As many of you know, in my world the fill-in-the-blank would be Feel the fear write the book anyway, but really this is a metaphor for anything in life.
Whether books are on your short list, yours is in works or way out in the distant future or not at all, there’s a lesson in this for everyone.
We all have things that we fear doing. Some of you may not want to fess up publicly. Your choice.
I know I always fear public speaking until I get going on stage and then I usually start enjoying it. I’m actively seeking to do more public speaking. You may think, why the heck would she do that?
There are two reasons:
You may have heard me say that my favorite quote is “life begins at the edge of your comfort zone” so I’m trying to push myself to do things that are uncomfortable but that I know are going to help me grow as a person and a professional.
I know that doing public speaking will help me get in front of more people who I can help by providing some of my knowledge and expertise and hopefully inspiring them to take action.
I was at a literary conference recently that my city hosted for the first time. I sat in on a panel of successful fiction writers, most of whom I’d never heard of. I was really struck by what Garth Risk Hallberg, one of the panelists told us, when he said that he worked on his book for six years. During the first four, he didn’t even let anyone know he was working on it – not even his closest friends.
Why? Because he was afraid. Afraid that it would just end up in his top-drawer, unread. Afraid no publishing house would pick him up. Afraid no one would read it. Afraid if they read it, that they wouldn’t like it.
Sound familiar? It did to me- like he was broadcasting the little gremlin voice in my head, as well as a thoughts /fears many of my clients expressed to me at one point in their journey to becoming published authors.
[clickToTweet tweet=”“I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.” Mark Twain” quote=”“I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.” Mark Twain “]
So in this case author Hallberg’s fears were unfounded. His book was a big success and each and every one of his fears didn’t come to pass.
Now your outcomes and my outcomes may not be as spectacular, but you won’t have any wins if you don’t take any chances. If you don’t allow yourself to either ignore those fears, or set them aside to do that thing that you’ve been fearing, nothing great can happen. Period.
Sometimes removing fear can be done by improving your skills in the area where you have fears, practicing to build your confidence, hiring a mentor or sometimes moving past the fear means starting by taking tiny baby steps.
How can I support you in moving past a fear to achieve a dream? Please let me know. You can do so by commenting below or by submitting a request on Facebook
Here’s another fear- doing live video. I publicly committed to doing a FB Live every day in May to help me push past that fear!! I’d love your support on it, so stop by and join me, please!
I am just back from an amazing 4 days at the Speaker Empire event learning how to grow your business as a speaker or author. I picked up lots of tips and inspiration and it got me to thinking…
In the United States, a favorite food staple is peanut butter and jelly. You rarely see one without the other. They just make each other better then they are on their own.
[clickToTweet tweet=”Books are to speaking, as peanut butter is to jelly” quote=”Books are to speaking, as peanut butter is to jelly”]
One of the best ways to grow your business is as a speaker or author, and best when you are both, as they are the peanut butter to each other’s jelly, they can give you exposure and expert positioning. Together, as both a speaker and an author, you make a bigger, better impression.
As an author, you are more attractive to conference and event planners, so it’s easier to get speaking opportunities. As a speaker, you can get in front of new audiences, wow them with your message, and sell your books and services with your speech. As a speaker without a book, you are leaving money on the table.
Nowadays it can take 5-12 touches before someone becomes a client. When you present to an audience, you immediately have expert positioning and authority, however they may not be ready to buy a big-ticket service from you. Your book is a great way to get them to buy something from you that at a price point that doesn’t require approval from corporate or their partner. Your book continues to give them an experience of you and your philosophy and methodology, and can move them closer to becoming a client.
One of the amazing things I discovered, is that once you commit to writing a book, you can start getting speaking opportunities. I have been interviewed on podcasts and been invited to speak at events based solely on announcing my forthcoming book. So your book can make getting visibility and attracting ideal clients much easier, even before its completely written!
I’ll be sharing some of the tips I picked up at Speaking Empire, as well as tips on how you can build buzz, write and promote your book… via Facebook Live. Please like my page so that you will get notified when I am broadcasting.
If you have any questions or topics you’d like to see my cover, please comment below.
When I speak to prospective authors about the book they want to write, the conversation often turns to what they can expect when it comes to a return on their investment. As I work primarily with non fiction authors, I encourage them to look at the profits they will get from the doors their book will open and the opportunities it will bring, then on the actual dollars from the sale of their books in retail and online stores. One business coach has landed clients with his book, increased his branding and visibility and his bottom line, as you will see in the case study below; this result can easily be achieved by you too.
Part of the work I do is to strategize with clients about how to best leverage their book to grow their brand and their bottom line. It’s essential that as an author, you leverage your published book and make sure you are maximizing visibility for your book and encouraging opportunities.
Wei is an active business networker, and took his book to all his events. This became an easy conversation starter and instant expert positioning for him.
According to Wei, a few of the people he networks with regularly became interested in knowing more about working with him, once they saw the book. This lead to a new client from his existing network, in the first month the book was out.
[clickToTweet tweet=”The branding & positioning from becoming a published author is priceless – Wei Houng” quote=”The branding & positioning component from becoming a published author is priceless – Wei Houng”]
“So the book itself has received really good feedback and has been a great marketing and positioning piece. Since launch, I have personally sold about 200 copies as a way to monetize my speaking opportunities. This alone resulted in $2k in revenue.
As a result of those speaking engagements, countless leads were created which, to date, have resulted in thousands of dollars in new business…with, I’m sure, more to come. When all is said and done, I suspect, branding aside, the book will have been responsible for helping me generate 5 figures worth of new revenue in my business. And, the branding and positioning component is priceless.
So, thanks! Looking forward to experiencing more of the ripple effects!” – Wei Houng, Founder The 6 Figure Academy, Co-Author Breakthrough Leadership
Highlights of how Wei leveraged his book to add an additional 10k to his bottom line in the first few months of publishing his book:
Bring the book to every networking event he attends. It opens conversations and positions you in a new enhanced and elevated way as an authority, even with people who have known you for a while.
A Book Landing Page. This provides an online destination to send potential readers, as well as to build his email list.
Public Speaking – Wei enjoys public speaking, and uses the opportunity to engage with prospective readers /clients. He always mentions the book in his talk and has books available for sale. Wei always includes a call to action, which in his case, is an invitation to the audience to sign up for a complimentary strategy session. At a recent event, he had 30% of the audience sign up for strategy sessions [a nice increase from speaking gigs given before he was an author]
Publicity. Wei has used a simple PR strategy [our Author Visibility Builder system] to get podcast and radio interviews, as well as mentions on ABC, CBS, NBC. This helps him attract prospects from outside his own network. He always uses a call to action in his interviews, which also leads to book sales, inquiries, strategy sessions and ultimately clients.
Social Media. Wei uses social media regularly. He offers valuable tips via postings and Facebook Live videos, which help give a taste of who he is and the value he brings. He regularly mentions his book as where to purchase it. He also has been actively promoting his co-authors which helps put him in front of their networks as well.
As a business coach, becoming a published author can easily lead to landed clients and profits with your book. The key is to have a plan and a strategy to maximize your book and leverage opportunities. You can start leveraging your own book to land clients, by signing up for my webinar on how to use publicity to land clients.
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Webinar:
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Speaking in Soundbites: How Nonfiction Authors Turn Readers Into Clients Using Publicity Register here
A successful and satisfying career, like a well-lived life, can benefit from a bucket list. Interviews with highly successful individuals consistently reveal that they set targets and goals and then plan their actions to move them closer to achieving them.
Your business bucket list is the perfect way to set major milestone goals for your career or entrepreneurial journey. As I began thinking about this topic, I heard “You Can’t Take That Away From Me” start playing in my subterranean jukebox. While the song’s lyrics aren’t directly analogous to your business bucket list, the title is what brought it to mind for me, and one of the key reasons to create your own list.
Any of the items on my recommended business bucket list, once accomplished, will pay you big dividends for the rest of your life. These are the kind of achievements that set you apart, open doors and unmistakably position you as a top expert in your field or niche, and provide acceleration to your career.
They also increase your pay scale and revenue significantly.
By establishing your instant credibility, as well as providing 3rd party credibility, there is more trust in you and your expertise. It’s no longer ‘what you say about you’ that people are interested in. Think of it like trying to decide on which new restaurant, which new printer, or service provider to select; we now go and check out the online reviews and recommendations before making a decision. These bucket list items offer the equivalent of a 5 star review from a third party, providing a trust factor and predisposing others to you. They are more inclined to hiring you or buy from you, and they will be willing to pay higher fees for the privilege of working with you.
With all the noise and competition out there, it can be hard to stand out from the crowd. There are certain accomplishments that insure you are immediately noticed and respected. Whether you are seeking a job, to close a big deal, set yourself apart from the sea of competition get more visibility, get in front of your ideal audience more easily and close the deal, land your coveted job, get more speaking gigs… your bucket list achievements pre-sell others on you. They also inspire others to seek you out, rather than vice versa.
5 Bucket List Goals To Skyrocket Your Business:
Top Industry Award
Whether it’s a Pulitzer Prize for literature, a Stevie Award, MacArthur Genius Grant, Making the Inc 500 list, or a more regional industry prize, being honored with one of these types of awards is priceless. In addition to the honor, it is recognition for your excellence and hard work often determined by an esteemed panel of judges and by your peers.
While the voting and selection may be out of your control, you can still proactively position yourself for awards. It goes without saying you need to do your best work. Build a list of the top awards in your industry along with the deadlines to apply; that way when you feel you have achieved sufficient professional accomplishment, you and your team will have the information on hand to begin the application process. Some awards are based on third party nominations, not applications. In this case consider asking a trusted colleague or client if they would consider nominating you.
Being honored offers third party credibility and recognition, along with incredible visibility – the organization giving out the awards typically initiates a publicity campaign that features you!
Media Darling
Getting featured in the media gives you increased visibility and lends credibility and authority; these days it also adds an additional trust factor. In what has been called the Trust or Reputation economy, media coverage, whether you are mentioned, quoted or featured provides third party credibility and the perception that the media is endorsing you.
Whether it’s the NY Times, the Today Show or the Huffington Post, or a smaller regional media outlet, once featured, you are a lifetime media winner!
You can and should leverage the publicity you receive by showcasing it in both text and graphics. We are becoming more and more visually oriented and the media logos on your site or marketing materials grab immediate attention and act as a trust trigger, instantly associating you with the credibility and exalted status that is attributed to the recognized media outlet.
Bestselling Author
Many people want to write a book, yet they never manage to get around to it. Writing a book is a big accomplishment [only 8% of aspiring writers succeed] and will serve you well throughout your business life.
There is even greater respect and recognition that comes with being a bestselling author. Whether you are a business owner, a speaker, or a full-time author, being able to call yourself a bestseller dramatically increases your credibility and positions you at the very top of your field. It often leads to additional opportunities such as speaking invitations, guest professorships and consulting projects.
It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret – Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Keynote Talk
Being invited to speak at an event is always an honor. It can be an accomplishment, especially when you are selected to deliver the keynote at an event whose audience are your professional peers. The fact that you were the one selected to speak is one of the ultimate forms of professional recognition.
The pinnacle in recognition for a keynote talk is one that gets posted online and goes viral. It could be a Ted Talk, which on its own carries great cache, a university graduation speech or another top event. The beauty of your talk going viral, in addition to the obvious one of increased visibility, is that this usually indicates that your talk has resonated with people on a deep level, one that typically transcends industries or country. This extends your recognition and opens up new opportunities across disciplines, around the globe.
I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champ’ – Muhammad Ali
Personal Physical Challenge
‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’, states the nursery rhyme. While we’ve been conditioned to keep a separation of church and state when it comes to business and personal matters, there are a few accomplishments that shouldcrossover and be highlighted. One of them is completing an arduous physical challenge, as it is a noteworthy achievement, and as such should be showcased.
Businesses and entrepreneurs recognize the mind body connection. There is great respect for someone who undertakes the kind of herculean training and endurance test that running a marathon, completing a triathlon, climbing Mt. Everest and hiking the entire Appalachian Trail encompasses.
A successful and major physical challenge demonstrates to your business prospect or prospective employer that you plan your training, set goals, and then meet them despite how tough the going gets. It shows that you have the mental toughness and discipline to achieve what most of us mortals will only dream of, yet never even undertake. It inspires confidence that you will bring this excellence and determination to whatever you do whether it’s personal or in business.
There are no traffic jams along the extra mile- Roger Staubach
Whether you are a solo-preneur, a coach, a business owner or an employee, a business bucket list will help you achieve your goals faster and propel your career forward at lightening speed and with more ease.
These bucket list goals are ones that will pre-sell you to strangers and create a favorable instant impression when used on your resume, as part of your professional bio, when you are introduced as a guest speaker, on your website, in your press kit, in the bio section of client proposals …
Ready to check items off your own bucket list?
I am available to help you strategize your own business bucket list. Ask me about our accelerated Media Darling and Bestselling Author programs.
My own business bucket list is still evolving. So far…
Top Industry Award [FastCompany – Top 100 People Online, NYWA – Galaxy Award]
Media Darling: Featured in national media [there is always room for more]
Bestselling Author: my recent book “Business Leadership Blueprints”
I’m still inspired a week later……..and can’t wait to share with you some truly great things… A week ago I was attending the Entrepreneur Magazine 360 Conference here in New York City, getting inspiration from successful entrepreneurs.
It was a very energizing day hearing from a variety of entrepreneurs ranging from:
Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas to Daniel Lubetsky founder of Kind Bars, Olympic Skier/NFL player/Philanthropist/Entrepreneur Jeremy Bloom, to Reddit founder Alexis Ohanion.
I was inspired, impressed, validated and educated- I still am, here are some of the highlights and takeaways from the event:
Are you a Visionary or an Operator?
Les McKeon gave a great presentation on the journey a business goes through. He demonstrated why:
“You are either a Visionary or an Operator – you can’t be both.”
Will.i.am was intelligent, innovative, inspired, visionary, awesome…. He hardly spoke about music, and spoke more about his company i.am+ which is going to compete directly with Apple with its wearable tech.
[clickToTweet tweet=”Entrepreneurial ideas come frm fusion = Mixing + inspiration + needs + community.@iamwill ” quote=”Entrepreneurial ideas come from fusion = Mixing + melding inspiration + needs + community.”]
In 2015, everything is going to be wearable and functional. Maybe a jacket instead of a phone.
<<< >>>>
Sometimes you miss major success by 1 Inch
Jeremy Bloom- Olympic skier, NFL football player, philanthropist and entrepreneurs founder of a 100 million dollar company, had a 22 second shot at making Olympic Gold… yet missed by 1 inch. It’s what he did after missing that was so inspiring!
You may have heard the expression Fail Fast. Jeremy gave himself 48 hours to have a pity party. To replay in his mind all the things he could have/should have done differently and then he moved on with his life.
<<< >>>>
Daniel Lubetsky, founder of Kind bars, proves you can be successful and be kind [pun intended]
When you move from a skeptic to an evangelist, nobody can stop you.
There were so many wonderful ideas, inspirations and insights! I hope these examples have inspired you as well.
One more thing… all these entrepreneurs have one major accomplishment in common. Can you guess what it is? Please place your guess in the comments below. The first person to post the answer wins a special prize!
Whenever you have the opportunity to be around and get inspiration from successful entrepreneurs, grab it. As Daniel Lubetsky said, “Entrepreneurs are probably the most fun at a party.”
What all the entrepreneurs who spoke at the Entrepreneur 360 Conference have in common is that they are all authors.
I was watching the Tony Awards the other night, and thought I was about to witness something I had just been thinking about – the value of dress rehearsals. Literally.
It was around the third wardrobe change for co-host Kristen Chenoweth that I began to wonder if they had done a dress rehearsal in the latest dress. The neckline of this black coat dress was cut low and with every dance move that had Kristen bending forward, the dress revealed more and more…I thought we were going to see much more than she intended. – flashback to Beyonce and Janet Jackson Superbowl wardrobe malfunctions.
That may sound like an extreme example, however if you think about it, you don’t know how you or your clothing will look or perform in a public situation, unless you hold dress rehearsals.
Arehearsalis an event that occurs as preparation for aperformance. It is undertaken as a form ofpracticing, to ensure that all details of the subsequent performance are adequately prepared and coordinated. Most commonly employed in theperforming artsas preparation for a public presentation, rehearsals are nevertheless used in other contexts, as well, to prepare for the performance of any anticipated activity [source: Wikipedia]
I’ve been thinking about the difference between publicity shy or nervous about seeking media attention and putting yourself out there, and being confident. A dress rehearsal can be the best gift you can give yourself; and not just the shy, introverts, and newcomers, experienced individuals still need to do a trial run or be at risk for a variety of unnecessary mishaps.
A dress rehearsal, in every sense of the word, can make all the difference. Whether you are seeking publicity and on camera interviews or public speaking opportunities or even a job interview, you can benefit from a complete dress rehearsal. You may ace your interview brilliantly, and the last thing you need would be a wardrobe mishap or malfunction.
Here are 6 ways a dress rehearsal will help you be a media darling or ace speaker:
Build Confidence – Practice may not make perfect, however it builds your speaking or interview muscles and along with them your confidence. Each time you do an activity, even in practice, you get a little more confident.
Master Rhythm and timing – A speech or interview can take a few tries before you develop pleasant pacing and delivery.
Shape Your Ideas and talk into concise sound bites – The media love you to speak in concise, easily quotable sound bites. Speaking in this fashion for most of us requires practice.
Get comfortable with technology – whether it’s a head set or a PowerPoint clicker, you want to learn to use them without a live audience watching you fumble or struggle with them.
Wardrobe – A full tryout of your head to toe outfit and make up while give a speech and doing all the activities you will be doing in the public eye, will ensure you don’t have embarrassing surprises. Try getting in and out of a car, climbing stairs, standing and sitting in your outfit. The wrap dress that looks great while you are standing on stage, may unwrap when you sit, causing a very revealing problem for a seated interview.
Try it on for color – A few photos and videos from head to toe while standing and seated, will ensure you like the way the outfit looks on film, and catch any other potential color clashes in advance.
Background Check – A distraction in the background can detract from your success. If you are going to be on a televised show, ask what color the background is, and check clips online to see what color outfits past guests looked best wearing on air.
If you are going to shoot your own video, have someone photograph you on the spot where you will be standing to record. Make sure the clothing works with the background, and also that there are no distracting objects behind you or that appear to be growing out of your head.
You can always hire a coach or mentor to help you build media skills and confidence.
Most of us don’t like surprises. Especially embarrassing ones.
What event do you have coming up that could benefit from a dress rehearsal?
I just wanted to share with you the most surreal and amusing experience I had the other night, as I think you will appreciate this.
My daughter, a college student, went apple picking and was dropped off at our house to deliver my favorite McCouns – a local variety you only get for a short period in early fall. Yum!
After driving Mel back to her apartment at college the other night, I decided to go through a few local towns before getting on the turnpike to drive home.
As I was driving down the main street of this small New Jersey town, projected on the wall of a building was the image to the left.
Whoa. I did a double take. Was that Audrey Hepburn I was seeing? Good thing there were no other cars around, as my attention was drawn to her, trying to make sense of what I was seeing.
You see, what makes this moment even more special and delicious, is that as I was researching material for PR for Introverts, I had just read the following:
“I’m an introvert. Playing the extroverted girl was the hardest thing I ever did”, Audrey Hepburn was quoted as saying in regard to her role in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, which she referred to as her biggest challenge.
And yet Hepburn nailed that role and countless other ones, including serving as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador who-though an introvert-tirelessly spoke out for those underprivileged children who couldn’t speak for themselves.
So Audrey had been on my mind recently. Turns out , Highland Park NJ was thinking of her as well. It was outdoor cinema night there and they were showing the movie Charade, in which Hepburn starred alongside Cary Grant.
Coincidence, synchronicity? An introvert moment?However you look at it, it’s a moment I’ll always remember and enjoy. So much so I had to share it.
If Audrey Hepburn can go “feel the fear and do it anyway”, so my friends, can you!
I am just back from an amazing 4 days at the Speaker Empire event learning how to grow your business as a speaker or author. I picked up lots of tips and inspiration and it got me to thinking…
Wei is an active business networker, and took his book to all his events. This became an easy conversation starter and instant expert positioning for him.
Any of the items on my recommended business bucket list, once accomplished, will pay you big dividends for the rest of your life. These are the kind of achievements that set you apart, open doors and unmistakably position you as a top expert in your field or niche, and provide acceleration to your career.
My own business bucket list is still evolving. So far…
