The first chapter from How to Build a Powerful Writer's Platform in 90 Days instructs you to do several things: first, figure out how much the book has actually cost you to produce by calculating the amount of time and money you've invested into it and the value of those things; second, calculate how many books you must sell in order to recoup that money by dividing your cost of production by the amount of profits per book you will make; third, to calculate - based on a 2-3% response rate - how large a following you must have in order to make that many sales; and fourth, to envision what a day as a successful author with a large fan following will be like for you.
There are three books that I'm working on producing right now. I'll use my How to Write book as an example. It took me 8 weeks to produce the rough draft. It will likely take me another 8 weeks to produce the second draft. Six more weeks after that for editing and proof reading. I produced my own book cover, so I don't have to pay someone to do that for me, but it's a value of $200 worth of work. I'll likely want to pay someone this time around to have it edited, so add in another $500. The total production hours are 320 at 40 an hour which means $12,800 worth of work. Add the $200 for the cover that brings it to $13,000 and then the $500 for editing and $500 for marketing, for a total of $14,000 to produce.
I intend to charge $20 per book. It will cost me $5 per book to print, so my profit is $15. That means I need to sell a minimum of 935 copies. For every 1000 people on my mailing list, I can expect 20 of those to take action and buy the book. That means I need 47,000 people on my mailing list in order to hit the break even point, and 50,000 to actually turn a profit. That's not impossible to do, but it will require a lot of work on my part. I could charge more, but I run the risk of alienating the audience and making them skeptical of its value.
Here is how I will spend my day as a successful author who is "helping writers get from chapter one to done so you can write the world a better place". I spend the morning checking fan mail, logging it and the subject matter along with my notes for following up. I will follow up with fan mail in one of three ways: video, blog post, or personal thank you.
Blog posts come if several people are asking the same question. Video responses will be for questions or letters that are somehow unique and interesting. I will then spend the next couple of hours checking and responding to social media outlets such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. After that, it's time to work on my next book, inspired by the needs expressed by my fans. Finally, it's time to craft and post the next blog post. Once a week I will do a book signing, once a week I will give a free seminar either online or in person, and twice a week I will host writing classes.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Day 6: The Book List Revealed
It is much to my chagrin that I did not have far to look for the books that I needed to put on this list. The vast majority of them were already on my Kindle - books purchased long ago but, as with many of the books on it, not thoroughly enough digested. Rushed and hurried, like too many of my projects.
Book Marketing:
1) How to Build a Powerful Writer's Platform in 90 Days by Austin Briggs
Book formatting for Self-Publishers, a Comprehensive How-to Guide by Jennette Green
Book Marketing:
1) How to Build a Powerful Writer's Platform in 90 Days by Austin Briggs
- How to build a genuine online platform and cultivate an audience;
- How to generate buzz around your book;
- How to launch a book successfully using only social media;
- How to make sure your book lives up to the hype you're about to build;
- 90-day calendar where I show you what you need to do every day to succeed.
- 41 Places to Promote Your Book For Free
- 600+ Places for Authors to Get Exposure for Their Books Through Guest Blogging
- 8 Free Press Releases Submission Sites
- 8 Places to Get Book Reviews
- 20 Book Awards for Which You Can Submit Your Book
- 5 Media Sources for Authors
- 43 Paid Advertising Resources
- 5 Virtual Bookshelves and Forums
- 34 Facebook Groups for Book Promotion
- And More!
- 10 Pillars of a Rock-Solid Kindle Business (Strategies #1 to #10)
- 4 Rules of Internal Book Marketing (Strategies #11 to #14)
- Maximize Your Amazon Book Listing (Strategies #15 to #21)
- Using the Author Page to Sell More Books (Strategies #22 to #27)
- Increase Book Sales with Free KDP Select Promotions (Strategies #28 to #32)
- How Pricing Affects Your Total Books Sales (Strategies #33 to #37)
- How to Build a Loyal Audience with an Author Platform (Strategies #38 to #41)
- Why an Email List is the Ultimate Author Platform (Strategies #42 to #46)
- Advanced Book Sales Techniques (Strategies #47 to #52)
- Follow "White-Hat" Kindle Practices (Strategies #53 to #58)
- The Mindset of a Best-Selling Kindle Author (Strategies #59 to #61)
- 30 secrets of the bestselling self-published ebook authors.
- Five Pillars of Successful List Building
- Why "Free" Is the Best Way to Build an Email List
- Three Long-Term Email Marketing Strategies
- How to Perfectly Blend Autoresponders with Broadcast Messages
- 12 Types of Email Marketing Messages (and When to Use Each)
- How ONE Page Can Build Your Email List
- Six List-Building WordPress Tools
- How to Create Compelling, "Click-Worthy" Subject Lines
- How to Time the Delivery of Email Messages
- Nine Crucial List-Building Guidelines
- How to Drive Traffic to an Email List
The book designer also provides a free downloadable book on formatting your self-published book.
The book I located on the subject is out of my price range at the moment, but is at the top of my list of items to purchase in the future:
By the time I've finished reading the other books, I should be ready to buy this book and put it into action.
My reading action plan:
1) Read chapter one of the four books on marketing that I've got each day and compile the results. It's a lot of reading, but it will be worth it if I can gain in the knowledge I need to succeed. I'll post what I learn from those books after each reading.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Day 5: Putting it together
Today's lesson for Book Yourself Solid involves taking all the pieces I've already worked to create and putting them together into a solid presentation.
1.4.1
Part I: Summarize your target market in one sentence
I help writers.
Part II: Identify and summarize their three biggest challenges
a) Lack of confidence
b) Lack of clarity
c) Lack of inspiration
Part III: List how you solve these problems and present clients with investable opportunities
a) I help them overcome their obstacles so they can achieve success.
b) I help them identify their personal message.
c) I help them find ideas that work for their personal message.
Part IV: Demonstrate the number one most relevant result you help your clients achieve
I help them finish their book.
Part V: Reveal the deeper core benefits your clients experience
My clients experience
a) The Financial benefit of a saleable product (their book)
b) The Emotional benefit of a tremendous boost to their self-confidence and a physical proof that they can finish a project even if they've failed a thousand times before
c) The Spiritual benefit of knowing that their work makes a positive difference in the lives of others
d) The Physical Benefits of stress relief with the additional income source you've provided
2.5.1 Answer the following:
a) In what areas are you currently an expert?
- I am an expert in helping beginning writers get their first book finished.
- I am an expert in finding time to write when you have a busy schedule
b) In what areas do you need to develop your expertise?
- I need to develop my expertise in rewriting the fiction book
- I need to develop my expertise in marketing books
- I need to develop my expertise in formatting self-published books
c) What promises can you make and deliver to your target market that will position you as an expert?
- I can promise that I can show writers how to find more time to write
- I can promise that I can help writers finish their first book
d) What promises would you like to make and deliver to your target market but don't yet feel comfortable with?
- I would like to promise them that I can teach them to format their books beautifully
- I would like to promise them that I can teach them how to make their book a best seller
e) What do you need to do to become comfortable at making and delivering those promises?
- I need to learn best practices for formatting books
- I need to learn best practices for book marketing
2.5.2 If there was one thing you could be known for within your target market, what would it be?
- The developing writer's success counselor
2.5.3. What do you need to learn to become a category authority in the area you'd like to be known for?
- Book formatting, book marketing, fiction rewriting
2.5.4. List the ways in which you could learn the things you identified in the preceding written exercise?
- Book formatting: books, online tutorials
- Book marketing: books, online tutorials, classes, mentoring programs
- Fiction rewriting: mentoring or training programs, books, other fiction writers
2.5.5. Research and list 5 books that meet the preceding criteria
Actually, I think I'll save this for tomorrow. I'll do the research and post the results in tomorrow's blog.
1.4.1
Part I: Summarize your target market in one sentence
I help writers.
Part II: Identify and summarize their three biggest challenges
a) Lack of confidence
b) Lack of clarity
c) Lack of inspiration
Part III: List how you solve these problems and present clients with investable opportunities
a) I help them overcome their obstacles so they can achieve success.
b) I help them identify their personal message.
c) I help them find ideas that work for their personal message.
Part IV: Demonstrate the number one most relevant result you help your clients achieve
I help them finish their book.
Part V: Reveal the deeper core benefits your clients experience
My clients experience
a) The Financial benefit of a saleable product (their book)
b) The Emotional benefit of a tremendous boost to their self-confidence and a physical proof that they can finish a project even if they've failed a thousand times before
c) The Spiritual benefit of knowing that their work makes a positive difference in the lives of others
d) The Physical Benefits of stress relief with the additional income source you've provided
2.5.1 Answer the following:
a) In what areas are you currently an expert?
- I am an expert in helping beginning writers get their first book finished.
- I am an expert in finding time to write when you have a busy schedule
b) In what areas do you need to develop your expertise?
- I need to develop my expertise in rewriting the fiction book
- I need to develop my expertise in marketing books
- I need to develop my expertise in formatting self-published books
c) What promises can you make and deliver to your target market that will position you as an expert?
- I can promise that I can show writers how to find more time to write
- I can promise that I can help writers finish their first book
d) What promises would you like to make and deliver to your target market but don't yet feel comfortable with?
- I would like to promise them that I can teach them to format their books beautifully
- I would like to promise them that I can teach them how to make their book a best seller
e) What do you need to do to become comfortable at making and delivering those promises?
- I need to learn best practices for formatting books
- I need to learn best practices for book marketing
2.5.2 If there was one thing you could be known for within your target market, what would it be?
- The developing writer's success counselor
2.5.3. What do you need to learn to become a category authority in the area you'd like to be known for?
- Book formatting, book marketing, fiction rewriting
2.5.4. List the ways in which you could learn the things you identified in the preceding written exercise?
- Book formatting: books, online tutorials
- Book marketing: books, online tutorials, classes, mentoring programs
- Fiction rewriting: mentoring or training programs, books, other fiction writers
2.5.5. Research and list 5 books that meet the preceding criteria
Actually, I think I'll save this for tomorrow. I'll do the research and post the results in tomorrow's blog.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Day 4: Personal Branding Part 2
Why do we write? What is it that a writer hopes to gain out of writing? It certainly isn't the money. That's not likely to come soon, if it ever comes at all. It certainly isn't the fame. The reality is that most of us will have our books read by maybe 100 people at the most over the course of our lifetime. It certainly isn't encouragement. We meet so many people who tear us down, tell us we can't, face us with the facts and data that seem to suggest our failure. Yet, in spite of all this, we plug along and we continue to write. Why? What is the compelling force that drives us to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and write in spite of the evidence against us?
I have yet to meet anyone who was good at writing for whom this next statement was not true: books changed our lives. They were our safe place, our refuge, our teachers and guides in an often confusing world. They changed our lives in fundamental ways. I think this urge to write comes from this belief that if books changed our lives, maybe by writing our own book we, too, can make a difference. We can change things for the better in our world. We can add our voices to the dialogue and make ourselves heard above the noise.
Why do I want to help other writers? What about that appeals to me? I think we all have gifts, things that we were born in this life to do. I know I was born to teach people how much God loves them. Writing is one of the ways that I do that, but more importantly by reaching out to the writers around me I can influence the influencers as they say in marketing. I can multiply the potential for impact by impacting those who are going to make a difference. I have a gift for teaching, and a gift for writing, and by helping other writers I combine those two gifts. This is why I want to do what I do - to help writers change the world by changing the hearts of the people who live in it.
I think when you are feeling down and discouraged as a writer and you're facing writer's block that seems like it might as well be Mount Everest for all your hopes of getting past it, or you've struggled and struggled to put into words the idea for a book that you know you have inside of you to no avail, you can start to forget why you write. You can lose sight of the fact that your writing has the power to make a positive difference in the world, and you may not realize that the world really does need you to make that difference. It's a difference that only you can make, too. Nobody else has your words, nobody else has your message. Nobody else has lived the experiences that you have lived.
That's why writers need someone like me. Not to put words in their mouth or tell them things they already know, but to help remind them of their message and how important it is that they share it. If they don't know their message, I can help them find it. If they know it and are having trouble putting it into words, I can help them figure out how to say what needs to be said because that's what I'm good at doing. That's what I was born to do.
Here's a summary of who I help and what I do: I help writers change the world for the better by changing lives. I'm the one to call when you're ready to write the world a better place. There it is. That's my tagline: Call me when you're ready to write the world a better place.
I have yet to meet anyone who was good at writing for whom this next statement was not true: books changed our lives. They were our safe place, our refuge, our teachers and guides in an often confusing world. They changed our lives in fundamental ways. I think this urge to write comes from this belief that if books changed our lives, maybe by writing our own book we, too, can make a difference. We can change things for the better in our world. We can add our voices to the dialogue and make ourselves heard above the noise.
Why do I want to help other writers? What about that appeals to me? I think we all have gifts, things that we were born in this life to do. I know I was born to teach people how much God loves them. Writing is one of the ways that I do that, but more importantly by reaching out to the writers around me I can influence the influencers as they say in marketing. I can multiply the potential for impact by impacting those who are going to make a difference. I have a gift for teaching, and a gift for writing, and by helping other writers I combine those two gifts. This is why I want to do what I do - to help writers change the world by changing the hearts of the people who live in it.
I think when you are feeling down and discouraged as a writer and you're facing writer's block that seems like it might as well be Mount Everest for all your hopes of getting past it, or you've struggled and struggled to put into words the idea for a book that you know you have inside of you to no avail, you can start to forget why you write. You can lose sight of the fact that your writing has the power to make a positive difference in the world, and you may not realize that the world really does need you to make that difference. It's a difference that only you can make, too. Nobody else has your words, nobody else has your message. Nobody else has lived the experiences that you have lived.
That's why writers need someone like me. Not to put words in their mouth or tell them things they already know, but to help remind them of their message and how important it is that they share it. If they don't know their message, I can help them find it. If they know it and are having trouble putting it into words, I can help them figure out how to say what needs to be said because that's what I'm good at doing. That's what I was born to do.
Here's a summary of who I help and what I do: I help writers change the world for the better by changing lives. I'm the one to call when you're ready to write the world a better place. There it is. That's my tagline: Call me when you're ready to write the world a better place.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Day 3: Personal Branding
Today with Book Yourself Solid I'm working on Chapter 3: Personal Branding. It starts out by exploring personal failures - moments when you've sold out or compromised your integrity or settled for less.
1.3.1 Ways in which you've sold out, settled for less, or compromised your integrity
- Ghost blogging. I liked getting paid for writing, but I got no credit for doing it and it wasn't something I did because I wanted to do it but because I was desperate for the money.
- Painting the "who cut one" tree scape. It made me sad to do it.
- Installing wordpress templates on a site when you know your site design is better but they want to look like everyone else. Makes me feel drained by the effort and totally useless.
1.3.2. Times when you've felt alive and vibrant - fully self-expressed
- Designing the covers for the writers I have helped
- Discussing book concepts and seeing them help the writers I know
- Coming up with book ideas
- Writing my own books
I don't want to ghost write. If I am going to help, I want them to develop their ideas themselves. I don't mind collaborating on a work, but I don't want to have a portfolio of work I can't show anyone else.
1.3.6. Write down one of your most important intentions as it relates to your business
- I intend to book myself solid (hey, I'm borrowing from the author, but it's true for me)
1.3.7. Potential conflicting Intentions for the Intention you Identified
- If I book myself solid, when will I have time to write my own books?
- If I book myself solid, will I be able to live up to the promises I've made?
1.3.8. Answer the following questions: How are you unique? What three things make you memorable? What are special talents you have been good at since you were a kid? What do people always complement you on? What do you love or never grow tired of talking about in your personal life? What do you want to say that you would never grow tired of talking about when asked about your work?
- How am I unique? In the words of a friend of mine - "uniquely creative" - I literally just bust at the seams with creativity on all fronts
- What makes me memorable? Strong convictions, willingness to help, fun-loving nature
- What are my special talents? Inventing good stories, teaching, analyzing, singing
- Things people always compliment me on? People are always complementing me on my singing, on my ability to write and to tell stories
- What do I love and never grow tired of talking about in my personal life? I never get tired of talking about love (God is love!) and about human relationships.
- When asked about my work, I never get tired of talking about how what I do impacts lives for the better by helping people understand and find important truths about relationships
Okay, so what I do is that I help writers find and share their unique message with the world. I do it because I want to make the world a better place, and I believe that writing does just that. Refining it. I do this work because I want to teach people how much God loves them. I'm making the world a better place by helping people find their unique love messages and sharing those with the world.
Love messages. Love letters. The knowledge that inside of you is a unique love letter from God to the world, and it is your job to deliver that message because you, as a writer, were born to do just that.
Making the world a better place by helping writers find and deliver their unique love letters to the world. I help writers find and deliver their unique love letters to the world because the world can always use more love. Mmmm...going to have to spend some time thinking about the tagline. That'll probably be a post for tomorrow.
1.3.1 Ways in which you've sold out, settled for less, or compromised your integrity
- Ghost blogging. I liked getting paid for writing, but I got no credit for doing it and it wasn't something I did because I wanted to do it but because I was desperate for the money.
- Painting the "who cut one" tree scape. It made me sad to do it.
- Installing wordpress templates on a site when you know your site design is better but they want to look like everyone else. Makes me feel drained by the effort and totally useless.
1.3.2. Times when you've felt alive and vibrant - fully self-expressed
- Designing the covers for the writers I have helped
- Discussing book concepts and seeing them help the writers I know
- Coming up with book ideas
- Writing my own books
I don't want to ghost write. If I am going to help, I want them to develop their ideas themselves. I don't mind collaborating on a work, but I don't want to have a portfolio of work I can't show anyone else.
1.3.6. Write down one of your most important intentions as it relates to your business
- I intend to book myself solid (hey, I'm borrowing from the author, but it's true for me)
1.3.7. Potential conflicting Intentions for the Intention you Identified
- If I book myself solid, when will I have time to write my own books?
- If I book myself solid, will I be able to live up to the promises I've made?
1.3.8. Answer the following questions: How are you unique? What three things make you memorable? What are special talents you have been good at since you were a kid? What do people always complement you on? What do you love or never grow tired of talking about in your personal life? What do you want to say that you would never grow tired of talking about when asked about your work?
- How am I unique? In the words of a friend of mine - "uniquely creative" - I literally just bust at the seams with creativity on all fronts
- What makes me memorable? Strong convictions, willingness to help, fun-loving nature
- What are my special talents? Inventing good stories, teaching, analyzing, singing
- Things people always compliment me on? People are always complementing me on my singing, on my ability to write and to tell stories
- What do I love and never grow tired of talking about in my personal life? I never get tired of talking about love (God is love!) and about human relationships.
- When asked about my work, I never get tired of talking about how what I do impacts lives for the better by helping people understand and find important truths about relationships
Okay, so what I do is that I help writers find and share their unique message with the world. I do it because I want to make the world a better place, and I believe that writing does just that. Refining it. I do this work because I want to teach people how much God loves them. I'm making the world a better place by helping people find their unique love messages and sharing those with the world.
Love messages. Love letters. The knowledge that inside of you is a unique love letter from God to the world, and it is your job to deliver that message because you, as a writer, were born to do just that.
Making the world a better place by helping writers find and deliver their unique love letters to the world. I help writers find and deliver their unique love letters to the world because the world can always use more love. Mmmm...going to have to spend some time thinking about the tagline. That'll probably be a post for tomorrow.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Day 2: Choosing a Direction
Day 1 felt good. It told me who I do want to work with and who isn't on that list. I don't know that I'm much closer to having a solid business plan, but I'm a step closer. Today's topic in the Book Yourself Solid playbook is choosing a target market. This is the group of people where your ideal clients are most likely to be found. Your target market must be specific enough and it must be the right one for you.
I have decided that I want to help writers, and not just any writers but writers at that crucial beginning stage of the process when they are still developing their ideas. My friends who are writers have told me I'm kind of a "book muse" - I am good at helping them to develop concepts and brainstorm ideas. I'm especially good at helping fiction writers, although I'm good with non-fiction writers, too. Concept development assistance for writers is too wordy, but it's the service I provide. I am a book muse and I provide concept development assistance for writers. I could see introducing myself that way. The Book Muse: Providing concept development assistance for writers.
Question is - would anyone pay me for that service and how much should I charge? Is there a way to automate such a service?
1.2.4 What are five of your clients' urgent needs?
- To find an idea for a direction to head with a story
- To finish their book on time
- To come up with an idea for a story
- To overcome writer's block
- To clarify their ideas and select the one that works best
After looking over this list, I wonder if perhaps there are editors who would appreciate having someone they can call to help inspire authors that are struggling. I think it would be a valuable service to book companies and might well be a way to earn income while getting to work with the very people I enjoy working with most. Oh, and agents. That's another possibility.
1.2.5 What are five of your clients' compelling desires
- To support their families with their writing
- To achieve success
- To keep their fan base happy and growing
- To get their message out there
- To be able to write full-time
1.2.6 What is the biggest result I provide?
- Get your book finished! (for authors)
- Your client's book finished (for agents)
- The book finished on time (for editors)
The Financial, Emotional, Physical, and Spiritual Rewards. These must be evident before clients will purchase and the minimum they should receive in terms of return on investment is 20 times what you are asking them to pay. People aren't buying what you do, they are buying the solutions you provide.
1.2.7. What are the deep-rooted benefits clients will experience as a result of your services?
- Relief from the stress of worrying about finishing your book
- Confidence in the direction your book is heading
- Pleasing fans without selling out
- Connect more powerfully with the message that you want to share and the people who need it most
- Have more time doing the writing you love and less time worrying about moving past writer's block
I have decided that I want to help writers, and not just any writers but writers at that crucial beginning stage of the process when they are still developing their ideas. My friends who are writers have told me I'm kind of a "book muse" - I am good at helping them to develop concepts and brainstorm ideas. I'm especially good at helping fiction writers, although I'm good with non-fiction writers, too. Concept development assistance for writers is too wordy, but it's the service I provide. I am a book muse and I provide concept development assistance for writers. I could see introducing myself that way. The Book Muse: Providing concept development assistance for writers.
Question is - would anyone pay me for that service and how much should I charge? Is there a way to automate such a service?
1.2.4 What are five of your clients' urgent needs?
- To find an idea for a direction to head with a story
- To finish their book on time
- To come up with an idea for a story
- To overcome writer's block
- To clarify their ideas and select the one that works best
After looking over this list, I wonder if perhaps there are editors who would appreciate having someone they can call to help inspire authors that are struggling. I think it would be a valuable service to book companies and might well be a way to earn income while getting to work with the very people I enjoy working with most. Oh, and agents. That's another possibility.
1.2.5 What are five of your clients' compelling desires
- To support their families with their writing
- To achieve success
- To keep their fan base happy and growing
- To get their message out there
- To be able to write full-time
1.2.6 What is the biggest result I provide?
- Get your book finished! (for authors)
- Your client's book finished (for agents)
- The book finished on time (for editors)
The Financial, Emotional, Physical, and Spiritual Rewards. These must be evident before clients will purchase and the minimum they should receive in terms of return on investment is 20 times what you are asking them to pay. People aren't buying what you do, they are buying the solutions you provide.
1.2.7. What are the deep-rooted benefits clients will experience as a result of your services?
- Relief from the stress of worrying about finishing your book
- Confidence in the direction your book is heading
- Pleasing fans without selling out
- Connect more powerfully with the message that you want to share and the people who need it most
- Have more time doing the writing you love and less time worrying about moving past writer's block
Monday, September 8, 2014
Day 1: Rebooting the Business
I've struggled to put together a successful business for as long as I can remember. My first "business" was picking weeds for neighbors at age 4. My first "business plan" I came up with at age 5. It was simple, elegant, inventive, and imaginative. My plan was to pick blackberries, because they grew for free, smoosh them up, allow the juices to dry out, scrape up the residue and package it as my own kool-aid packets for 10 cents per packet. Naturally, this plan did not work. I had failed to calculate the cost of labor and the sheer volume of berries required to produce much money.
For the last three years, I had a business that wasn't successful but it was supporting us. That collapsed in on itself in July and my husband and I have been scrambling to figure out an alternative. I decided to do two things: Take a class in evaluating entrepreneurial ideas from Coursera and read through the entirety of Michael Port's Book Yourself Solid and blog the results of the exercises.
I have a lot of skills and talents, just haven't really been able to put together a solid plan to market those and attract clients. I'm hoping that between the two classes, I can figure it out. It at least may give me an idea for a direction to head and an honest assessment of what I need to do to make things work more long-term this time.
One of the first things he says that I really, really like is this, "When I began my business, I would work with anyone who had a pulse and a checkbook. Then I began to consider what it would mean to choose my clients. What it would mean to work only with clients that were ideal for me."
When we were running Creative Technology Services, that's where we were. We would accept whatever work came our way out of desperation, fearing that nothing else would. As a result, we often wound up working on projects that didn't really fit us and our abilities very well. We didn't enjoy the work and we weren't doing our best work because of it. That's one thing I want to change this time. I want to work with people who motivate and inspire me to want to work with them. I want to know that helping them means making a positive difference in the world around me.
Exercise 1.1.1. Name the characteristics or behaviors you refuse to tolerate because they shut you down or turn you off?
I can't stand working with clients who are bullies, who think that they need to harass or badger people to get things done faster. I don't want to work with clients who look down on me or think I'm just another servant at their command. I won't work with clients who want me to do everything for them. I can't read minds, so I don't want clients who expect me to do that. I hate working with clients who don't take themselves or my time seriously. I don't want to work with clients who aren't sure where they are going or who change directions constantly. I can't work with clients who won't listen or take advice. I need to be sure that the clients I work with know how to communicate their ideas and expectations clearly.
Exercise 1.1.2. Of your past/current clients who should not have gotten past the red velvet rope protecting you and your business?
Looking at the past, most of the clients we took on should not have gotten past the red velvet rope. Of course, we didn't really have a rope. We had an open gate, and that was part of the problem.
Exercise 1.1.3. Dump the dud clients
This one isn't hard to do. It's pretty much happened on its own, which is why our business isn't functioning right now. Lesson learned from this experience: Dumping them before you get involved preserves your sanity and the reputation of your business. As he says in the book, "You owe it to these clients to refer them to someone who can, and will, do their best work with them."
Exercise 1.1.4 Define Your Ideal Client
My ideal client has a specific goal they want to achieve and they have a plan in place to achieve that goal. They know what they want, but are open to suggestions and input. They recognize that working with me will be a collaborative effort and they are prepared to provide feedback on what they like and don't like in a constructive manner. They are pleasant, even-tempered, and ask questions rather than make assumptions. They understand that I have bills to pay just as they do and are as prompt as possible in payment when the terms of service are met. They believe in themselves and are generally optimistic.
Exercise 1.1.5 Who Among Your Current Clients Fits This?
Since I am reinventing my business and may not be doing the same things I have been doing in the past, I think I will approach this from an "I don't have clients yet" standpoint. I know I have absolutely loved working with my developing writers in writer's group, and I seem to have a special gift for helping them to find and develop ideas for their writing.
Exercise 1.1.6 Why Do You Enjoy Working with Them?
I enjoy seeing them go from having this seed of a dream to fulfilling it for the first time. I love being part of that process for them, of watching them come alive as they realize for the first time - maybe in their whole lives - that they can write and that what they write is worth something. That's what gets me going about the whole process of working with writers.
Exercise 1.1.7. What Would Your Ideal Clients Absolutely Need to Possess in order to work for them?
I need them to be committed to writing, to have a strong message they want to share, a recognition that they don't have all the answers, and an ability to take constructive criticism. They need to be people of strong faith, and people who hold themselves accountable for the results rather than blaming others. They also need to be willing and able to pay, because I have to pay my bills in order to be available to help them.
For the last three years, I had a business that wasn't successful but it was supporting us. That collapsed in on itself in July and my husband and I have been scrambling to figure out an alternative. I decided to do two things: Take a class in evaluating entrepreneurial ideas from Coursera and read through the entirety of Michael Port's Book Yourself Solid and blog the results of the exercises.
I have a lot of skills and talents, just haven't really been able to put together a solid plan to market those and attract clients. I'm hoping that between the two classes, I can figure it out. It at least may give me an idea for a direction to head and an honest assessment of what I need to do to make things work more long-term this time.
One of the first things he says that I really, really like is this, "When I began my business, I would work with anyone who had a pulse and a checkbook. Then I began to consider what it would mean to choose my clients. What it would mean to work only with clients that were ideal for me."
When we were running Creative Technology Services, that's where we were. We would accept whatever work came our way out of desperation, fearing that nothing else would. As a result, we often wound up working on projects that didn't really fit us and our abilities very well. We didn't enjoy the work and we weren't doing our best work because of it. That's one thing I want to change this time. I want to work with people who motivate and inspire me to want to work with them. I want to know that helping them means making a positive difference in the world around me.
Exercise 1.1.1. Name the characteristics or behaviors you refuse to tolerate because they shut you down or turn you off?
I can't stand working with clients who are bullies, who think that they need to harass or badger people to get things done faster. I don't want to work with clients who look down on me or think I'm just another servant at their command. I won't work with clients who want me to do everything for them. I can't read minds, so I don't want clients who expect me to do that. I hate working with clients who don't take themselves or my time seriously. I don't want to work with clients who aren't sure where they are going or who change directions constantly. I can't work with clients who won't listen or take advice. I need to be sure that the clients I work with know how to communicate their ideas and expectations clearly.
Exercise 1.1.2. Of your past/current clients who should not have gotten past the red velvet rope protecting you and your business?
Looking at the past, most of the clients we took on should not have gotten past the red velvet rope. Of course, we didn't really have a rope. We had an open gate, and that was part of the problem.
Exercise 1.1.3. Dump the dud clients
This one isn't hard to do. It's pretty much happened on its own, which is why our business isn't functioning right now. Lesson learned from this experience: Dumping them before you get involved preserves your sanity and the reputation of your business. As he says in the book, "You owe it to these clients to refer them to someone who can, and will, do their best work with them."
Exercise 1.1.4 Define Your Ideal Client
My ideal client has a specific goal they want to achieve and they have a plan in place to achieve that goal. They know what they want, but are open to suggestions and input. They recognize that working with me will be a collaborative effort and they are prepared to provide feedback on what they like and don't like in a constructive manner. They are pleasant, even-tempered, and ask questions rather than make assumptions. They understand that I have bills to pay just as they do and are as prompt as possible in payment when the terms of service are met. They believe in themselves and are generally optimistic.
Exercise 1.1.5 Who Among Your Current Clients Fits This?
Since I am reinventing my business and may not be doing the same things I have been doing in the past, I think I will approach this from an "I don't have clients yet" standpoint. I know I have absolutely loved working with my developing writers in writer's group, and I seem to have a special gift for helping them to find and develop ideas for their writing.
Exercise 1.1.6 Why Do You Enjoy Working with Them?
I enjoy seeing them go from having this seed of a dream to fulfilling it for the first time. I love being part of that process for them, of watching them come alive as they realize for the first time - maybe in their whole lives - that they can write and that what they write is worth something. That's what gets me going about the whole process of working with writers.
Exercise 1.1.7. What Would Your Ideal Clients Absolutely Need to Possess in order to work for them?
I need them to be committed to writing, to have a strong message they want to share, a recognition that they don't have all the answers, and an ability to take constructive criticism. They need to be people of strong faith, and people who hold themselves accountable for the results rather than blaming others. They also need to be willing and able to pay, because I have to pay my bills in order to be available to help them.
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