MOTIVATION MONDAY - Getting Started

The secret of getting ahead is getting started. Mark Twain

MOTIVATION MONDAY - Plan

If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much. Jim Rohn

Do you have an email list for your business?

If you are starting your business or have been in business for a while, starting an email list is very important to the success of your business.

Finding new customers is hard, but if you find them and don’t have a way to stay in contact with them, you’re making yourself work even harder.  You want to keep in contact with your customers.  Your email list is the perfect way to do this.

When I started SORMAG, I reached 18,000 hits monthly.  I was excited with this number.  I didn’t realize that I should be capturing these visitors to my site. Can you imagine a list with 18,000 customers who love SORMAG and want to support it?

You can have a list like that.  It takes time and it doesn’t happen overnight.  However if you start your opt-in list (opt-in means the customer sign up on their own) you will be on your way to creating your mailing . 

Having an opt-in list means you have a list filled with customers who want to hear from you and not ones accusing you of spamming them.

Why do I need a list?

Your list is your way to communicate with your customers.  You can use it in various ways.

You can send out a monthly newsletter

Daily, Weekly or monthly sales

Special promotions

Keep the customers updated with what’s happening with your business

Offer tips or advice

Don’t worry if you don’t have many customers on your list, it takes time to build.  Remember it’s better to have 50 customers on your list who buy constantly than 500 who never buy.

Do you have an email list for your business?   If you don’t have an email list, take time today and work on creating one.

When should you schedule promotion? Part Two

Don’t wait until the day the book releases to set up your promotions.

1-3 months before the book releases is when you should be scheduling your promotions.

Set your promotion budget.

Make a list of the free promotions and the paid promotions.

Create a calendar for your promotions.

Try to schedule promotion for the first three months your book is out on the shelves. If that’s too much for your time, focus on the first week, which is the most important when it comes to book sales.

Use your budget to promote on the paid promotion for the first week, then use your free promotion for the rest of the time.

Paid Promotion:

Online – Magazines, book blogs, reader sites, radio shows, podcasts, social media

Offline – Magazine, radio shows, newspapers

Free Promotion:

Interviews (print, digital, radio, sites, blogs), Articles (online/off) guest bloggers, forum promotions, book clubs (online/off), events (online, off), social media

Take time to schedule your promotion and introduce your book to as many readers as you can.

Remember to always bring them back to your website to join your community.

Next week I’ll discuss how to promote after the release.

Did you miss part One? - CLICK HERE  
Did you miss part Three? - CLICK HERE

Need help with your promotion contact me, I have something for every budget. - 1sormag@gmail.com

MOTIVIATION MONDAY - Believe

Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy. Norman Vincent Peale

Podcast Friday: Are You Claiming Your Content With Authorship?

Are You Claiming Your Content With Authorship? 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1o3Woxi_40&feature=youtu.be&a 

Learn about Authorship and Author Rank

Book Of The Day - Heart of Gold by Beverly Jenkins

Bestselling author Beverly Jenkins returns to the charming town of Henry Adams, Kansas, in this heartwarming story of family, friendship, and the surprises hidden in our lives

Henry Adams has had its fair share of drama ever since Bernadine Brown bought the town with her divorce settlement. Now, just when things are starting to settle down, it's about to get crazy again. . . .

Cephas Patterson doesn't just want to be left alone—if you dare step onto his property, he'll meet you with a shotgun and a warning to stay away from his gold. He reminds Zoey of the lonely time she spent living on the streets, so she quietly begins leaving him small offerings. But then Cephas dies and leaves a saddlebag of gold—to Zoey.

And that's not all. Zoey's parents are going through a trial separation; her former BFF, Devon, is giving her fits; and her friend Crystal has run away from home. Then there's Bernadine's mean-spirited baby sister, who has arrived unexpectedly, and an ongoing battle with a neighboring town that's about to heat up.

Will Henry Adams ever be the same again?

Rating:  4 1/2 Stars - EXCEPTIONAL

Ratings:

1 Star -  POOR    1 ½ Star - FAIR   2 Stars - OK  2 ½ Stars - GOOD

3 Stars - VERY GOOD   3 1/2 Stars- GREAT 4 Stars - EXCELLENT

41/2 Stars - EXCEPTIONAL   5 Stars - SUPREME

When should you schedule promotion? Part One

Pre Release Promotion

A lot of writers come to me for promotion after their book has hit the shelf. To be honest that’s the worse time to try to promote your books or to schedule promotion. It’s last minute. If you’re dealing with online magazines, blogs or radio shows most work on a schedule and can’t just squeeze your book in.

Give them time to schedule your promotions. Talk to the sites and see what they recommend.

For SORMAG I recommend you start promoting three months before the book comes out. You have a release date for your book. This will help you determine when you need to start promoting.

I suggest three months before because you want to work on those pre sales.

Why this early?

Some readers like to preorder their books. They want to make sure they have the book when it hits the shelves. They don’t want to have to worry about not finding a copy.

Don’t forget about the Ereaders. They like the idea of their book downloading on the day it goes live.

Don’t discount these readers who buy early. This is your chance to introduce your book to them. Give them a little nibble of your book (an excerpt of the book, a glimpse of the cover).

Remember to include a link in your promotion asking the readers to join your mailing list.

Next Tuesday we'll talk more about when to schedule promotion - Release Month Promotion.

Do you have a book releasing in the next three months?

Have you scheduled your promotions?

Don't wait to the last minute schedule your pre-sale promotions.

Did you miss part TWO
Did you miss part THREE 

Need help with your promotion contact me, I have something for every budget. - 1sormag@gmail.com

 

MOTIVATION MONDAY - Dreams

If you can dream it, you can do it. Walt Disney

CURLY SISTER: Linda F. Beed

Tell us a little about you and when and why you decided to start wearing your hair naturally?

Because my time is spent between a day job, ministry and writing I needed a style that’s easy to manage and reflected my personal style.

What was your biggest hair obstacle to overcome?

My major obstacle was that ‘in between’ stage. It was that place where I could no longer do small twists, but didn’t have the expertise for creating attractive looks for the medium length hair I had.

     

What are three products you can't live without for your hair?

For shampoo and twisting I love the Mango & Lime products. In between shampoos I use Carol’s Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey for shine and to minimize fuzz. For those up-do’s, Sleek edge control by Design Essentials helps to keep things in place.

What are your favorite styles to wear?

Of late I’ve been experimenting with up-do’s that take less than five minutes to fashion. 

What natural site/blogs so you follow?

I tend to look for tips on YouTube.

Any advice for the newly natural sister?

  

a. Know that like all hair, it takes time.

   

b. Just because a product is popular and/or pricey it doesn’t mean that it will work for you.

  

c. Experiment with ideas of you own.

Do you have a site/blog/facebook to follow?

      You can find me online at:

      www.lindabeed.com

      www.letsbeargoodfruit.blogspot.com

      www.twitter.com/LindaBeed

      www.facebook.com/Linda.Beed

      https://www.facebook.com/groups/lindabeedreaders/

      www.thewriteplan.com

Would you like to be my next Curly Sister? I have slots available for JUL/AUG/SEP. Send an email to lchwriter@gmail.com

How important is a business name?

Your business name is very important.  My advice to you is to think into the future when you consider your name.  I’ll give you an example of the name I chose for my magazine – Shades Of Romance Magazine.  I wasn’t looking into ten years down the road when I came up with the name. I was looking at the now.  I wanted it to convey the books I loved, African American romances.  I thought the name was perfect for promoting AA romances.

At the time it was perfect, but when the authors I promoted started writing outside of the romance genre and wanted to be feature in the magazine, I realized the name would be a problem for those who might be looking for a place to promote their books.  They would think we only feature romance authors and would go looking somewhere else.

I wanted to change the name to Shades Of Reading, unfortunately the readers didn’t take to the name change, they were fans of Shades Of Romance.  I decided to go with SORMAG instead, it’s short and simple and easier to say.

If I had to do it all again, I would seriously think about my business future and make sure my business name covered my future goals?

Does your business name, fit into the vision for your business?

Dealing With Grief - How to Express Your Condolences for a Loved One

It can be difficult to know what to say when someone passes away. Death is often an uncomfortable topic, making it hard to express your feelings of condolence and sympathy to the survivor. Here are some effective ways you can express your condolences based on what is appropriate and what you feel the most comfortable with.


A Letter of Condolence

Back before technology made instant communication the norm, letters were the traditional way of expressing condolences. Even with the other options available, they are still a good way to show your support and concern. The main benefit with letters of condolences is that they can be read when it is convenient and re-read as often as needed. They can be shared with others to help with the grieving process.

When writing a letter of sympathy and condolence, you should always think about the person to whom you are writing as well as the deceased. Your letter should reflect the relationship you have or had with each person. Stay true to your personality. If you are a more formal person, then it is appropriate that your letter also sound more formal. On the other hand, if you are more laid-back and casual, your letter can also demonstrate that. Don’t be concerned that there is a right or wrong way to sound in a letter.

Messages of Condolence

Thanks to the internet, you can now send messages of support as soon as you hear the sad news of someone's death. This allows you to offer support immediately, often when it is most needed. A quick text message or email can let the person know you heard the news and are offering your condolences without going into great detail. This is also a good method for those people that prefer short messages.

When writing a message, remember that you can keep it short and sweet. The person reading the message may be busy so it is acceptable to get right to the point. If you feel that you need to say more, you can follow up with a letter or phone call at a later time.

Flowers

If you do not know the family or didn't know the deceased very well but want to express your condolences, it is perfectly acceptable to just send flowers or a financial donation to the organization of the family's choice.

A simple card with a single message can convey your sympathies without requiring you to compose an entire message. This option is appropriate for many situations, including when the person is a co-worker that you only knew by name or someone you knew in passing in the community. Just make sure you include your full name so the person knows who the card came from.

A Phone Call or In-Person Visit

A phone call or personal visit is often the appropriate method of conveying your condolences when it is someone you knew very well or were related to. However, many people are not sure what to say and avoid the one-on-one interaction. The important thing to remember is that it is the fact that you called that the bereaved will remember more than what you say. In fact, don't feel like you have to say a great deal besides "I'm sorry for your loss" or some other version.

If you are comfortable talking about the deceased, you can communicate your feelings to the person. It is appropriate to reminisce about special memories or occasions. You can even tell a funny story about the deceased person without feeling guilty. In fact, it may be just what the other person needed to hear after all of the somber moments and sadness they have been feeling.

Timing

The timing of when to express your condolences through the various methods can vary. There is no hard and fast rule. For instance, if you just heard about someone's death even though it was six months ago, you can send a letter or email stating that you just learned of the news. You never know when your message could come at a good time to cheer them up. Grief extends long past the funeral or memorial service.

You can also prepare the way for a phone call or visit through a letter or message by saying that you will talk with them next week or in a couple of weeks.

Your Choice

Any of these methods are acceptable ways of expressing your condolences for a loved one. The choice is up to you based on the situation and what you feel most comfortable with. After all, it is more important that the bereaved feel your support than in how you choose to show it.


Suzie Kolber is a writer at http://obituarieshelp.org/words_of_condolences_hub.html . The site is a complete guide for someone seeking help for writing words of condolences, sympathy messages, condolence letters and funeral planning resources.

Would you like to write an article about dealing with grief?  Send query to - lchwriter@gmail.com