Make Your Book Profitable BEFORE It’s Even Written

Make Your Book Profitable BEFORE It’s Even Written

Ever stared at a blank page, the weight of “what if nobody buys it?” crushing your creative spirit? We’ve all been there. The thought of pouring your heart and soul into a book, only to see it languish on shelves (or worse, in your garage), is enough to make any aspiring author hesitate.

Let’s face it, the statistics can be daunting. “Most books sell between 200-2000 copies, total,” they say. It’s a sobering thought that can easily paralyze your writing ambitions. But what if I told you there’s a way to flip the script? What if you could actually generate income from your book idea before you even write a single chapter?

Yes, it’s possible. And no, it doesn’t involve some magical, overnight success scheme. It’s about strategically leveraging your expertise, building genuine connections, and validating your book’s potential in the real world.

Here’s how you can make money from your book idea before it’s published:

1. Cultivate a Community: The Power of a Writer’s Group

Think of it as a modern-day salon, a safe space for writers to gather and support each other. Here’s how to make it work:

  • Gather Your Tribe: Invite 5-10 aspiring writers who share your passion.
  • Create a Dedicated Space: Establish a regular meeting time, whether online or in person.
  • Charge a Nominal Fee: This ensures commitment and provides you with a steady income stream. Think of it as a “community contribution” rather than a fee.
  • Focus on the Container, Not the Curriculum: The value lies in the shared experience, the accountability, and the community.

Why it works: People crave connection and structure. You’re providing a valuable service that they’re willing to pay for, creating a win-win situation.

2. Turn Your Expertise into Gold: Live Talks and Trainings

Your book idea is built on your knowledge and experience. Share it with the world through live presentations.

  • Identify Your Core Message: What’s the one key takeaway from your book?
  • Craft a Compelling Presentation: Develop a talk that’s engaging, informative, and actionable.
  • Seek Out Opportunities: Approach local organizations, businesses, or community groups.
  • Offer Value Beyond the Talk: Consider selling related products or services, such as worksheets, ebooks, or coaching sessions.

Why it works: You’re showcasing your expertise, building your credibility, and connecting with potential readers on a personal level.

3. Reach a Global Audience: Evergreen Online Content

The internet offers endless possibilities for sharing your knowledge.

  • Create Video Content: Develop engaging videos for platforms like YouTube, TikTok, or LinkedIn.
  • Build Online Courses: Share your expertise through platforms like Udemy or Skillshare.
  • Leverage LinkedIn Learning: Create in-depth training courses that can generate passive income.

Why it works: You can reach a wider audience, generate passive income, and establish yourself as an authority in your field.

4. Build Your Tribe: The Power of Email Marketing

Email remains one of the most effective ways to connect with your audience.

  • Choose an Email Marketing Platform: Select a user-friendly platform like Mailchimp or ConvertKit.
  • Create an Irresistible Opt-in Offer: Offer a valuable freebie, such as an ebook, checklist, or guide.
  • Provide Consistent Value: Share engaging content that resonates with your audience.
  • Leverage Affiliate Marketing: Promote relevant products or services to your email list.

Why it works: You build a direct line of communication with potential readers and can promote your book and related offerings.

5. Amplify Your Reach: Strategic Partnerships

Collaborate with other writers, professionals, or influencers in your field.

  • Host Joint Events or Workshops: Partner with others to create engaging events.
  • Create Online Summits: Interview experts in your field and share the recordings with your audience.
  • Engage in Affiliate Partnerships: Promote each other’s products or services.
  • Guest on Podcasts: Share your expertise with new audiences.

Why it works: You leverage the existing audiences of your partners and expand your reach exponentially.

The Time to Act Is Now

Don’t let fear hold you back from sharing your unique voice with the world. By implementing these strategies, you can generate income, build an audience, and validate your book idea before you write a single chapter. The world needs your story. Are you ready to share it?

A Daily Dose of Inspiration

A Daily Dose of Inspiration

1 of 7: “How Do I Get People to Show Up?”

1 of 7: “How Do I Get People to Show Up?”

I’ve spent all day emailing out answers the questions that you all submitted in answer to “The question I have about creating a great workshop is…”

And by far the most popular question was: How do I get people to show up? How do I market it?

It’s a great question.

Perhaps THE question.

And…I can’t really answer you.

Because there are different answers depending on your content, target market and personal goals.

It’s some combination of being crystal clear about your ideal client and the transformation they are seeking, and making sure that your title, pricing, images, and marketing materials are consistent with that. But it’s also got to match your personal vibe, and of course the timing and delivery need to be just right.

And, if I can say this without sounding too self-serving: get some support.

Frankly, putting together a workshop that is both meaningful and profitable is both complex and complicated.

Complex, in that it has many moving parts, but most of them can be broken down into steps and accomplished with a bit of good information from a reliable source and old-fashioned elbow grease. That’s the “practical” part that’s fairly easy for me to teach. (And I’m doing 3 “Sam Explains the Technology” bonus calls to walk you through the nitty-gritty stuff about platforms.)

Complicated, in that it involves humans, and all of our wackadoodle human behavior. So we need to harness your imagination, your insights, your intuition and your plain good sense to create something that’s never been done before. That’s the “creative” part that requires a bit of a leap of faith on your part, but is also the most fun.

So it’s a lot of moving parts, and it’s a bit scary and mostly exhilarating and it’s exactly the reason I created the Turn Your Wisdom Into Workshops course that starts next week, and I’d love to work with you.

If it feels good, please check out http://www.turnyourwisdomintoworkshops.com/ and join us for this amazing journey.

P.S. Did you miss “24 Not-Obvious Workshop Mistakes to Avoid (That I Learned the Hard Way)”?
—–> Click here now to view the replay

Write Great Emails – free video training

The true-life story of how I made $80,000 from just one email, PLUS my 10 rules for writing great emails that people will read.

I certainly hope I can play this over again because I’m getting so many gems I can’t quite take it all in right now. – Sabrina

This has been incredibly valuable. Thank you for this gift. – Gail

Thanks, Sam! This is very helpful for designing my new adventure over the next couple of months. Perfect timing! – Shelley

 

Unusual Marketing for Creative People

Unusual Marketing for Creative People

Your work is you.

Your creative work is an expression of your soul, of your perspective, of your innermost self. It’s completely unique to you.

So there is no “template” you can follow, because no one has ever done what you’re doing before.

And any time you start to try to adopt someone else’s “six-figure” system, or try to abide by “conventional wisdom” you get all itchy.

And then you procrastinate and you tell yourself all kinds of stories about how no one would ever pay you to do this and how there’s no market for it and how you’re probably not that good at it anyway and how the technology sort of freaks you out and what if you succeed and someone steals your idea or what if someone calls you a fraud and then you start criticizing yourself about your low self-esteem and how you never finish anything and maybe you should just forget this crazy dream of making money from your creativity once and for all.

Right.

Like that’s gonna happen.

You can’t give up on your dreams because your dreams never give up on you.

They keep haunting you.
Pulling at your sleeve.

And then you see some no-talent-hack succeed and you think, “I could do that!”

You’re right.

You can.

And maybe 2014 is your year to try.

I’m hosting a brand-new teleclass on Tuesday, Jan. 2 that’s all about Unusual Marketing for Creative People, and it’ll show you —

  • Why you have a hard time talking about yourself and your work
  • How you can easily overcome the self-doubt and shyness that causes you to stumble
  • The ONE SECRET that will unlock the mystery of “marketing” for you for all time… if you let it.
So register for free here —> Unusual Marketing for Creative People

And of course PLEASE tell your friends.

After all, your friends are the coolest people there are, and they need to get their work out there, too, don’t they?

(Doesn’t it just make you crazy when your super-talented friend just won’t even TRY to get their painting, their writing, their healing work, their art, their whatever out there??? Yep. Me too.)

So please either share this blog with them or share this on Facebook, Twitter or Google + — here’s the link for them to register: https://sambennett.leadpages.net/unusual-marketing/

And of course I’ll make sure you get the recording and everything — but register first for free:

Unusual Marketing for Creative People
Tuesday, Jan. 2nd
12:45pm PT/3:45pm ET/9:45pm GMT

The recording will be available immediately after the event.

I can’t wait to help you solve the puzzle of how to get your work out into the world without feeling weird about it!

Remember: The World Needs Your Art.

(But they can’t get it if you never let it out of the house, you know what I mean?)

Any questions/thoughts, please comment — you know I love to hear from you.

Happy New Year.

 

 

P.S. What’s the real problem? The real problem is, you’re not selling widgets.

After all, you could talk about somebody else’s stuff all day long, right?

But when it comes to talking about yourself marketing yourself, selling yourself…you get all tongue-tied and squeaky.

Not to worry — there is a SIMPLE secret to solving this puzzle and I can’t wait to share it with you.

—–> REGISTER FOR FREE HERE
– ssb.