When Great Expectations Come At No Cost

Imagine, Cathy wakes up, gets ready and heads out the door. She arrives at her job and starts to do her duties. She spends eight and sometimes up to sixteen hours working on a project before leaving for the day. That’s Cathy’s schedule for the next two weeks and at the end of it, she receives an envelope. She happily accepts it and leaves for the day. Cathy checks he mailbox when she gets home; it’s filled with bills. They always come on time, every time and they don't accept monopoly money...though it would be nice.

She goes through them before putting them aside. Cathy opens the envelope she received at work and her heart sinks when she reads the note tucked inside. F.Y.I: No charge, No pay! Cathy sighs. No business can survive under that business model nor can their workers. They’d go out of business. It may seem dramatic, but it’s a true representation of what many authors face. Yet, they still manage to offer books at discounted rates or at no cost.

In the real world, I enter the food court area in the mall and I look up at the restaurant signs. 

A lady approaches me with a platter of samples on a toothpick. She extends one to me. My forehead wrinkles, should I? I take the sample and eat it. The flavors dance on my tongue and I decide to order a plate of whatever that was from the restaurant. Hopefully, it’s not monkey meat. I have a funny story about that, but I’ll save it for another time. I ordered and the food was delicious. I make a mental note to eat there  the next time I’m there.

With that said, I’m not a fan of free even when I’m on the receiving end but I realize the benefits of providing samples. In light of this, I am releasing, Goodbye Reality, a short story that will be offered for $0.99 cents. During promotions featured on this blog, and other sites via Rafflecopter, Goodbye Reality will be  offered as a "Gifted" prize. Why will it be gifted on certain sites and not all? Honestly, I don't want to be bound by a lengthy contract that will limit my audience. Hopefully, readers will find my story appealing and will be compelled to come back for more.

Goodbye Reality, a paranormal mystery will be available on July 25, 2013. Get your copy on Amazon.com, Barnes and Nobles and Smashwords.com.

The Matter of Image

It is important for authors to realize that they are a product when promoting their book. Doing so does not strip you of your humanity but it puts you out in the public sphere. Actors have a publicist to help generate and manage publicity. Their efforts also help guide and control their client’s image. If you are an independent author, you probably do not have a publicist, but you can still control your image. 

Self-control is a major factor when it comes to molding your public image. It entails controlling your impulses, emotions and desires. One should not discuss some things in a business environment. Refrain from discussing religion, politics, and personal finances when interacting with your customers. It applies whether it is a face-to-face contact or on social media.

In the matters of religion, if the person you are interacting with has stated that they seek salvation, then you are welcome to discuss religion but otherwise keep your views out of your business endeavors. It is important to state that this does not apply to authors who write religious novels. By nature, we are all religious. Some people are devoted to activities and others are loyal to a higher power.

We all have political views but it is expected that our views will vary. The failure of one party does not constitute the success of another.  We are apart of the same democracy, so unity is essential to progress. During the last presidential election, the rates of people ‘unfriended’ skyrocketed. Some of the posts were excessive and others were borderline offensive. Unless you are into the concept of the catch and release of a potential customer, be mindful that not everyone will share your views.

In the past, I have written articles on motivation. I used examples of how low one can fall. They may even feel success is not achievable but anything is possible with skill and determination. We all struggle with something whether its health, society, or finances but unless you are in a support group or you are having a conversation with a friend, leave it out of your interaction with potential customers.

Authors have more control over their image than they think. Controlling your image should not be mistaken for being fake. You are molding what matters when it concerns your writing.  The distance between you and your friends on social media is vast. It is unlikely that you may ever meet them. Still, they can sense your nature and they do not need to have a degree in the Communications Arts to figure out that you are not what you seem. Your image is important so mold it in a way that compliments you.

The Cover MATTERS!

Don’t let the cliché, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover,’ sway you. Everything is judged by its cover, whether it’s an object or a person! The presentation of a product for sale is important.  If you’ve ever been attracted to a particular product while shopping, 9 out of 10 times it had everything to do with the presentation.  However, the contents are equally important, but this article will focus on what’s on the outside. 

I went to a small business workshop a few months ago and the instructor recommended a book by Paco Underhill, WHY WE BUY.   It’s worth the read and it’s available in audio book.  It was helpful and reinforced aspects of marketing that I already knew.  As an independent publisher/author, I devote as much time to choosing a cover as I do to writing.  Without a cover that represents the essence of your story, you are simply nailing your foot in the “No Name Brand,” market.  I think we all have a sense of how people feel about “No Name Brand” products….low grade, cheap, imitation…you get the idea. 

When your cover has the presence of attracting the naked eye, the odds are, they will move in and investigate the product.   If the Blurb grabs them, you caught one! However, you had to get their attention first!  It took two weeks to find the cover for IN THE VALLEY OF MUD AND WORMS, but I knew it was ‘the one’ when I saw it. It represented the character and the story, but you wouldn’t know until you read it. I was not as lucky with finding a cover for NO STRAYS ALLOWED, so I illustrated it myself. The optical illusion tricks the eye to think that something is wrong.  The effect …you move in closer to see if your eyes can correct the error, but there is none. It’s effective because the potential customer interacts with the product.  Finally, the cover for THIN SKIN SOUL PINNED took three mind-numbing weeks to find, but it was worth it! 

You can purchase In The Valley of Mud and Worms at the following link: 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Valley-Mud-And-Worms/dp/097941721X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371073703&sr=8-1&keywords=in+the+valley+of+mud+and+worms

So by all means, judge a book by its cover.  It is something we do unconsciously and it plays a major factor into what we buy.  Also, I could have easily included examples of covers that aren’t the best representation of a book, but it is not my desire to muddy anyone’s hard work. Instead, I will provide an avenue where you can obtain photos that will improve your chances of finding the PERFECT cover!  Bigstock.com is an excellent site and one of the easiest to use.  http://bigstock.com

Marketing a product is not an easy task.  The next time you go shopping, think about why you buy something.  I am interested to hear your thoughts on this subject. 

You can purchase Thin Skin Soul Pinned at the following link: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=thin+skin+soul+pinned

From My Lips To Your Ears

I had an interesting vegetarian style lunch over the Veterans Day weekend and I would like to share it with my readers. Everyone loves a good sandwich and many love Bacon, but not everyone can eat it.  So, I used morning griller vegetarian bacon, but you can use turkey.

Veggie-Bacon Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp oil

 

 1 tsp butter

 

Spinach (handful)

 

Morning Griller, bacon

 

Pillsbury French bread (freshly baked taste better)

 

Swiss cheese

 

Utensils

 

Frying pan

 

Spatula

 

Directions

 

Bake, Pillsbury French bread.

 

Add oil in a pan on low heat, sate Morning Griller bacon in for 1 minute on each side on low heat, add 1 tsp butter, and then add spinach.  Stir until the spinach has steamed, and continue cooking for 2 minutes on medium heat. Slice an opening in the side of the French bread and insert the ingredients.

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For starters, much of what we try in society is based on a recommendation from someone we know.   Nowadays with the internet, we rely on reviews when deciding to make purchases.  I’ll be the first to admit, I’m a laggard when it comes to the latest gadgets.   So, I rely on reviews when deciding on making a purchase.  

 

There is a science to everything we do and it includes shopping.  Teams of scientist have dedicated studies to learn how and why we buy.  Though there are many aspects that go into marketing a product, presentation plays a big part in the process.  During my journey of making my book ready for print, I developed a newfound appreciation for what it takes to make a product attractive to the public.  The audience plays crucial role in considering packaging.   For example, the cover of my children’s book, IN THE VALLEY OF MUD AND WORMS is visually appealing to parents and children. 

It took me awhile to find the perfect fit but it was worth the effort.   So, the next time you buy a product think about why you made that choice.  Reflecting on your actions can aide you in presentation of your own business ventures.

 

I am curious, why do you buy a product that is not a necessity?