Tag Archives: social media marketing

Switching Gears

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“Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things  in  a different way.” ~ Edward de Bono

I am amazed at the versatility of  some artists! Last week, a few members of the Steamboat Symphony Orchestra came to our weekly Kiwanis International meeting to give us all a short presentation on their programs, upcoming events and to showcase the talents of a few of their professional violinists. There before me stood two women, who produced a magnificent range of harmonious sounds that were representative of the classical music they play in concert with their other symphony members.

Later that week, my husband and I went out to dinner, and performing at the restaurant was one of the very same artists playing her violin. This time, of all things, it was lively, foot stompin’, fun lovin’ blue grass music. Could she ever play! The joy and intensity with which she played was evident on her face, while she played the music of both genres. During one performance, very serious yet beautifully engaged as she gently stroked the violin strings and during the other, broadly and brightly smiling as she plucked and strummed . Two separate manifestations of expression.

Musicians are not the only multi-faceted artists. Writers too, do not always adhere to the same genre of writing. Writers often have the ability to switch from adult to children’s literature, from fiction to non-fiction to poetry or other structure of prose.

Artists by definition are practioners of creativity, ever expanding their repertoire of skills. Switching gears makes life interesting for all of us, artist or non-artist!

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It’s All Good!

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“We immediately become more effective when we decide to change ourselves rather than asking things to change for us.” ~ Stephen Covey

You all must think that this blogsite only focuses on independent publishing. Not so! I will read any book or watch any film so long as it adds value to my life, independently published or not!

Although we all stop growing physically at a certain age in life, that does not mean our intellect and self improvement skills need to stop growing, too. Growth from that perspective should be never ending.  Our evolution as human beings should be ongoing, especially if we are to live the kind of life we want for ourselves.

Last week, I stopped by the library and picked up a book that I never expected to be as useful to my own life and business as it is. It is called “Daily Reflections for Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey, published by Franklin Covey Company. What a treasure chest of writings this book contains for a values based business. If every business operated with the same synergy suggested in this book, we would all be living in a diamond mine.  Every company and organization would shine so brightly, we would all need blinders on! There is no “preachiness” in each short daily reflection in this book, only empowering principles for living life effectively and with great integrity.

We are all diamonds in the rough. This helpful book may add polish to your life, and contain the very things you have been searching for along your path to an enriched life. Check it out!

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Being on Target

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“All great men are gifted with intuition. They know without reasoning or analysis what they need to know.” ~Alexis Carrel

Hah! I knew I should listen to my intuition or the big guy in the sky who has been telling me to press on, not to listen to all the doubters, to carry-on with what feels right and just! I am talking about social media marketing!

One of the most high of all feels the same way I do! The Pope just advised his people that they need to spread the word by responding to “today’s cultural shifts” and if that means messing about with electronic technology and the virtual world, so be it! The Pope is an advocate for the use of electronic images, blogs, websites and videos to communicate with the masses of people throughout the world.

I concur! This is also what I have prescribed for opening up doorways of opportunity for all of our independent publishing clients! See that, sometimes it really pays to listen to your intuition or whatever elevated “being” you listen to!

Are you paying attention?

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Writers Revelations

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“The root of all superstition is that men observe when a thing hits, but not when it misses.” ~ Francis Bacon, Sr.

I didn’t know writers were a superstitious group! In truth, it never crossed my mind. Except for a few, all superstitious beliefs escape me. Every once in a while, I will search for the allusive four leaf clover and I walk around rather than under a ladder. But that is more out of concern for safety than thinking bad luck will befall upon me.

Yesterday, I was reading Poets and Writers Magazine www.pw.org and there is a page where writers recommend their secrets to success. Each had unique words of wisdom, but writer Jonathan Lethem suggested that his belief in superstition has helped him succeed along the way. To quote him “Have lucky things. It doesn’t matter what they are. I bought a green cardigan sweater for a quarter at a thrift store in Bennington, Vermont and wore it nearly every day through the writing of my first three novels, until it was in tatters.”

Jonathan has struck my curiosity! Are writers really, as a group, a superstitious lot? What would you add to a list of quirks, habits, superstitions and rituals that you practice when engaged in a publishing project? You can post them on this blogsite for all to see.

I’ll bet Poets and Writers Magazine has some words of wisdom they could add – they have been publishing the magazine for 40 years! I hope they remember to blow out all the candles on the cake! Happy Birthday, Poets and Writers Magazine.

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What Am I Getting Myself Into?

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“The value of many men and books rests solely on their faculty for compelling all to speak out the most hidden and intimate things.” ~ Friedrich Nietzshe

How many times have you had a book in your hands ready to buy, but then put it back on the store shelf because you didn’t know if you would like it or not? I don’t know about you, but I have done that frequently! The text on the back or inside flap covers gives us a glimpse into what the book is all about but sometimes that is just not enough. With just a little more insight into the book, perhaps you would be pushed over the edge into buying!

Guess what? Like movie trailers, which tease us into seeing a film, many independent publishers are now offering book trailers for the books they are selling on-line. I like that idea! For me, one extra flash of information about the book helps me discern whether to buy or  not.

Have you as an independent publisher put a book trailer on your list of ways to market your book? It may be the very thing that will grab the attention of a potential buyer and turn interest into action! As consumers, whether we are purchasing clothes, shoes, a book or a film, we all  want to know whether it “fits” prior to purchasing.

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Opportunities Lead to Choices

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“You just don’t luck into things as much as you’d like to think you do. You build step by step, whether it is friendships or opportunities.” ~ Barbara Bush

Over the past years, I have made a concerted effort to stop living in the “what if” frame of mind, at least from a negative point of view. I have decided we are all better off if we look at “what if” from a perspective of opportunity and possibility, instead.

Have you ever stopped to think how e-commerce (on-line, internet selling) has opened up a whole new world of possibilities?  Orders can be placed from all reaches of the globe. Such are the advantages of e-commerce.

Independent publishing lends itself quite naturally to  niche publishing and social media marketing provides great opportunities for reaching those niche markets. A war historian in the U.S. can publish a book on WWI or WWII and a history buff in Europe seeking out the lastest book to add to his collection, will order with little regard of where it is being shipped from.

You will need to figure out how to get the order to your customer, in far off reaches of the world, the most reliable and economical way possible. Global shipping means a conundrum of options with customs forms to match! Each country has it’s own regulations to deal with, too.

Don’t be caught unprepared! Knowing how to get the order across the globe so that it does not go astray, can be part of the battle, too. When contracting with an order fulfillment company, of all questions, ask whether they ship worldwide. It matters!

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Who is on Your List?

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“If we were all like angels, the world would be a heavenly place.” ~ Author Unknown

Are you a list maker? Not all of us are, but I have always been. I make lists of things to do, books to read, movies to see, friends to call, bills to pay.  They all keep me going in the right direction and organized. For businesses, database lists are essential and they take real effort to update and maintain.

The other day, I decided to start a new list. One I have never thought of making before. It is a collection of angels! I read an article in the newspaper about a new kind of angel that I have never heard of before. The subject of the article was micro-nutrients that are added to our food – things like iodine, zinc, vitamin-A, folic acid, and other vitamins. Without these supplements to food, children in many countries suffer from heart-breaking defects. There are groups such as Project Healthy Children, Helen Keller International and Vitamin Angels who give aid to countries that are deficient in providing essential vitamins and other micro-nutrients. A variety of these essentials are only about 30 cents per person per year. Yet, many countries do not have the resources to invest.

I am going to put Vitamin Angels right at the top of my list along with book angels, providing books to needy children and film angels, investors in films. All are important contributors to physical health or cultural well-being.

Is there a non-profit organization or individual that you would like to add to our list of angels? Perhaps we are missing some one!

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Are You a Dinosaur?

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“The great thing about getting older is that you don’t lose all the other ages you have been.” ~ Madeline L’Engle

As most little boys are, my son was completely obsessed and consumed with dinosaurs when he was 4. One day, as I sat on the floor building Legos with him, he looked up at me and asked, oh so seriously, “who came first, his grandmother and grandfather or the dinosaurs?” This tickled me because even now, I think of my parents as being young and young at heart. At the time, his grandparents had just turned 60 and were hardly an ancient species. But – it is all relative!

Business trends have undergone vast changes in the past few years. All companies are looking for less expensive and more far reaching ways of marketing and reaching their client base.

Enter — E-Marketing! Social networking is no longer just what our kids spend their time on. Smart companies have also jumped on the bandwagon! It is a whole new way of reaching potential clients, communicating with existing clients and learning more about what your client base wants and needs.

Staying stuck in habits of the past, serve companies no good! Resisting current trends will only leave a company lagging behind.  Is your business doing all that it can to stay current? Or is it becoming a dinosaur?

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The Winds of Change

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“The thing that lies at the foundation of positive change, the way I see it, is service to a fellow human being.” ~ Lech Walesa

I am of the belief that in order to change the world for the better, all of us as human beings need to join hands within communities and between communities to inspire change. In my opinion, a change in values needs to happen on a familial level, political level, community level and within the workplace. When folks with the same moral compass share beliefs and convictions, and join forces to get a job done, change can happen.

Over the past year, I have increased my participation in community involvement. And you know what? It feels good! I have found support from others in all kinds of ways that I have not expected. It has kept me focused on positive things rather than the daily sobering news of our country and our world.

Through one of my social media networks, a question was posed to all of us that share the network. It read “Is your glass half empty or half full?”  The response has been a revelation! Regardless of the news of rising gas prices, real estate foreclosures, terrorist threats, companies going bankrupt, very few persons have stated their glass is half empty! These are the folks that I want on my side!

I choose to believe that the positive responses that have come out of this question are a result of steadfast belief in our fellow man to bring about change! However, without active participation, words mean nothing. We need to move from rhetoric into action. It would benefit us all!

Think! If there was one single thing that you could change to make your own world better, what would it be? Share it with us! I bet there are others that feel the same way you do. Let’s see!

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Dazed and Confused?

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“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.” ~  Henry Ford

All independent publishers have had moments of feeling overwhelmed at some point throughout the publishing process.  As an independent publisher, there is a lengthy list of things to accomplish beyond the writing of a book or production of a cd or film.

When you don’t know which way to turn, it can be confusing! If you seek professional help, solutions will be easy. With the assistance of the internet, you can find freelance consultants to help with almost anything you need. There are editors, layout designers, cover designers, book coaches as well as book marketing experts.

You can quickly cross a few items off your list if you search for “order fulfillment for independent publishers.” They are the folks that can help you with the business side of shipping your orders all over the globe. After all, as an independent publisher, there are only so many things you can do in a day!

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