106 - Turning Pages, Turning Heads: The Impact of Authorship on Business with Everett O’Keefe

[00:00:01] [SPEAKER_01]: Writing a book can be the foundation for sharing your important message, but it won't work unless you are consistently marketing.

[00:00:10] [SPEAKER_01]: This podcast is for those who have written a book to share their message with the world.

[00:00:15] [SPEAKER_01]: I love talking all things authorpreneur and having guests join me to share their brilliance with you.

[00:00:25] [SPEAKER_01]: Hello, authorpreneurs. It's Suzanne Tregenza Moore and I am here with another guest today.

[00:00:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Everett OKeefe is a Wall Street Journal USA Today and international number one bestselling author.

[00:00:41] [SPEAKER_01]: The power of the published is his most recent solo work.

[00:00:45] [SPEAKER_01]: He has also helped to create and launch more than 150 bestselling books for his clients.

[00:00:52] [SPEAKER_01]: Everett speaks across the nation on the power of publishing.

[00:00:56] [SPEAKER_01]: He's the founder of Ignite Press, a hybrid publishing company that specializes in helping entrepreneurs as well as business and medical professionals ignite their businesses by becoming bestselling authors.

[00:01:10] [SPEAKER_01]: And Everett, I'm so excited to have you here today.

[00:01:12] [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you so much, Suzanne. I've been looking forward to our time together for sure.

[00:01:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, me too. So I love in your bio it says your most recent solo work, The Power of the Published.

[00:01:24] [SPEAKER_01]: So I want to talk a little bit about that. But of course we have to talk about your other solo works.

[00:01:30] [SPEAKER_01]: So which one do you want to get started with?

[00:01:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, gosh. Well, you know, the first book I ever did was actually I partnered my business partner and I did.

[00:01:38] [SPEAKER_00]: And it was a book called The Video Tractor Beam. And it's not a great book.

[00:01:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Quite honestly, many of us look back at our first iterations of things and we're like, you know, kind of hang our heads a little bit.

[00:01:48] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. But, you know, that was a proof of concept about rapidly creating a book and launching it to become an Amazon number one bestseller.

[00:01:58] [SPEAKER_00]: And the book did everything I wanted it to do, even though it was poorly edited by this guy and poorly laid out by this guy.

[00:02:07] [SPEAKER_00]: But did everything it needed to do. And and it reinforced also the power of rapid action and sometimes rapid action that's not been, you know, fully thought out for three years before you do it.

[00:02:21] [SPEAKER_00]: You know, a little bit of ready fire aim. Yep. And it was very successful for us.

[00:02:25] [SPEAKER_00]: We became a number one bestselling book in small business marketing.

[00:02:28] [SPEAKER_00]: And we've had several books in addition, you know, in addition over the over the years.

[00:02:35] [SPEAKER_00]: But the power of the publish is the one that's really is really the best example of building a book to support a business, building a book to help expand a business and expand authority.

[00:02:47] [SPEAKER_00]: And so that's the one I'm typically talking about of the books that I've personally written.

[00:02:52] [SPEAKER_01]: I love how you just said, you know, writing a book to expand authority. Right.

[00:02:59] [SPEAKER_01]: Because I think that in truth, so many people are out there trying to do that today. Right.

[00:03:05] [SPEAKER_01]: I think tons of people who may have had an online business, a business of any kind previously that looked at authoring a book as a hill that was too high to climb or, you know, had the thought process in their head like, well, I could write something.

[00:03:22] [SPEAKER_01]: But nobody would ever publish it. Right. Right. Those folks now are like, well, I don't need someone to publish it in terms of endorse it and be the traditional publisher because self publishing and or hybrid publishing is so ubiquitous at this point.

[00:03:41] [SPEAKER_01]: So they go ahead and they write the book. And sometimes it helps them and sometimes it doesn't. Right.

[00:03:48] [SPEAKER_01]: And I would love to talk. I'm sure that your book has a bit of a prescription in there for how to do it in a way that it does help them. So I'd love to focus a bit on that.

[00:04:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, you know, books are incredible. And what you're kind of alluding to is that it's never been easier to publish a book.

[00:04:10] [SPEAKER_00]: There's been this democratization of publishing that's been happening. And yet we still authors as much as ever.

[00:04:17] [SPEAKER_00]: Authors hold a special place in our heart. And of course, if you're watching television or listening to the radio or listening to a podcast, who are the guests on those shows?

[00:04:26] [SPEAKER_00]: They are almost always authors. It's really rather incredible. And there really is nothing like a book to convey to someone your expertise, your authority, even in a business that or an industry that you may be relatively new to.

[00:04:43] [SPEAKER_00]: It's really, you know, it's really rather incredible. I have a section of my book, The Power of the Published, that talks just about the power of the unread book.

[00:04:53] [SPEAKER_00]: You know, when someone finds out that we're an author, like there's so many different levels of credibility that happened with a book that's not even read.

[00:05:00] [SPEAKER_00]: You've got those people who just heard you're an author, like, OK, wow. OK. And there's all that authority that comes with that.

[00:05:06] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I mean, immediately you're like flying high and they're above everybody. Yeah.

[00:05:11] [SPEAKER_00]: In their esteem. Yeah, I refer to it as breathing rare air. You know, you are you are breathing rare air. There are very few people, you know, a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the population that can claim that.

[00:05:24] [SPEAKER_00]: But then if they hear the title of your book and your name associated with it or they just see the cover of your book, or maybe they actually have your book, but they actually never open it.

[00:05:34] [SPEAKER_00]: And it just sits on their desk or their bookshelf or their nightstand for however long.

[00:05:38] [SPEAKER_00]: That book is continually reinforcing your expertise.

[00:05:43] [SPEAKER_00]: It is continually reinforcing that you are an expert and authority on that particular topic, whether they read the book or not.

[00:05:52] [SPEAKER_00]: And then, as you know, people don't throw books away. Right. They keep them forever.

[00:05:58] [SPEAKER_00]: And then there, of course, there comes a time where they finally like, OK, I've got to clean things up, blah, blah, blah.

[00:06:02] [SPEAKER_00]: And then what do they do with them? They still don't throw them away.

[00:06:05] [SPEAKER_00]: They take them to a used bookstore or a library.

[00:06:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Like it's the most enduring, long lasting thing anyone could ever create for their business or brand.

[00:06:17] [SPEAKER_00]: It won't you know, it's something that will announce your authority for decades.

[00:06:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Unlike any other thing we can create, we could create the most amazing marketing video, the most amazing website.

[00:06:28] [SPEAKER_00]: We could create the most amazing course and all of those will be gone and the authority from them gone.

[00:06:36] [SPEAKER_00]: If not a couple years, you know, if not, I mean, it could be a couple of weeks from now that those things become stale or a couple of years from now.

[00:06:43] [SPEAKER_00]: But the authority from a book is last you the rest of your life and lives beyond you.

[00:06:48] [SPEAKER_01]: It's true. And I do. I have to thoroughly agree with you.

[00:06:52] [SPEAKER_01]: The esteem that shifts when you tell someone you're an author. Right.

[00:06:58] [SPEAKER_01]: And I personally, I say this a lot.

[00:07:01] [SPEAKER_01]: I personally believe it's because there's a little piece of so many people that think I want to write a book someday.

[00:07:10] [SPEAKER_01]: And yet the vast majority of those people will never do it.

[00:07:14] [SPEAKER_01]: And so they see someone else who's done it and they're like, wow, this person's done the thing that I will never do.

[00:07:24] [SPEAKER_01]: Or I keep telling myself I will. But I kind of deep down, no, I won't.

[00:07:28] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it is amazing.

[00:07:30] [SPEAKER_01]: And I love the fact that you're talking about the unread book because I have said this for years about email marketing.

[00:07:37] [SPEAKER_01]: Right. I've said to clients for at least 10 years, even if they never open the email,

[00:07:44] [SPEAKER_01]: the fact that they're receiving your email with your name and something related to what you do in their inbox is an affirmation of who you are and what you do.

[00:07:57] [SPEAKER_01]: And it keeps you top of mind.

[00:07:59] [SPEAKER_00]: That's right.

[00:08:00] [SPEAKER_01]: It's absolutely true with an unread book on the bookshelf too. Yeah.

[00:08:04] [SPEAKER_00]: And the thing is that book, whether they just see the spine or whatever, it is that constant reinforcement that will...

[00:08:13] [SPEAKER_00]: You're just always there with them.

[00:08:15] [SPEAKER_00]: And then of course, there's all the amazing other benefits of a book.

[00:08:18] [SPEAKER_00]: It's like people read it at a time when they are vulnerable, when they don't have their filters on and things like that.

[00:08:26] [SPEAKER_00]: They read it at their most vulnerable times, like maybe right before they go to bed or when they're on vacation.

[00:08:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Think about it. Your clients are taking you on vacation with them and reading you, listening to you by the side of the pool or whatever it is.

[00:08:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely.

[00:08:40] [SPEAKER_00]: It's just incredible. I have another section of my book called The Silver Bullet and it talks about how a book is the closest thing to a silver bullet you will ever get in marketing.

[00:08:51] [SPEAKER_00]: And we're always looking for that silver bullet, that kind of one size fits all thing that's going to be the killer app.

[00:08:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Right.

[00:08:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. Right.

[00:08:59] [SPEAKER_00]: And of course, that can't truly exist because one thing that's effective for one market is not effective for another.

[00:09:05] [SPEAKER_00]: You know, all that.

[00:09:07] [SPEAKER_00]: But here's a quick list of all the ways a book can benefit people.

[00:09:11] [SPEAKER_00]: And I hope people will think this one through.

[00:09:13] [SPEAKER_00]: Provides instant authority. We talked about that.

[00:09:15] [SPEAKER_00]: Helps qualify you for speaking and media opportunities.

[00:09:19] [SPEAKER_00]: Provides long-deserved recognition for your work in the industry.

[00:09:22] [SPEAKER_00]: Puts you in an elite group of people who have authored a book.

[00:09:25] [SPEAKER_00]: Eliminates competition.

[00:09:26] [SPEAKER_00]: Provides the ultimate stick method to help customers remain customers.

[00:09:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Becomes a durable marketing tool.

[00:09:34] [SPEAKER_00]: Provides valuable social proof that you know what you're talking about.

[00:09:37] [SPEAKER_00]: One of my favorites is just that influential whisperer.

[00:09:41] [SPEAKER_00]: It's that thing that while they're reading you, you're continually talking to them and that's whispering into their head.

[00:09:46] [SPEAKER_00]: You are the person.

[00:09:47] [SPEAKER_00]: You are the authority.

[00:09:49] [SPEAKER_00]: You are the person they need to go to.

[00:09:51] [SPEAKER_00]: And there's more.

[00:09:52] [SPEAKER_00]: And then the whisperer allows you to increase your fees and provide a justification for increasing those fees.

[00:09:56] [SPEAKER_00]: Sure.

[00:09:57] [SPEAKER_00]: A lot of people are stuck, right?

[00:09:59] [SPEAKER_00]: On the same fees they've been charging for years and they want to increase them.

[00:10:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Provides access to a higher level of client.

[00:10:06] [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely.

[00:10:07] [SPEAKER_00]: That's huge.

[00:10:09] [SPEAKER_00]: And then one of the things people never think about is it helps create the perfect client.

[00:10:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Because people who read your book are trained by you to be a better client.

[00:10:20] [SPEAKER_00]: You can include stories in your book about how this one client kind of went off the rail and didn't follow your advice.

[00:10:28] [SPEAKER_00]: And if they had only followed your advice, then they would have had this outcome.

[00:10:32] [SPEAKER_00]: And that teaches the reader to follow your advice, to be a more compliant client.

[00:10:38] [SPEAKER_00]: So it brings in new clients.

[00:10:40] [SPEAKER_00]: It converts them more quickly.

[00:10:42] [SPEAKER_00]: It's incredible.

[00:10:42] [SPEAKER_01]: That makes me think I should write a book on parenting and have my kids read it.

[00:10:45] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm just saying.

[00:10:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Or on being a good child or, you know, a good listening child.

[00:10:51] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know.

[00:10:52] [SPEAKER_01]: It's just that's what came to mind.

[00:10:54] [SPEAKER_00]: You might be onto something.

[00:10:57] [SPEAKER_00]: I have a friend of mine who when his kids were growing up, he would pay them every year, he would pay them $20 to read and later reread how to win friends and influence people.

[00:11:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh yeah.

[00:11:09] [SPEAKER_00]: And that became instrumental in their life.

[00:11:11] [SPEAKER_00]: So maybe if we can just pay our kids to read a book about how to be a better, a better human than that may be very helpful.

[00:11:20] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:11:20] [SPEAKER_01]: I didn't mean to digress.

[00:11:21] [SPEAKER_01]: I just couldn't resist.

[00:11:23] [SPEAKER_00]: I think I like that.

[00:11:24] [SPEAKER_00]: And a little bribery sometimes goes a long way.

[00:11:26] [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely.

[00:11:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Yes.

[00:11:28] [SPEAKER_01]: So I think one of the points that you just shared there that kind of really piqued my interest was the one about the stick to keep.

[00:11:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Stick method.

[00:11:38] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:11:39] [SPEAKER_01]: So let's talk a little bit more about that because I wasn't a lot of them.

[00:11:43] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm like, yep, yep, yep.

[00:11:44] [SPEAKER_01]: And I'm like, well, I would like to know a little bit more about his thoughts on that.

[00:11:49] [SPEAKER_00]: So first the term stick method gets used a lot of times, you know, as you know, in online marketing where people have sold people into a monthly course.

[00:11:58] [SPEAKER_00]: OK.

[00:11:59] [SPEAKER_00]: And when they pay monthly or yearly or whatever and stick method refers to what methods do you employ to help them continue to re up every month?

[00:12:07] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:12:07] [SPEAKER_00]: And so they're going to continue their subscription, continue to be customers.

[00:12:10] [SPEAKER_00]: But this plays out in the offline world too.

[00:12:13] [SPEAKER_00]: So OK, so you probably have an accountant.

[00:12:16] [SPEAKER_00]: You have an accountant and you hear people talk about, oh, my accountant told me I could do this and my accountant told me I could do that.

[00:12:23] [SPEAKER_00]: And you may start over time to wonder, do I have the right accountant?

[00:12:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Because I hear about all these stories.

[00:12:29] [SPEAKER_00]: Right.

[00:12:29] [SPEAKER_00]: You know, and so you're in that mode of, in fact, we're always in that mode of reevaluating the businesses that we work with.

[00:12:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Is this really the best one?

[00:12:39] [SPEAKER_00]: It's like our human nature to second guess our buying decision we bought.

[00:12:43] [SPEAKER_00]: But oh, was that the right one to buy?

[00:12:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Should I get that other one that I mean, look at the advertising that looks amazing.

[00:12:49] [SPEAKER_00]: I should be looking over there.

[00:12:51] [SPEAKER_00]: It's that whole shiny object thing.

[00:12:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Right.

[00:12:53] [SPEAKER_00]: So stick methods are employed to help you go, no, this is where I need to be.

[00:12:58] [SPEAKER_00]: So one stick method that a lot of professionals will employ is the newsletter, the thing that reinforces expertise and, you know, hey, I'm informing you.

[00:13:08] [SPEAKER_00]: So don't get drawn away by that other accountant or whatever it is.

[00:13:12] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, there is no better stick method than a book being the published author of a book on the topic because your accountant who's published the book on, let's say, accounting for small businesses.

[00:13:25] [SPEAKER_00]: You're like, wow, this person really knows their stuff.

[00:13:27] [SPEAKER_00]: And that other accountant that is maybe, you know, has better advertising or whatever hasn't written a book.

[00:13:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Right. They don't have that level of authority or accountability.

[00:13:37] [SPEAKER_00]: And so so the book becomes the ultimate stick method because of that.

[00:13:43] [SPEAKER_00]: It just reinforces your authority in your client's eyes so that they know I'm with the right person.

[00:13:49] [SPEAKER_00]: I made the right decision.

[00:13:51] [SPEAKER_00]: Right.

[00:13:52] [SPEAKER_00]: I shouldn't be drawn away by somebody else because, you know, hey, I just spent hours reading this person's book with them pouring into me.

[00:14:01] [SPEAKER_00]: I am I'm here.

[00:14:02] [SPEAKER_00]: So that's where we talk about with the stick method.

[00:14:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. OK. Love that. Love that. Absolutely.

[00:14:08] [SPEAKER_01]: When you first said stick, I thought like the carrot in the stick.

[00:14:11] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not quite sure. Yeah. Excellent.

[00:14:15] [SPEAKER_01]: All right. So I really want to get into where you see people using their books in the best way and where you see people who've written the book and are just like not utilizing it the way they could be.

[00:14:33] [SPEAKER_01]: What do you see in either of those categories?

[00:14:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I think it's great.

[00:14:37] [SPEAKER_00]: I mean, there's there's one thing that we're allergic to, and that is secret agent authors.

[00:14:43] [SPEAKER_00]: You know, those people who write a book and we're all guilty of doing this at some level, right?

[00:14:48] [SPEAKER_00]: We'll create some cool new tool marketing thing or new something in our business.

[00:14:53] [SPEAKER_00]: And we get distracted and busy and we forget to utilize it to its fullest extent.

[00:15:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Many of us will look back five years later and go, why haven't I been using this all this time?

[00:15:04] [SPEAKER_00]: And sometimes authors will do that.

[00:15:07] [SPEAKER_00]: They'll create a book and then they'll be super excited about it for the first couple of months.

[00:15:11] [SPEAKER_00]: And then they'll get busy and they'll just kind of go back to doing business the way they did before they had a book.

[00:15:18] [SPEAKER_00]: Right. And that makes no sense, right?

[00:15:20] [SPEAKER_00]: It makes no sense whatsoever.

[00:15:22] [SPEAKER_00]: A book should be part of almost everything that you do.

[00:15:26] [SPEAKER_00]: It should be featured on your email signature.

[00:15:29] [SPEAKER_00]: It should be featured on your web page.

[00:15:33] [SPEAKER_00]: It should be in your trunk.

[00:15:34] [SPEAKER_00]: It should be on your business cards.

[00:15:37] [SPEAKER_00]: It should be everywhere you are.

[00:15:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Was it Visa or MasterCard or whatever, you know, everywhere you are?

[00:15:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[00:15:47] [SPEAKER_00]: Whatever their slogan is.

[00:15:49] [SPEAKER_00]: That should be your book.

[00:15:50] [SPEAKER_00]: And it should become part of every conversation, I guess within reason.

[00:15:56] [SPEAKER_00]: But if you're meeting somebody for the first time, getting them a copy of your book,

[00:16:00] [SPEAKER_00]: whether it's handing it in person or sending them a copy in the mail,

[00:16:04] [SPEAKER_00]: like Suzanne, you have a copy on its way to you now of my book from when we talked last.

[00:16:11] [SPEAKER_00]: And every time I speak to somebody, they will get a copy of my book.

[00:16:16] [SPEAKER_00]: In fact, lately, I've been sending them two copies of my book, one that they can pass on to someone else.

[00:16:21] [SPEAKER_00]: I love that.

[00:16:22] [SPEAKER_00]: You know, and so that one prospect becomes two.

[00:16:25] [SPEAKER_00]: We double the number of prospects.

[00:16:27] [SPEAKER_00]: It just needs to be ever present.

[00:16:30] [SPEAKER_00]: And then those people who do presentations of any kind, whether they're free or paid,

[00:16:36] [SPEAKER_00]: whether they're the five people or the five thousand people, your book needs to be part of that.

[00:16:41] [SPEAKER_00]: There's a phrase I learned from Lois Kramer.

[00:16:43] [SPEAKER_00]: She's really active in the National Speakers Association.

[00:16:47] [SPEAKER_00]: And it's the would it make sense?

[00:16:50] [SPEAKER_00]: It just starts with would it make sense?

[00:16:52] [SPEAKER_00]: And if she is speaking with an event organizer who is booking her for an event,

[00:16:58] [SPEAKER_00]: she will simply say, would it make sense for everybody to get a copy of my book?

[00:17:02] [SPEAKER_00]: So to help with their implementation of what we're going to be talking about.

[00:17:06] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:17:07] [SPEAKER_00]: And the organizers always going to say, well, that'd be great.

[00:17:12] [SPEAKER_00]: What would that cost?

[00:17:13] [SPEAKER_00]: And then that's when you get to say, well, you know, my book retails on Amazon for nineteen ninety five.

[00:17:17] [SPEAKER_00]: I have a special deal with my publisher where I can get you copies for ten dollars each.

[00:17:22] [SPEAKER_01]: Right.

[00:17:23] [SPEAKER_00]: And they're like, well, that would be great.

[00:17:25] [SPEAKER_00]: Maybe that's what they'll say.

[00:17:26] [SPEAKER_00]: And by the way, if your copy is three dollars each, your copy that cost and you just made seven dollars per book times.

[00:17:33] [SPEAKER_00]: However many people. Right.

[00:17:34] [SPEAKER_00]: But also sometimes, Suzanne, you know, they'll say, you know, we really don't have a budget.

[00:17:39] [SPEAKER_00]: We don't like we don't have a budget for that.

[00:17:40] [SPEAKER_00]: We know, you know, or let's say they don't pay speakers at all.

[00:17:43] [SPEAKER_00]: Mm hmm.

[00:17:45] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, do you guys have a budget for like Chachki's, you know, a giveaway bag, a welcome bag that you give people when they come in?

[00:17:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, yeah, we do have a budget for that.

[00:17:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, you know, and then well, maybe my book could be part of that.

[00:17:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, yeah, that'd be amazing.

[00:18:00] [SPEAKER_00]: And even if even if they're just covering your costs or maybe you just decide my book cost me three dollars apiece to get.

[00:18:07] [SPEAKER_00]: There's a hundred people I would gladly spend three hundred dollars to put my book in every person's hands.

[00:18:13] [SPEAKER_00]: Right.

[00:18:14] [SPEAKER_00]: You know, you can make more money giving away a book than very often than you can selling a book because especially if you have, as you know, if you have some follow on opportunity, some other way for them to engage you at a higher level.

[00:18:27] [SPEAKER_00]: And if you're doing a book for your business, you do.

[00:18:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I love it.

[00:18:31] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that's phenomenal.

[00:18:34] [SPEAKER_01]: And I, I really see that, you know, having authored my own book, having worked with so many authors who have been working with coaches with different philosophies or with publishers with different philosophies, you know, the ones who are really using that book for lead generation and getting someone's email address and getting their snail mail address and being able to follow up with them.

[00:19:01] [SPEAKER_01]: I believe for the most part are seeing that they are seeing the back end revenue because they're selling people into programs.

[00:19:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Whereas, you know, there's value in saying I'm not going to give away my book for free from the outset.

[00:19:17] [SPEAKER_01]: However, I think in the long run, it may be a better choice to do so because more eyeballs will get on it.

[00:19:25] [SPEAKER_01]: And even if they're just sitting on the bookshelves.

[00:19:28] [SPEAKER_00]: They're screaming at the right.

[00:19:29] [SPEAKER_01]: As you point out. Yep, it's confirming your authority in your, in your space.

[00:19:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, absolutely. That hold the great power in the unread book. And then you can of course do it like, you know, like we're doing here.

[00:19:43] [SPEAKER_00]: So, Suzanne, as you and I talked to I have a free offer right for people to use. And this is a great meta learning example because you can just follow what I'm going to say and follow my website and just do the same thing right for your book.

[00:19:56] [SPEAKER_00]: So if you go to my podcast perk dot com, you will be able to get a digital download of the power of the published.

[00:20:06] [SPEAKER_00]: And so my podcast perk dot com and what you'll see there that I do for people is I give the digital copy for free.

[00:20:12] [SPEAKER_00]: But I also for their convenience put links so that they can buy the Kindle or buy the paperback if they want to.

[00:20:19] [SPEAKER_00]: And so you can see that here, you know, I am giving away but at the same time giving them an opportunity to buy the book.

[00:20:27] [SPEAKER_00]: And of course for me, you know, if someone loves my book and loves my content and wants to engage with us to do their book.

[00:20:34] [SPEAKER_00]: Well obviously I'm making that book cost back in many more multiples. Right.

[00:20:38] [SPEAKER_00]: And that's what that's really all of our business clients should be doing with their books. They do something along these lines every time.

[00:20:45] [SPEAKER_01]: Yep, absolutely. Love it. So I want to switch gears a little bit.

[00:20:50] [SPEAKER_01]: I have a few questions that I ask everyone who comes on.

[00:20:55] [SPEAKER_00]: And I'm worried about this. I don't know if I should be worried about this.

[00:20:58] [SPEAKER_01]: I probably won't stump you almost always when I get to the third one people say that's a hard question.

[00:21:07] [SPEAKER_01]: But we'll see. We'll see how you do.

[00:21:09] [SPEAKER_01]: All right. So first one and I bet I know the answer to this.

[00:21:13] [SPEAKER_01]: Do you think you'll write another book? Yeah, without a doubt. Yeah.

[00:21:18] [SPEAKER_00]: I know what I was thinking. I'm in the process.

[00:21:21] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm collecting so the power of the publish is full of different strategies people can use to leverage their book and different ways it will impact their life.

[00:21:29] [SPEAKER_00]: And I include stories for every one of those.

[00:21:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Well now I'm in the process of collecting additional stories from our clients so that I can put those in the next book.

[00:21:38] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm not sure what it's going to be called, but yes, working on another book and I don't know how many more I'll have.

[00:21:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, yeah. And I am not like a voracious writer.

[00:21:48] [SPEAKER_00]: I am not one of those people who always loves to write or anything.

[00:21:51] [SPEAKER_00]: So don't like nobody should feel like they have to be the crazy amazing writer who's always passionate about writing to put a book in the market.

[00:21:58] [SPEAKER_01]: That's not a prerequisite at all. Yeah, I find it funny because if somebody were to refer to me as a writer, I'd be like, I'm not a writer.

[00:22:07] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm a marketer. Meanwhile, I write all the time.

[00:22:10] [SPEAKER_01]: I've written a book, you know, been it. I've done chapters in anthology, multiple anthologies.

[00:22:18] [SPEAKER_01]: I write all the time for my business, but I don't in my own head associate myself as a writer.

[00:22:27] [SPEAKER_01]: And I bet now that I've written a book, I can say I bet there are a lot of people who are authors that don't consider themselves writers.

[00:22:35] [SPEAKER_00]: And it's OK, people. It's OK. In fact, a lot of our clients and I think this is important for people to hear they want to be authors, not necessarily writers.

[00:22:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Yes. And it's possible to do that. There's so many writing strategies available.

[00:22:50] [SPEAKER_00]: And, you know, it's like the most important part is the authorship. Yes, not not the writership.

[00:22:57] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, and I think in and genuinely having your own thoughts about whatever it is you're putting out as your book.

[00:23:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Right. It's the thoughts, not necessarily the words. Right.

[00:23:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Right. That's right. Yeah. True. So how long have you had your publishing business?

[00:23:16] [SPEAKER_00]: We are in 11 years, essentially. Yeah. OK.

[00:23:21] [SPEAKER_01]: So that means you are not just an author. You are an entrepreneur.

[00:23:26] [SPEAKER_01]: And as an entrepreneur, I always love to ask people what is something you think that entrepreneurs need to either do or have in order to be successful in their business?

[00:23:39] [SPEAKER_00]: Besides a book, a mastermind group. Yeah. Absolutely be in a mastermind group of your peers.

[00:23:46] [SPEAKER_00]: And if you can't find one, create one. Yes. We had our mastermind call this morning.

[00:23:52] [SPEAKER_00]: I host one for publishers and it pays off every time. It's amazing.

[00:23:58] [SPEAKER_00]: And that's I. Yeah, because people always ask what's the one thing you wish you told yourself when you first got started in business?

[00:24:05] [SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely. And it's two things. It's publish a book and join a mastermind group.

[00:24:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. So you're in one that's just for publishers.

[00:24:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely. We started it in 2013, and initially it was more general in regards to online marketing.

[00:24:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, we all published books and it really gravitated into publishing.

[00:24:26] [SPEAKER_00]: And so now we are all book coaches, publishers, editors, ghost writers, marketers, all of that.

[00:24:34] [SPEAKER_00]: And we've become family and it's been an amazing thing.

[00:24:38] [SPEAKER_01]: Fantastic.

[00:24:38] [SPEAKER_01]: That's really wonderful.

[00:24:40] [SPEAKER_00]: I'd love to have you visit.

[00:24:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Come check it out.

[00:24:42] [SPEAKER_01]: I would love to.

[00:24:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you.

[00:24:44] [SPEAKER_01]: All right.

[00:24:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Here's the last question.

[00:24:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Here's the stumper.

[00:24:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Here's the...

[00:24:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Are you ready?

[00:24:48] [SPEAKER_01]: What is your favorite book?

[00:24:51] [SPEAKER_00]: It's easy.

[00:24:52] [SPEAKER_00]: The Lord of the Rings.

[00:24:53] [SPEAKER_01]: I love it.

[00:24:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.

[00:24:55] [SPEAKER_00]: You're probably not shocked.

[00:24:57] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, you're not the first to say it.

[00:25:00] [SPEAKER_01]: I think you're like the third or fourth of my guests that have said that.

[00:25:04] [SPEAKER_01]: But I mean, you're probably like podcast number...

[00:25:07] [SPEAKER_01]: I think we're over a hundred now.

[00:25:10] [SPEAKER_00]: So that's a pretty substantial data set there for that.

[00:25:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:25:15] [SPEAKER_01]: So, but yeah, I mean, people are passionate about that book.

[00:25:20] [SPEAKER_00]: Absolutely.

[00:25:21] [SPEAKER_00]: And that trilogy really, right?

[00:25:22] [SPEAKER_00]: I think I read The Hobbit when I was like 13 and it was the gateway drug for sure.

[00:25:28] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:25:29] [SPEAKER_00]: But yeah, I just know I just have great admiration for Tolkien, for what he's created

[00:25:35] [SPEAKER_00]: and for his faith and for how he weaves that through.

[00:25:42] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm just in awe and have great respect.

[00:25:46] [SPEAKER_00]: Excellent.

[00:25:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, is there anything else you want to share with the audience today before we wrap up?

[00:25:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, I mean, gosh, I'm just grateful for this.

[00:25:57] [SPEAKER_00]: It's been wonderful.

[00:25:59] [SPEAKER_00]: If people want to talk about their nonfiction book that they want to do for their brand,

[00:26:04] [SPEAKER_00]: I'm always open for that discussion.

[00:26:06] [SPEAKER_00]: And of course, if they want to pick up the free copy of The Power of the Published,

[00:26:10] [SPEAKER_00]: they can get that at mypodcastperk.com.

[00:26:13] [SPEAKER_00]: But I am grateful.

[00:26:14] [SPEAKER_00]: And Suzanne, I think you're doing a really great thing by sharing people's stories

[00:26:18] [SPEAKER_00]: and the power of authorship.

[00:26:21] [SPEAKER_00]: And I would encourage people to engage with you personally if they've got something

[00:26:26] [SPEAKER_00]: that they're doing, a project that needs your touch, you know,

[00:26:29] [SPEAKER_00]: that they can really benefit from your expertise.

[00:26:31] [SPEAKER_00]: I think that you're really doing a great thing.

[00:26:34] [SPEAKER_00]: And I appreciate it.

[00:26:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you so much.

[00:26:36] [SPEAKER_01]: I really appreciate it, Everett.

[00:26:38] [SPEAKER_01]: And those are very kind words.

[00:26:40] [SPEAKER_01]: And I'm so glad that you were able to join me for this.

[00:26:44] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think that when people listen, they're really going to get a lot out of this episode.

[00:26:50] [SPEAKER_01]: And I hope that they will reach out to you for their publishing needs.

[00:26:54] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, if you want to find me personally, that's at ignitepress.us.

[00:26:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Ignitepress.us.

[00:27:02] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, to everyone listening, I hope that you have found this very valuable today.

[00:27:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Everett, thank you for being a lovely guest.

[00:27:10] [SPEAKER_01]: And I look forward to bringing out another episode soon.

[00:27:46] [SPEAKER_01]: And let's make a shift in your income together.