I Published My First Ebook...Now What??

Yesterday, I received an email from Kristin Johnson of Profession Direction announcing the publication of her first ebook, "Target Your Resume to Win Over Applicant Tracking Systems."

She gifted me with a copy of the ebook in appreciation for my support and encouragement of her efforts to get her first ebook published.

Although getting an ebook published seems like it is the "hardest" part of the process, the real work begins once you have the product ready to sell. Now you have to get people to buy it!

I sent Kristin this five-step outline for increasing sales of her first ebook, and wanted to share these tips with you too.

Step 1: Solicit customer reviews to add to your sales page! Select 10-12 people and ask them if they'd be willing to check out your new ebook and write a review! These testimonials (especially excerpts) can really boost sales once people get to your page.

Step 2: Send out a news release -- not targeted to selling the book itself, but highlighting your expertise in understanding the ATS in the job search (from your position as an AUTHOR!) This may lead to interview requests from radio/tv/print, which will lead people to search for (and buy!) your book ... but also get you visibility and credibility with potential new clients!

RESOURCE: Feed The Media: How to Get Free Publicity For Your Resume Business

Step 3: Let your current and past clients know about the book! (If you have an email list of your customers, this is easy to do. If you don't, it's time to start putting one together!) Get the word out to your "influencers" too -- folks who have referred to you in the past. (If they're someone who regularly sends business your way, gift them a complimentary copy of the ebook in appreciation for their referrals.)

Step 4: Spread the word on social media. This should include tweets, Facebook posts (both on your business page and personal page), adding the book to "Publications" in your LinkedIn profile (and writing a status update about it, with a link to the sales page).

Step 5: Repurpose the content! Offer a guest blog post and/or post an article on a major article directory site with a 200- to 500-word article on the topic (can be a direct excerpt or have your weblady take a section and write an article on it). In your resource box, link to your book sales page. (And then follow Step 4 to spread the word about the article.)

And, once you've completed those five steps, here is another blog post with even MORE ideas to increase sales of your ebook:
http://rwdigest.blogspot.com/2012/12/ideas-to-increase-sales-of-your-ebook.html

And here are some additional resources to help you get your first ebook published:

• Shortcut to publishing your first ebook

• Special Report: Making Money Writing Ebooks

• Special Report: Sell Your First Information Product in 72 Hours

• Teleseminar: Using Content to Capture New Career Clients

Is Your Website Too Ugly to Get You Clients?

Ten years ago, I'd estimate that about half of resume writers didn't have a website. They were expensive to set up (most resume writers couldn't set them up themselves), and -- at the time, folks weren't as comfortable buying services online as they are now.

Today, if you don't have a website, you're a rarity among resume writers. But having a website isn't enough -- you must have a GREAT website. Your website is usually the place where prospective clients first learn about you and what you have to offer. The first impression you make is critical.

You probably realize this yourself from thinking about the websites you look at most often. The best websites are attractively designed but more important -- they are well organized. A prospective client can clearly identify what you do, who you serve, and how you can help. And, it succinctly communicates how they can begin working with you.

With today's technology, it's easier than ever to have a website ... but it's also easy to have an ineffective, and sometimes even UGLY website.

Yes, you can set up a website in 5 or 10 minutes, using a platform that gives you everything you need.

But that's not the end of the story. Think about a cupcake. You know what the finished product is supposed to look like — yummy and good smelling. But, just because someone sets out the ingredients doesn't guarantee that you will put them together in the right away to come up with a scrumptious cupcake. It could turn out to be a mess.

It's the same with your website. Just because you throw some parts and pieces together doesn't mean that the end result will be "yummy" for prospective visitors. It takes some thought — and planning — to create a website that will attract clients.

What are some characteristics of ugly websites?

• Not user-friendly. You've done the hard work of getting a prospective client to your website. Now, help them become a client by making your site easy to navigate, structured logically to address three main issues: who you are, how you can help, and how they can start working with you.
• Links that don't work. Test all of your buttons before you go live. But once the site is up, make sure the links keep working. There's nothing worse than broken links for driving a site visitor away.
• Poor color scheme. It is important that your content and images are easy to see and read. White text on a black background is hard to read. The same goes for lettering in yellow on a white background. Choose black on white for your content.
• Pop-ups. While one pop-up can be effective to offer a free special report to build your mailing list, but one should be your limit. If someone has to keep clicking to exit boxes all the time, the reader will be distracted and annoyed.

Take a look at your website. Are you guilty of any of these? Don't worry. It can be fixed.

Leverage The Power of Groups for Success as a Resume Writer

This is the fourth post in our four-part series on "Four Ways to Improve Your Life and Achieve Greater Success as a Resume Writer." You can read the previous posts on The Power of Effective Goal Setting, How Positive Thinking Can Change Your Life, and If You Want to Keep Earning, You Need to Keep Learning.

Today, I want to talk about leveraging the power of groups for self-improvement. Specifically, the role of accountability partners in helping us be successful. I'm very interested in MasterMind groups.

How to Make MasterMind Groups Work for You

A MasterMind group is a group of like-minded individuals who join together for the purpose of growth: business, personal, and/or professional. While the concept of a mastermind group is an old one — Ben Franklin belonged to a club for mutual improvement and Henry Ford and Thomas Edison established a supportive partnership — the term was coined in 1937 by Napoleon Hill in his book, "Think and Grow Rich."

Part of a mastermind group is setting up rules and procedures that work for the individuals within the group.  The groups generally work by meeting regularly and discussing goals, problems, and solutions.  Typically, groups met face-to-face but with today's busy world and the ease of online communication, many meet over the phone or via video conferencing software.  

There are numerous valuable benefits to joining a mastermind group:

• They provide the opportunity to be heard by safe and non-judgmental associates.  
• You are provided with helpful feedback before you take a course of action.  
• You are motivated by accountability when you establish goals with a group.  
• You are offered solutions to problems from objective and positive people who want you to succeed.  
• You are offered the opportunity to develop long lasting and meaningful relationships with like-minded individuals.  

The above is only possible if you are able to build a group of passionate, supportive, like-minded individuals. So how do you ensure that your mastermind group members are the right ones for you?  Often, you meet individuals in networking groups our other associations. If you feel a positive chemistry with these people, ask them about joining a mastermind group with you. Remember a group can be as small as two people. Ask potential members if they have a personal or business mission statement and see if it matches your own goals.  

Many groups find it helpful to have a meeting facilitator. This can be the same person each time, it can be outsourced, or members can rotate the responsibility. In each meeting, it is important that all members have the opportunity to share. It is also valuable if a set topic is established prior to the meeting that members bring information to share with the group relating to the topic, articles, and books, etc. 

For example, if the meeting's topic is goal setting for your resume writing business, then everyone would bring their own goals as well as materials that they found that offered information and solutions to the topic.

Make sure that all members are committed to meeting on a regular basis; if members often miss meetings, then it weakens the group as a whole. Make sure that members have a strong desire to meet or exceed their goals. Members also need to have a desire to share their experiences and support all members of the group. 

Members need to have a commitment to themselves to move forward in their business and personal life.  All members, including you, need to be open to the thoughts, comments, and honest feedback of fellow members. You need to let go of the fear of change and diversity. The strength of the group lies both in their similarities and their differences. Each person brings their own experiences and background to learn from.

Questions to ask if you are considering starting or joining a mastermind group:

• Do you wonder if you're making the right decisions?
• Do you want to grow your business or your career but you aren't sure how?
• Do you have business problems that are too big to solve alone?
• Do you wonder how other business professionals operate?
• Do you feel alone in your business and desire a sounding board?

If you answered yes to any of the above answers, then a MasterMind group may be exactly what you need. I am working on putting together a MasterMind group for Bronze members on BeAResumeWriter.com. If you are interested in learning more, contact me.

If You Want to Keep Earning, You Need to Keep Learning (Self-Improvement Series)

So far in the"Four Ways to Improve Your Life and Achieve Greater Success as a Resume Writer" series, we've talked about "The Power of Goal Setting" and "How Positive Thinking Can Change Your Life."

Today's focus in this four-part self-improvement series is "How to Fit Education Into Your Busy Life."

Attendee map at the 2012 NRWA Conference in Charleston.

One of the biggest challenges we have as resume writers is that our field is constantly changing. Technology has had a significant impact on the resumes we write. I look back to when I started my business 17 years ago, and how much has changed. And it's still changing. Look at how we've had to adapt our resumes to meet Applicant Tracking System requirements. Thinking about the rise and fall of the job board. Or the impact of social media on our clients' job searches.

It's clear that if we want to keep earning, we need to keep learning.

Improving your education broadens your horizons in so many positive ways.  You not only learn new skills and material that you can use with clients, you may also meet new people and make new professional contacts (depending on the educational format you choose). Another benefit to continuing your education is that it shows you are a motivated and goal-oriented person. Your career industry colleagues and resume clients will take notice. In short, it can open up opportunities that you never imagined.

There are many opportunities for resume writers to continue our education. There is formal schooling — for example, pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in human resources, psychology, communications, or a related field.

There are in-person workshops and seminars in your area – for example, training offered through the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and ASTD (dedicated to training and development) and their local chapters. (Both national organizations also offer online training.)

Two of the national resume writing associations offer in-person conferences. The National Resume Writer's Association's 16th annual conference is in September in Chicago. Career Directors International is holding its 2013 Global Career Empowerment Summit in Orlando in October.

There are online learning opportunities through the different career industry associations. In a world where time is money and we're all short on both, online education is in high demand. The benefits of online training are relatively apparent for anyone looking at furthering their education. By learning online, you not only save travel time, you are able to customize your education to fit your needs, time constraints, and financial priorities.

Because many courses are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, online education, trainings, and workshops allow you to learn when it is the most convenient for you. It makes life significantly easier for the busy resume writer.

In 2013, Career Thought Leaders held its first virtual conference, after several years of an in-person conference. You can access the recorded video sessions (each day had a specific "theme").

The National Resume Writer's Association offers affordable monthly teleseminars. They also offer a 10-part online training program about resume writing.

Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark offer quarterly E-Summits in addition to their flagship resume training and certification program, the Resume Writing Academy. You can also purchase recordings of the E-Summits. They also offer a 4-part Entrepreneurial Elegance program.

You can find links to most of these training opportunities -- as well as my own monthly free teleseminars on BeAResumeWriter.com. Bronze members of BeAResumeWriter.com also have access to all the recordings and transcripts of previous training sessions. (Many of these can also be purchased for $5 each.)

Also, check out my blog post about "Associations for Professional Resume Writers" for links to other organizations that might offer training and educational opportunities. You can also check out these Resources for Resume Writers.

There are also online training options that will help you become more proficient in Microsoft Word, for example. (YouTube videos also offer a number of free trainings on this topic, although the quality varies dramatically.)

Note: At some point, I'll have to put together a blog post on recommended books, special reports, and other resources. This blog post is by no means an exhaustive list of the training opportunities available for resume writers. Feel free to add other suggestions in the comments, and I'll work to incorporate them into the main post.

Check out the next post in this series: Leverage the Power of Groups for Success