Biz Tips Blog: Online Marketing, Visibility and Business Blogging Tips

The Dirty Little Secrets of Published Authors - Part II

In Part I of this article, the common excuses would-be authors have about why they cannot get their book written were identified. Procrastination is the common denominator. So how can an author overcome procrastination?

Being curious by nature, we have studied the small percentage of authors we have worked with who are successful in making progress, writing on their blogs, organizing their book content, and who are getting published.

The Dirty Little Secrets of Published Authors - Part I

Why is it that some authors just seem to crank out the books like writing machines? Not only do they publish their first book, but after that they publish a second, third and more.

I've been studying non-fiction authors and their habits for a while now. Ever since my partner Denise Wakeman and I started our Blog to Book Project, we've been learning about the challenges of consultants, speakers, and other professionals who want to publish non-fiction books to build their businesses.

eBay Marketing Update

Last night I conducted my interview with Phil Dunn, an expert on eBay marketing as part of my continuing experiment with selling products on eBay.

In Conversation #39, our expert Phil Dunn talked with us about how to start and market an eBay business.

The first staggering statistic he shared was that an average of 111,000 people sign up to be sellers on eBay everyday!

Our conversation ranged from why to sell products on eBay to how to set yourself apart from the competition. The main thing I took away is that marketing products on eBay is much like marketing on any website or via email or direct mail...good copy and design is what counts to attract customers. The important thing to understand is that eBay should be considered one of your sales channels and treated as such.

Phil Dunn writes about eBay on 2 blogs:
The eBay Edge
eBay Seller Central

Resources Phil recommends:
Sellathon
LogoYes
LogoWorks
SmartCollector

Books about selling on eBay that Phil recommends:
The 7 Essential Steps to Successful eBay Marketing (Phil's book)
eBay for Dummies
eBay Powerseller Secrets
What to Sell on eBay and Where to Get It (published in January 2006)
Type & Layout: Are You Communicating or Just Making Pretty Shapes (highly recommended)

If you're interested in marketing your products and services on eBay, you can grab a copy of the audio program at Conversations with Experts.

Internet Marketing: Start Right, Start Smart

Internet Marketing:  Start Right, Start Smart
©2006 Patsi Krakoff, Psy. D.

When a professional or small business owner decides to launch their business on the Internet, they often start with a website. They've heard that everybody has to have a website. Then they learn that they should have an email newsletter.

Many people start out piece-meal. Website with one company, newsletter delivery with another provider, online payments with another, and as each need arises they get an account with a new provider.   In a previous article we recommended starting with a shopping cart marketing system. The next step is to establish your online presence.

Website First, Blog First?

Internet Marketing - What Comes First?

Internet Marketing - What Comes First?
©2006 Patsi  Krakoff, Psy. D.

Someone asked me recently, if I were to expand an existing professional services business onto the Internet, what marketing steps would I take first: set up a web site, a shopping cart, a newsletter, or a blog?

This is a very good question. Five years ago most Internet marketing specialists would have all responded in chorus, "A website, of course!" Then they would recommend their services to create an elaborate website with lots of bells and whistles.

I had an interesting email this week from a reader who asked me about website design fees. This is not my area of expertise. But this reader is a very smart guy. Why? Because he knows from my ezines, blogs and web site that I've been online for a few years and making a decent living from it. He's a rabbi who has many years experience counseling people. He now has made a wise decision to start offering coaching services to people, and wants to leverage the Internet to find clients, sell ebooks and other programs.