of his program. You just might find the coach you’ve been looking for to get that book in your head on paper at long last.
If there is one thing I’ve learned this year is that having the right coach or mentor at your side makes the journey to success a whole lot easier and more inspired. If you’ve got a book in you and need a coach to get the book out of you, this could be just the right introduction to guide you forward. Connect with Patrick and make some progress on your journey.
By the way, don’t you love that purple jacket I’m wearing in this photo. My son and husband gave it to me for my birthday at the top of the month, and I just love it. This leads me to a sassy, fashion tip for the aspiring speakers among us:
Never underestimate the power of a great jacket to make you feel fabulous.
Publici-Tea™ graduate (and my husband Steve Juetten CFP) has been working with passion to put the finishing touches in his new e-book. “Between a Rock and a Hard Place – Making the Right 2010 Roth Conversion Decision for You” debuted TODAY at this site.
This easy-to-understand, 32-page guide empowers you with the information you need to make the right choice on this perplexing opportunity, given your own specific circumstances.
Given how many thousands of “Google” searches being conducted daily on the term “Roth IRA Conversion,” it would appear that Steve has created the perfect guide in perfect timing to serve a wide audience of interested people.
Steve has been translating complex financial topics into easy to digest communications for more than 25 years. He’s written many articles for the Puget Sound Business Journal and is frequently quoted by the news media, including www.BankRate.com and MSNBC, on financial planning topics. He is happy to speak with reporters, bloggers, and others who need the straight skinny on how to proceed. If you are a member of the media and would like to review this e-book for your readers, you can connect with Steve by email at Steve@finpath.com to make your request.
Check it out, and be among the first to benefit from the sage wisdom within the pages of this timely and very relevant guide. And, please share the good news with people in your world who are struggling with how to make the right choice on this issue.
For my money, I anticipate that Steve’s e-book will be a runaway best-seller among those who handle the household finances among friends and family this holiday season. While this may be an unconventional stocking stuffer, it will prove to be a very welcome one, too.
Would you believe if I told you that my husband’s iPod made the journey through the washer and the dryer yesterday and lived to tell the tale? It’s true!
When I found this item in the drum of the dryer, my heart sank. How careless of me to forget to remove this valuable item from the pocket of my gym jacket before starting the laundry.
Miracle of miracles, Steve charged the iPod after its most unfortunate journey. Guess what? It still works and holds the scores and scores of carefully selected music within.
This my friends, is an alert the media moment. Thank you Apple for creating a fabulous, DURABLE product. My holiday miracle came early. Hurray, whew, and amen.
Authentic Visibility Question of the Day: What stories can you tell about your cell phones, iPods, and other electronic devices defied the odds and kept working? I know there are some amazing and amusing stories out there, which brings me to a useful DIY publicity tip. One incident doesn’t necessarily a story make. Two incidents starts to sound somewhat interesting. Three incidents is what we call in the media business “a trend gathering speed.” Reporters love to write about trends, so go deep and find three really great examples of how your idea is gaining speed. Then, position your own story first among the three as you make your pitch and offer a sassy sound bite to demonstrate why your story is timely, newsworthy, relevant, and interesting right now. You could be on the right track to earning media attention.
One of my loyal blog readers emailed earlier today. She didn’t realize that HARO accepts paid advertising, and she said she was pretty sure she was not alone in her confusion. Let me clear things up for this reader and others among you who have been wondering about this.
When you receive your HARO feed three times a day that includes media queries to which you can reply to get known as an expert or share your perspective, the very first message on the feed is a paid advertisement. It’s a message about a product, service, idea, or cause that an advertiser has paid for. HARO Founder Peter Shankman has “Peter-ized” a sales message provided to him to give the message his unique voice. When my ad ran on 12-3 in the last feed of the day, it read as follows:
So, my bio starts off with “Peter is what happens when ADHD is good.”
Is your bio exciting and remarkable? Or boring as the day is long?
Check out http://byebyeboringbio.com. Nancy Juetten is a publicist
and a Media Savvy newspaper columnist, DIY publicity blogger, speaker,
and the creator of the popular “Bye-Bye Boring Bio Action Guide.” She has
helped thousands of people get their messages out so they can do more
of what they love and get on with their life’s work fast. Learn the
biggest mistake people make with their bios, how to tell a memorable
and repeatable story, and why you should NEVER take your own publicity
photo. 2010 is just weeks away, so start the year off right with a
winning bio that makes you sound like the rock star you are. Mention
“HARO” in the comments section of your online order form when you buy
by 12-31-09, and you’ll also get the Authentic Visibility Publicity Tips
e-Booklets that offer 147 powerful ways to boost business and profit
from free publicity. It’s your story. Tell it well. http://byebyeboringbio.com
The ad worked really well for me.
If you have interest in exploring advertising on HARO for your product, service, idea, or yourself, you can visit this link and make your inquiry. The advertising is popular, so inquire about availability and one-time and frequency rates. If you are a solopreneur, make that clear, as well. When you make your “YES” decision, you’ll be asked to pay for your ad via PayPal to save the space for your use. Then, one week before the ad is scheduled to run, you’ll correspond with Peter to share the message that you want to share with the readers so he can work his messaging magic with your key points.
This was how it worked in my experience. No doubt, he is continuing to refine his process and revise his rates to reflect the growing popularity of his service. That is why you are wise to connect with him to get the latest facts and make your best advertising moves as 2010 approaches and unfolds.
(By the way, I’ll still honor the special HARO bonus noted above for anyone who mentions “HARO” in the “comments” section of their online order form. Learn more and buy your own Bye-Bye Boring Bio Action Guide today. Here is the link to make it easy.)
Howard Greenstein writes the Inc. Magazine Start-Up Toolkit Blog, and his December 8 post is entitled “Promote Your Startup – Help a Reporter. Visit this link to read all about it.
As you read, notice that I am quoted within the story in connection with my very recent HARO advertising success story for Bye-Bye Boring Bio Action Guide. What a thrill.
As I often say, one good thing often leads to another, and I couldn’t be more delighted. Thank you Peter Shankman. Thank you Howard Greenstein. Thank you everyone in the USA and the world who is buying Bye-Bye Boring Bio Action Guide and having remarkable success. That’s what this guide is all about.
After all, why have a washed up bio when you can be a rock star fast with a few sassy soundbites and some focused effort? The New Year is coming. Come out swinging with a new bio, and welcome the abundance. If not now, then when? This could be the perfect gift for the entrepreneur on your holiday list.
As for me, getting seen, heard, and celebrated on the Inc. Magazine Startup Blog is an early holiday gift I couldn’t be more delighted to receive. Hurray.
I have to hand it to Betsy Talbot of Married with Luggage for walking her talk. She and her husband Warren have been downsizing for the last couple years so they can upsize their lives. They are less than one year away from taking their long-awaited trip around the world. Betsy will be first to report that it is quite a process to de-clutter home and closets, save enough money to fund the trip, and work through the many logistical details associated with taking a journey like this. (Oh, by the way, Betsy wrote an e-book that explains how she and Warren saved enough money to take a year or more to travel around the world, and you can get your copy for free at this link.)
To celebrate her 39th birthday last night, Betsy hosted a “My Favorite Things” reverse gift exchange party during which she invited her best gal pals to bid on 39 of her most treasured possessions. If more than one guest wanted the same item, they had to do a “style off” so the rest of the guests could vote on who wore it best. The guests then modeled their selections to the beat of “You’re So Vain” and “Anticipation” by Carly Simon. There were laughs and happy tears all around.
Betsy labeled all her favorite things with tags explaining the stories behind each item. There were some pretty sassy, memorable stories, which I am sucker for — as you might expect. Sexy, high heeled black leather boots, a silk scarf from France, a red cashmere wrap from Italy, a multicolored evening jacket with Murano glass beads from Venice, and a perfect red wool beret were among the delights on display. Every item went home happily with a new owner who will have a very personal keepsake to hold Betsy close to her heart as she travels around the world in less than a year’s time.
In this season of gift giving, I think Betsy Talbot has come up with a brilliant idea that folks around the world can enjoy, while bringing smiles all around. Thinking big and with some anticipation of my own, I venture to say that this is just the kind of gal pal gathering that Oprah Winfrey could celebrate as a new take on her very popular “Favorite Things” holiday broadcast. I sense a new movement afoot in these demanding economic times that could really elevate Betsy’s reverse gift exchange to a worldwide stage.
(Featured in this photo are Betsy Moore, Nancy Juetten, Birthday Girl Betsy Talbot, and Debbie Whitlock. The “ladies in red” have Betsy to thank for their purchases! Photo taken by Karen Rosenzwieg)
When that happens, we’ll all have Betsy Talbot to thank. In the meantime, I’ll snuggle up in my new red cashmere wrap and happily wear the lovely necklace and earring set I chose from among Betsy’s favorite things. They are now my favorite things.
Be sure to visit Femme Finance, which is Debbie Whitlock’s blog, for her take on Betsy’s party. Her blog post should be “live” by Wednesday, December 16. She’s also got a new radio show by the same name that you can enjoy on the I’m Thankful Network.
(Both Betsy Talbot and Debbie Whitlock are Publici-Tea™ graduates. They make me so proud.)
While visiting Nancy Marmalejo’s fabulous Viva Visibility Blog today, I found this useful post that offers tips to avoid JV’s gone bad.
It’s a timely read, especially if you are planning your 2010 activities in collaboration with partners. Muddy water is bad news when mixing time, money, and resources. Clear things up before you start, and your prospects for clear sailing will be a whole lot better.
The author’s bio box reads as follows:
MaryPat Kavanagh, President & Owner of Strategic Results Marketing LLC, credits her success in business to the many relationships she has developed over the years. To learn more about her and her relationship-building strategies and joint venture tips, connect with her on Facebook at http://Facebook.com/QueenofConnections.
I will be connecting with MaryPat on Facebook as soon as I activate this post. I am sure she has more wisdom to share to guide you successfully down the Joint Venture path, and I am going to ask her more about that!
Authentic Visibility Question of the Day: What are the best tips you’ve put in place to make sure your joint ventures go swimmingly instead of run into rocky waters? Please share so we all can benefit from the wisdom of your experience .
If you’ve decided that 2010 is your year to get seen, heard and celebrated in the media in your own backyard and beyond, let me make it easy for you. The first ten people who comment on the blog about this post will receive as my gift my “N” list, which includes just shy of 40 useful tips, links, and resources I’ve used, tested, and proven to be effective in supporting DIY publicity and online visibility success.
Action Required: Be among the first ten people to post a comment to this blog post that says something like: “Nancy, I absolutely must have your time-tested, proven to be effective resources to support DIY publicity and online visibility success.” And, you must share your email address with me so I can send the report your way. A comment without an email address doesn’t get the job done. Use your imagination. Put some heart into it. And , when you are among the first ten people to reply, your prize will help you advance toward your goals a lot faster than proceeding without it. Can’t wait to hear from you!
I am really pleased to report how well the HARO ad for Bye-Bye Boring Bio Action Guide is delivering so far. I got to break even on my advertising investment within 12 hours of the ad going “live.” Blog visits have escalated dramatically. Opt-ins for the Authentic Visibility ezine have escalated, too. And three prospects have already booked meetings to explore engaging my Extreme Bio Makeover and other publicity services. I have high hopes that more orders will flow to www.byebyeboringbio.com as people catch up on their emails and decide that now is the time to upgrade their boring bios at long last. This advertising investment is delivering quality, targeted exposure to the right potential clients and offering me the opportunity to earn new fans and followers. That is just what I was hoping for.
If you have a product, service or idea that would serve the subscribers of HARO, check out the advertising opportunities available for 2010. You can visit HARO to learn more. I am sure Peter Shankman will be happy to hear from you.
By the way, anyone who mentions HARO in the “comments” section of their online order form for their very own copy of the popular and well-reviewed Bye-Bye Boring Bio Action Guide will also enjoy two Authentic Visibility Publicity Tips eBooklets that offer 147 powerful tips to boost business and profit from free publicity as a high value gift, provided they buy by 12-31-09.
I’d be honored to earn your business and guide you to create a bio that makes you sound like the rock star you are. It’s holiday time. Treat yourself to a gift that will return results to you and your business every day of the New Year.
Authentic Visibility Question of the Day: If you have advertised on HARO, what has been your experience and what results did your company enjoy? I know the readers of this blog would love to hear from you so they can have even more support to guide their 2010 decision making. Please share!
I love it when my clients get into action to earn media attention that delivers sales. Here is a compelling and very recent success story shared by Alice Cunningham, co-owner of Olympic Hot Tub Company.
“Now, I want to say that the blog idea of YOURS is still really cooking along and I love it. It has improved my writing and customers love it!! So, THANK YOU again for encouraging me to do it. On the PR front, you taught me well I ran an ad on KING-FM for saunas. This was the only station or medium I used. I ran the ad about a month. It was a very inexpensive radio buy. The results were amazing. People actually called, came in & bought! I’m not sure why exactly. Maybe the weather; maybe the product is hot; maybe they trusted my voice or knew of Olympic. At any rate, they bought. So, thinking of you, I volunteered to do a testimonial for KING about my experience with the station. I wrote it in 20 minutes & it took two takes to record. So far they’ve played it 57 times! And, we sold one today from the ad which is running at no charge. FREE! I highly recommend that anyone who has had success with an advertising medium ‘volunteer’ to do a testimonial. It works and makes you look good.”
Listen to Alice’s testimonial ad by clicking on the play button right here:
Thank you Alice for getting into action and setting a wondeful example to inspire other DIY publicists and marketers to follow your lead. You all can enjoy Alice’s blog at www.hottubbliss.com.
And, of course, if Santa is looking for a bit of inspiration to warm up the holiday, a hot tub or sauna could be just the ticket to make everyone in the family very happy. This photo at right is of the three cheerful Olympic delivery team members who happily shared a cup of tea at my home two years ago after successfully delivering my holiday hot tub. Ah, bliss. Ho, ho ho and go to Olympic Hot Tub Company. Why wait another minute?
a.m. PST. Send him an email at patrick@patricksnow.com with my name in the subject line, and ask for the phone number and PIN number so you can sample his guidance and decide when you would like to be part of his program. You just might find the coach you’ve been looking for to get that book in your head on paper at long last.
