Ray Brehm's Blog, page 24
July 9, 2021
To Choose KDP Select or NOT To Choose KDP Select, that is the question…
*** For More: Check out https://www.youru.tv ***
Hi Blog,
I will admit, I have been kind of an “anti-KDP Select” person most of my publishing life.
I just don’t like having restrictions on me or my “stuff”.
But my good friend, and editor, QAT WANDERS opened my eyes to why I should reconsider that mindset for at least some of my books.
The bottom line, some situations scream KDP Select and others don’t.
Each situation is unique.
We go through all of the pros and cons on this week’s podcast, episode 008 (available today).
Plus alot of other topics.
MAXIMIZING BOOK PROFITS WITH QAT WANDERS [https://raybrehm.krtra.com/c/FR8vmEZx...]
[20286678_162343623252GPodcast_Cover_for_Email.png] [https://raybrehm.krtra.com/c/FR8vmEZx...]
If you do listen, and like it, please consider leaving a review. 
_Leap. Love. Grow._
RAY BREHM
P.S. Check out this episode here: MAXIMIZING BOOK PROFITS WITH QAT WANDERS [https://raybrehm.krtra.com/c/FR8vmEZx...]
July 6, 2021
The World’s Worst Secret Agent
*** For More: Check out https://www.youru.tv ***
Hi Blog,
I recently had a run in with what I will call…
_a stalker troll_
I was browsing through my books on Amazon, in order to look at one of my book descriptions.
I noticed one of my newer books received its first review…
A 1 STAR REVIEW.
Interesting, I thought.
I normally ignore those, but it was a newer book at the time and I had not marketed it yet, so I decided to see what it said.
The review claimed…
* _that it was just written to sell a product_ (I do suggest my friend’s product in this case – I am not an affiliate) * _that I plagiarized parts_ (for quoting my friend about his product) * _that I wrote it like a “giddy 7th grader”_ (probably true, I am kind of passionate about stuff)
Wow.
BAD MOTIVES ARE ALMOST ALWAYS TIPPED OFF BY MEAN-SPIRITEDNESS.
But here is where it gets interesting.
Less than a week after the review, I got an email.
The email says something to the effect of…
_”There is a lot of chatter on social media about you plagiarizing in your book and it is very suspicious…”_
Hmmmm.
_What are the odds?_
Two people falsely accusing me of that within a few days of each other.
Oh, by the way…
the guy who emailed just so happened to have received a ban from my list a month earlier for a nasty gram.
I told my wife, this guy is like…
_THE WORLD’S WORST SECRET AGENT_
He is trying to pretend he didn’t write the review.
There were multiple clues that reinforced it was him.
It is like going on a stakeout and putting a big sign on your car that says
_“DO NOT DISTURB, WE ARE ON A STAKEOUT.”_
The villains always want you to know they did it.
But a real secret agent would be discreet.
AND A SECRET AGENT WOULD HAVE SOME COOL TOOLS AND DEVICES TO HELP WITH THE MISSION.
That is what this month’s Youru.tv [https://raybrehm.krtra.com/c/Jxyk6mCf...] course is all about.
It’s called 7 BOOK WRITING HACKS FOR ENTREPRENEURS Masterclass and is available only on Youru.tv.
It reveals my secret agent tools for taking the most common content you may already have, and turning it into a book.
Things like…
* blogs * podcasts * webinars * Facebook lives * challenges and * courses
You can check it out here, and see if Youru.tv [https://raybrehm.krtra.com/c/Jxyk6mCf...] is a fit for you.
TIME TO 007 YOUR CONTENT.
_Leap. Love. Grow._
RAY BREHM
P.S. This month’s Youru.tv framework is 7 BOOK WRITING HACKS FOR ENTREPRENEURS, a framework for creating a book from other content you already have.
https://www.youru.tv [https://raybrehm.krtra.com/c/Jxyk6mCf...]
July 3, 2021
The insidious reason I started Book Profit Secrets
*** For More: Check out https://www.youru.tv ***
Hi Blog,
I will readily admit having my own podcast was a long time coming.
As much as I wanted to start one, the idea itself seemed a bit overwhelming from the execution standpoint.
For me, coming up with the ideas and recording them are the simple part.
It is all the other stuff, all the details like…
* evaluating software * figuring out how to schedule * launching the darn thing * recruiting guests * scheduling those interviews
As Stifler said in American Pie…
_That just seems like a lot of work._
I tried a few times and failed equally in all areas.
But last month I started my BOOK PROFIT SECRETS podcast, and it is going to stick.
_Why?_
Well, for one thing, I got most of that stuff on that list sorted.
I have a podcast guy, who all I have to do is turn over my recordings to.
The scheduling, etc, is all set up once and then I just have to produce content.
Guests are not an issue since I do so many virtual summits, I can easily get my new speaker connections for interviews.
And the podcast has already launched (so no more worrying about that).
BUT THERE IS ONE MORE REASON THAT IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN ALL THE REST.
I call it “_insidious”_, because it really has nothing to do with podcasting.
I use my podcast as my first pass at expressing my ideas.
Have you ever asked a friend…
_Do you mind if I run something by you?_
You do this because you want to flesh out an idea before presenting the final version somewhere else.
Maybe you rehearse a speech in the mirror, or practice a Zoom call with a friend to get the lighting right.
Well, writing a book is no different.
The more you flesh out the idea, the better.
Most of us like to think that an author goes into a cabin in the woods and just cranks out the perfect manuscript.
Not true.
Our ideas probably always need a little (or a lot) of work.
And publishing them as other content is a brilliant way to do it.
That pushed me over the edge and got me to start my podcast.
It is simply a proving ground for me and my ideas.
Those are ideas that will go into books.
And it will make them better by forcing me to share them verbally with an audience.
You can do this too.
It doesn’t have to be a podcast.
It can be a blog or emails to your list.
In fact, I am using all of those methods to test ideas, topics, chapters of my upcoming books.
When you flesh out your ideas on these platforms, you will hone them.
You will figure out which ones resonate, and which don’t.
And you will strengthen how you communicate your message in your book.
If you want to learn more about how to take data from those sources and put it into books OR start with the end in mind (like I am with Book Profit Secrets), check out this month’s Youru.tv [https://raybrehm.krtra.com/c/ASe7ZOgJ...] course.
It’s called 7 BOOK WRITING HACKS FOR ENTREPRENEURS MASTERCLASS.
It reveals a common framework I use called a TRANSFORMATION LADDER to organize content for a book.
Using the framework, I share how to apply it to the most common content we may already have, things like…
* blogs * podcasts * webinars * Facebook lives * challenges and * courses
You can check it out here, and see if Youru.tv [https://raybrehm.krtra.com/c/ASe7ZOgJ...] is a fit for you.
YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY WRITTEN YOUR BOOK, AND NOT EVEN KNOW IT!
_Leap. Love. Grow._
RAY BREHM
P.S. This month’s Youru.tv framework is 7 BOOK WRITING HACKS FOR ENTREPRENEURS, a framework for creating a book from other content you already have. Youru.tv is my monthly framework of the month club.
https://www.youru.tv [https://raybrehm.krtra.com/c/ASe7ZOgJ...]
July 2, 2021
Get Published and Book Profit Secrets Updates
*** For More: Check out https://www.youru.tv ***
Hi Blog,
Happy Friday!
Today is the last day of The Get Published Summit.
But I will let you in on a little secret…
Tomorrow and Sunday there will be an open access encore to all of this week’s videos.
HERE IS THE SECRET TO THE BEST EXPERIENCE…
The emails are all automated.
If you register today, even if you can’t watch until tomorrow, you will get all the emails and links to the right pages without having to search.
You can register for free here:
HTTPS://RAY.FM/GETPUBLISHED [https://raybrehm.krtra.com/c/03RyxS2C...]
_Leap. Love. Grow._
RAY BREHM
P.S. HOW SHOULD YOU LAUNCH YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE?
Looking to launch your next thing? There are many ways to do it, and I compare all of them in my latest BOOK PROFIT SECRETS PODCAST (traditional product launches, webinars, and virtual summits). It is probably no secret which one I think is best.
HTTPS://RAY.FM/005 [https://raybrehm.krtra.com/c/cRaoWHyj...]
July 1, 2021
Do you wash the dishes before you wash the dishes?
*** For More: Check out https://www.youru.tv ***
There was this great commercial a few years back that asked you a simple question.
_Do you wash the dishes before you wash the dishes?_
The beauty of that commercial was there is so much truth to it.
If you really want your dishwasher to clean your dishes, they have to be pretty clean first…
or at least absent hours of dried, hardened food on them.
Everyone could relate to that, so the commercial was very effective at offering a solution (the detergent you should use).
We can ask the same about the content you create.
_Do you write your book before you write your book?_
Or better posed…
_Do you write your blog, record a podcast, create a course…only to start over to write a book on the same topic?_
One of my biggest frustrations is the feeling I am doing something twice or three times.
In the beginning, that was how it worked.
I felt like I had to start from scratch every time I created some kind of content.
And I knew it was costing me so much time, slowing my progress and many times somewhat demoralizing.
Until…
I finally sat down and looked at everything I was doing across all different types of content.
What I found was I had already written multiple books, just by creating other things.
The ideas and organization that you have already created with things like blogs, podcasts, webinars, courses, livecasts…
ARE PROBABLY THE FIRST DRAFTS OF A BOOK YOU HAVE BEEN PLANNING TO WRITE ON THE SUBJECT.
And if you have ever experienced attempting to start that first draft, you know it is probably the hardest part of getting your book done. The “just getting started and organized” part.
I know for me it always is.
But these days, I don’t start anything unless I can multiply the content.
For you, and your book, ask yourself this question.
_Have you already created anything on the subject?_
If you have, you may just want to use a simple framework I created to convert things like blogs, podcasts, webinars and courses into books.
I share this framework in this month’s Youru.tv [https://raybrehm.krtra.com/c/6zyoj4h7...] course.
It’s called 7 BOOK WRITING HACKS FOR ENTREPRENEURS MASTERCLASS.
It reveals a common framework I use called a TRANSFORMATION LADDER to organize content for a book.
Using the framework, I share how to apply it to the most common content we may already have, things like…
* blogs * podcasts * webinars * Facebook lives * challenges and * courses
You can check it out here, and see if Youru.tv [https://raybrehm.krtra.com/c/6zyoj4h7...] is a fit for you.
YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY WRITTEN YOUR BOOK, AND NOT EVEN KNOW IT!
_Leap. Love. Grow._
RAY BREHM
P.S. This month’s Youru.tv framework is 7 BOOK WRITING HACKS FOR ENTREPRENEURS, a framework for creating a book from other content you already have. Youru.tv is my monthly framework of the month club.
https://www.youru.tv [https://raybrehm.krtra.com/c/6zyoj4h7...]
June 30, 2021
The Unfair Advantage of Knowing Somebody
*** For More: Check out https://www.youru.tv ***
Hi Blog,
You have probably heard the phrase…
_IT’S ALL ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW._
And while there is some truth to it, the effects of hearing it are probably much more harmful than you realize.
It implies that those who know more people have some unfair benefit that the rest of us don’t have.
And that may be true for a select few heirs and heiresses.
But the reality is the majority of those “_who know people you wish you knew_” took some kind of action to get to know those people.
You have to take action to get to know the people you want to meet.
And it has to be authentic.
But there is more.
We have all probably fallen for the myth that either we have “the contacts” or we don’t.
_If only we knew this one person, they would promote our book or products, we would make lots of sales and everything would be OK._
What we all fail to see is that IT IS A PROCESS.
We want someone to introduce us to this famous person, so we can become instant friends.
The question is, _do you really know this person you want to meet?_
It can’t be something you “research” at the last minute.
Most of the time, getting to know someone is a process.
As I was thinking through all the people I wanted to meet at the beginning of my journey, I realized something.
Those I focused on, I met.
Many have become great friends.
But the first step to getting to know them (long before they got to know me) was attending events and learning more.
I watched people speak. I learned their styles. And I learned who I really wanted to get to know better.
And it was not because they were big stars, but because they had said things that resonated with me.
That is why I always attend every event I can, and especially the easy ones I can do from home, like virtual summits.
There is no better way to learn more about someone, and even find out how to get in touch.
From there, I always get on their email lists, and eventually I find the opportunity to introduce myself.
Sometimes it is right away, sometimes it is years later.
That is why I encourage you to start the process with some of your favorites now.
Here’s how:
Check out this group of amazing experts at THE GET PUBLISHED SUMMIT.
See who you like, and start the process of learning more about them.
You can register for free here:
HTTPS://RAY.FM/GETPUBLISHED [https://raybrehm.krtra.com/c/PuGezvy4...]
_Leap. Love. Grow._
RAY BREHM
P.S. Most of the people I know and partner with now are great friends, and it took me a while to learn about them and subsequently meet them.
It just requires you invest in the process and be authentic.
HTTPS://RAY.FM/GETPUBLISHED [https://raybrehm.krtra.com/c/PuGezvy4...]
June 20, 2021
27 minutes left to join The Entrepreneur Code
*** For More: Check out https://www.youru.tv ***
Hi Blog,
Enrollment for _THE ENTREPRENEUR CODE_ anthology closes in about 27 minutes.
HTTPS://WWW.CO-AUTHOR.ME [https://raybrehm.krtra.com/c/cExVpjmL...]
Are you ready?
_Leap. Love. Grow._
RAY BREHM
Blog, want to become a Bestselling Author by Halloween?
*** For More: Check out https://www.youru.tv ***
Hi Blog,
We are closing enrollment tonight for _THE ENTREPRENEUR CODE. _
It is guaranteed to be a bestseller on Amazon, but there are also other benefits to joining:
* You get Bestselling Author Status (forever!) * Your chapter brings people to your world. This could be another book, your website, your course, or coaching. * You create another permanent marketing asset for your portfolio. Your goal is to create lead magnets and other content assets, that bring people to your work. * Your co-authors are marketing you forever after! Every time anyone of us sends someone to read this book, that person sees you. * Authority by association. Just being a co-author in a book shows you add value. * You don’t have to be a book marketer or learn book marketing to have a Bestseller. You just need to focus on your great chapter!
_Leap. Love. Grow._
RAY BREHM
P.S. THE ENTREPRENEUR CODE is open for enrollment for a few more hours. You can learn more here: HTTPS://WWW.CO-AUTHOR.ME [https://raybrehm.krtra.com/c/NSEK9muy...]
HIT REPLY IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
A deal so nice, she bought it twice!
*** For More: Check out https://www.youru.tv ***
Hi Blog,
This past Thursday a confirmation email came in for my latest anthology project, _THE ENTREPRENEUR CODE._
I had to look twice, because I was sure she had already joined (and paid) once before.
When I checked, I was correct.
So I muttered to myself…
_A deal so nice she bought it twice._
Then I contacted her and refunded the second purchase.
To which she said,
_“Hahaha! I don’t recall buying it but it was too good to miss! I’m a rock star already with 5 books published within 2 years to my name!”_
She is a rock star by the way.
In fact, she has taken part in multiple anthologies I have hosted.
That was a moment of pride for me, because it confirmed we create a quality book for our co-authors.
It also highlights something else we do.
She didn’t purchase on back-to-back days or anything like that.
I always give repeat contributors first access to any new project. So she had enrolled few weeks back.
When an author joins our Co-Author Project family, they also get a significant discount on future projects.
That is another unadvertised benefit to joining our anthology.
If it makes sense to get join this book, check the page out now. We close enrollment tonight.
_Leap. Love. Grow._
RAY BREHM
P.S. But no need to enroll twice!
Our latest anthology _THE ENTREPRENEUR CODE_ is open for enrollment this week. You can learn more here: HTTPS://WWW.CO-AUTHOR.ME [https://raybrehm.krtra.com/c/qQm3OoDi...]
Does this cross the “creepy line” to finding out more about you?
*** For More: Check out https://www.youru.tv ***
Hi Blog,
There is this documentary on Netflix called The Creepy Line.
It is about how big tech social media claim to “approach the creepy line, but not cross it” in regards to your personal data and what they use it for.
It is quite disturbing.
It is probably worth a watch though.
The flip side of the creepy line is the data you want people to know about you, especially when it comes to your expertise and your business.
Whether you are a coach, course creator, thoughtleader, or any other type of expert….
_Are you doing enough of the type of data sharing you need to be?_
_How easy it is for people to make a first impression about you before even speaking with you?_
I am not talking about typical social media posting and telling each other what you had for breakfast.
I realized this as other influencers I reached out to were responding with things like:
_”Ray, I looked around online and I like what the kind of things you are doing.”_
_”Ray, I know who you are…let’s connect.”_
What I realized was they were really saying was:
_”Ray, I see your Amazon Author account and I see you have written a bunch of books on the subject of _________.”_
It is easy to see (or even assume) one’s level of authority online.
And a lot of that has to do with the number of books in your author library (those that you have authored OR co-authored).
It is also easier than you think to beef up the number of books your name is attached to or get your name as the author on that first book.
I made a short video about it here:
_How to add a book to your list of authored books_
_Leap. Love. Grow._
RAY BREHM
P.S. Learn how you can add books to your library, which is essentially your online resume.
Our latest anthology THE ENTREPRENEUR CODE is open for enrollment this week. You can learn more here: HTTPS://WWW.CO-AUTHOR.ME [https://raybrehm.krtra.com/c/KACULWca...]
