How to Find the Secret Sauce

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Where is the secret sauce for success as an author? Your definition of success will be different from mine but each of us have a level of success that we are eager to achieve with our writing and our books. I’m constantly wondering if I am using all of the possible actions and steps to achieve consistent book sales and success. I’m actively looking for the secret sauce that will propel my book sales. 

Recently I reached out to one of my colleagues at Morgan James Publishing. Along with her husband, she wrote one of our top-selling books which is quite an accomplishment. Morgan James Publishing has been around over 20 years with over 200 bestselling books and over 6,000 titles and 20 million sold books. With each of the numbers in this last sentence, it is not easy to become one of those bestselling titles but this author has found the way into this elite group of authors.

As we spoke I asked what actions they were taking on a consistent basis to sell books. They were booking and recording podcasts, and during those conversations giving value to the listeners and pointing people to their book.While those steps sound simple, I’ve read this book and it is well-written and targeted to a particular business audience. The cover design is excellent and other elements in the creation of the book (foundational). In other words from the beginning this book was positioned for success and something many authors miss in the creative process.

I asked this colleague what they were doing to promote the book. The purpose of my question was to see if I was missing some secret sauce that would help me generate more sales. She affirmed they were booking and appearing on different podcasts using PodMatch and delivering value to the listeners with each appearance. I didn’t learn anything out of the ordinary that they were doing in this area.

Also during my conversation, I quickly ran through some of what I’m doing to tell people about my 10 Publishing Myths book. I’m booking and filming podcasts using PodMatch. I’m blogging and pointing to the book in my consistent, once a week newsletters. I’m also guest blogging on a regular basis. As I’ve been doing for years, I post on social media 12-15 times a day to promote the book and tell people about the benefits. Like my colleague, I continue to offer value to the reader with each exchange. Behind the scenes on PodMatch, I can see my number of downloads have increased to over 3,000 in the last two months and the social reach to over 1,300 (which is a good indicator that people are listening to these podcasts and getting value).

From my conversation, I did not find a secret sauce and in many ways I doubt such a sauce exists. As authors, each of us are on a journey. We need to take our own responsibility for our passion about our book and perservere with consistency. As I’ve written in these articles in the past, there is no exact formula to become a bestseller. In fact, the exact steps are different for every author and every book. 

For every author, there is always more to do but your consistent actions will pay off in the long run. That's why marketing expert John Kremer’s book, 1001 Ways to Market Your Books is over 700 pages. It will take continued effort and work to find your path so keep on keeping on.

What steps are you taking for telling others about your book and finding success? Let me know in the comments below and I look forward to learning from your efforts.

New Podcasts:

I enjoyed my conversation with Giuliano Grimaudo (@getmypineapple) on the How to Be a Person Podcast at: https://bit.ly/41cuuVp Learn more about publishing at: http://publishingoffer.com

 

Tweetable:

What is the secret sauce that authors need to find success and sell more books? This prolific author and editor describes his own search, then gives his conclusions. Read the details here.  (ClickToTweet)

rewrite Much of the publishing process is outside of the writer’s control. 10 Publishing Myths helps writers have a realistic perspective and take action. Get 10 Publishing Myths for only $10 +FREE shipping + over $200 of free bonuses.

Get these articles on your email: 

Since 2004, I have blogged about The Writing Life over 1,700 entries and one of the top 27 content writers. With this simple form, each week you can get my new articles, encouragement and insights at: https://t.co/W6uU64u6aA

Why I Love the Word: Next

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

When you partially fill a glass, is this glass half full or half empty? Your perspective is going to make a difference what actions you will take in the future. I tend to take the optimistic view of life and see the glass as half full. Is that your perspective?

Let’s face it. Writers hear the word “no” or “no thank you” often. Or they are ghosted with no response. If you are getting published or want to be published, then you need to be actively pitching. If you want to get published in a magazine, read the guidelines, craft a query letter to that editor and pitch. If you want to get a book published, then write a book proposal (your business plan even if you self-publish) and pitch. If you want to get on radio or podcasts, then you must pitch. Depending on your pitching skills and the person who receives you pitch, you get three possible response: yes, send it or no, not a fit or nothing (ghosted). From my years in publishing and being in some of the top editorial and literary offices in the country, from their questions to me, I know each of these professionals is actively reading their mail and email looking for the next bestseller (whether they respond to you or not). My question in this article is: how will you respond to their response to your pitch.

Rejection is a consistent part of the writing life--and for my life as an editor. The search for the right fit is hard. I pitch podcast hosts using PodMatch and do not get a response (ghosted) or turned down. I pitch authors on publishing with Morgan James and sometimes they do it and sometimes they pass on the opportunity. I’ve learned the hard way through getting rejected over and over that I can’t control the other person’s response. I can only control my side of the pitching process and continue moving forward.

There is a forgotten story about one of the bestselling series of books in the English language: Chicken Soup for the Soul. Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen were rejected over 160 times in their search for a publisher. They recounted the story of their actions in Mark’s foreword to my Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams book. With each rejection, they could have tucked away their submission and stopped. Instead they looked at each other and said a single word, “Next.” This submission didn’t work and now they are looking for the next opportunity.

 See the hope and action orientation of using that single word: next? I encourage you to adopt this practice as you face rejection in your writing life. 

When you speak or think the word: next, you show:

• your commitment to this project and you will not give up but find the next place for it.
• an affirmation to your belief in the pitch and you will not shove it into a drawer.
• your continued commitment to search for the right fit for your idea and your pitch.
• an affirmation that you believe the world is filled with opportunity and you will continue to lookfor the right one.

As I mentioned earlier, you can’t control the response from any decision maker or gatekeeper or anyone else. You can only control your actions and commitment to continue the journey--in spite of the response.

Now you know why I love and use the word: next. How will you use it in your writing life? Or maybe you use another method to continue moving forward. Let me know in the comments below.

Podcasts:

The Raygacy Show Podcast: I enjoyed speaking with Rayson Choo LIVE about The Publishing Playbook: How to Succeed as an Author at: https://bit.ly/418conm 

Tweetable:

Rejection is a consistent part of our lives as writers. This prolific author and editor tells why he loves the word: Next in this article. (ClickToTweet)

Throughout my years in publishing, I understand many aspects of the publishing process are outside of anything an author can control. As I’ve spoken with many authors, I learned many of them have unrealistic expectations about publishing. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. Get my decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses. 

Get these articles on your email: 

Since 2004, I have blogged about The Writing Life over 1,700 entries and one of the top 27 content writers. With this simple form, each week you can get my new articles, encouragement and insights at: https://t.co/W6uU64u6aA

The Importance and Cost of Consistency

    

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

In my writing life, I have a number of consistent actions that I take which play into my continued presence and impact on my world and readers. In this article, I want to detail some of those actions and the systems I’ve created to execute them. I’m writing about these elements with the hope you will emulate them for your own writing life--but also understand the cost and importance of consistency.

People love someone who is a regular and consistent communicator: newsletter, social media posts, article submissions to guest blogs, and writing on deadlines and processing manuscripts--doing what you say you will do. Yet many people are inconsistent and do not communicate on a regular basis. 

When you start something continue with it For example years ago I decided to post on my social media 12-15 times a day. I’m still carrying out that decision on a consistent basis. Many years ago I decided to use Hootsuite as a scheduling tool then I created a system for the various types of articles I would post. For example, I begin each day with an inspirational quotation along with an image of that person making the quotation. I post every hour throughout the day but have created a pattern of these posts. I gather information from other writers that I read and plug these articles into my pattern. The fact that I’ve made a pattern in my head, helps me to do it quickly and consistently. Also I only spend about 30 minutes a day on this task but it happens like clockwork whether I am in my office (as normal) or on the road and away from my office. This consistent effort to post on social media is important and also has a cost related to the consistent time I spend on it.

Last year I decided to be more consistent with my newsletter once a week and have carried forth on that decision over and over. I’m using the scheduling feature on my newsletter program and formatting each one and faithfully sending it out to my targeted readers. 

These examples are only a few areas where I’m practicing consistency. Other areas would be my work as an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. I process submissions, speak with authors to see if they are a fit for our program, answer emails with their questions, send them contracts then negotiate those contracts. Each detail in the process takes consistent effort and costs time and energy.

In these articles I’ve mentioned working at booking Podcasts and using PodMatch. On a consistent basis I’m pitching new podcasts, getting turned down by some of them but also booking others and then recording others. According to the internal documents on PodMatch, in my two months at this effort, I have reached over 2,750 downloads or new people. I can see from my results that it is beginning to work for me. It is not perfect or where I want to be in this area but I’m continuing to consistently work at this area.

Also I am consistently making new connections with people. Maybe you are using the suggested connections on LinkedIN to connect with others in the publishing world. What steps do you take to reach out to them? Some people have annoying automatic responder messages on LinkedIN which ask me to set up a phone conference and chat with them. I am not interested and I instantly block these people. Instead I suggest you figure out how can you help that person. Can you write something they are looking for? Can you read their new book and write a review, then tell them about your review? Instead of trying to get them on the phone, look for ways to help and serve this new connection. 

Each of these areas involve planning, time commitment, consistency and persistence. If you aren’t achieving what you want in the publishing area, I encourage you to take some new and consistent actions. The opportunities are there but you have to seize the day. If I can do it, you can do it. What steps are you taking to consistently work on your writing. Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

According to this prolific author and editor, your consistency is important but also has a cost. Read this article for the details.  (ClickToTweet)

After speaking with authors for years, I know many authors have a unrealistic ideas about the details of publishing—and these details are important for your book to succeed. 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS is a practical easy reading book to help you. Get my decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of

bonuses. 

Get these articles on your email: 

Since 2004, I have blogged about The Writing Life over 1,700 entries and one of the top 27 content writers. With this simple form, each week you can get my new articles, encouragement and insights at: https://t.co/W6uU64u6aA

The Danger of Excuses

 

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

It’s an easy pitfall for each of us as writers and it is called excuses. All the time I hear these excuses from different writers. If I’m honest (which I try to be in these articles), I use them in my own writing life. Like the image I selected for this article, when you use excuses, you are facing a danger because it hinders or stops your results. The opposite is also true. When you eliminate an excuse, then you can achieve your results. Much of the timing and details is a part of each of our lives as writers. In this article, I want to give some common excuses that I hear and some ideas how to move beyond it for better results. 

I encourage you not to shy away from work because as I heard from entrepreneur Darren Hardy in a statement last year and on a note on my desk, “This is going to suck 95% of the time.” I have a number of tasks related to my life in publishing and often they suck and avoiding them can be an excuse which can hinder my results. 

Here’s some recent excuses that I’ve heard from writers:

I can’t use PodMatch to book podcasts because I don’t listen to podcasts.

I can’t sell my book idea to a traditional publisher because I don’t know editors or literary agents.

I can’t pitch magazine editors because their guidelines require I send them a query letter and I don’t know how to write a query letter.

Agents and editors in their guidelines say they are looking for a book proposal and I don’t know how to write a book proposal.

Many authors will say, “I don’t have the time to write a book” yet each of us have the same amount of time and this excuse does not work for me. I’ve published more than 60 books for traditional publishers and taken  some crazy deadlines to complete this work. 

Other authors will tell me they only want to write books and don’t have the time to market a book or they will say something like “I know nothing about marketing and my publisher will handle this area.” Again this excuse is a publishing myth. Several years ago I had an author leave a Morgan James contract for another publisher because he falsely believed this publisher would do the marketing on his book. If I checked back with this author (which I have not), I would suspect he is disappointed in what happened with his book--yet he did not take his responsibility to market his book and wanted someone else to carry that effort. In my view that excuse is unrealistic no matter how you publish your book.

The list of excuses is endless for each of us. If we buy into the excuse, it can prevent us from change and moving forward.

How do you break through your excuses and reach the results? I know how I face my excuses. I hear the excuse and figure out a way to move forward in spite of those words. Do not let them throw you off from achieving your plans and desires. Take action,

Maybe your excuse is lack of time. Can you eliminate something that is wasting your time such as scrolling on social media or watching television? Whether we are aware of it or not, each of us are making choices about how we spend our time. 

Another way through the excuse is to a system or habit that eliminates the excuse. For example, every book needs a business plan or book proposal. I understand these proposals take a lot of work and effort but they are critical to the success of your book. Learn how to write this document. Pick up my free Ebook version of Book Proposals That Sell, then study and apply this book to what you want to do in the area of book publishing.

Also keep expanding your network and connections. Reach out to others and offer to help them (many different ways are possible here such as reading their latest book and writing a review then telling people about your review). Who you know is as important as what you know. Don’t let your small network be one of your excuses. It takes consistent time and effort to build your network but it can become a valuable resource for you. 

The final action that I encourage you to take with your excuses is to be consistent and persistent. Many people give up because they are inconsistent and impatient. Publishing is a marathon experience and not a sprint. Repeatedly I’ve seen (and experienced) where haste leads to errors and missed opportunities.  The action steps can create another endless list but the point is change is hard for everyone. Decide to change and make a difference.

What excuse are you using and how is it holding back your writing dreams? Let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

Are excuses holding back your writing life from moving forward? This prolific author and editor writes about the danger of excuses and the actions you can take to eliminate excuses and move ahead. (ClickToTweet)

During my years in publishing, I’ve reviewed thousands of submissions and spoken with many authors about their plans and dreams for their book. I’ve found many of these authors have  unrealistic expectations about what will happen with their published book. From my experience, many aspects of the details of publishing are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses. 

Get these articles on your email: 

Since 2004, I have blogged about The Writing Life over 1,700 entries and one of the top 27 content writers. With this simple form, each week you can get my new articles, encouragement and insights at: https://t.co/W6uU64u6aA

How to Write a Kick-A** Amazon Bio to Sell More Books

By Penny Sansevieri (@bookgal) 

Editor’s note: It’s rare in these articles that I have a guest blogger. I’m including this post from marketing expert Penny Sansevieri because of her detailed insight to one of the largest booksellers, Amazon. I highly recommend her book, The Amazon Author Formula. I use it here with her permission. Penny’s topic is an important one. This week I saw a new book on Amazon from a publishing friend which didn’t include any bio much less one like you are encouraged to write in this article. I encourage you to do more than read this article. Apply the information to your own Amazon books.

Authors often don’t spend enough time crafting their bios. Most of them write up a quick “about me” to satisfy the basic requirements and never give it a second thought. I often see authors treat their bio like a resume. Approaching it this way means you’re likely to bore readers, and worse,  risk making yourself look  not only less interesting, but less interested in your own work and how you’re coming across to readers.

Have I hit a nerve? Good!

Unless you tell me that you know with certainty your bio is helping turn more browsers into buyers, I know for a fact I can help you make it better!

Start with an Outline and All Book Tie-ins

Before you begin, create a list or an outline of everything you’ve done related to the book. This can include life experiences, personal motivations, passion projects, research, past work in a related industry, accreditations, lectures and classes you’ve conducted, other books you’ve written, and awards you’ve won. You may want to include some of these elements, but not all of them. The rest of these bullets will help you determine which to include.

But It’s Not Really About You

Remember that while we start out by focusing on you and your achievements, this bio actually isn’t about you. It’s about your readers and knowing what your prospective audience is looking for, what interests them, what catches their attention, and most importantly, what speaks to their needs.

Let’s take a close look at a bio on Amazon by Mark Shaefer. His bio is keenly focused on his expertise as it relates to the book. Having read Mark’s other books and having seen him speak, I can tell you he probably has a lot more he could have added to this, but he kept it short and relevant to the book.

Write in Third Person

When it comes to writing a bio, never use words like “I” and “me,” because a bio written in the first person can make for an awkward read, especially when you’re listing all your accomplishments. There are other options for getting personal, don’t worry!

Show the Reader Your Expertise Without the Ego

When it comes to the credible portion of the bio you are creating or reworking, this may seem tricky. But remember, this is where the importance of your initial work comes in. How long have you been writing? Did you utilize any special techniques or resources in this book?

Check out Pete Ryan’s bio. He’s a first-time author, but he leads this bio with his background as a journalist, which tells the reader he is an experienced writer. Pete is also a marketing guy and has a successful business in SoCal. You’ll notice he doesn’t even mention it, because it won’t matter to his fiction readers, and Pete knows this.

Add Keyword Strings Particular to Amazon

As we’ve explained earlier, keyword strings matter greatly on Amazon. If you’ve already done your keyword string research, work some into your Amazon bio if you can keep it natural.

Don’t cram your bio full of keywords just for the sake of having them there.

Why does this matter? I’ve talked about how Amazon is a search engine. Like a search engine, Amazon will “spider” or “crawl” your book page for keyword strings, so make sure at least one or two of the ones you’ve found are in your bio, but don’t overdo it because you’ll get dinged by readers for being inauthentic.

Get Personal (If Appropriate)

There’s a time and a place to include personal information in your bio. Obviously, it’s essential to a Memoir of course. For self help, your connection to the topic is crucial. But novelists can also get personal in a creative way because your personality says a lot about your brand.

The key is finding the right balance. For example, if you write paranormal fantasy, the fact that you coach your daughter’s softball team may sound endearing, but it doesn’t fit your genre. On the other hand, if you’ve always had a fascination with mythology and history, and it fuels your stories, that’s great insight into who you are.

Be Funny (If Appropriate)

Be like what you wrote about. That means if your book is funny, then be funny. Check out this bio from Karen Alpert. Her book is I Heart My Little A-Holes: A bunch of holy-crap moments no one ever told you about parenting.

Short Is the New Long

The days of bios that rival the length of your book are gone. Keep it short because, while people do care who wrote the book, they don’t care enough to read paragraphs upon paragraphs about you. Save the long bio for your website, the foundation of your infrastructure, and where readers will go when they want to learn even more about you!

Include a Call to Action & How Readers Can Find You

Do you want your readers to take any action besides buying your book? Are you giving something away on your website? Do you want readers to join your exclusive reader group or your newsletter? Then mention these offers in your bio. Don’t forget to add your website address so they can find you.

Customize It & Change It Up

Your life isn’t static, and your bio shouldn’t be either! Is there something going on in the world that ties into your book? Mention it! You should also modify your bio when you win awards, get more mentions, or get some fab new reviews. For example, “The New York Times calls this book ‘groundbreaking…’” is a review quote you could easily add at the end of your bio for a strong finish. An upcoming release or mention of your other work is also another reason to tweak it a bit.

Find reasons to change up your bio! You can do it as often as you want, and don’t forget the algorithms notice and respond when a book page is updated.

If you’re reading this and you’re with a traditional publisher, you may be thinking, “The publisher won’t let me change my bio!” Trust me, you don’t need your publisher to make changes. Just do it on your Amazon Author Central dashboard and—voilà—done and done.

Your bio should be a fluid extension of your author brand, so update it as part of your monthly book marketing plan. This may seem tedious, but it serves another purpose: it gets your eyes on your entire book page, and once you’re there, hopefully, you will be inspired to cast a critical eye on other parts of the page to make updates that could help drive more sales.

Penny Sansevieri is Founder and CEO Author Marketing Experts, Inc., best-selling author and internationally recognized #bookmarketing and #indieauthor media relations expert. Go to Penny’s website to get more marketing insights at:amarketingexpert.com After studying this article what actions are you going to take with your Amazon bio? Let me know in the comments below. 

New Podcasts 

Several times a week (almost daily), I’m booking new podcasts. Here’s a couple from last week:

Maxwell and Dean Rotbart and I spoke on the Monday Morning Radio - Podcast. Watch W. Terry Whalin: Harnessing the Power of Books for Profit and Influence at: https://bit.ly/40bu9Rc

I enjoyed a LIVE conversation about Publishing Myths with Gillian Whitney on the EasyPeasyBooks Podcast at: https://bit.ly/4amtv8a Watch a video clip at: https://bit.ly/40wVQVM

Sue Pats (@suepats) and I spoke about The Truth About Publishing on the Solopreneurs Nubeginning Podcast at: https://bit.ly/40gBwGW 

Tweetable:

Write a remarkable Amazon bio and sell more books. Get the details in this guest article from marketing expert Penny Sansevieri. (ClickToTweet)

Throughout my many years in publishing, I’ve co-authored over a dozen books and reviewed thousands of submissions (no exaggeration). As a part of the process of working with these authors, I speak with them about their dreams and plans. Many of these authors have  unrealistic expectations about what will happen with their published book. Many aspects of the details of publishing are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS to give authors practical help. You can get decades of insights in 10 PUBLISHING MYTHS for only $10, free shipping and over $200 of bonuses. 

Get these articles on your email: 

Since 2004, I have blogged about The Writing Life over 1,700 entries and one of the top 27 content writers. With this simple form, each week you can get my new articles, encouragement and insights at: https://t.co/W6uU64u6aA

The Value of Adaptability

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Are you adaptable as a writer? I love routine and using the systems that I’ve created to accomplish things. Maybe that love comes from my resistance to change and adaptability. Yet I know professional writers have to be flexible and adaptable to change. For example, I had a completely different article planned for today but have substituted this piece.

Living in Southern California, I’m entertained with the creative spin the weather people have to use for their broadcasts. It’s creative because for most of the year, the temperatures remain the same--which is one of the reasons people love living in this part of the country. Last week, on Monday the weather people were warning to prepare for the Santa Ana winds. They knew the ground was dry with a lack of rain and in danger of fire. 

Those warnings turned into reality on Tuesday morning when the fire broke out in Los Angeles. The regular news and programs were set aside and the news team broadcast continually for 24 hours and seven days a week from Tuesday morning at 11 am until Friday morning at 7 am. These journalists were covering the largest fire in the history of Los Angeles. The destruction and the stories were heart-breaking and will take years to restore and repair. At this writing, those fires are not out and they are predicting the Santa Ana winds can possibly return this coming week. Several of my friends and family who are unsure exactly where we live have reached out and called to check on our safety which I appreciated.

As I’ve mentioned in these entries, I’ve been booking a number of podcasts to talk about publishing myths. Before I go on these podcasts, I review the podcast and their particular audience and focus. Also I make sure I have their link to do the recording. The adaptability issue is a factor with podcasts. I scheduled a podcast for Friday morning and when I looked at the details, it was a LIVE podcast and not an edited recording. 

Whether the podcast is recorded or live, I think about my background and my lighting for my office situation. I shut my closet door and organize the background to look professional and neat. As I enter their studio, it will give me an opportunity to make sure I have my camera centered and everything looks right. These details are small but do play into the overall result.

Also as you talk with the podcast host, make sure your agenda is covered. For example, I’m doing these podcasts to promote the content of my 10 Publishing Myths book. As I talk about the book, I weave in my special offer and my free 11th Myth. Each time I give the website to encourage listeners to go to it. I’ve watched other authors appear on television or radio or a podcast and not even mention their book or where people can get it. The person interviewing you doesn’t always ask this question. As the person being interviewed, you have to make sure this information is included in the broadcast and the stories that you tell. If you miss this detail, then you are missing a potential big opportunity for your book.

Another element with adaptability is listening to feedback from others and using it to improve your work. Recently a podcast host insisted that I use an external microphone. Initially I was resistant to making these adjustments because I had already recorded a number of podcasts without an external microphone and it seemed to work well. During an exchange with this podcaster on camera, he listened to the audio from my camera then encouraged me to use an external microphone. Ironically several years ago I purchased an external microphone but had never hooked it up and used it. I connected it and now when I use my webcam, I use this external microphone to give a better recording. As you get feedback, be open to changing and improving what you are doing. As writers, we face a continual learning curve for improvement if we want to be excellent at our work and craft. I’m determined never to “arrive” and not be open to improvement and feedback. It’s another key element about the value of adaptability.

How are you open to feedback and improvement to various aspects of your life and work? For me this mindset is an important aspect of our journey as writers and continual improvement. What am I missing or other elements where we need to be adaptable? Let me know in the comments below.

Podcasts and An Upcoming Podcast

This past week, I have continued to record and book new podcasts.

I was speaking LIVE on the MinddogTV Your Mind’s Best Friend Podcast talking about publishing myths at: https://bit.ly/40fyN0k 

Monday Morning Radio - Podcast W. Terry Whalin: Harnessing the Power of Books for Profit and Influence at: https://bit.ly/40bu9Rc

This coming week a scheduled podcast will be LIVE on LinkedIN. Hope you can watch it using the details below.

Join me with Gilliam Whitney on Tuesday, January 14th at 1 pm Eastern for a LIVE event on LinkedIN: Essential Publishing Myths Authors Need to Know: https://bit.ly/40dnWnz

Forthcoming Speaking Events

Last week I added another event to my schedule. Hope to see you in person this coming year (follow the link for the details).

Tweetable:

To continue growing and improving, every writer needs to understand the value of adaptility. This prolific author and editor gives the stories and details.  (ClickToTweet)

Throughout my many years in publishing, I’ve co-authored over a dozen books and reviewed thousands of submissions (no exaggeration). As a part of the process of working with these authors, I speak with them about their dreams and plans. Many of these authors have  unrealistic expectations about what will happen with their published book. Many aspects of the details of publishing are outside of anything an author can control. I wrote 10 Publishing Myths to give authors practical help. Get 10 Publishing Myths for only $10 +FREE shipping + over $200 of free bonuses.

Get these articles on your email: 

Since 2004, I have blogged about The Writing Life over 1,700 entries and one of the top 27 content writers. With this simple form, each week you can get my new articles, encouragement and insights at: https://t.co/W6uU64u6aA

Give Excellent Customer Service

 

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

As I go through my day, I encounter a lot of negativity and disappointment on social media and other places. People are always complaining about something. Where is the praise for the companies who are making the effort and giving excellent customer service? 

In this article I want to highlight a couple of places which I have noticed great customer service and appreciate their efforts. At the end of this article, I want to bring the point of this piece home to every writer with some ideas how we can give excellent customer service. 

As an author I am active on Goodreads where I’ve been since 2011 and written over 900 reviews and have over 5,000 friends. Some of my followers read these blog articles on Goodreads because I’ve connected it and the new articles show up on my profile. Sometimes I discover a missing cover or a progress bar which doesn't work or any number of other book-related issues on the site. Each time, I will go to their help menu and use their contact form (follow this link if you have never seen it). Within 48 hours (often sooner), I will receive an email where someone has handled the issue which I raised. With more than 150 million members, I find that type of customer service incredible and to be applauded. If you need help with Goodreads, my recommendation is to fill out their help form.

Another company is Adazing which is located in Australia. Follow this link and scroll down to see their free author resources.  I have purchased several of their products and even been on their podcast as a guest. Recently I was trying to use their program and found a glitch in it. I filled out a support ticket and right away I received an email from them. It took several exchanges until it was resolved but again, remarkable customer service and it was a matter of filling out a support ticket and asking for their assistance. 

Often in these entries, I mention using Hootsuite as a tool to schedule my social media posts. I’ve been using it for years and have a lot of my own time and energy invested in this site. I started with their free version but have been using the paid version for a few years (and that price has been gradually increasing--unfortunately). It's rare that I’ve needed to approach support but each time when I fill out a ticket, they get back to me and even if with several exchanges, eventually the issue is resolved.

In each of these companies, the key to get help is to ask for it using a support ticket, then the company has to have a solid system for aa response. Recently Morgan James Publishing has started such a ticket system for our author support team. The ticket link is built into an autoresponse to an email to author support. Because I’m often the first person that an author interacts with at Morgan James, if authors have some issue they will reach out to me--but often I can’t answer their concern. Now with this support ticket system, I have a simple place to send them where their concern will be heard and resolved. 

There are many other companies who are constantly working at delivering good customer service. It is hard because if you approach them you have had some interruption to the use of their service. Each response is critical because that will play into their reputation and how you will perceive of them and recommend them in the future to others. 

What is your customer service? Each of us as writers have relationships with editors, literary agents and other writers. Your reputation is involved in each interaction to show people that you will do what you say you will do, when you said you would do it and you deliver excellence. Here’s some practical steps each of us can practice:

Deliver with kindness. Take deep breaths before you write that email or return that phone call and have the right attitude with your response.

Respond in a timely manner. Publishing is a communication business where many people do not communicate. Your timely response is a simple way to stand out to others.

Meet the deadlines. Many authors are late and if you meet the deadline, you have another simple way to be memorable and stand out.

To deliver good customer service is a decision that is made every day and your consistency in this area will pay off in the writing community. As writers, we face a great deal of rejection in the process of finding the right place to publish. Novelist Randy Ingermanson published an article, Every Yes is a Thousand Noes. I hope it encourages you to take action for your writing life.

For this article, I used the image of two hands with a ball of respect in between them. At the end of the day, respect is a strong element and motivator for delivering excellent customer service.

How are you providing excellent customer service or what other companies have you noticed in this area? Let me know in the comments below.

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To give excellent customer service is a simple way to stand out in the writing community. This prolific author and editor provides some examples and detailed actions. (ClickToTweet)

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