Friday’s upcoming event for authors

Authors looking for research tips for adding case studies to their books and marketing materials will want to attend next week’s Author Guide to Case Studies teleclass call.

I’ll be describing a 3-step process that can save you time researching and writing your case studies while adding information and story-power to your book.

My Author Guide to Case Studies teleclass call takes place Tuesday, February 9, at 4:00 PM EST. I’ll be distributing note-taking sheets and a copy of my Case Study Planner Worksheet. There will be an opportunity for asking questions and getting free coaching.

All Published & Profitable friends and members are invited to attend. To attend, call 218-486-1616 and enter PIN 513391#. The Case Study Planner worksheet, shown above, is one of hundreds of worksheets and mind map templates available for members of the Published & Profitable community.

Thursday’s profit tip for authors

Authors interested in increasing  back end sales can learn a lot by studying Pam Foster’s 7-Step ContentClear Web Site Optimization Method web site optimization plan shown at left.

Located one click from the first sentence on her home page, Pam Foster’s Web Content System engages visitors and moves them towards a purchase while outlining the 7-step process she follows with her clients.

It’s a brilliant strategy, and her execution is flawless, as you’d expect from a Senior Web Content Provider, Content Strategy Consultant, and winner of  the 2009 AWAI $10,000 Challenge for Copywriters.

Importance of a process

The starting point, of course, is the fact that Pam Foster has a 7-step process. This, in itself, is an important credibility-building web site conversion factor.

The presence of a process communicates that she knows her top inside and out, and has developed her own approach to helping others.

Building multiple bridges to conversion

Pam’s way of presenting her system is also right on target. She begins with an overview of her 7-step method as a numbered list on a single page, shown above, and links each step to its own page.

The “detail” pages associated with each step are formatted PDF worksheets that engage visitors and encourage them to take a fresh look at their own website. Each page, in other words, moves them closer to contacting Pam and learning more about how she can help convert intention into action.

Takeaway

Authors interested in selling more coaching, consulting, or speaking business by increasing their website conversions can learn numerous lessons in information organization, content, and design on by studying Pam Foster’s ContentClear site. What do you think? What’s your Number One takeaway from her site? Do you know of another site that uses a similar strategies and tactics to increse web site conversions?

Wednesday’s book marketing tip of the week for authors

Authors looking for proven web marketing tips and examples can learn a lot from New York Times bestselling author Sharon Drew Morgen’s Publishing Choices web site. Here are 4 of the lessons her site teaches; you may discover others.

Simple URLs that sell are still available

The first lesson involves choosing a website URL that clearly describes and positions what’s being offered. Like the title of her NY-Times best-selling book, Selling with Integrity, Sharon Drew’s website address is simple and to the point.

The continued availability of appropriate and descriptive URLs is good news for all of us, or, at least, those willing to distill the essence of our marketing messages down to their core.

Brevity

As you can see from the screen capture, above, the home page is short and to the point.  It concisely provides all the information needed to communicate whether or not you’re arrived at the right website.

Brevity is a characteristic notable throughout the site.

Benefits outweigh costs

Brevity is also illustrated by the succinct way she describes her services, as shown at left.

She describes exactly what you get in one of her packages, and how much it costs, in less than 75 words.

The straightforward presentation of price and benefits communicates confidence and professionalism, exactly what you want when you’re selecting a book marketing coach.

Design in the service of words

If you carefully compare the two images above, you’ll notice a subtle design technique at work:

• Home page graphic. Notice the 2-column bullet list below the words Publishing Choices on the header graphic shown in the top illustration.  The list plays an important role on the home page, as it indicates to visitors that they have arrived at the right site.
• Inside pages. The header graphic used on the inside pages, however, does not contain the 2-column listing of site benefits. This saves space on the inside pages–where the list isn’t needed–and provides more space for the contents/message on each page.

It’s always nice to observe focus and bevity at work. Analyzing the various websites created by NY Times bestselling author Sharon Drew Morgen provides us all with an opportunity to learn and imprrove our own websites. What do you think of the web marketing lessons and tips described above? Have I overlooked anything? Share your opinions, below.

Ezine Article’s free how-to article marketing template makes it easy for authors and subject area experts to market and promote their expertise online.

The template is based on a simple 7-step process that takes the uncertainty and stress out of writing by providing a framework for topic choice and efficient writing.

As is typical of the writing associated with Ezine Articles, the blog post describing the 7-step article writing template is clear and concise, yet covers the topic and invites implementation.

The visual to the right of the text is especially powerful in reinforcing the article template’s 7-steps. Ezine article’s blog post is efinitely worth a visit by newcomers looking for ways to take the stress out of article marketing.

Speaking of article marketing

Special thanks for the kind words that Dr. Bill Tallmon wrote about me at Ezine Articles. His unsolicited words touched me and are greatly appreciated. Dr. Bill has written over 100’s of thoughtful and informative articles at EzineArticles. His home site is www.BeYourOwnDoc.com. Thank you, Dr. Bill!

Tuesday’s writing tip of the week

If you are currently marketing your book or your business using an online or print newsletter, or you’re considering starting a newsletter to educate and keep in touch with your clients, customers, and prospects, you’ll want to attend today’s free Author Guide to Newsletter Production teleseminar call.

I’ll be describing a simple 3-step process to help you save time planning and writing each issue. Using the exclusive Published & Profitable worksheet that I will be distributing during this call, you’ll get a new perspective on using a newsletter to keep in touch as part of your permission-based marketing program.

After my brief presentation of the basics of efficient newsletter production, there will be an opportunity for you to add comments, ask questions,  and receive free online telephone coaching.

When is the free Newsletter Production call?

The call takes place Tuesday, February 2, at 4:00 PM EST.

Who can attend?

All Published & Profitable friends and current members (who will have access to the recording, note-taking sheet, and worksheets after the call).

How do I attend?

Call 218-486-1616 and enter PIN 513391#.

Bonus

The 3-step newsletter production process I will be sharing on this call not only reduces the time needed to produce each newsletter, you can also use the ideas for planning all sorts of other writing projects, including articles, reports, one sheets, and marketing copy for your website.

Monday’s planning tip for authors

Mind mapping software continues to help users get more done in less time. New features and approaches continue to appear.

I was fortunate when William Reed, an American living in Tokyo, introduced me to mind mapping several years ago.

I now use as a daily planning tool for dozens of tasks involved in content development and marketing, and recommend it to all my clients. I train others in its use and offer dozens of mind mapping templates for writers and marketers at Published & Profitable.

Stay out of trouble and find opportunity

Will Reed continues to create a unique synthesis of Eastern and Western thought, based on developing one’s physical and mental capacities.

His latest website is devoted to Nanba: The Art of Physical Finesse. Nanba, as he explains it, is a way to find your way out of trouble and into opportunity. He continues:

NANBA is a way to enhance performance and reduce stress, drawing on principles of natural design and movement. Combining the arts of improvisation and physical finesse, it can be applied by anyone to anything from enhancing enjoyment of daily life to improving professional performance.

His site contains several Webrains, such as the example above, that you can explore here or by clicking the above image. These were created with Personal Brain software which offers an interactive online platform for visually displaying complicated topics.

Will is someone who never stands still; his advice is generally ahead of its time. He recently recommended I read Getting Things Done with Personal Brain. It’s an article every author and marketer can profit from, especially when read in the context of the Webbrain examples found on his site. What do you think?