New Media Mavens

Promote your Business and Your Work with an E-Book

Always dreamed of writing a book but want to fast track the process?

Consider an e-book! You get to show off what you know instantly. And with an amazing new platform, you can do it for free. Check out Fast Pencil's amazing array of publishing possibilities. You can even invite your friends or colleagues and your team can write an e-book with ease. Now that's taking social media to a new place.

This could kick a whitepaper's butt! What do you think?

Alison Woo, Chief Media Maven

Relationships - The Key to Success in Business

One would think that attending a conference on new media would be all about technology - learning the quickest, the fastest and best way to accomplish any given task. However, it was quite refreshing to hear speakers like Keith Ferrazzi speak about how relationships are the lynch pin to a person's success in business. 

In his talk, he emphasized the importance of bulding strong and mutually sustaining relationships.In essence creating a lifeline group. Make the choice to connect with another person (1) be more vulnerable (2) be more generous (3) have more candor (4) who can you be more accountable to?

I'm looking forward to reading his new book:

Who's Got Your Back: The Breakthrough Program to Build Deep, Trusting Relationships That Create Success--and Won't Let You Fail

Do you have a lifeline group? Who's got your back?

Sincerely,

Lena Claxton

New Media Maven

12 Common Pitfalls to Avoid in Creating an E-book

Getting ready to create an e-book to showcase your expertise and attract more clients? It’s a surefire way to increase e-mail subscriptions to your blog or website. I’ve read many e-books, some I’m impressed with and others fall way short. You may want to consider these 12 common pitfalls when creating your own e-book:

1.    Creating an e-book that is too short. If it's less than 20 pages it's probably a report or a white paper.

2.    Providing content that is all fluff—with little or no value for the reader.

3.    Heavily promoting and upselling your other products in every paragraph or so. It's a guaranteed way to turn off your audience. I've read some that were nothing more than slippery slope sales letters to get you to buy their more expensive product(s) in every other paragraph.

4.    Ending the book without including an author page and an upsell to a product or program.

5.    Producing your e-book without an attractive cover. A cover will increase the perceived value of your book.

6.    Fuzzy, shoddy cover graphics + poor text layout = no readers.

7.    Using a huge font and lots of graphics to increase the page count.

8.    No copyright protection.

9.    No editing or proofing. Remember your spell checker will not determine the difference between certain words e.g. principle and principal.

10.    Insufficient sales copy or description that details the benefits of the book to your reader. And offer an easy way to purchase online!

11.    Going it alone and not using affiliate marketing to promote in a big way.

12.    The title of your e-book is not benefit-laden. Create a title that will have your audience say “I want that!”

Creating an e-book is an integral aspect of new media marketing. It’s a tool that business owners should use to not only package their expertise but to generate more leads and passive income.

You are welcome to add any more pitfalls that I’ve missed by clicking on “comments” below.

Regards,

Lena Claxton
Chief Marketing Maven
Want to join us and other like-minded entrepreneurs at the 2009 Enterprising Women's Conference at the Disney Yacht Club? It's on Wednesday, March 11, 2009 Register here.

Is Your Business Ready for the Red Carpet?

New media can take your business from the level of anonymity to great visibility and credibility. And when you use an integrated approach of offline and online marketing strategies the result can be truly phenomenal. Check out this video based on Steven Van Yoder's book "Get Slightly Famous."

What strategies are you using now to get known in your field?

Regards,

Lena Claxton

Co-Author, How to Say It Marketing with New Media. Purchase the book

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Juggling Elephants

 

Recently I wandered through the business book aisle at my neighborhood bookstore contemplating a major decision: Which book shall I affix my 30% off coupon?  As if in answer to my dilemma I stumbled on a little book, under 150 pages, called Juggling Elephants by Jones Loflin and Todd Musig.

After quickly scanning the blurb I decided to bestow my sticker on this book.

What moved me to purchase it?

I'm always interested in gaining new insights to enhance my organizational skills. But when the book promised that I can use the idea of a circus to organize my entire life, it seemed preposterous but nevertheless I was intrigued.

Well, it did not disappoint! This is a charming tale in the fable style of Who Moved My Cheese. It debunks the myth of the "crazy 3-ring circus." The authors claim that the circus is a lesson in organization and demonstrates sound organizational principles that you can apply in your own life as follows:

• Divide your life into three major priorities (like three rings in a circus): Family/Relationships, Business/Professional and Self. A good ringmaster (you) can't be in all rings at the same time. So focus on the ring you're in when you're in it.
• All acts (the tasks you have to do) need to fulfill a purpose
• Not all acts belong in your circus
• Schedule major acts at different times.The authors gave a great example of not scheduling a home renovation at the same time when a big project at work is due. You will only end up being stressed.
• Intermission is essential (that means time out to renew and rejuvenate)

Even if you're always aware of your priorities, this book takes it a step further and gives the simple visual imagery of a 3-ring circus to quickly remind one of what has to be done now. For example, I drew my three rings then listed all my tasks that go in each ring, ensuring that each task fulfill a purpose. And when it skewed too much on the business side, immediately I could see I needed to include some "self" time in order to maintain balance.

My co-author, Alison Woo and I hear it all the time at seminars from business owners, "my life is like a circus how can I fit in new media into my already full schedule?" We give sound solutions in our book, How to Say it: Marketing with New Media ..." And this book, Juggling Elephants" can only enhance your productivity, throughout the day, when you periodically ask yourself "which ring am I in now?" Then stay in the ring, completing your acts, until it's time to move to the next ring.  

How do you go about managing your time and staying out of overwhelm? Click on the comments link to reply.

Regards,

Lena Claxton
Chief Marketing Maven

How to Say It: Marketing With New Media - a new tool in your marketing arsenal

For months we've been talking about our book, "How to Say It: Marketing With New Media - A Guide to Using Your Websites, E-zines, Blogs & Podcasts" (Penguin/Prentice Hall Press) on this blog. Finally it's here! The big day was Tuesday, 9/2 and it kicked off with a book signing at NAWBO Charlotte with an enterprising group of women. It ended with a free webinar for small business owners on how to boost business in a down-turned economy with the principles derived from the book.

So what's so special about this book? Other books focus on the technology, and that's important, but it's vital that you know what to say and how to say it with the online components that you use. This book will also help you to:

• Get big buzz for your business using your website, e-zine, blog, podcasts and social media.
• Save time with this one-stop resource for getting your business online - from getting started to pushing your business to the next level.
• Explore digital media or if you want to improve the marketing tools you've already built for your business, this useful guide will help increase your visibility and your bottom-line.

Want to know more about new media, what the fuss is all about and how you can join in the online conversation? Join us at the McColl School of Business at Queens University of Charlotte for our FREE official book launch event on 9/12/08 @ 6:30 p.m. Register here.

Are you a writer or an author who wants to get more readers using new media? Whether you live in Seattle or South Dakota you can join in on our next FREE webinar specifically for you! Email us at: mavens@newmediamavens.com to get signed up. Please put "Writers' Webinar" in the subject line.

Regards,

Lena Claxton

Mavens' Book Marketing with New Media Cracks Amazon's Top 100

Dear readers,

Thank you, thank you, thank you! You have made our book a success!

This morning just two days after making its debut on book shelves around the nation and in 25 countries around the globe, our baby "How to Say It: Marketing with New Media: A Guide to Promoting Your Small Business Using Websites, E-Zines, Blogs, and Podcasts" cracked Amazon.com's Top 100 for business books.

It's been a whirlwind of a week with an amazing NAWBO Charlotte lunch on Tuesday where we sold books to readers for the first time and our online launch party!

We are thrilled that this information can get into the hands of business owners who are looking for ways to promote their businesses in this challenged economy.

Let us know what you think about the book by commenting here.

Alison Woo, Chief Media Maven