Becky Robinson's Blog, page 28

Meet Team Member Whitney Heins

In case you haven’t noticed, we’ve been sharing a whole lot of PR tips lately . . . tips to help you market yourself, whether as a thought leader or author, and guide you to greater success in your interactions with the media.

But the public relations world has a language all its own, doesn’t it? Even as an author and a member of the #WIteam for over 6 years, some of it still sounds pretty foreign to me. So I always love when Whitney Heins, our Public Relations Director, offers to share some practical tips for the rest of us. She has a great way of distilling complex processes into bite-sized concepts that anyone (even me!) can understand and put into practice. I’m excited to have her share a little more of herself with us today!

Meet Whitney Heins

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I live in Knoxville, Tennessee, with my husband, Jake, two kids (Eleanor, 5, and Cal, 2), and two dogs (Riley and Rooney). I’ve lived all over the country, but ended up here because of a TV news job where I served as a morning anchor and reporter for the ABC News affiliate in town. I met my husband and ended up staying because I love him (his job is rooted here in a century-old family business) and because I came to love the slower life of a small city in the South.

What’s the last book you read and really enjoyed? 

I’m guilty of reading many books at once but the last one I finished (not including client books) was A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. It was touching, funny, charming, and beautifully written. And it reminds readers that you don’t know someone’s whole story, and instills a sense of empathy.

Tell us one thing that’s on your bucket list.

I’ve been a runner most of my life, although mostly casually. In the last year, I’ve gotten more serious and am now training to qualify for the Olympic Trials in the marathon this fall. I must run a 2:45 marathon which is about a 6:15 pace for 26.2 miles. I love running for many reasons, but one main reason is because it’s something almost all of us can work hard at to reach the limits of our potential. I’ve always dreamed of seeing how “good” I could be at the sport and see what I’m capable of. Now, I’m working towards crossing that off my bucket list.

How did you get connected with Weaving Influence?

I had Eleanor in 2014, and went back to work at the University of Tennessee in their media relations office. I worked for about a year, but it just never felt right being away from her all day. So I resigned. On my last day of work at UT, a colleague who had worked with our CEO, Becky Robinson, recommended I get in touch with her for some freelance work. Becky and I connected, and what started as a little bit of freelance work turned into a now almost 5-years-and-counting position that I love.

Share a little about what you do, and your favorite aspect of your work for Weaving Influence.

I serve as director of the public relations team. In this role, I meet with clients to put together their media relations strategy, pitch clients to journalists, write media-related collateral and press releases, and oversee the work of our PR team. There are three favorite aspects (among many) of my work that I would like to share. First, I love learning about our clients’ expertise. I became a journalist because I wanted to learn something new every day. I still get to do that and often use what I’ve learned to better my personal or professional life. Second, I love how conscientious, experienced, and talented the #WITeam is. It’s so wonderful working with people who care about the work they do and the people they are doing it for. Finally, I love the flexibility of the job. Being able to soak up almost every moment of my young children’s lives while still furthering my career is truly invaluable. Because of this position I have no regrets. The balancing act can be difficult but it’s incredibly worth it.

Share one tip about PR for the rest of us.

In anything you do for media—written, spoken, whatever—always think about your audience and why they should care. Explain things in a concise and simple manner so that a middle schooler, or your grandma, can understand it.

How can people connect with you?

You can reach me at whitney@weavinginfluence.com, via Instagram at @WhitneySHeins, and on Facebook. I’m also working on an informational and inspirational website for moms who run called themotherrunners.com, set to launch this summer.

Thanks Whitney!! 

Have any questions for our PR rockstar, or want to give her a shout-out for something she’s shared that really helped in your own marketing efforts? Leave her a comment below!

Feedback (and Other Dirty Words)

Feedback. The mere mention of the word can make our blood pressure rise and our defenses go up. But many of our beliefs and ideas about feedback are incorrect and counterproductive, and have been long distorted by our experiences. This week, we’re excited to launch a practical guide to taking the sting out of feedback and reclaiming it as a motivating, empowering experience for everyone involved.

Feedback (and Other Dirty Words)

For many of us, feedback is a dirty word that we associate with bias, politics, resentment, and self-doubt. However, if we take a step back and think about its true intent, we realize that feedback needn’t be a bad thing. After all, understanding how others experience us provides valuable opportunities to learn and grow.

Authors M. Tamra Chandler and Laura Grealish explain how feedback got such a bad rap and how to recognize and minimize the negative physical and emotional responses that can erode trust and shut down communication. They offer a new and more ambitious definition of feedback; explore the roles we each play as Seeker, Extender, and Receiver; and introduce the three Fs of making feedback focused, fair, and frequent. You’ll also find valuable exercises and strategies, along with real-world examples that illustrate how you can put these ideas into action and join in the movement to fix feedback, once and for all.

When it’s done right, feedback has been proven to be the most effective means of improving communication and performance for you and your organization. It’s too important to give up, and with Chandler and Grealish’s help, you’ll be able to use it deftly, equitably, and effectively.

Meet the Authors

M. Tamra Chandler is the founder and CEO of PeopleFirm LLC, one of Forbes Magazine’s 2018 “America’s Best Management Consulting Firms.” She is a nationally recognized thought leader, author, and speaker.  Tamra has spent most of her 30-year career developing new and effective ways for people and their organizations to perform at their peak. In 2016, she wrote the acclaimed book How Performance Management is Killing Performance – and What to Do About It.  Her second book, Feedback (and Other Dirty Words): Why We Fear It, How to Fix It, will be published in June 2019. 

Laura Dowling Grealish is a lead consultant at PeopleFirm known for her passion and conviction to optimize human potential by bringing the human back into the workplace. Laura has more than 20 years of experience working with leaders and teams to enhance performance and connection at the individual and group levels.

Praise from Readers Like You

“This book was super easy to read, practical and encouraging. I started practicing what Tamra calls, ‘The Fine Art of Noticing’ and committed to extend feedback at every opportunity. I’m actually amazed at the difference it has made with my colleagues and clients.” —shelshel, 5-star Amazon review

“As a senior leader, I found this to be a really helpful guide in thinking about how I could be doing a better job of both seeking and sharing feedback more regularly with my team. This is a fast, easy read but full of great insight and tips on how we can all get better at feedback.” —Brooke, 5-star Amazon review

“The CONNECT conversation model is so simple to remember, I find myself recalling it often in conversations both at work and in my personal life. Overall, I highly recommend this book — would be valuable for organizational leaders ready to change the way feedback is sought, extended and received in their companies, as well as for anyone looking to improve his/her communication skills.” —JC, 5-star Amazon review

“This book introduces simple and powerful methods, backed by science to make feedback focused, fair, and frequent. It includes valuable exercises and strategies along with real-world examples that enable the reader to put these ideas into action. The author’s guidance will enrich your relationships both at work and in your personal life and deepen your appreciation of those around you.” —Leslie, 4-star Amazon review

Learn More

Visit Amazon to buy a copy of the book, or leave a short review of it.
Check out the website for a free chapter and ways to support the book.
Join the #fixfeedback movement, and invite your friends to join too!

Why Trade Publications Could Be Better Than the Wall Street Journal

When we ask our clients what their media goals are, many say they want Oprah or the front page of the Wall Street Journal. These are lofty goals — and while there’s nothing wrong with dreaming big, oftentimes such an elusive placement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Oftentimes trade or niche pub placements will better serve your business and your goals.

How can I say this when a mainstream media placement is guaranteed to be seen by millions and boost credibility almost immediately? Because it matters who is reading it.

It is all about quality over quantity.

Target your audience.

The readers of media such as Oprah or the WSJ are going to have all sorts of interests and professions, thus the information they get from you isn’t necessarily going to make them act. PR 101 is that you want those reading your message to do something. If you specialize in, say, diversity and inclusion programs, it is better served for you to have a placement in an HR or management-related pub read by people who work in that space daily and have a vested interest in what you’re talking about.

Street cred.

Trade pubs are consumed by people who are likely the best in the business. Therefore, being cited in one shows that you are credible, legitimate, informed, and even a thought leader. Bonus: many trade pubs are online-only in the form of specialized sites, blogs, and internet radio, where your insights can live on the worldwide web forever and get pushed through these outlets’ robust social channels.

Get past nuts and bolts.

Because the people consuming these pubs speak your language, you can get down to the nitty gritty with your insights. No need to oversimplify your content. You can also publicize news that mainstream outlets wouldn’t give the time of day. This includes republishing press releases and sharing them on social channels. Also, because trade outlets are often short on staff, they’re more open to accepting relevant contributed articles.

More timely coverage.

Pitching a major media outlet can take years to be successful. It requires patience and persistence, and by the time it comes through, the story may be stale or irrelevant. The wait time is shorter for niche media and thus can print timely stories that immediately benefit your business.

All this is to say, no need to let go of that dream to be featured in the WSJ or Oprah, but trade coverage may be more suitable for your immediate goals — and also help you hook that big fish.

What It Takes to Get Into the Wall Street Journal

If our clients had one thing in common, it would be that they dream of being featured in the Wall Street Journal, or a top-tier national outlet of its ilk. But as more people have this dream, the opportunities for achieving it are shrinking.

According to a recent survey, a majority of public relations professionals say media relations is getting harder. The main reason is because as the number of pitches to media is expanding, the number of journalists and opportunities are contracting.

This makes landing the WSJ even more attractive. Its selectivity makes your placement extremely valuable and you automatically credible.

Getting a placement in the WSJ or top-tier outlet isn’t impossible, but it requires a special formula for pitching.

Be part of a trend.

Top-tier outlets aren’t going to report on isolated incidents or anomalies. They want to report on something that affects their readers. What you’re pitching must be newsworthy. After all, you’re likely competing with hot news items like plane crashes or hurricanes or political sparring matches. You need to convince the journalists that your expertise is relevant and part of something bigger. If you can tip the reporter off to something that’s happening on a larger scale, they’ll want to be the one to break the news of the trend.

Find the human angle.

To get in a highly desired placement, you must have a face to put on the story. Almost every good news story starts with a person’s experience or problem, and then moves onto the solutions.

You want to make it as easy on the reporter as possible, so help them put the pieces of the story together. Ideally, you can find someone who was helped by your expertise and someone who has an interesting story to tell. You’ll also want to think about the visual elements. Be prepared to help the journalists find good footage or video to accompany the piece. All this helps the reporter, helps your chances of getting coverage, AND helps you control the story.

Drop what you are doing. 

If you get a call from a top-tier outlet (or your publicist says you landed an interview), drop what you’re doing and take the call. Once I had a client get asked to do an interview with CBS News. The time wasn’t convenient for them and so they lost the opportunity. The media won’t wait around. They’ll move on the next thing or find someone else to interview because they’re working on tight deadlines.

Practice your two Ps—persistence and patience.

It can take more than a year of pitching to land in a national news outlet. Skilled pitchers walk the fine line of between being persistent and being annoying. Checking in every month or two to see if the reporter needs anything is okay. Checking in every to see if that story is ever going to happen is a good way to get blacklisted. When reporters say they’re filing something away for later, chances are that’s true. Reporters have no qualms about telling you they aren’t interested in a story. You must practice patience because you’re on their timeline.

But when they do call, be ready!

How to Master Your Motivation & Achieve Your Goals

We all long for the opportunity to grow, demonstrate resilience, and gain wisdom from our experience. But if we want to accomplish what’s important to us, discipline and willpower won’t get us where we need to go. This week’s featured book reveals compelling insights and actions to help master and maintain our motivation.

Master Your Motivation

Motivation is at the heart of everything you do and everything you want to do but don’t. Unfortunately, the ways we typically motivate ourselves don’t work. Relying on sheer determination eventually becomes exhausting — it’s not sustainable. And even setting goals can backfire — if you’re not setting them for the right reasons.

Susan Fowler says motivation is energy, and what matters is the quality, not the quantity. Traditional “motivators” such as fear, guilt, or the promise of a reward provide low-quality, short-term energy. Drawing on the latest empirical research, she proves that high-quality, optimal motivation is a skill that you can learn and apply.

Science tells us that satisfying three basic needs — for choice, connection, and competence — is essential to optimal motivation. You need to feel like you’ve picked your path, not that you’re being driven down it. Your goal should be linked to people or a purpose meaningful to you. And you want to continually learn and grow.

Through practical exercises and eye-opening stories, Fowler shows you how to identify and shift the quality of your motivation. The skill to master your motivation is important — it may be your greatest opportunity to evolve, grow in wisdom, and be the light the world so desperately needs.

Meet the Author

Susan Fowler has shared her message on optimal motivation, self leadership, and thriving together in all 50 states and over 40 countries. In her bestselling book, Why Motivating People Doesn’t Work . . . and What Does, Susan Fowler implored leaders to stop trying to motivate people because it just doesn’t work and aggravates everyone involved. Thanks to this bestseller, translated in over a dozen foreign languages, thousands of managers worldwide have learned how to activate their staff members’ optimal motivation. Now, with her latest book, Master Your Motivation: Three Scientific Truths for Achieving Your Goals, Susan is on a mission to help individuals master their own motivation, achieve their goals, and flourish as they succeed.

Widely known as one of the foremost experts on motivation and personal empowerment, Susan gained her knowledge through extensive experience in business, advertising, sales, production, marketing, executive and life-style coaching, and leadership training with clients as diverse as AARP, Dow, Eli Lilly, Fruit of the Loom, Google, and the National Basketball Association. Susan is also coauthor of the bestselling Self Leadership and The One Minute Manager with Ken Blanchard, and the creator and lead developer of The Ken Blanchard Company’s Self Leadership, the best-in-class self-leadership and personal empowerment program.

Susan lives with her husband, Drea Zigarmi, in San Diego, where she is a senior consulting partner for The Ken Blanchard Companies, a leadership consultant and motivation coach, and a professor in the Masters of Science in Executive Leadership program at the University of San Diego. Susan is a rotating board member for Angel Faces, a non-profit organization serving adolescent girls with severe burn trauma and disfigurements.

Praise from Readers 

“Truly great performers in every field have mastered their motivation. Now we finally understand the magic—and the science—behind how they’ve done it. More importantly, Master Your Motivation is the first book to teach a revolutionary idea: motivation is a skill you can use to achieve your goals—and sustain high performance.” — John Calipari, Hall of Fame Basketball Coach, University of Kentucky

“I have no doubt that the powerful ideas in Master Your Motivation will change your perspective about motivation. But what I love about this book is how Susan’s storytelling brings the skill of motivation to life with relevant examples you can begin using today.” — Tracie Lorber, Director of People and Culture, Peet’s Coffee

“Master Your Motivation teaches you how creating choice, connection, and competence leads to the optimal motivation you need not only to be more productive but also to lead a happier and more peaceful life.” — Brian Tracy, bestselling author of Eat That Frog!

“Master Your Motivation is a wake-up call about the nature of motivation. The techniques Susan offers in this groundbreaking book work—I have personally seen people’s motivation transformed, allowing them to be more productive and personally fulfilled in their endeavors. She blazes a trail that leads to a new understanding of motivation that everyone can follow, myself included.” — Tom Hood, Deputy Director, Field Sales Leadership Development, Bayer

Learn More

Visit Amazon to buy a copy of the book, or leave a short review of it.
Check out the website for a free chapter and ways to support the book.
Watch the recent webinar to learn scientific truths for achieving your goals.

Can Amazon Ads Make My Book a Bestseller?

There were approximately 3 thousand books published in the United States in 2018. Of those, fewer than 500 titles made the New York Times bestsellers’ list, and according to Publisher’s Weekly, only 20 of those sold more than 500,000 copies.

Selling books, and large numbers of books, can be a difficult proposition. In our work, we try to help authors find the right audience for their book, not the largest, because a loyal audience can support a series of books. One big hit won’t sustain a career, just ask Tommy Tutone.

One of the tools we’ve been using lately to connect our clients’ books with readers is Amazon ads. While we support an organic approach to book promotion, these ads are a great way to get books in front of interested readers at the point of purchase.

Pros & Cons of Amazon Ads

Book publishers and those who have self-published through Kindle Direct Publishing have access to the Amazon ads platform. The ads available through this dashboard are based on keywords used in search. This allows authors to position their books around bestsellers in their category, around subject matter, and more. You can create a successful ad for as little as a couple of hundred dollars.

When successful, we’ve seen the ads sell thousands of dollars in books and expose the title and author to tens-of-thousands of new readers. There is a caveat, however: the ads don’t always deliver strong results. To paraphrase an Amazon sales representative, “you can’t make people buy a book.”

Shoppers are making snap decisions when they see an Amazon ad, so everything about the book needs to be as strong as possible. That means a powerful title, engaging cover art, strong description, and at least 10 but preferably 50+ Amazon reviews. Without these things, ads won’t move the book, and organic efforts will likely be slow, too.

Amazon ads are a strong component to have in your book launch arsenal, but they are not a silver bullet. Books that connect with readers will find new readers with ads. Struggling books will continue to struggle with ads.

If you are interested in experimenting with Amazon ads, contact Weaving Influence or your publisher to get started!

Reflections On Transitions and New Beginnings

Our company currently has three job openings posted after some unexpected departures.

Watching people leave our company is a bit like watching my oldest daughter finish high school and graduate, with the same mix of pride, joy, gratitude, sadness, and loss.

There’s the pride of seeing people advance in their careers and move on to new opportunities, and the sadness of knowing our connection will inevitably change and diminish. There’s joy in watching them thrive and gratitude at the time we’ve had to work together. There’s the loss of their contribution — missing the unique perspectives and talent they offered our team.

All of this is happening at once: the graduation and the team departures, so the mix of emotions I’m experiencing is present in huge doses now.

There’s also, unexpectedly, excitement and passion, showing up at unexpected moments.

It’s exciting to be able to incorporate new team members and anticipate the possibilities represented by their unique talents and perspectives. New people bring new energy. As some people leave and new ones come, we’re forging a new team, with long-time team members challenged to pour into and onboard our newest members.

As people join our team, there are a few ideas I hope they pick up quickly.

It’s okay to be human here. It’s ok to be real here. It’s okay to be messy here.

I want to hire real people, who are willing to talk openly about themselves, including their interests and passions but also their emotions, both positive and negative. I want to hire people who are willing to ask for help and admit mistakes and limitations. I want to hire people with whom I feel comfortable sharing my own emotions, shortcomings, and frustrations. We will work better together when we know each other and give each other room to be real and human.

We work hard here.

Our work is fast-paced and requires diligence and discipline. There’s not a lot of time to waste or down-time. But we all share the satisfaction of work done well. I want to hire people who are willing to work hard and pitch in to help with tasks, even ones not included on their job description.

Our work is always changing and growing.

We adjust our tactics and strategies to reflect the way our world is changing; we see projects start and end; we pursue new initiatives and ideas. As a company, we look for ways to improve, both our internal processes and our service to clients. I want to hire people who are excited to change and grow and willing to offer improvement suggestions and ideas.

We truly care here.

I want to hire people who care about their work and each other, who partner with me in this work because they choose to and want to. We care about each other’s success at work, and each other’s happiness outside of work.

The next 10 days will bring so much change, both at work and at home. These changes bring the mixed and bittersweet emotions, joy and pride, sadness and loss. Following those is the excitement of creating new opportunities for others and watching my daughter head out to the next chapter of her schooling.

Tell me something: what emotions are present for you right now?

 

Interested in joining the Weaving Influence team? Check out our latest job postings here!

Self as Coach, Self as Leader

As a coach or leader, would you like to deepen the impact of your work? It turns out to do great work as coaches, we start at home – strengthening our use of self, broadening our nimbleness.

This week’s featured book gives coaches and leaders a simple framework for exploring their multiple layers of self, and exploring the edges of our development. You can become a more effective leader by discovering the resources you already have!

Self as Coach, Self as Leader

Pamela McLean, CEO and cofounder of the Hudson Institute for Coaching, has been at the forefront of the field for the past three decades, using clinical and organizational psychology to provide the highest-quality coaching and development training to professionals in organizations and solo practice worldwide. Now, Pamela is teaching readers to cultivate their leadership potential through “use of self as instrument,” a key dimension of developmental coaching that emphasizes the whole person. Her holistic methods give coaches and other leaders a clearer framework for getting to know themselves, exploring their multiple layers, and fostering their latent abilities so that they can foster the abilities of others.

Self as Coach guides you along a path that interweaves six broad dimensions of your internal landscape into the fabric of great coaching. This creates lasting improvements, unlike more common remedial, tactical, or performance-based programs, which often only function as short-term solutions.

Develop leadership skills using internal resources you already possess
Achieve real improvements with long-lasting benefits
Based on methodology proven successful in business and personal settings
Includes useful practices and exercises for self-reflection and brainstorming

Whether you’re an emerging or experienced coach, whether you want to grow your own leadership skills or develop them across an entire organization, Self as Coach can help. With its innovative approach, proven methods, and near-universal applicability, this book will not only provide effective instruction but also help you uncover lasting insights that will benefit you long after you’ve turned the last page.

Meet the Author

Pamela McLean, PhD, brings more than three decades of experience as a clinical psychologist, master coach, coach supervisor, and contributor to the field of coaching. As CEO and cofounder of the Hudson Institute of Coaching, Pam oversees and ensures Hudson provides the highest-quality coach training to seasoned professionals and leaders, as well as consulting to organizations worldwide. Working in the arenas of clinical and organizational psychology, and leadership coaching and development, Pam has worked with hundreds of organizational leaders and seasoned professionals inside organizations and in solo practice to deepen and strengthen their coaching skills. She has also consulted numerous organizations in developing coaching cultures and establishing best practices inside organizations.

Pam is the author and co-author of several books, articles and whitepapers focused on coaching, human development and transformational learning. She most recently authored The Completely Revised Handbook of Coaching and is the co-author of the well-known book on transition and change, LifeLaunch, A Passionate Guide to the Rest of Your Life. She also speaks regularly on the topic of Use of Self as a Coach and Leader. She lives in Santa Barbara, CA. In her spare time, she also enjoys experimenting in the kitchen.

Praise from Readers 

“McLean lays out a compelling roadmap to help coaches go from good to great. This book will push you, challenge you, grow you. Don’t read it lightly!” — Brian Underhill, PhD, Founder and CEO, CoachSource, LLC

“Pamela McLean has created a profoundly valuable coaching book for both new and experienced coaches. . . . She is one of the original master teachers of a rich, developmental style of coaching and her book is packed full of not only her own personal reflections on developing coaching excellence but also in-depth coaching vignettes that are superbly helpful to the reader. This book has my strongest recommendation.” — Jeffrey Auerbach, PhD, President of the College of Executive Coaching 

“Pam McLean has created a master class on how to become a great coach by mining the depths of one’s self and full potential. A perfect blend of art and science combined with her own unique wisdom and personal insights, honed by over 35 years of practice; the one definitive book on coaching for all current and aspiring coaches.” — Steve Milovich, Former SVP Human Resources, The Walt Disney Company

“Drawing on her extensive experience as therapist, coach, and leader, Pam McLean, co-founder and CEO of the Hudson Institute of Coaching, adds new dimensions to the profession of coach. Interweaving personal examples with samples of client coach interactions, and adding practices to carry the work forward, McLean demonstrates the what, the why, and the how of the elusive concept of bringing one’s own self to the encounter with the client in service to the client’s needs.” — Patricia Adson, PhD, Author of Depth Coaching

Learn More

Visit Amazon to buy a copy of the book, or leave a short review of it.
Check out the website for more information about Hudson Institute of Coaching.
Watch the recent webinar to learn more about understanding your internal landscape.

Putting Audiobooks on Your Radar

Ten years ago, it was a whole lot easier to pick out the self-published books and authors. The covers often looked unprofessional—like they’d been designed using word processing clip art—and the only format on offer was paperback. My, how times have changed!

These days, being self-published no longer keeps you out of bookstores or regulated to the bottom shelf. Professionally designed covers that can hold their own against any traditional publishing house offering are just the start. Paperback is one option, but so are hardcover and ebook—and now, thanks to companies like ACX, audiobooks are on the rise.

Audiobook Options

According to their website, “ACX is a marketplace where authors, literary agents, publishers, and other Rights Holders can connect with narrators, engineers, recording studios, and other Producers capable of producing a finished audiobook.” Once the book has been recorded—using either their free or paid options—it can be made available for sale on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. With the potential for up to a 40% royalty, this is definitely an option worth researching.

You can work with ACX as a narrator/producer, or a Rights Holder/author. For example, if I decided I wanted to pay to turn my children’s book into an audiobook, I could follow the steps listed here, choose a producer, approve the final project, and have ACX handle the distribution. Or, if I decided I would rather record and produce it myself, I could create the audio files on my own and upload them directly to ACX to take advantage of their distribution channels and royalty options. And if I decided I liked narrating, I could also become a narrator/producer through ACX, auditioning for books and contracting with authors to narrate their books for a front-end payment or a percentage of their royalty fees once the book is for sale.

When you’ve already invested a lot of personal capital in publishing and promoting your own book, it can still be scary to take a leap like this based only on what a company website says. With this in mind, I reached out to two members of our Facebook Book Marketing group who had mentioned working with ACX in the past, and asked them if they would share a little bit more about their experience.

Don’t Just Take Our Word for It….

Laura Johnson is an audiobook narrator and producer, as well as self-published author. “My experience with ACX has been all good,” says Laura. “I have successfully produced 15 audiobooks for other Rights Holders [authors] and 1 audiobook of a book I wrote and self-published.” If you’re worried about being new to the audiobook world, or concerned about being taken advantage of, Laura says there’s no need to fret because everything is done through the company and “ACX stands behind you 100%.” Laura is so thrilled with her ACX experience that she even wrote a book about how to get started as an audiobook narrator and producer (which she, of course, narrated herself and produced through ACX).

David Greer is the author of Wind in Your Sails, previously available in paperback and Kindle formats; but he recently celebrated his fourth book anniversary by releasing a new audiobook version produced through ACX. He initially considered recording his own work, but made the decision to hire a producer when he found out how many things were involved in doing your own recording. “Because I would have had to put a lot of time and energy into making the marketing case to attract producers on a revenue share basis,” says David, “for me, [it was] quicker and easier to pay a producer. [It also] attracted many more producers and it was easy to find one who matched my voice.” His biggest surprise was the ACX approval process. While a Kindle book can be approved the same day, it took over ten business days for ACX to listen to and approve the audio content of Wind In Your Sails, which affected his launch plans for the audio edition. Another unexpected delay was the need for a new book cover. In order to meet the size requirements, David had to go back to his original designers and commission a square version, an added expense that you may want to factor in when figuring out costs.

Based on the personal experiences of Laura and David, combined with the wealth of information and options available on the ACX website, I would definitely recommend taking a deeper look into the audiobook world and potentially broadening your horizons and increasing your sales.

You Tell Me! Do you have any experience creating audiobooks or working with ACX? What would you add to this?

3 Reasons You Need an Author Website

Websites require time and money to set up — and even more time and money to maintain. But for an author, thought leader, or anyone else who has a message to share, they are well worth the investment.

A static website, regular blog, or even a simple microsite lies at the heart of your online influence. It is your “home” online — the place you can be yourself, display your tastes and opinions, and convey your message in the most effective way possible.

Here are a few benefits a good website or microsite can provide.

Complete Ownership

While we advocate sharing your message and interacting regularly on social media, the one drawback to that strategy is that you don’t own your content. Social platforms fizzle and fail. Messages get deleted and lost in cyberspace. You could wake up one day and discover that the business page you’ve spent so many hours curating has suddenly and inexplicably disappeared.

Your website, on the other hand, belongs to you alone.

You own the content completely. You decide the colors and layouts. You choose when to archive blog posts or refresh the design. You can display whatever message you want, for as long as you want, in whatever manner you prefer.

Curated Presence

Gone are the days of anonymity. Now publishers and audiences alike can search for you on Google and social media. But what if you don’t have a very professional presence on there? What if all they find is a private page or — even worse — your embarrassing baby photos that some wonderful family member chose to share?

That’s where a website can do the heavy lifting. Properly managed, with good SEO and smart navigation, your website can show up at the top of search results and point people to your carefully-curated online home . . . rather than Facebook. You can point people immediately to your online home, where they get to know you better and connect with you on a more personal level.

You get to choose whether to share vacation snapshots or work-related podcasts, favorite recipes or professional resources. What works best will depend on your message and target audience, but the point is — it’s up to you to decide what to share.

Central Location

Once your readers or followers discover you, what’s next? How can they connect with you or learn more about your message? A website provides a central location for both you and your audience.

It provides a secure place to capture email addresses for marketing campaigns via free lead magnets or newsletters.
It gives your audience a consistent place to check for new content (podcasts, blog posts, etc) and upcoming events.
It provides one location for all the things you have to offer the world — your services, resources, written content, audio-video clips, press releases, share graphics, social media buttons, and anything else you want to share.
It offers the opportunity to include a store, if you wish, and a contact page for people to learn more about acquiring your resources and services.

Are you convinced yet?

If you don’t have a website yet, don’t get overwhelmed by the idea. You don’t need to create an elaborate mansion or never-before-seen design. You can start with something as easy as a one-page microsite or a simple template to get things up and running, and work towards developing a custom website down the road. Not sure which one is best for you? Check out this comparison of the three main options, along with examples of each.

Once you decide what will best showcase your message and most effectively reach your audience, remember to keep things simple, logical, and up-to-date (here’s why). You might be surprised at the results!

 

Need some help creating your “dream home” online, or even just deciding what it should look like? We’d be happy to help! Here’s how to connect with us.