However he wants to ‘up the ante’ and instead offer a special ‘pack’ which contains other pieces of information, including a properly printed, traditional book.

So, does this mean he has to sit at his computer and type up 40,000 words whilst running his busy solicitors firm? No, not at all! All he’s done is asked me to take a look at his already written report and get it formatted so that it looks like a traditional paperback book. Eliminating his need to provide me with any new material (he might tweak a bit here, or add a bit more information from his blog there) and only requires a small amount of his time, while he runs his busy solicitors firm Clutton Cox at www.cluttoncox.co.uk

The result however, will be perceived 10 times higher than the amount of energy invested.

At the end of this project he will be a published author – an accolade of ‘expertness’ will surround his name, and he will be the ‘only logical choice’ to his new potential clients.

This shows 2 important characteristics of a successful businessperson;

1. Knowing when to outsource
2. Understanding the power of being recognised as an ‘Expert’

Paul isn’t a designer, nor is he someone who knows how to publish a book. So instead he’s outsourced this to someone who does (me!). When you outsource your work to someone, they should then take care of the entire project. (In this case, typesetting the book, negotiating with the printers, obtaining an ISBN number, creating the cover, getting it listed on Amazon etc., etc.) Thus eliminating your involvement to a minimum, whilst still achieving your desired end result – in this case – a book.

Being good in your niche isn’t enough anymore. Competition is fierce and everybody is after new business and new clients to market to. Becoming a recognised expert is a simple and effective way of rising above all of the other businesses within your sector. And one of the most active ways of doing that is to write a book, and become a published author.

This may seem daunting, time consuming and just too difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. Just take what you’ve already got (blog posts, reports, Q&A’s from customers) and outsource it to someone who can then work their magic.

Then you could offer it up for free, (or as part of a pack) either on your website, or on a special landing page (I know an expert who can help with that too!) and you’re good to go.

It really is that simple!

Have an idea that you’re not sure where to go to next? Well get in touch. We can have a quick chat about your potential project and see if we can get it whipped up into a book quickly and easily. Simply email me at alexa@thebookrefinery.com.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Alexa, your book coach

As a ‘soon to be author’ myself, I am no stranger to the effects of ‘writers block’. However I noticed that my lack of motivation were also quite common with my clients, so I thought I would share with you the five common factors which seem to effect even the most prolific and creative types.

• Factor 1 – Fear of not being good enough
• Factor 2 – Lack of knowledge
• Factor 3 – Not clear on what to write about next
• Factor 4 – Burn out
• Factor 5 – No clear end date/lack of accountability

I know first-hand how frustrating it is when you get stuck. You are demoralised and get into negative thinking, which results in the book being put on hold, making it even harder to return too later.

So here are my suggestions to overcome these factors. The important thing is to believe in your ability, to keep going even if you think you’re not writing anything particularly good, as well as balancing proper time out and setting a realistic deadline.

Factor 1 – Fear of not being good enough.
I think any author will tell you that they – at some point – will say to themselves “is this any good?” And no doubt, you might too. But that is just your negative self-talk, trying to stop you from doing anything new or out of your comfort zone. Even writers of several books will think like this, as they will be asking “will this be as good as my last one?” The quickest way to overcome your fear is to get your writing looked at by other people and ask for their honest feedback, addressing any resulting issues from that process. If you’re already writing a blog, or writing articles online, then the chances are you’re better at writing than you think, and you just need to keep reminding yourself you’re imparting something valuable, and keep at it.

Factor 2 – Lack of Knowledge
If there is a section in your book that you’re not particularly clear on, then do some research! Don’t try and bluff your way through it, as this will come across in your writing. When I was struggling with a section in my book, I found myself putting it off and in fact stopped writing altogether. So to overcome it, I contacted an expert within that area, and asked if he would do an interview with me. He very kindly allowed me to record the call, and I asked him all the questions I needed clarification on. This helped me understand that particular subject, which then gave me the confidence to finish off the chapter. Google (and the internet in general) is a great resource, so if there is an area you’re not really sure on, then learn more about it before you start writing.

Factor 3 – Not clear on what to write about next
This comes down to poor planning. Before you start writing, it’s always a good idea to write a detailed blueprint plan, covering all of the chapter headings and subheadings that are going to be included in your book. If you didn’t, then stop and write one. Check out my ‘how to write your blueprint plan’, or if you do have a plan, revisit it, and make sure it’s in enough detail. If you’re struggling with where to go next, then it isn’t; amend it and you’ll be amazed how quickly you’re writing starts to flow again.

Factor 4 – Burn out
This can be mistaken for lack of motivation. You begin with great intentions, and usually burn out by the third or fourth week. Your fingers are sore from typing, and your head is frazzled and you find yourself not wanting to continue in such the same gusto that you started. So to combat this take a break! Not too long, you don’t want to lose momentum, but long enough to recharge your creative mindset and be inspired. Getting out of your environment is always effective, like going for a walk or doing something completely different. I also find that reading other peoples work helps, as it gives me another perspective, and usually confirms that I do know what I’m talking about and that I am just as good as the other authors I am reading. (This also helps with factor number 1 as well!)

Factor 5 – No clear end date/lack of accountability.
If you don’t have an end date in mind, then you will never be working towards something, you will just be working on something. Having a clear end date cements a sense of urgency and helps you prioritise your writing project. You can achieve this easily by getting an accountability partner, someone who is willing to impose a deadline, and help you keep your project moving forward. This can be a partner in your business, your family or even someone you hire. Check out my coaching programme to see if I can help you stay motivated and on track.

As Peter Capaldi (writer, director and actor) said in a recent interview on BBC Breakfast Television – “when it comes to writing, just do it. Write anything, get anything down. You can go and fix it later. But the key is to start. When you start something, the natural inclination is to then see it finished”.

Of course if you get stuck then take a look at the reason (not the effect) and be honest with the issue. My trusted rule is to leave anything that I’ve written for 24 hours – then re-look at it after that. Usually this allows enough time for you to read it from a more impartial viewpoint, and it makes the edits much easier.

If you feel you need some extra help, from planning to motivation, I can help you. Simply visit www.thebookrefinery.com/coaching to see how. Fill in the enquiry form, or email me at alexa@thebookrefinery.com and let’s get that book finished, printed and selling on Amazon.

“In terms of what becoming an author has done for me, well – it’s really made me an expert in my field. It has propelled me higher than anything I have ever done, and since publishing the book in Feb of 2010 – it’s been sold in over 18 different countries. It puts you in the forefront of your industry and it’s opened up interviews on the BBC radio, newspaper articles, so in terms of not just a book, but also my whole business, it’s just really strengthened who I am, and what I stand for.” – Tim Wareing, Author of ‘Toddler Soccer’ & ‘1 on 1 coaching’.

This is a testimonial from a client of mine, Tim Wareing – author of 2 books, ‘Toddler Soccer’ and ‘1 on 1 coaching’  and it just reminds me of why writing a book can be so powerful and one of the key tools in positioning yourself as an expert.

I have no doubt that being perceived as an ‘expert’ within your niche does more for you than any amount of marketing and tweeting (or emailing and blogging) because other people, not you, are accrediting you with that title.

“‘Expert’ is something others call you, and something you demonstrate, not a title you claim yourself.”

Being perceived as an expert is critical in today’s economic climate, because being ‘good’ just isn’t enough. Positioning yourself as an expert is the smartest move you can make as well as identifying and understanding a specific area of your business which you can then niche into. You can then demonstrate your in-depth knowledge to a much higher degree  making you the go-to person in that particular area. In fact Tim has shown how this exact strategy worked for him – with fantastic results.  (Click over to this review, and read what others are saying about his books)

However, achieving expert status can seem daunting, challenging and a long struggle, but it doesn’t have to be. I’ve identified two key strategies that can propel you into this realm effectively and quickly.

They are…

1. Niche into your business/coaching practice
2. Write a book about that particular skill within that niche

Finding a niche
Finding and Identifying a specialised area within your organisation is a really smart move, in order for you to become an ‘expert’ within that area. Trying to be a ‘one size fits all’ solution is really tough, as you’ll have to be knowledgeable in all areas of your business and depending on the size of your organisation that could be almost impossible.

Finding an area that you can hone in on is a clever move, as it then gives you the opportunity to know your subject inside and out, and truly be the ‘expert’ within that subject.

Niching is not a new strategy, and there are lots of experts out there that teach this strategy in a lot of detail. But it is something that I am now adopting as it makes it easier to dominate my market. (In fact have changed the way I’m writing my book to match this strategy, but more about that in another article.)

Write a book
Of course the natural follow on from that is to tell the world about your knowledge, and there is no better way than to write a book. Of course you don’t want to give all of your expertise away (and trying to write a book for front end profit is really hard) however you can instead write a book which identifies the biggest challenges within your niche, highlighting the reasons why your reader needs to solve those challenges (you can give some great little tips and strategies along the way) but give the in-depth solutions in a call to action – which you then scatter throughout.

Then you can use the book as a fantastic ‘give away’ – establishing yourself as an expert in the process, but setting up your readers to enquire about your back end services, which then in turn – if done effectively – converts them into high paying clients. (If you’re interested in reading more about this, then read ‘Using your book for lead generation master class’ article here).

Lots of online marketers have used this strategy really well, including of course my mentor and colleague Ed Rivis, but I can’t express enough how powerful this strategy is when used in one of the three ways I share with you in the article mentioned.

So there it is; a quick overview of two easy strategies you can implement to position you as an expert – and hopefully these will work for you too. If you want to know more about this, then why not download my free report ‘The EXPERT’ factor – if you have already, then read it and apply the tactics I share. Or if you would like to get in touch to discuss how a book can benefit your business strategy, email me at alexa@thebookrefinery.com and we can set up a quick, free and no obligation consultation.

Well, you shouldn’t let those creative rumblings go to waste. Let your mind explore them and write them down. (Use your smart phone if you have too!) It can be anything from a new idea to offer your clients, or an auto responder sequence, or even a title for your book.

The simple action of writing down your concepts can really help move your project forward. Even if it’s a seed of a thought, don’t let it be forgotten. Keep a note book handy and jot it down.

The simple act of writing a possible book title can really help with germinating the idea and suddenly you will have chapter headings and enough content to plan and write your book.

Use the time away from your business to unlock your creative ideas. Then write them down and add to them when you can. You will be surprised at how that single act can then get a project off the ground and on its way to completion!

Alexa, your book coach

Writing a book does many things for you, from elevating yourself from ‘just another service provider’ into the ‘expert’ domain and then being the ‘only logical choice’ in the eyes of your prospective customer or clients. As well as using it as a very effective lead generation tool (when set up properly; see the three critical questions).

When you write a book, it can be used in many ways. You can write one with the intention of getting it on a ‘best seller’ list. You can write one to leave a legacy for your children. But one of the best uses of becoming an author, is to use it for getting more customers and clients into your sales funnel.

Writing with the specific purpose to get on a ‘best seller’ list (or make money from the front end sales) is incredibly difficult and almost impossible. I don’t want to sound defeatist or negative, but the number of people who try and get their book endorsed by a large publishing house is staggering, and in fact rather depressing. The statistics are (at the time of writing) less than 0.1% of authors become best sellers, and it’s a very hard statistic to argue with.

The problem is that most publishers will not review unsolicited proposals or manuscripts. You need to find a literary agent to represent you. This is usually the only way to get in the door with a publishing company. It takes a lot of hard work and determination to get publishers to read your work, and it usually requires many rejections before success is achieved.

(I’m not here to dissuade you from your dream, if you are really committed and determined to become a best seller, then I suggest you do a lot of research, and read 2012 Writer’s Market by Robert Lee Brewer. Or for the UK market The Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook (A&C Black) publishes an up-to-date list of UK agents, along with the types of book they are interested in.)

But be prepared for a long slow struggle.

However, there is nothing to stop you from writing and publishing your own book (no proposals needed!) and then use this within your own marketing strategy to target your specific audience. You can set up special lead pages that offer your book and direct traffic to those lead pages with print ads and other marketing tactics.

You can also sell your book on sites like Amazon.com and direct customers or clients to buy your book from there (although there is one big drawback using this strategy, and I will explain that in another blog post) as well as other large internet based book selling companies.

Here are 3 ways of using your book for lead generation – just remember whichever way you choose (and you could come up with a strategy of your own) make sure the process is simple. Explain why the prospect needs to read your book, and ensure the follow up sequence naturally leads the reader to the next step.

Here are the 3 possible strategies:

1. Free download of book (provided as a PDF) – with an opportunity to get the physical book for free (just pay for P&P)
2. Free download of the first 2 chapters (provided as a PDF) – with an opportunity to get the rest of the physical book for full price (or a special offer)
3. Free download of the contents (like the ‘look inside’ feature on Amazon.com) – with an opportunity to get the full PDF download for a set price.

I have had clients that have used all three strategies and each of them work very well so give them a try.

The Three Critical Questions You Need to Ask Before You Start Writing Your Book
Before you start writing your book, or rather before you start planning your book, you need to ask yourself these three simple questions.

If you don’t, then the book might not do what you want it too (produce a response) and your writing effort could result in little or no response and be a waste of money and time. So don’t skip this step. Don’t be afraid to go out into the market place to find out the answers, you’ll be in a much better position if you do, as you will be starting the project with a knowledge that the book is wanted, will be read, and hopefully, produce the desired response.

The Three Critical Questions:
1. Is your book relevant? (To what you do and what you stand for)
2. Do people want to know what it is you’re writing about?
3. What is your call to action – desired response?

1. Is your book relevant?
It seems obvious, but the question still needs to be asked. What is it that you stand for? What is it that you are wanting people to know and are you the one who can provide the solution? If your answer is, “well I stand for a lot of things. I am a business consultant and marketer” then you need to distil your message into one clear distinct thing.

The books that work best (for lead gen) are the ones that are niched, books that offer a solution to one particular challenge. And it’s your job as an author to be clear in what that challenge is.

So if you are a business owner who provides general business advice then becoming an expert in one particular area could be of great leverage. A great way of explaining your differentiation is writing a book. So think about that question. What is it that you stand for? What area of your business arena can you niche into, and does your book fit in with that niche?

2. Do People want to know what you’re writing about?
Again another seemingly obvious question, but one that many writers of books for lead generation purposes, overlook with rather disastrous results! I mentioned above about being niched but remember, you need to be niched in an area of interest. It is important to stand for something but does that then lend to writing a book about it?

If the answer is an obvious YES! (and you can hop over to www.amazon.co.uk) to see what other books are out there already, which can give you a great indication of the need about the subject. If that is the case, then great get your book plan started.

If however, the answer is “not sure” then why not ask the audience? You could do any of the following:

• Run a survey with your list of clients.
• Ask your clients what their most burning questions/biggest challenges are.
• Read relevant business publications and see what the common issue/problem is.
• Join specific business forums and listen to what they are having issues with.

Whichever you choose, just remember do your research.

Finding out what the audience wants to read, is the first step to producing a highly desired publication. The only step an amateur forgets to take.

3. What is your call to action/desired response?
Writing your book to gain notoriety is of course one of the main results of becoming a published author. As I’ve stated before, nothing like a book propels you into the ‘expert’ status quicker and faster. However, there is also one more essential ingredient your book must contain, in order for it be a successful and profitable lead generator.

This ingredient is: Your Call to Action.

It’s all very well writing over 64 pages, explaining a problem and how you are the ‘go to’ person to fix this problem, but if you don’t give a strong, easy to follow call to action – what you want the person to do, once they have read the book – then you’ve missed a great opportunity.

Don’t assume that just because you’ve outlined the solution to the reader’s biggest challenge, they will then pick up the phone, or find you on the internet. You have to tell them.

Tell them clearly and tell them more than once.

What do you want to readers to do once they read the book?

Do you want them to:

• Call you
• Visit your website
• Visit a specific website – like a lead page
• Get them into a sales funnel… if so, how?
• Up-sell to another product
• Any other call to action

If you don’t know what you want your readers to do, then how on earth are they going to know? So think about your call to action and this can be any number of things, depending on the complexity of your services, but make it clear. And state it several times.

Just remember; your call to action must be clear and easy. You can also have several other smaller call to actions throughout your book, perhaps offering further information (by visiting your website) or free downloads that your readers will find valuable. But don’t offer too many. Give too many choices and people won’t take any action at all!

So I hope I’ve given you a quick overview of how to use your book as a lead generation tool. Remember to have a clear plan, do your research before you start, and to have a clear and strong call to action, so that your book will help prospective clients and customers perceive you as the ‘expert’ and then enquire or buy from your follow on services (or products).

Planning your book for lead generation is simple when you know how. If you would like to become a published author in 2012, but feel you need some extra help, then get in touch. I can help you with your book, from the planning stage, to writing it and getting it published. Simply email me at alexa@thebookrefinery.com and let me know a bit about your idea. Then we can have a quick consultation and get your project started. Or simply fill out an enquiry form here and one of my team will be in touch.

And this process hasn’t been difficult.

Okay, so his first book took him a while to write, but that was down to not having accountability and a firm plan in place, so it kept getting pushed down the ‘to do’ list. However, as soon as he reinstated these – and got a book coach on board, (who helped him with his planning) it got finished and out into the world within 3 months.

And almost like children, the second one wasn’t long to follow! ‘Email Marketing Dynamite’ was quickly produced within 2 months, and then ‘Massive Traffic’ which took just a week!  Once you’ve written your first book, the others follow instinctively. This is because the seemingly complicated process is de-mythed and strategies are implemented to make the process easy.

As Ed says himself…

“I know it sounds like a cliché, but becoming an author has changed my life.
In 2003 I was just another ‘web developer’ churning out website for whatever clients were willing to pay. They were forcing me to compete on price with other web design agencies in my local region of North Yorkshire and it was tough winning jobs.
However once my book appeared on Amazon, all of a sudden I found that people were coming to me, rather than the other way round. They were asking if I would kindly develop them a website, and although I won’t say they had an open chequebook, I would certainly say it changed the way they spoke to me. They understood, just by the simple fact that I had a book – a 5 star rated book on Amazon – that I was an expert and they presumed my pricing would reflect that fact.
Once my first book was written (incidentally I used a book coach to help me, as my first draft kept being left ‘on the shelf’) and with her help, it became a well thought out book, containing great advice and help – and once it got into the hands of prospects – reviews were naturally left on Amazon. You can of course go one step further, and ask for your readers to leave reviews, but you should do so carefully. Don’t ask for ‘good’ reviews – ask for their honest opinion, and secondly, if you are going to ask a group of people, then stagger the requests.
One issue I had with my second book – Email Marketing Dynamite – one person didn’t believe the reviews that were left about that book (there were about 30 or so, all in a space of a few days) instead he thought I had written them, which obviously wasn’t true. So do be careful in your strategy of obtaining reviews for your book.
Having a 5 star rating on my book, does indeed compel people’s belief that I am an expert. If you can at least say you are an Amazon 4 star rated author, or Amazon 5 star rated author, that’s obviously going to give you kudos in the minds of your targeted audience.”

Hopefully you can now see why this accolade could really help you achieve the kudos associated with being available on sites like Amazon.

Feel like you need help, or perhaps you don’t know where to start? Why not get in touch. Just fill in the comment box below, or head over to my coaching page and fill out an enquiry form.

I’ve helped over a dozen business owners (including Ed!) get their books onto Amazon and I could help get your book on there too. Just get in touch, and we can have a quick chat on how I can help YOU get your book written and onto Amazon in less time than you think!

It may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how few people spend any quality time planning out their book. They may have a working title, and they may have scoured the Internet for cover ideas, but when it comes to the content, they have a few lines at best, with perhaps a couple of chapter ideas, but not much more.

This amazes me! I mean you wouldn’t dream of trying to build a house without a proper plan; a detailed blueprint of what the house will look like once it’s finished; how big it will be; what each room is used for; how many floors it will have etc. Well the same should apply to your book.

Why?

Without this level of detail, you will struggle to write quickly and easily, as you won’t know where you’re starting from, or whether you’ll be covering everything you need to cover. You’ll get confused and lose focus – or like one former client of mine, go off on a completely different tangent halfway through, which had nothing to do with the core message they were trying to convey. We fixed that quickly, with my ‘blueprint strategy’.
It’s critical to lay the right foundations and produce the ‘blueprint plan’, the detailed overview that lists all of the chapters, subheadings and notes, which then makes the writing process quick and easy.

There are a few ways you can do this, but my two favourites are:

• Mind-mapping software
• Notepad, or any other non-formatting text editor. Non-formatting at the planning stage is essential. I will explain why, later.

Of course, you can plan your book out freehand if you wish, just make sure you keep it in a safe place. There will be nothing worse if you spend weeks perfecting your handcrafted document, only to go and spill coffee on it, rendering it unreadable and useless, or worse still, you could lose it altogether.

1. Mind-mapping software:
For those of you who like to see the entire picture in one go; to have the flexibility to add bits here; and to move things around; then I would definitely recommend mind-mapping software.

There are numerous software packages out there, from expensive, high performing ones like Mindjet, available from www.mindjet.com; to free Shareware programs like Free Mind, for example, which is what I use. This is available from www.freemind.sourceforge.net.
Whichever one you choose, (and if it’s the first time you’ve used this type of software, you’ll probably have to spend some time getting used to all its features, but I suggest you do, so that you will be able to get your ideas down instantly and easily) most software comes with adequate training or some sort of ‘Help’ section, and you can usually find further tutorials online.

Here is a snapshot of my mind map that I used for my book that I’m writing. You can see how I’ve planned out each section, and what each chapter is going to cover. I can then add to each node building up a comprehensive and coherent plan, which I can expand on, either in Microsoft Word or a similar program.

Alternatively, if you’re good at talking through your mind map, orally record your book, get it transcribed and edited, then you’re good to go!

2. Notepad:
If mind-mapping software is not for you, or you are more comfortable with Notepad, then you can use this to plan out your book instead. It’s worth noting that, at this stage, it’s a really good idea not to get caught up with any fancy formatting issues. It can be very distracting and time consuming, to get carried away with making your plan look pretty, with font selection and other formatting features, but it’s a total waste of time.

What you should be doing at this stage is making sure you cover all the relevant points your book needs, NOT what font to use, or how big your subheadings should be!
Here is a sample of a Notepad plan that I used when I first had an idea for my book.  As you can see, it’s based upon the same principle, chapter titles, headings, and then subheadings, all of which you can then just add to or move around.

Whatever way you choose to create your plan, make sure that everything you need is included on this one sheet of paper. If you create this on a computer, you can then add points, or change the order of chapters, but it’s critical to do this first, and then stick to it, once you are happy, before you start writing.

What software you decide to use is really up to you. What is important is to get this plan done in as much detail as possible. I recommend you spend at least a week to 10 days getting this right (even longer in some cases) and refine and review, until you get to a point where you can just start typing your ideas, expanding the sections that you’ve outlined.

So choose your preferred software and give it a go, you’ll find it easier than you think! Just remember, have a clear idea of what you are writing about, whom you are writing to, and what is the ‘call to action’ (If you haven’t answered those questions – or need a reminder then click here to The Three Critical Questions post I wrote earlier)

If you don’t, then the book might not do what you want it too (produce a response) and your writing effort could result in little to no response and could be a waste of money and time.  Don’t skip this step. Don’t be afraid to go out into the market place to find out the answers, you’ll be in a much better position if you do, as you will be starting the project with a knowledge that the book is wanted, will be read, and hopefully produce the desired response.

The Three Critical Questions:

1.  Is your book relevant? (To what you do, and what you stand for)
2. Do people want to know what it is you’re writing about?
3. What is your call to action/desired response?

1. Is your book relevant?
It seems obvious, but the question still needs to be asked. What is it that you stand for? What is it that you are wanting people to know, and are you the one who can provide the solution? If your answer is, “well I stand for a lot of things. I am a business consultant and marketer”  then you really need to distill your message into one clear distinct thing.

Books that work best (as a lead generator) are the ones that are niched. They offer a solution to one particular challenge. And it’s your job as an author to be clear in what that challenge is.

So if you are a business owner who provides general business advice – then becoming an expert in one particular area could be of great leverage. And a great way of explaining that expertise is your book. So think about that question. What is it that you stand for – what area of your business arena can you niche into, and does your book fit in with that niche?

2. Do people want to know what you’re writing about?
Again another seemingly obvious question, but one that many writers overlook. With rather disastrous results! I mentioned above about being niched, but remember, you need to be niched in an area of interest. But does that then lend to writing a book about that particular area?

If the answer is an obvious YES! (You can hop over to www.amazon.co.uk) to see what other books are out there already, this can give you a great indication of the need about the subject) then great, get that plan started. If however your answer is “not sure” , then why not ask the audience?

You could do any of the following:

• Run a survey with your list of clients.
• Ask your clients what their most burning questions are.
• Read relevant business publications and see what the common issue/problem is.
• Join business Forums and listen to what they are having issues with

Whichever you choose remember; do your research.

Finding out what the audience wants to read, is the first step to producing a highly desired publication. The only step an amateur forgets to take.

3. What is your call to action/desired response?
Writing your book to gain notoriety, is of course one of the main results of becoming a published author. As I’ve stated before, nothing like a book propels you into the ‘expert’ status quicker and faster. However, there is also one more essential ingredient your book must contain, in order for it be a successful and profitable lead generator.

This ingredient is: Your Call to Action.

It’s all very well writing over 64 pages explaining a problem, and how you are the ‘go to’ person to fix this problem, but if you don’t give a strong, easy to follow call to action – what you want the person to do, once you have written the book – then the reader won’t do anything once they have read the book.

Don’t assume that just because you’ve outlined the solution to the reader’s biggest challenge, that they will then pick up the phone, or find you on the Internet. You have to tell them, clearly and more than once.

What do you want to readers to do once they read the book?

Do you want them to:

• Call you?
• Visit your website?
• Visit a specific website – like a lead page?
• Get them into a sales funnel, if so how?
• Up-sell to another product?
• Any other call to action…

If you don’t know what you want your readers to do, then how on earth are they going to? So think about your call to action – and this can be any number of things, depending on the complexity of your services, but make it clear. And state it several times.

Just remember – your call to action must be clear and easy. You can also have several other smaller call to actions throughout your book, perhaps offering further information (by visiting your website) or free downloads that your readers will find valuable. But don’t offer too many. Give too many choices and people won’t take any action at all!

So answer the three critical questions before you start writing your book, and then write your clear call to action. When you have done that, then you can start your planning – using what I call the ‘Blueprint plan‘. Why not read my other blog post here and learn how you can use it when you’re planning your book.

They are the foundations to any serious ‘soon to be author’ and I can’t stress highly enough the importance of having these firmly in check before you begin.

They are:

1. Mindset
2. Accountability

The 5 Mindset Attributes you must adopt before you start

Here are the 5 mindset attributes you must adopt in order for you to complete your writing project; without them, you may find yourself starting with great enthusiasm, getting a few dozen pages written and pouring over i-stock photos for possible cover designs, but soon losing interest. Other ‘more important’ tasks seem to suddenly pop up, and your writing grinds to a halt.

If the foundations of ‘I can do this’ is not established before you begin, then you will find yourself stopping as soon as a bump or hurdle presents itself.

Thinking about writing a book is one thing, knowing and believing you can, which results in action being taken, is another.

1. Having a ‘can do’ attitude
Before you start your writing project, it is essential that you get into the ‘can do’ attitude. To many, writing a book seems extremely daunting and far too difficult, hence the reason why so few do.

2. Believe in yourself and the value of your work.
This follows on from the last attribute – but no less important. You must believe your ability, and in the message you are writing about.

Believing you have the knowledge, that what you’re saying is of interest and that people – your target audience – will want to read what you write, is paramount to starting your project. Without this belief and underpinning foundation that you are able to impart important and valuable information you will find yourself doubting the project. And when other important projects spring up, suddenly your inner voice will start saying things like; “well, I didn’t really have anything important to say anyway.” Or “who was I to think I could write a book…!”

Don’t let that happen to your book project.

3. Make your writing a priority
Some may argue that this is not an attitude. But it is. It is essential that you see this project of a high enough priority that it will not be put aside if something seemingly more important comes along.

Unfortunately a book does not have a voice – it’s a silent, quiet scheme which requires commitment and effort on the part of the writer – you!

Successful writers make writing enough of a priority for it to happen on a regular basis and they find a way to fit their writing into the same 24 hours everyone else has. Writers make a conscious decision to write – and it’s an attitude which needs to be instilled at the very beginning.

4. Commit to writing and see it through
This is a continuation to the previous mindset attribute. You must commit in order to see the project finished. Without this attribute, I suggest you don’t even start.
However, once you have accepted and adopted this attitude, then you will succeed. When you commit, it’s not a choice you make, it just is!

5. Just do it!
This slogan from Nike has been used ubiquitously – however, there are few other statements that encapsulate the next attribute.

Without action, no amount of planning, adjusting your mindset or setting up the greatest of accountability will produce your book.

Gaining the right tools, adopting the right attitude and committing to the project are of course essential – but nothing will be born of these traits if you then fail to ACT – and do it.

Accountability
Having accountability can dramatically increase your chances of becoming an author. Not that there is any ‘chance’ involved, but having someone to help you with your plan, and an end date in mind really helps cement the idea. It makes it real and measurable – and those are really important when embarking on a project that requires effort and commitment.

Here are 2 quick ways to gain accountability:

1. Tell someone/hire someone
A great tool that can help you become an author, quickly and easily, is to either tell someone what you are planning, or adopt an accountability partner. Someone that can hold you accountable for your writing project, and help you set deadlines for each section. Even if you just tell someone of your plans, a magic combination of expectation is then set, and it really helps to keep you motivated and on track.

This person can be someone you work with, or even your partner or spouse (if suitable) or you could hire someone. Book coaches and writing coaches are growing in popularity, and have the added bonus of knowing and understanding the frustrations of writing, as well as giving you hints and tips on how to keep the momentum going, with feedback along the way.

Also, the added element of hiring someone, which incurs a monthly cost, adds to the time factor – in other words, you will probably get the job done quicker and faster knowing that each month an X amount of money is leaving your bank account.

If you decide that a book coach is something that you are interested in then you need to consider these few points before you proceed.

• Do they have experience in writing a Lead Generation book? (Novels and fiction are a different breed of book, and a coach that only has experience in this arena might not be suitable)
• How many other books have they helped write before? Do they have examples?
• Can they help you with all aspects of your project, from planning, to brainstorming a strong call to action?
• What access do you have to them – will it be enough? Email is fine, but sometimes you just need to talk to someone as well.
• Have they written a book? How does it read? What was it used for?

Or alternatively you can take a quick look at my coaching page. I have over 8 years of experience working with business owners and I have helped them get their books out of their head into print and onto Amazon.

Please fill out the enquiry form at the bottom of the page, and tell me a bit about your project. I will then get in touch and see if book coaching would be of benefit for you and your project.

2. Set a Deadline
Setting a date for when the book needs to be written by is a great tip to use. If you don’t, well then the writing can go on for months, with no set deadline or cut off point.

I encourage all of my clients to get a date in the dairy – a cut-off point that is set in stone – and unless something of extreme importance disrupts it – then this really helps in writing each chunk of the book.

So we have looked at the mindset that you need to adopt before you start on your writing project. Anytime you doubt yourself, or think you are not able to write a book remember…just because other experts have a book does not make them smarter than you, or wiser than you. All it does mean, is that they made a very smart decision to write a book.

Setting a date also makes it real and cements the project in your mind.

Combine all of the above – and you’re on the right track to becoming an author – and producing one of the most successful lead generation tools available.

It was harder than I thought. In fact I wrote several drafts before I was happy with it, but now it’s good to go.

Why so difficult?

Well, the opening pages sets the tone for the rest of the book and needs to be engaging and thought provoking. Like stage dressing needs to set the scene for a play – it’s this the audience sees first, after all – it’s important that the introduction takes the readers hand and endears them into the pages ahead.

Without a strong introduction, the reader will be unsure of what you’re purpose is, and why they should be investing time in reading your book. The intro is the place to get the reader excited, to remind them of the reasons why they got your book in the first place, and how easy it’s going to be to implement what you tell them.

An inspirational quote is always a good opener, or a really interesting fact about the topic you are talking about. Whatever you choose for the first few paragraphs, it’s essential that it’s relevant, inspiring, and ingratiates trust that you do know what you’re talking about, and you’re going to make it easy for the reader to understand what it is you’re teaching them.

Talking about yourself or how you got into business isn’t usually the way to inspire and engage people. If you really feel this is relevant – then have a section at the back of the book that is reserved just for that purpose. Having it at the front however, could really put readers off, and make them stop reading altogether, not what you want to happen at all!

Here are a few pointers of what an introduction should (and shouldn’t) be…

An Introduction should:

• Introduce the topic or strategies
• Get the reader excited
• Tell the reader what to expect
• Whet the appetite of what they are going to learn, and how easy it will be for them to implement it.
• Why they need to know what you are writing about
• Be fairly short. About 10% of your book

What an introduction should not be:

• All about you (the author)
• Why you got into business in the first place (autobiographies are the place for this)
• Boring and dull
• Too long – don’t outline everything you’re going to say. Just the key points

Remember, people are busy. But they are hungry for knowledge and information that is going to help them do something better. It’s why they got your book in the first place, so don’t fall down at the first hurdle, and lose a potential customer or client, by failing to stimulate them.

“Keep it short. Removing everything that isn’t necessary is often a very effective strategy for improving an introduction.”

Introduce your book with a strong, motivational opening. Arouse their curiosity and remind them why they got your book in the first place. And above all, make them understand that you are going to help them, guide them through the learning process and make it easy for them to implement the solution.

Follow these steps, and your book will encourage your reader to invest their time in learning what you have to say. And most importantly of all – read the rest of the book!