WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.819 Welcome to Roaded Agritourism. I'm Dr. Liz Fidler 00:00:02.819 --> 00:00:05.040 -Murgan, owner of Sunny Mary Meadow, a you -pick 00:00:05.040 --> 00:00:07.219 flower farm, wedding florist, and event venue 00:00:07.219 --> 00:00:09.660 in central Minnesota. Our mission is to serve 00:00:09.660 --> 00:00:12.740 anyone rooted in agritourism, value -added agriculture, 00:00:12.980 --> 00:00:15.039 and rural entrepreneurship. The people turning 00:00:15.039 --> 00:00:17.620 ideas and raw products into thriving businesses 00:00:17.620 --> 00:00:20.920 and experiences. Let's dig in. We've got some 00:00:20.920 --> 00:00:23.719 amazing guests, but I want to point out one one 00:00:23.719 --> 00:00:27.769 amazing guest real quick. is my dear friend Joel 00:00:27.769 --> 00:00:30.469 Cobb here. Have you guys met Joel Cobb? You have 00:00:30.469 --> 00:00:37.509 now. Joel and I met in like November, September, 00:00:37.710 --> 00:00:43.750 October, 20 years ago. 2005. And we were connected 00:00:43.750 --> 00:00:47.009 by mutual friend. And my mutual friend, our mutual 00:00:47.009 --> 00:00:48.630 friend, I've got a arm and more. He said he needed 00:00:48.630 --> 00:00:51.549 to meet Joel Cobb. He's got an amazing e -book. 00:00:51.789 --> 00:00:53.270 An e -book that you were selling for how much? 00:00:54.469 --> 00:00:56.570 And I had to convince him that he really should 00:00:56.570 --> 00:00:57.729 take that e -book and turn it into... Thousands 00:00:57.729 --> 00:01:00.189 of copies. Thousands of copies. And so thousands 00:01:00.189 --> 00:01:02.670 of copies. So thousands of copies. But whatever 00:01:02.670 --> 00:01:05.090 you say. A lot of money. And I had to convince 00:01:05.090 --> 00:01:07.370 him to turn that e -book that he's killing it 00:01:07.370 --> 00:01:10.709 on into a paperback book that was sold for twenty 00:01:10.709 --> 00:01:12.189 -four. Fifteen ninety -five. Fifteen ninety -five. 00:01:12.269 --> 00:01:14.650 Whatever he said. And it was nothing about it. 00:01:14.650 --> 00:01:16.989 But he knew the value even before I did. We were 00:01:16.989 --> 00:01:19.069 still very, very young as a publisher. We started 00:01:19.069 --> 00:01:24.239 in 2003. And Joel, you said what? I asked you 00:01:24.239 --> 00:01:26.500 if you had had a New York Times bestseller yet. 00:01:26.980 --> 00:01:31.500 And I said, no. All of us not even believing 00:01:31.500 --> 00:01:33.739 that we could do it at that point in our young 00:01:33.739 --> 00:01:36.579 life. And then what did you say? With a very 00:01:36.579 --> 00:01:37.980 straight face, I said, well, I'm going to be 00:01:37.980 --> 00:01:41.140 your first. And I laughed out loud. And hopefully 00:01:41.140 --> 00:01:43.500 I did it with love and respect. But I won't tell 00:01:43.500 --> 00:01:45.540 a lie. Well, guess what happened? Guess it was 00:01:45.540 --> 00:01:53.310 our first four New York Times bestsellers. You 00:01:53.310 --> 00:01:55.849 know, we hit the monthly and the weekly twice, 00:01:55.930 --> 00:01:58.450 and we hit the business week bestseller, and 00:01:58.450 --> 00:02:02.590 I think number three on all of Amazon .com, because 00:02:02.590 --> 00:02:07.069 Obram got in the way. Yeah, but Obram. And the 00:02:07.069 --> 00:02:10.849 dog whispered, I see them a lot. I know. Never 00:02:10.849 --> 00:02:12.969 heard of him. Never heard of him. But so I'm 00:02:12.969 --> 00:02:14.590 honored to have him here. We're still together. 00:02:14.770 --> 00:02:17.310 He's actually my best friend. And that happens 00:02:17.310 --> 00:02:18.669 a lot. I've actually become best friends with 00:02:18.669 --> 00:02:20.469 all of our authors, so I'm really, really, really 00:02:20.469 --> 00:02:27.409 honored. So if you need a new friend, Not necessarily, 00:02:27.409 --> 00:02:29.930 not necessarily. It's a good bonus, but not necessarily. 00:02:30.569 --> 00:02:32.009 But yeah, I'm honored to have this panel up here 00:02:32.009 --> 00:02:33.689 today. So we're just going to talk about, we're 00:02:33.689 --> 00:02:35.090 going to talk about publishing and I want to 00:02:35.090 --> 00:02:37.090 introduce everybody. We've got a great, wait 00:02:37.090 --> 00:02:39.830 a minute. Okay, this wasn't, this wasn't necessarily 00:02:39.830 --> 00:02:42.009 planned, but every one of these experts on stage 00:02:42.009 --> 00:02:44.569 is a Martin James author. Seriously, that wasn't, 00:02:44.610 --> 00:02:47.110 that wasn't my plan, but we only work with the 00:02:47.110 --> 00:02:49.729 experts, as Brendan Burchard was saying. I am 00:02:49.729 --> 00:02:51.490 an expert! Right, have you heard him say that? 00:02:52.279 --> 00:02:55.159 Okay, never mind. So, that was it. Okay, yes, 00:02:55.159 --> 00:02:57.379 thank you. That's how I got started, with this 00:02:57.379 --> 00:02:59.060 book, when I was in the messenger. I think we 00:02:59.060 --> 00:03:01.599 have two mics. We have a second mic. Oh, that's 00:03:01.599 --> 00:03:04.860 the one that I... Oh, is it behind us? Yeah. 00:03:05.699 --> 00:03:07.860 So, we're gonna introduce the panel real quick. 00:03:08.460 --> 00:03:11.500 For the second time this week, I'm gonna let 00:03:11.500 --> 00:03:14.259 go of this mic. Oh, perfect. So, I don't have 00:03:14.259 --> 00:03:15.879 to let go if they have one, but I'm gonna let 00:03:15.879 --> 00:03:17.360 everybody just kind of do a quick little introduction 00:03:17.360 --> 00:03:19.979 of who they are, and their connection to the 00:03:19.979 --> 00:03:22.500 space, and... We're just going to, we're going 00:03:22.500 --> 00:03:24.439 to share some wisdom, but we do want to, if we 00:03:24.439 --> 00:03:26.120 have time, we want to answer any and all questions 00:03:26.120 --> 00:03:28.159 you have. So think of this as, you know, all 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:30.520 the questions that you were afraid to ask and 00:03:30.520 --> 00:03:32.900 intimidated to do so, we're going to ask today, 00:03:33.099 --> 00:03:34.699 because happy to any of us intimidate you. This 00:03:34.699 --> 00:03:36.180 is so much fun. We're really having a good time. 00:03:36.400 --> 00:03:37.699 So again, thank you for being here. I'm David, 00:03:37.879 --> 00:03:40.120 the founder of Morgan James Publishing, and Liz, 00:03:40.479 --> 00:03:44.199 who we met last year here at Podfest. That's 00:03:44.199 --> 00:03:46.180 right. Yeah. Would you introduce yourself to 00:03:46.180 --> 00:03:47.780 us? Besides being an incredibly amazing woman 00:03:47.780 --> 00:03:49.539 who has an awesome story that's going to tug 00:03:49.539 --> 00:03:52.099 on your heart, but what she's done with it will 00:03:52.099 --> 00:03:55.479 blow you away. Hi, I'm Dr. Liz Feather Morgan. 00:03:55.719 --> 00:03:58.599 Getting used to using my phrase or my title of 00:03:58.599 --> 00:04:04.500 doctor. I have a doctorate in nursing and I have 00:04:04.500 --> 00:04:08.520 this story where in 2020 I was working full time 00:04:08.520 --> 00:04:13.180 as a nurse practitioner and ultimately had started 00:04:13.180 --> 00:04:17.290 this little side hustle of a farm stand selling 00:04:17.290 --> 00:04:19.790 flowers at the end of my driveway during COVID 00:04:19.790 --> 00:04:22.810 and it was never meant to be anything more than 00:04:22.810 --> 00:04:26.649 it was then that and then in December of 2020 00:04:26.649 --> 00:04:29.870 my husband died of a heart attack and I found 00:04:29.870 --> 00:04:31.430 out I was pregnant the day after the funeral 00:04:31.430 --> 00:04:36.490 and that is a huge part of my story and in my 00:04:36.490 --> 00:04:40.189 journey of trying to write a book I kind of thought 00:04:40.189 --> 00:04:42.389 that that was the story and I thought I was writing 00:04:42.389 --> 00:04:45.660 a book about Honestly trauma for trauma's sake, 00:04:46.019 --> 00:04:51.939 but what ended up happening is I this farm Completely 00:04:51.939 --> 00:04:55.339 exploded in a in an interesting way. I would 00:04:55.339 --> 00:05:00.379 say it instead of having Instead of having crock 00:05:00.379 --> 00:05:02.860 -pot growth I had microwave growth on my business 00:05:02.860 --> 00:05:04.819 because there were so many eyes on it and people 00:05:04.819 --> 00:05:07.980 were trying to support me and it just any time 00:05:07.980 --> 00:05:12.779 of business 70 times their revenue in five years, 00:05:13.060 --> 00:05:16.160 that's actually not great business growth. But 00:05:16.160 --> 00:05:19.579 it turned into this great agritourism destination, 00:05:19.920 --> 00:05:21.839 and we have this venue on the farm that we've 00:05:21.839 --> 00:05:25.199 built, and we do weddings for 60 florists, or 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:28.060 for 60 brides, and it's turned into this wonderful 00:05:28.060 --> 00:05:30.699 thing. But last year, I was sitting here and 00:05:30.699 --> 00:05:32.959 I decided I was never going to publish my book. 00:05:33.290 --> 00:05:35.930 And I, cause I had this podcast on teaching people 00:05:35.930 --> 00:05:37.990 about flower farming because people wanted to 00:05:37.990 --> 00:05:40.069 know how I did that. And it was so successful. 00:05:40.069 --> 00:05:41.850 But then I kept getting asked to come on other 00:05:41.850 --> 00:05:45.269 people's podcasts to talk about grief. And I 00:05:45.269 --> 00:05:48.670 was just very scattered as an entrepreneur. And 00:05:48.670 --> 00:05:54.089 I had probably 60 ,000 words and I came down 00:05:54.089 --> 00:05:56.509 here with my podcast producer. And our goal was 00:05:56.509 --> 00:05:59.310 to get sponsors for my flower farming spot podcast. 00:05:59.490 --> 00:06:02.050 That's why we came to podfest. And in the very 00:06:02.050 --> 00:06:04.870 first session. that I came to here because Abby 00:06:04.870 --> 00:06:06.790 forced me to go to it. She's like, just find 00:06:06.790 --> 00:06:08.410 out what it would be like to get your book published. 00:06:08.470 --> 00:06:11.110 Just see. And I was trying to do this self -help, 00:06:11.610 --> 00:06:14.610 how to get through your grief, how to get over 00:06:14.610 --> 00:06:17.990 your anger, something like that. And Nick was 00:06:17.990 --> 00:06:19.889 here. And the very first thing he said is the 00:06:19.889 --> 00:06:21.589 reason people don't finish their book is because 00:06:21.589 --> 00:06:24.470 they're writing the wrong book. And get to the 00:06:24.470 --> 00:06:27.810 space that gets you where you want to be in five 00:06:27.810 --> 00:06:30.949 years. I was going to these grief retreats and 00:06:30.949 --> 00:06:33.569 I was talking on these grief podcasts and I was, 00:06:33.569 --> 00:06:35.449 you know, talking about all of these things. 00:06:35.870 --> 00:06:38.569 And not that that's not a huge part of my story, 00:06:38.589 --> 00:06:43.550 but I don't, I'm happily remarried. It's a huge 00:06:43.550 --> 00:06:46.129 chapter of my life and I'm very happy to talk 00:06:46.129 --> 00:06:48.370 about it, but that's not my story and that's 00:06:48.370 --> 00:06:49.889 not where I want to be in five years. I want 00:06:49.889 --> 00:06:53.329 to be having a really happy flower farm. Our 00:06:53.329 --> 00:06:55.889 motto is happy dammit. That's literally on the 00:06:55.889 --> 00:06:58.110 signs is, you know, not everything is great, 00:06:58.110 --> 00:07:01.449 but we're going to get through it. And so the 00:07:01.449 --> 00:07:04.149 book turned into a memoir. It's still in the 00:07:04.149 --> 00:07:08.310 categories of self -help. And it's right now 00:07:08.310 --> 00:07:11.230 on Barnes and Noble in the coming soon category 00:07:11.230 --> 00:07:14.149 out of 2 ,700 books. It's number one in religion. 00:07:14.810 --> 00:07:18.810 It's number, I think, out of 4 ,100. It's number 00:07:18.810 --> 00:07:22.389 six on memoir right next to Cher. I mean, it's 00:07:22.389 --> 00:07:25.250 resonating. It comes out in March, but it's. 00:07:25.230 --> 00:07:27.689 That's the story that I want, is kind of the 00:07:27.689 --> 00:07:30.649 story of how my farm came to be. So that's my 00:07:30.649 --> 00:07:32.410 advice, is if you're trying to think of what 00:07:32.410 --> 00:07:36.529 book to write, don't try to retrofit what you 00:07:36.529 --> 00:07:39.069 think people want. Just think about what that's 00:07:39.069 --> 00:07:43.149 going to do for you as an author. Thank you. 00:07:43.350 --> 00:07:45.949 Before Sabine continues with that amazing intro, 00:07:46.069 --> 00:07:50.050 we thank you. She also and I met last year at 00:07:50.050 --> 00:07:52.769 PopFest. Where have you been all my life? She's 00:07:52.769 --> 00:07:55.620 another amazing soul. Sabine, thank you for being 00:07:55.620 --> 00:07:57.939 here and sharing your wisdom. Again, she's probably 00:07:57.939 --> 00:07:59.699 forgot more about marketing books than I can 00:07:59.699 --> 00:08:02.220 ever think I ever remember. And I'm honored to 00:08:02.220 --> 00:08:04.500 have you on the platform with us today. So continue 00:08:04.500 --> 00:08:07.259 after those two amazing words. Thank you, David. 00:08:08.100 --> 00:08:12.060 So it's something similar, what you just shared. 00:08:13.000 --> 00:08:16.199 I was here. I've been going to PodFest for some 00:08:16.199 --> 00:08:21.920 years now as podcaster and speaker. Last year, 00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:26.800 I was interviewed by another podcaster and after 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:30.019 the interview she came to me and said Sabina, 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:34.460 you need to write a book. That's right. And I 00:08:34.460 --> 00:08:38.360 said, well, I already wrote three books. But 00:08:38.360 --> 00:08:40.559 she said, no, no, no, no, you don't understand. 00:08:40.600 --> 00:08:44.679 You have to write your book, your stories. You 00:08:44.679 --> 00:08:46.940 have such a colorful life where you just shared 00:08:46.940 --> 00:08:49.779 and all the wisdom. you need to write that book, 00:08:49.840 --> 00:08:52.840 a biography or something. Said, okay, let me 00:08:52.840 --> 00:08:56.960 think about it. And I'm always following my intuition. 00:08:57.159 --> 00:09:00.879 So I went to the expo hall, and there was Morgan 00:09:00.879 --> 00:09:04.500 James publishing. And there was a sign that says, 00:09:04.820 --> 00:09:07.700 pitch your book, and we give you feedback. The 00:09:07.700 --> 00:09:10.659 problem was, I didn't have a book. But I thought, 00:09:10.779 --> 00:09:13.759 well, maybe I can get some feedback. So I scheduled 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:20.120 a time with Chrissy. But then I went and told 00:09:20.120 --> 00:09:25.659 a couple little vignettes of my story. And Chrissy 00:09:25.659 --> 00:09:30.279 was very quiet as hell. Was mad. And then she 00:09:30.279 --> 00:09:33.679 just replied, you are a good storyteller, because 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:35.720 I'm also known as the Storytelling Dave from 00:09:35.720 --> 00:09:41.679 Germany. But your stories really touched my heart. 00:09:42.019 --> 00:09:49.100 You need to write this book. Oh, OK. I went thinking. 00:09:49.620 --> 00:09:51.860 I didn't say yes right away. You know what I 00:09:51.860 --> 00:09:57.259 did? I Googled Morgan James Publishing. Said, 00:09:58.019 --> 00:10:01.919 ooh, yes. Okay, let me see. Maybe they take everybody, 00:10:02.220 --> 00:10:09.240 but no. No, no, no. So we get about 5 ,000 pitches 00:10:09.240 --> 00:10:15.179 a year and 150s are the lucky ones. And wow, 00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:19.059 that's 3%. I said, okay, I guess I need to write 00:10:19.059 --> 00:10:24.399 this book. And long story short, yes, Chrissy, 00:10:25.100 --> 00:10:28.620 she is my editor too because we had such a great 00:10:28.620 --> 00:10:32.019 relationship. By the way, Morgan James is just 00:10:32.019 --> 00:10:35.480 a beautiful, beautiful family. I've never expected 00:10:35.480 --> 00:10:38.539 that relationship and the journey that we did 00:10:38.539 --> 00:10:41.460 together and the beautiful authors, co -authors 00:10:41.460 --> 00:10:46.179 that I met along the journey. So anyways. So 00:10:46.179 --> 00:10:50.100 my book came about, a memoir, and it was released, 00:10:50.100 --> 00:10:53.679 I mean, just now. So it's just now available 00:10:53.679 --> 00:10:57.840 on Barnes & Noble. It's called Gamchen, Sacred 00:10:57.840 --> 00:11:02.700 Whispers, Bold Moves, and The Courage to Become. 00:11:03.259 --> 00:11:06.039 And that's what it's all about. It's about the 00:11:06.039 --> 00:11:11.120 journey of becoming your next greater self. having 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:14.580 the spirituality as a very important part of 00:11:14.580 --> 00:11:18.259 it, the beliefs that you have, and also everything 00:11:18.259 --> 00:11:21.539 that we experience in life. And gamchen is my 00:11:21.539 --> 00:11:25.279 framework, so it's not just stories, because 00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:28.720 it's important that every story has to have a 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:32.220 point, and every point has to have a story, and 00:11:32.220 --> 00:11:37.259 that is what I kind of put together. So somewhere 00:11:37.259 --> 00:11:40.750 between chicken soup for the soul, Think and 00:11:40.750 --> 00:11:44.970 Grow Rich and The Secret. That's right. Congratulations. 00:11:46.230 --> 00:11:48.289 Just fill in the gap real quick. I am Joel Com. 00:11:48.370 --> 00:11:50.509 I've been doing business online for more than 00:11:50.509 --> 00:11:54.509 30 years now. I've written 16 books. You have 00:11:54.509 --> 00:11:56.730 a voice for radio, man. You need to go on my 00:11:56.730 --> 00:12:03.169 podcast. And I've been podcasting since 2008. 00:12:03.480 --> 00:12:05.860 Played with pioneer a lot of the technologies 00:12:05.860 --> 00:12:08.580 that we use today and just had a meeting with 00:12:08.580 --> 00:12:11.980 David outside the room before this session and 00:12:11.980 --> 00:12:16.519 Committed to writing book number Six seventy 00:12:16.519 --> 00:12:20.139 one of them number ten with Morgan James Based 00:12:20.139 --> 00:12:23.480 on my latest podcast called AI for everyone Which 00:12:23.480 --> 00:12:26.840 is serving the 55 plus community to take away 00:12:26.840 --> 00:12:29.799 the intimidation factor and make it so that AI 00:12:29.799 --> 00:12:32.960 can be used practically to enrich and empower 00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:35.179 their lives. And if I can help any of you in 00:12:35.179 --> 00:12:41.120 any way, just ask. That's awesome. Yeah, great 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:45.379 stories. I'm Dr. James Torbelson, known commonly 00:12:45.379 --> 00:12:49.419 as Dr. T. I'm a clinical psychologist since making 00:12:49.419 --> 00:12:52.259 a transition from the field of behavioral health, 00:12:52.860 --> 00:12:55.720 which I've been in service of for 40 plus years. 00:12:56.620 --> 00:12:59.000 and thought I would retire on the golf course. 00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:02.360 God woke me up one morning, February 20th, and 00:13:02.360 --> 00:13:07.419 said, get up and write. I did. And how many know 00:13:07.419 --> 00:13:10.240 you don't say no to God? Right. Amen. Right. 00:13:10.379 --> 00:13:14.820 So I have my book, Awakened, exposing the web 00:13:14.820 --> 00:13:16.820 of deception, threatening our faith, family, 00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:19.500 and freedom. It is a niche. It's not for everyone. 00:13:20.379 --> 00:13:23.360 But our messages aren't for everyone, and they 00:13:23.360 --> 00:13:27.039 also are not for us. We already have it. God 00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:32.139 puts out in us to plant, to produce, to expand 00:13:32.139 --> 00:13:34.919 it, to get our voice out to others. I was having 00:13:34.919 --> 00:13:36.899 breakfast this morning. I saw you across the 00:13:36.899 --> 00:13:39.220 table. I was meeting with a gentleman. We were 00:13:39.220 --> 00:13:42.019 collaborating. And the waitress comes up and 00:13:42.019 --> 00:13:45.639 sees the book and says, is that the author? I 00:13:45.639 --> 00:13:47.679 said, yes. She said, my son just bought that 00:13:47.679 --> 00:13:50.600 book. We need that book. We need that message. 00:13:51.259 --> 00:13:54.200 And so I signed one and gave it to her. I'm also 00:13:54.200 --> 00:13:56.360 signing one for she can give to her son and told 00:13:56.360 --> 00:13:58.200 them to pass it on, like Chrissy was saying, 00:13:58.299 --> 00:14:01.940 give it away. But it's a message for people. 00:14:03.019 --> 00:14:06.419 And so that's the importance of all of these 00:14:06.419 --> 00:14:10.460 messages. Not one of us speak to everyone. I 00:14:10.460 --> 00:14:12.440 have a principle I operate under called Mouth 00:14:12.440 --> 00:14:15.860 Smokes. We need many voices, we need many messages 00:14:15.860 --> 00:14:19.570 to reach many people. I have written a number 00:14:19.570 --> 00:14:22.509 of things. They weren't necessarily, well, of 00:14:22.509 --> 00:14:24.970 course, my dissertation, but some articles, and 00:14:24.970 --> 00:14:27.129 I have an e -book, which this just hit me. I 00:14:27.129 --> 00:14:28.769 have an e -book I should probably think about 00:14:28.769 --> 00:14:30.970 putting into a book, but then I've written this 00:14:30.970 --> 00:14:33.409 one and look forward to the continuance journey. 00:14:34.250 --> 00:14:38.250 I'm also starting a podcast. And the name of 00:14:38.250 --> 00:14:41.509 my podcast that it came to has now changed. When 00:14:41.509 --> 00:14:43.980 I'm leaving, it'll be something different. And 00:14:43.980 --> 00:14:46.220 it was interesting because I felt impressed not 00:14:46.220 --> 00:14:49.259 to watch my first episode before I left. I was 00:14:49.259 --> 00:14:51.279 supposed to wait till I got back because some 00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:53.080 things would change, and sure enough, they did 00:14:53.080 --> 00:14:56.159 change. What's the new title? All right, so it 00:14:56.159 --> 00:14:58.580 was Truth, Faith, and Culture. Now it's Miracles 00:14:58.580 --> 00:15:03.460 Next Door by Dr. T. Because everyone has a miracle. 00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:07.299 And everyone can share that for someone else's 00:15:07.299 --> 00:15:11.100 benefit. And in that platform, we can still talk 00:15:11.100 --> 00:15:13.320 about something that's there to be and that's 00:15:13.320 --> 00:15:15.820 truth and faith and culture. I like that because 00:15:15.820 --> 00:15:17.759 not only is it saying your miracle's coming, 00:15:17.980 --> 00:15:20.460 but by saying miracle next door means it's so 00:15:20.460 --> 00:15:22.919 close. Yes, and it's all around and everybody 00:15:22.919 --> 00:15:27.179 has one. Amen. Thank you, sir. So anyway, enough. 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:30.820 Anything else I should add there? You did good. 00:15:32.480 --> 00:15:37.559 Thank you everybody for sharing your stories 00:15:37.559 --> 00:15:40.179 and I'm honored to have you with us today. Let's 00:15:40.179 --> 00:15:42.159 ask any more questions. If you don't come up 00:15:42.159 --> 00:15:44.340 with questions, I'll make up some. Because I 00:15:44.340 --> 00:15:46.500 know the answers to those. So we have our first 00:15:46.500 --> 00:15:49.919 anything. Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Abby. Hello, 00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:52.360 Abby. Abby Graves Productions. I would love to 00:15:52.360 --> 00:15:54.220 know from each of you, if you could just like 00:15:54.220 --> 00:15:58.080 shortly summarize, what did you wish you knew 00:15:58.080 --> 00:16:00.240 going into the publishing process, specifically 00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:02.820 with Morgan James Publishing, since this is the 00:16:02.820 --> 00:16:04.740 big sponsor of everything. You guys are all Morgan 00:16:04.740 --> 00:16:07.000 James authors. Can I go first? I'll be fast. 00:16:07.890 --> 00:16:09.470 You have the microwave. I have the microphone, 00:16:09.690 --> 00:16:11.330 too. And I talked about this a little bit yesterday. 00:16:11.529 --> 00:16:14.149 The one thing that I wish I knew, and I had good 00:16:14.149 --> 00:16:16.009 counsel. I mean, I had really good counsel when 00:16:16.009 --> 00:16:19.110 I wrote my first book. But I didn't really appreciate 00:16:19.110 --> 00:16:22.629 what he was telling me. So the thing that I do 00:16:22.629 --> 00:16:24.850 now better than I do anything else is the best 00:16:24.850 --> 00:16:27.590 time to start marketing your book is the moment 00:16:27.590 --> 00:16:29.990 you decide to write it. Not when you're finished 00:16:29.990 --> 00:16:32.529 it. Not when you have it in hand. Not on pub 00:16:32.529 --> 00:16:34.570 date. I've seen it. The best time to start marketing 00:16:34.570 --> 00:16:37.350 a book is right now. start telling people I've 00:16:37.350 --> 00:16:39.210 decided to write a book. Who cares if you don't 00:16:39.210 --> 00:16:40.769 know how you're going to publish it? Who cares 00:16:40.769 --> 00:16:42.610 if you're not finished but your audience is going 00:16:42.610 --> 00:16:44.370 to hold you accountable, then they become very 00:16:44.370 --> 00:16:46.570 vested in the process with you, and you need 00:16:46.570 --> 00:16:49.330 them, you need them to say yes when you ask them 00:16:49.330 --> 00:16:52.470 to go pre -order the book. So start, when? Right 00:16:52.470 --> 00:16:57.190 now. When? Now. When? Now. That's right. Which 00:16:57.190 --> 00:16:59.590 is incidentally exactly the advice you gave me 00:16:59.590 --> 00:17:01.850 outside the room. Once again, even though I should 00:17:01.850 --> 00:17:04.049 know this, I just want to recognize that a chicken 00:17:04.049 --> 00:17:08.549 and a beaver... What is it? A cat just walked 00:17:08.549 --> 00:17:13.049 into the room. I just wanted to recognize the 00:17:13.049 --> 00:17:16.470 barnyard just entered into the room. So I've 00:17:16.470 --> 00:17:19.309 had nine books with Morgan James, one with No 00:17:19.309 --> 00:17:23.549 Starch Press, four with Wiley, and one with Thomas 00:17:23.549 --> 00:17:25.789 Nelson. And the thing that I've learned is no 00:17:25.789 --> 00:17:27.970 matter who you work with, you are going to be 00:17:27.970 --> 00:17:33.509 your own best promoter and marketer and PR. Morgan 00:17:33.509 --> 00:17:36.509 James certainly has given support in all my efforts, 00:17:36.529 --> 00:17:39.329 but even the larger publishing houses, even the 00:17:39.329 --> 00:17:41.930 one that gave me the largest royalty of my life, 00:17:42.630 --> 00:17:46.410 they count on you as the author to be your greatest 00:17:46.410 --> 00:17:50.130 evangelist and promoter. And so realize that 00:17:50.130 --> 00:17:53.170 there isn't a publishing house today that unless 00:17:53.170 --> 00:17:55.769 you're J .K. Rowling or Clive Patterson and they're 00:17:55.769 --> 00:17:58.890 giving you million dollars, millions in advances, 00:17:59.269 --> 00:18:01.309 you're going to be the one that is beating the 00:18:01.309 --> 00:18:08.170 pavement in your own. best promoter? For me, 00:18:08.170 --> 00:18:12.309 I think it is something similar along the line. 00:18:12.769 --> 00:18:15.490 But I was not, my mind wasn't there promoting. 00:18:15.670 --> 00:18:18.650 My mind was just like, holy moly, I need to write 00:18:18.650 --> 00:18:24.509 a book. And coming up with everything. And that 00:18:24.509 --> 00:18:26.650 writer's block that you may have at the beginning, 00:18:27.289 --> 00:18:32.250 my best advice can be just sit down and just 00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:36.180 don't think you have to write it in gold. Just 00:18:36.180 --> 00:18:40.680 start writing. And once I did that, and I let 00:18:40.680 --> 00:18:44.460 every limiting beliefs and every writer's block 00:18:44.460 --> 00:18:47.619 get out of the window and just say, just start 00:18:47.619 --> 00:18:50.420 writing and have fun. And then everything will 00:18:50.420 --> 00:18:56.759 fall in place. I think what I wish I had known 00:18:56.759 --> 00:18:59.579 before and what I'm still just taking the time 00:18:59.579 --> 00:19:02.490 to remind myself now is I'm a numbers person. 00:19:02.750 --> 00:19:05.750 I'm an analytical person. I have built my businesses 00:19:05.750 --> 00:19:09.089 based on what gets measured, gets managed. I, 00:19:09.089 --> 00:19:11.789 every single blog post, every podcast episode, 00:19:12.710 --> 00:19:15.670 the flowers that I offer for my brides, it's, 00:19:15.670 --> 00:19:17.670 you know, what colors are getting requested most? 00:19:17.809 --> 00:19:19.950 How many clicks? What's, you know, where is this 00:19:19.950 --> 00:19:22.289 information coming from? Watching those metrics. 00:19:22.630 --> 00:19:25.230 And right now it's, it's just kind of this, you 00:19:25.230 --> 00:19:27.430 know, especially being in this pre -order phase. 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:30.880 I don't know. I don't know what's happening. 00:19:31.059 --> 00:19:35.339 I don't know what's going to happen. But that 00:19:35.339 --> 00:19:38.640 individual message and being really focused right 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:41.759 now on the people that are reaching out, say, 00:19:41.839 --> 00:19:44.099 I'm excited for this book. Or if I do a little 00:19:44.099 --> 00:19:47.819 teaser of a little portion of a chapter and, 00:19:47.819 --> 00:19:50.019 you know, notice that more people are following 00:19:50.019 --> 00:19:53.279 my page or something like that, knowing that 00:19:53.279 --> 00:19:59.089 imagine your ideal reader. not your ideal audience, 00:19:59.309 --> 00:20:01.829 and that's what's really helped me, is trying 00:20:01.829 --> 00:20:04.170 to imagine that specific person that you are 00:20:04.170 --> 00:20:06.690 helping, because you're not gonna help everyone, 00:20:06.789 --> 00:20:10.230 and that's okay. What did you just say it was 00:20:10.230 --> 00:20:12.829 a phrase? What gets measured gets what? Managed. 00:20:13.309 --> 00:20:18.329 Managed. And I would agree with all this, and 00:20:18.329 --> 00:20:24.250 I think for me, maybe the process, just a little 00:20:24.250 --> 00:20:28.410 more. We, by nature, all of us are a bit impatient, 00:20:28.650 --> 00:20:30.750 right? And we like things to happen quicker than 00:20:30.750 --> 00:20:34.349 you do. It's a case in point. It's a case study. 00:20:35.869 --> 00:20:39.410 But we are. And so we're so excited about our 00:20:39.410 --> 00:20:41.650 message and our book and what we're doing. And 00:20:41.650 --> 00:20:43.930 we would like to see it printed yesterday. And 00:20:43.930 --> 00:20:45.910 even once it's printed, we'd like to see it kind 00:20:45.910 --> 00:20:47.549 of distributed. And we would like to get our 00:20:47.549 --> 00:20:49.809 copies. And so maybe a little more encouragement 00:20:49.809 --> 00:20:54.579 to be patient, but trust. So just trusting that 00:20:54.579 --> 00:20:57.359 we have them. Morgan James has your back. They're 00:20:57.359 --> 00:20:59.319 working in your best interests. We are a team. 00:20:59.619 --> 00:21:02.279 But we have to exercise our patience, too, and 00:21:02.279 --> 00:21:04.940 trust something outside of ourselves. And that 00:21:04.940 --> 00:21:07.259 is that it's going to get out at the right time. 00:21:07.960 --> 00:21:11.079 And it may take longer than we wish. But that's 00:21:11.079 --> 00:21:14.259 because we have experts that care trying to produce 00:21:14.259 --> 00:21:17.319 the best product on our behalf and for the message 00:21:17.319 --> 00:21:19.710 we want to get out. So it's just that patience 00:21:19.710 --> 00:21:22.130 and that understanding and knowing a little more 00:21:22.130 --> 00:21:25.450 of that going in. And I'm not saying I gave our 00:21:25.450 --> 00:21:28.190 publisher a hard time, but she got a few more 00:21:28.190 --> 00:21:30.369 calls than she probably wanted saying, where's 00:21:30.369 --> 00:21:32.650 this at? When's it coming? And that kind of thing. 00:21:34.250 --> 00:21:35.970 Thank you so much, Abby. That was a great question. 00:21:36.049 --> 00:21:38.369 And thank you, expert. Did you have one more 00:21:38.369 --> 00:21:40.730 thing you wanted to say, Abby? All right, that's 00:21:40.730 --> 00:21:43.809 great questions. Who's number two? I'm coming 00:21:43.809 --> 00:21:51.029 to you. Absolutely. I'd love if you have any, 00:21:51.029 --> 00:21:53.829 like, promotion secrets, but a specific question 00:21:53.829 --> 00:21:56.130 I have, if I'm promoting my book, do you send 00:21:56.130 --> 00:21:59.289 them right to a shopping cart like Amazon or 00:21:59.289 --> 00:22:01.430 to your book or author website where there's 00:22:01.430 --> 00:22:11.309 bonuses? Yes. All of the above. I've marketed 00:22:11.309 --> 00:22:14.670 so many different ways, the way we got the AdSense 00:22:14.670 --> 00:22:16.970 code 20 years ago to New York Times, my seller. 00:22:17.289 --> 00:22:20.569 was through a lot of partners with a lot of bonuses. 00:22:20.789 --> 00:22:23.650 I think I had 50 partners. And remember, it's 00:22:23.650 --> 00:22:25.809 not who you know, it's who knows you, right? 00:22:26.009 --> 00:22:28.309 And so building that network of people that you 00:22:28.309 --> 00:22:30.309 can align with, that will support your goals, 00:22:30.430 --> 00:22:32.950 and you can support theirs is a great way to 00:22:32.950 --> 00:22:35.809 do it. But when you talk about promotions and 00:22:35.809 --> 00:22:38.809 marketing, a lot of people use swag. They create 00:22:38.809 --> 00:22:42.009 something, whether it's a pen or a t -shirt or 00:22:42.009 --> 00:22:44.950 whatever. And the best piece of swag that I ever 00:22:44.950 --> 00:22:48.809 created is a great example for everybody. I was 00:22:48.809 --> 00:22:51.289 inspired by Staples' Easy Button. Everybody know 00:22:51.289 --> 00:22:54.869 that? That was easy. And I did a book for John 00:22:54.869 --> 00:22:57.829 Wiley & Sons in 2010 called Ka -ching! How to 00:22:57.829 --> 00:22:59.829 build an online business that pays and pays. 00:22:59.910 --> 00:23:02.150 Talked about internet marketing, affiliate marketing, 00:23:02.470 --> 00:23:05.130 selling your own products and all this. And I 00:23:05.130 --> 00:23:08.349 decided the visual would be this green button 00:23:08.349 --> 00:23:10.809 in the same shape as the Easy Button. It was 00:23:10.809 --> 00:23:13.319 a dollar sign on the top. push it, it would go 00:23:13.319 --> 00:23:15.700 ka -ching. I thought, how do I manufacture these? 00:23:15.720 --> 00:23:18.819 So I found a contact, had it made in China, and 00:23:18.819 --> 00:23:20.420 had a bunch of sentences to me, and when I sent 00:23:20.420 --> 00:23:23.380 the book out to editors, I sent it with the ka 00:23:23.380 --> 00:23:27.380 -ching button. When you send out something that's 00:23:27.380 --> 00:23:30.000 swag, a lot of it automatically gets pitched. 00:23:30.740 --> 00:23:33.039 People are like, another koozie, I need another 00:23:33.039 --> 00:23:36.859 koozie, really? So you want to make sure it gets 00:23:36.859 --> 00:23:40.819 opened, whatever it is that they have, that they 00:23:40.819 --> 00:23:44.660 use it. And they keep it. I can't tell you to 00:23:44.660 --> 00:23:47.359 this day how many people still tell me that a 00:23:47.359 --> 00:23:50.359 chain button is on their desk and they still 00:23:50.359 --> 00:23:53.240 use it when a sale comes in. In fact, so many 00:23:53.240 --> 00:23:56.960 people liked them that I had thousands produced 00:23:56.960 --> 00:24:00.640 shipped to fulfill by Amazon and sold them for 00:24:00.640 --> 00:24:03.940 $18 .95 for several years until somebody made 00:24:03.940 --> 00:24:06.460 knockoffs and I decided I didn't want to compete 00:24:06.460 --> 00:24:11.680 with them. But those are my tips. Well, we have 00:24:11.680 --> 00:24:16.400 to talk. Because I want to be the number one. 00:24:16.500 --> 00:24:18.720 No, maybe not the number one. Yes, number one. 00:24:19.180 --> 00:24:23.119 Of course. New York Times, all kinds of bestselling 00:24:23.119 --> 00:24:26.839 lists. That's my goal. And with that said, there 00:24:26.839 --> 00:24:29.839 are also different ways. And I'm just starting 00:24:29.839 --> 00:24:32.279 out. So it's just like what I've learned from 00:24:32.279 --> 00:24:40.220 the master over there. What is your objective? 00:24:40.400 --> 00:24:43.180 So my objectives obviously is if I want to be 00:24:43.180 --> 00:24:46.480 a bestseller It has to get me has to be bought 00:24:46.480 --> 00:24:50.480 at the stores as many stores as possible So I 00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:54.200 sent people there and what I'm doing right now 00:24:54.200 --> 00:24:58.339 When I'm talking and when I'm teaching courses 00:24:58.339 --> 00:25:03.759 or master classes or workshops, I Encourage people. 00:25:03.779 --> 00:25:07.460 Hey if you pre -order it because it's not out 00:25:07.460 --> 00:25:10.829 until August, so I have eight months time now 00:25:10.829 --> 00:25:15.369 to build this up. If you preorder it and send 00:25:15.369 --> 00:25:20.829 me a copy, you will get a master coaching session 00:25:20.829 --> 00:25:24.230 with me, which is a high value. And if somebody 00:25:24.230 --> 00:25:28.650 is wanting what I provide as communication confidence 00:25:28.650 --> 00:25:32.230 coach, oh yeah, that's this deal. So that is 00:25:32.230 --> 00:25:35.700 one of my strategies. As I said, I'm going to 00:25:35.700 --> 00:25:37.900 talk with this guy because I wanted to get to 00:25:37.900 --> 00:25:54.420 the bestseller list. Oh, look at that. I love 00:25:54.420 --> 00:25:59.299 it. I love it. So I started. my wait list on 00:25:59.299 --> 00:26:03.319 my website in April and, you know, get on the 00:26:03.319 --> 00:26:07.500 list, get on the wait list probably three times 00:26:07.500 --> 00:26:09.359 a month. So like every 10 days I would share 00:26:09.359 --> 00:26:11.559 it on my social media. And I have, I have like 00:26:11.559 --> 00:26:14.019 seven different Instagram accounts for my different, 00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:15.920 you know, I have my brick and mortar flower farm. 00:26:15.920 --> 00:26:20.460 I have my event venue. I have my podcast. That's 00:26:20.460 --> 00:26:23.380 Rooted Egg or Tourism related to this. I put 00:26:23.380 --> 00:26:25.259 on the flower farmer forum conference, but then 00:26:25.259 --> 00:26:28.319 there's myself, my author page. And so I just 00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:31.960 kept sharing that on all of those pages, just 00:26:31.960 --> 00:26:34.099 everywhere. And I'm like, hey, if you're interested 00:26:34.099 --> 00:26:39.000 in book -specific stuff. And so from April through 00:26:39.000 --> 00:26:42.259 November, and then I kept track on a spreadsheet, 00:26:42.420 --> 00:26:44.640 because what gets measured gets managed. And 00:26:44.640 --> 00:26:46.779 I have a spreadsheet of follower counts of all 00:26:46.779 --> 00:26:50.779 of everything for the last. And then in December, 00:26:50.980 --> 00:26:53.650 when pre -orders. were available. I officially 00:26:53.650 --> 00:26:55.750 said, hey, pre -orders are launched and here 00:26:55.750 --> 00:27:00.009 we are. And then I renamed my wait list to The 00:27:00.009 --> 00:27:02.730 Bloom Crew. And people want something to cheer 00:27:02.730 --> 00:27:06.789 for. They are part of it. I had pitched my book 00:27:06.789 --> 00:27:10.529 to some traditional publishers, to some literary 00:27:10.529 --> 00:27:13.529 agents, and they said, hey, it's a great story, 00:27:13.569 --> 00:27:16.730 but... At the time, I had 500 followers on Instagram. 00:27:16.849 --> 00:27:19.069 I still have less than 2 ,000 on my personal 00:27:19.069 --> 00:27:21.089 page. And they're like, nobody's going to care. 00:27:21.329 --> 00:27:24.710 I think they will. I think that I have a very 00:27:24.710 --> 00:27:27.210 engaged audience. And that's what they want. 00:27:27.329 --> 00:27:30.289 And so I have a drive. I have a Google Drive 00:27:30.289 --> 00:27:32.829 that they can go to with, hey, download this. 00:27:32.869 --> 00:27:35.750 Post this on social. Say the book. They want 00:27:35.750 --> 00:27:38.470 something to root for and to be part of it. So 00:27:38.470 --> 00:27:40.930 I've just brought them on the journey. And if 00:27:40.930 --> 00:27:42.390 they don't want to be part of it, then they don't 00:27:42.390 --> 00:27:46.440 have to. So I can also put it out before Dr. 00:27:46.579 --> 00:27:50.579 T jumps in. A couple of things probably to consider 00:27:50.579 --> 00:27:53.779 when where to send them to buy the book is don't 00:27:53.779 --> 00:27:56.039 send everybody to Amazon. Everybody knows the 00:27:56.039 --> 00:27:58.259 book is on Amazon. Unless Amazon is your only 00:27:58.259 --> 00:28:01.339 source to get the book, say things like go to 00:28:01.339 --> 00:28:02.779 your favorite bookstore or available at your 00:28:02.779 --> 00:28:04.279 favorite bookstore or wherever books are sold. 00:28:04.859 --> 00:28:07.220 But maybe even send links to your favorite bookstore. 00:28:07.720 --> 00:28:09.779 So if you have traditional distribution, and 00:28:09.779 --> 00:28:11.900 it's definitely pre -published, pre -orders matter. 00:28:12.039 --> 00:28:13.299 You've heard that bit you mentioned a minute 00:28:13.299 --> 00:28:15.539 ago. As many pre -orders we get at BarnesNobel 00:28:15.539 --> 00:28:17.940 .com can influence how many stores will carry 00:28:17.940 --> 00:28:21.640 it on the shelf. So drive them to BarnesNobel 00:28:21.640 --> 00:28:24.259 if you can, but avoid the Amazon trap. So if 00:28:24.259 --> 00:28:26.220 you're published by publishing, you have distribution, 00:28:26.579 --> 00:28:28.720 you will get blacklisted and not even know it. 00:28:28.740 --> 00:28:31.140 If you say Amazon one too many times on social 00:28:31.140 --> 00:28:33.400 media, and that one too many times could be one 00:28:33.400 --> 00:28:37.269 time, it's a very sensitive topic. But you can 00:28:37.269 --> 00:28:39.710 link to or talk about any bookstore on the planet. 00:28:39.970 --> 00:28:42.529 Nobody will get upset with you unless you say 00:28:42.529 --> 00:28:46.430 hims eye. So keep that in mind. Who will blacklist 00:28:46.430 --> 00:28:49.970 you? Who will? The bookstore buyers. Oh, the 00:28:49.970 --> 00:28:51.809 bookstore buyers. Yeah, in fact, we had one of 00:28:51.809 --> 00:28:53.509 our Wall Street Journal USA Today bestselling 00:28:53.509 --> 00:28:55.950 and actually our top grossing foreign rights 00:28:55.950 --> 00:28:58.190 translated books has been blacklisted on Barnes 00:28:58.190 --> 00:29:01.109 and Noble for five years. They just got un -blacklisted 00:29:01.109 --> 00:29:04.210 five years later. So we don't want that for you. 00:29:04.299 --> 00:29:06.039 So send them to your favorite bookstore, and 00:29:06.039 --> 00:29:07.400 Kurt is going to go to their favorite bookstore. 00:29:07.559 --> 00:29:08.799 And if they go to Amazon, that's great. That's 00:29:08.799 --> 00:29:11.299 wonderful. All books sales matter. But spread 00:29:11.299 --> 00:29:18.079 the love. Is it self -published? Sorry, just 00:29:18.079 --> 00:29:19.960 as self -published, the reason I'm sending there, 00:29:20.240 --> 00:29:22.740 and open your feedback, is because then the algorithm 00:29:22.740 --> 00:29:26.480 shows my book to more buyers on Amazon, and it's 00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:28.480 not at the local bookstore. And that's perfect. 00:29:28.640 --> 00:29:30.819 So sing, do that, drive up to Amazon. But in 00:29:30.819 --> 00:29:33.220 that case, to kind of further the answer of where 00:29:33.220 --> 00:29:35.559 you should send them, is you should send them 00:29:35.559 --> 00:29:38.279 to your website first, like on podcasts or in 00:29:38.279 --> 00:29:40.299 conversations, go to a website, learn more about 00:29:40.299 --> 00:29:42.779 the book, and give them something, you know, 00:29:42.839 --> 00:29:45.019 to get an ethical bribe, we call it in guerrilla 00:29:45.019 --> 00:29:47.640 marketing, it's really a lead magnet, and then 00:29:47.640 --> 00:29:50.019 point them to Amazon. That way you can hopefully 00:29:50.019 --> 00:29:51.359 capture as many, because Amazon's not going to 00:29:51.359 --> 00:29:52.680 tell you about the book, so if you can capture 00:29:52.680 --> 00:29:54.380 as many names and email addresses as possible, 00:29:54.480 --> 00:29:56.359 give them some sort of gift to stay engaged with 00:29:56.359 --> 00:29:58.119 you, get them on your email list, and then send 00:29:58.119 --> 00:30:00.009 them over to Amazon. But yeah. Absolutely, so 00:30:00.009 --> 00:30:02.549 for the big picture. Listen to whatever I was 00:30:02.549 --> 00:30:05.329 going to say, but that's perfect. Dr. T. Yeah, 00:30:05.710 --> 00:30:08.710 I think that's great advice. And I was just going 00:30:08.710 --> 00:30:10.490 to say, it's not going to happen on its own. 00:30:10.809 --> 00:30:13.569 It just isn't. It's very rare. I mean, even the 00:30:13.569 --> 00:30:15.369 Bible didn't happen on its own. It gets people 00:30:15.369 --> 00:30:17.130 out sharing it, right, and showing the Word. 00:30:18.089 --> 00:30:20.349 But maximize in our sphere of influence, right? 00:30:20.430 --> 00:30:24.029 We have a past. We have a present. But then maximize 00:30:24.029 --> 00:30:26.599 and build and expand your current. And we do 00:30:26.599 --> 00:30:28.700 that through the eclectic kind of utilization 00:30:28.700 --> 00:30:30.640 of the different methodologies that weigh in 00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:32.380 the modalities that we can use to get our book 00:30:32.380 --> 00:30:34.980 out. I've got three conferences coming up. I 00:30:34.980 --> 00:30:36.980 will be speaking at them, and cooking men, and 00:30:36.980 --> 00:30:39.460 so forth. They'll sure be hearing about my book. 00:30:40.200 --> 00:30:42.240 I'm starting the podcast. They'll certainly be 00:30:42.240 --> 00:30:44.160 hearing about it. So all of these are avenues 00:30:44.160 --> 00:30:47.420 to get our message and our word out. And as we 00:30:47.420 --> 00:30:50.519 put in that energy, that passion, that effort, 00:30:50.799 --> 00:30:53.450 that time, then what's the end result? Well, 00:30:53.490 --> 00:30:55.950 we know all the parallels of the farmer and everything 00:30:55.950 --> 00:30:59.329 else. Seed turns into a harvest. And so as we 00:30:59.329 --> 00:31:01.769 do all that, it will happen. We need to trust 00:31:01.769 --> 00:31:04.730 that. But our passion, our excitement, and our 00:31:04.730 --> 00:31:07.170 commitment is going to make that happen. And 00:31:07.170 --> 00:31:09.849 use our collaborations, build that network. And 00:31:09.849 --> 00:31:11.809 that's what I'm working at. I see it happening 00:31:11.809 --> 00:31:14.170 piece by piece. And looking at what you've already 00:31:14.170 --> 00:31:17.069 produced is incredible. And what you've accomplished 00:31:17.069 --> 00:31:20.730 is incredible. And that's how it happens. That's 00:31:20.730 --> 00:31:22.369 great. Thank you so much. So we've got time for 00:31:22.369 --> 00:31:25.109 like one more question. Who would like to ask 00:31:25.109 --> 00:31:26.490 the next question? This has been really good. 00:31:27.069 --> 00:31:29.349 Don't be shy. We got another question that you 00:31:29.349 --> 00:31:34.069 might guys want. Oh yes, thank you. All right, 00:31:34.069 --> 00:31:38.289 brother. Okay, talking about this self promoting 00:31:38.289 --> 00:31:40.470 the book and getting out there and the author's 00:31:40.470 --> 00:31:43.609 got to do it. It scares the crap out of me. You 00:31:43.609 --> 00:31:46.410 know, honestly, like just being busy with life 00:31:46.410 --> 00:32:02.569 and family and podcasting. I don't think it's 00:32:02.569 --> 00:32:06.869 about the time it's the right moves with the 00:32:06.869 --> 00:32:10.410 right people it's about being wise and figuring 00:32:10.410 --> 00:32:13.369 out okay who can help move which activities are 00:32:13.369 --> 00:32:16.190 gonna move the needle the most otherwise you 00:32:16.190 --> 00:32:18.170 can get completely bogged down with the list 00:32:18.170 --> 00:32:20.900 of I guarantee you there's books out there that 00:32:20.900 --> 00:32:22.779 tell you here's a hundred things you can do to 00:32:22.779 --> 00:32:25.940 promote your book. That's right. And it's, it 00:32:25.940 --> 00:32:29.980 can be a lot. You didn't write that. You have 00:32:29.980 --> 00:32:31.880 to figure out what's going to work best with 00:32:31.880 --> 00:32:34.299 your lifestyle and focus on it and then do the 00:32:34.299 --> 00:32:37.279 best you can with, you know, pick one thing to 00:32:37.279 --> 00:32:40.660 start with. But we only need 24 hours in a day. 00:32:40.799 --> 00:32:42.359 I mean how many of them do you sleep and you 00:32:42.359 --> 00:32:45.259 got a wife and kids and you have work and... 00:32:45.889 --> 00:32:49.230 Nobody's useful if you're facing burnout. So 00:32:49.230 --> 00:32:51.490 the thing I can tell you is no matter what you're 00:32:51.490 --> 00:32:55.690 doing Make sure you're having fun doing it So 00:32:55.690 --> 00:33:05.269 you're fully engaged You know, we do start a 00:33:05.269 --> 00:33:08.029 little broader because we want to get some traction 00:33:08.029 --> 00:33:09.950 we want to get some energy We want to get some 00:33:09.950 --> 00:33:12.289 response, but very quickly we need to narrow 00:33:12.289 --> 00:33:15.000 that and go with what's working is we have a 00:33:15.000 --> 00:33:17.819 capacity. Everyone has a capacity. We want to 00:33:17.819 --> 00:33:20.660 try to go to as close to that capacity as we 00:33:20.660 --> 00:33:22.559 can, but we don't want to try to go beyond it 00:33:22.559 --> 00:33:26.839 or you experience burnout. There is no one size 00:33:26.839 --> 00:33:29.400 fits all. I'll say this. And if you do what everybody 00:33:29.400 --> 00:33:31.740 else is doing, you're not going to stand out. 00:33:31.859 --> 00:33:34.440 So figure out that one thing that differentiates 00:33:34.440 --> 00:33:36.480 you. And just because you go, well, nobody's 00:33:36.480 --> 00:33:41.180 done that. Perfect. Sign me up for that. And 00:33:41.180 --> 00:33:44.779 second, what they just said. Number one, have 00:33:44.779 --> 00:33:48.019 fun doing it. Number two, make it personal to 00:33:48.019 --> 00:33:51.559 you, because it really doesn't do any good if 00:33:51.559 --> 00:33:54.140 you say, ah, now I have to pose this, now, ah, 00:33:54.440 --> 00:33:56.380 then you're dragging your feet. But if you do 00:33:56.380 --> 00:33:59.740 something that is aligned with what you do and 00:33:59.740 --> 00:34:04.059 who you are, and have fun doing it, that is what 00:34:04.059 --> 00:34:07.420 comes across authentic. to the audience, and 00:34:07.420 --> 00:34:11.320 then they want to buy from you. So I'm on video 00:34:11.320 --> 00:34:14.300 all the time. I talk about confidence and all 00:34:14.300 --> 00:34:17.880 this stuff, and I talk about gumption. And so 00:34:17.880 --> 00:34:23.460 I just have fun promoting it, but not always. 00:34:23.659 --> 00:34:25.739 Oh, buy my book, buy my book. No, no, no, just 00:34:25.739 --> 00:34:30.809 say, hey, this is like one piece, and go. out 00:34:30.809 --> 00:34:35.730 on video if you can, because this is where people 00:34:35.730 --> 00:34:39.550 have connection with you. They see you, they 00:34:39.550 --> 00:34:42.550 hear you, and there's an energy that comes across 00:34:42.550 --> 00:34:46.510 on video. So, like on Instagram, Tiktok, whatever 00:34:46.510 --> 00:34:49.989 it is, everybody's not their specific one. But 00:34:49.989 --> 00:34:53.050 be you, have fun, be authentic, and be alive 00:34:53.050 --> 00:34:59.420 with your message, and then just go for it. To 00:34:59.420 --> 00:35:02.420 make it really simple, there's one little square 00:35:02.420 --> 00:35:05.679 graph that I really like to look at. Really simple. 00:35:06.880 --> 00:35:09.260 How do you decide what to delegate first or what 00:35:09.260 --> 00:35:11.940 to get rid of? The things that you hate and you 00:35:11.940 --> 00:35:15.179 are not good at, get rid of them. If you make 00:35:15.179 --> 00:35:19.460 me make graphics on Canva, I will be... throw 00:35:19.460 --> 00:35:22.360 my computer out the window. And so that is the 00:35:22.360 --> 00:35:24.820 first thing I will do, just a static post. I'll 00:35:24.820 --> 00:35:26.980 make a reel, I'll make a carousel, I'll do social 00:35:26.980 --> 00:35:29.420 media, I'll go be a guest on someone else's podcast. 00:35:30.519 --> 00:35:34.119 That's easy for me. But to sit there and make 00:35:34.119 --> 00:35:37.320 something look perfect and make the, no, I don't 00:35:37.320 --> 00:35:39.599 wanna do that. So that's what I've decided, hey, 00:35:39.659 --> 00:35:42.239 I want you to make two posts a week on this. 00:35:42.440 --> 00:35:44.840 Or I've hired that part out or something. But 00:35:44.840 --> 00:35:47.940 just figure out. because it has to be sustainable. 00:35:48.360 --> 00:35:50.440 And if it's something you hate doing, and I had 00:35:50.440 --> 00:35:53.340 a hard time, I do have someone that, between 00:35:53.340 --> 00:35:55.340 all of my businesses, helps with some of that 00:35:55.340 --> 00:35:59.559 part, but it's like, if you dread it every time, 00:35:59.599 --> 00:36:01.980 because it's a long game, and so if that's something 00:36:01.980 --> 00:36:05.519 that you cannot do consistently, then either... 00:36:05.530 --> 00:36:08.469 Don't do that and go be a guest on someone else's 00:36:08.469 --> 00:36:11.070 podcast, something. But whatever work you're 00:36:11.070 --> 00:36:12.989 doing yourself, make sure it's something that 00:36:12.989 --> 00:36:15.230 you can do consistently without wanting to throw 00:36:15.230 --> 00:36:17.090 your computer out the window on a daily basis. 00:36:26.409 --> 00:36:29.469 I have a VA, she's posting, and I look at, oh, 00:36:29.550 --> 00:36:32.250 that looks really good. So she's doing all that 00:36:32.250 --> 00:36:34.449 stuff that you would like throw out of the window. 00:36:34.969 --> 00:36:37.650 And then I go on and say, hey, I'm at PowerFest, 00:36:37.690 --> 00:36:39.690 and look at this, and we are right now here and 00:36:39.690 --> 00:36:43.309 there, and you will see it later today. That's 00:36:43.309 --> 00:36:45.289 really good. In guerrilla marketing, we call 00:36:45.289 --> 00:36:48.550 that hiring a designated guerrilla. But you have 00:36:48.550 --> 00:36:49.670 it in your hand, the book you have in your hand 00:36:49.670 --> 00:36:50.989 right now. There's over 100 different things 00:36:50.989 --> 00:36:52.590 you could do. It should do to market your book 00:36:52.590 --> 00:36:54.110 and engage your audience, but don't think you 00:36:54.110 --> 00:36:56.039 have to do them all. As long as you're doing 00:36:56.039 --> 00:36:58.280 three to five things consistently every week, 00:36:58.739 --> 00:37:00.579 you will be way ahead of every author that you've 00:37:00.579 --> 00:37:03.760 met. The average author will do marketing for 00:37:03.760 --> 00:37:05.840 a month and a half. And you're stronger than 00:37:05.840 --> 00:37:08.579 that. So keep it up. So that's really, really 00:37:08.579 --> 00:37:09.960 good answers. Thank you. That's a great question. 00:37:10.280 --> 00:37:13.159 So we're out of time. I know you guys might have 00:37:13.159 --> 00:37:14.860 some place to go. But if you want to throw in 00:37:14.860 --> 00:37:16.800 another question, we can. But otherwise, man, 00:37:17.099 --> 00:37:19.219 this is really good. I have a gift for you. Can 00:37:19.219 --> 00:37:22.019 I give you guys a gift? Besides presents, they 00:37:22.019 --> 00:37:24.510 have all of our amazing offers. If you don't 00:37:24.510 --> 00:37:25.989 already have it, I'd love to gift you a copy 00:37:25.989 --> 00:37:28.250 of Guerrilla Marketing for Writers. Over 21 million 00:37:28.250 --> 00:37:30.230 Guerrilla books sold, and honored to be co -author 00:37:30.230 --> 00:37:33.550 of that book with Jade Levinson. So just go to 00:37:33.550 --> 00:37:38.289 gmarketingforwriters .com. That's gmarketingforwriters 00:37:38.289 --> 00:37:40.809 .com. And funny little side note, and I'll let 00:37:40.809 --> 00:37:44.550 you go to me. That book is effectively 26 years 00:37:44.550 --> 00:37:47.010 old. Second edition came out in 2010, so maybe 00:37:47.010 --> 00:37:49.190 it's 16 years old. But it's still relevant. Hopefully 00:37:49.190 --> 00:37:51.480 we wrote it to be as timeless as possible. But 00:37:51.480 --> 00:37:53.760 my only marketing that I do for that book now, 00:37:54.039 --> 00:37:56.340 and just a hint, it is as relevant as we make 00:37:56.340 --> 00:37:58.139 it, so I try to keep it relevant, but my only 00:37:58.139 --> 00:37:59.880 marketing is I give the book away, just like 00:37:59.880 --> 00:38:01.639 I did to you, like I go on podcasts and I give 00:38:01.639 --> 00:38:04.019 a great Q &A on guerrilla marketing, and at the 00:38:04.019 --> 00:38:05.420 end I go, I got a gift for you guys, hey, if 00:38:05.420 --> 00:38:08.059 you go to gmarketingforwriters .com, you can 00:38:08.059 --> 00:38:11.219 get the book free. I'll get about 5 ,000 people 00:38:11.219 --> 00:38:12.960 a year who say, yeah, I'll do that, and then 00:38:12.960 --> 00:38:15.340 I sell 7 ,000 physical copies because of it. 00:38:15.539 --> 00:38:19.980 So, consistency matters, build trust, do something. 00:38:21.140 --> 00:38:51.449 That's it for you guys. Thank you. classes and 00:38:51.449 --> 00:38:53.710 courses. Be sure to check out our monthly membership, 00:38:54.030 --> 00:38:55.849 Foundations of Peddling Perishable Products, 00:38:56.210 --> 00:38:58.309 where you'll get access to a full library of 00:38:58.309 --> 00:39:01.389 our original course content, plus ongoing support 00:39:01.389 --> 00:39:03.710 through monthly virtual meetups with others in 00:39:03.710 --> 00:39:05.530 the industry. Just click the link in the show 00:39:05.530 --> 00:39:07.710 notes or our bio to learn more. We'd love to 00:39:07.710 --> 00:39:10.090 have you join us. Until next time, keep growing 00:39:10.090 --> 00:39:11.550 with purpose and stay rooted.