It's the first day of March, the beginning of Small Press Month. Take a vow with me to make marketing your book a priority this month. Do something every day.
TODAY: Write down what YOUR definition of success is in publishing.
It's not the same for everyone. Really examine what you are trying to achieve.
Hint: It is probably not all about selling books!
If you are willing to share, let us know what your definition of success is. Thanks!
Showing posts with label business strategy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label business strategy. Show all posts
Friday, March 1, 2013
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Tracking Your Time
There are a lot of reasons to keep track of your time. As I get older, I realize how much I got done in the weeks prior. But as a publisher, it helps me analyze where my company is spending time - and whether or not we are spending our time where it matters.
From 2004-2009, I used massive spreadsheets to help keep myself organized and to help my company track billing. At billing time, I wanted to drive my car into a wall most months. By then, I had three employees and each one of them would unknowingly write a different description of what they were working on. One would enter in Business Cards, the next one Biz Cards and another 2 Sided Bus Cards -- but that doesn't sort very easily to tell me they all spent time doing something with a business card for a client. I tried protocols, but there was inevitably a misspelling here or there and I missed a lot that way too. Billing took me 40-60 hours a month!
Then in January of 2009, I instituted three new things: A task list called Checklist by Task Solutions and its counterpart Task Anyone, which sends notices to individuals to whom I assign tasks. We have sort of outgrown it at this point, and I'm searching for another more flexible solution to it -- but it worked well for me when I had only 100 or so tasks to track. I'll continue to use it until I find something equally user friendly and cost effective for our task lists that are more than 2000 tasks long.
The third item I purchased and put in place was Standard Time. It is a time-clock oriented piece of software that has things compartmentalized by the person assigned to the task, the client and the project on which we are working. Each project is broken down into subcategories and then down to tasks within those categories. For example, a string might look like this:
KELLY W. (Client in purple here)
Book 1 (Projects in royal blue here)
Publishing Compliance (Subcategories are in red)
Purchase ISBN (Tasks are in black)
Apply for LCCN
Join IBPA
Category Research
Pricing Research
Design
Front Cover
Back Cover/spine
Interior
Product Feature development
Illustrations
Photography
Index
Diagram album
Marketing/PR
Press Release
Sell Sheet
POP Display
Book Launch Party
Facebook Updates
Distribution and Sales
Baker & Taylor set up and maint.
Amazon updates
Amazon sales
EBook
Programming
Design
Upload
Marketing
Facebook Updates
Coupons
Each time a person works on something, they are able to specify exactly which thing they are working on simply by clicking a clock-like icon and then selecting the task as the project tree expands from that simple click. Expenses are noted in the same way. For example, let's say someone spends $45 on their company Amex card printing sell sheets. They just expand the tree until they see the sell sheet category under Marketing and PR, and then enter the amount and the payee. When reconciling the Amex bill at the end of the month, I know exactly what the charge was for. And for billing I run reports to tell me by client, project and employee what we worked on how many minutes it took. (You can set parameters to always round up to five minutes, or fifteen minutes, etc.) There is also a feature that lets you link to Quickbooks or bill directly from the program.
This type of program is quick, inexpensive, and very effective. I researched several and found this one more than served my needs. (The only thing I wish I knew how to do is write my own reports for it; currently I use the pre-existing ones that come with the program with the various filters that allow me to customize them for me.)
Check this out: Standard Time, and talk to Warren Peacock.
From 2004-2009, I used massive spreadsheets to help keep myself organized and to help my company track billing. At billing time, I wanted to drive my car into a wall most months. By then, I had three employees and each one of them would unknowingly write a different description of what they were working on. One would enter in Business Cards, the next one Biz Cards and another 2 Sided Bus Cards -- but that doesn't sort very easily to tell me they all spent time doing something with a business card for a client. I tried protocols, but there was inevitably a misspelling here or there and I missed a lot that way too. Billing took me 40-60 hours a month!
Then in January of 2009, I instituted three new things: A task list called Checklist by Task Solutions and its counterpart Task Anyone, which sends notices to individuals to whom I assign tasks. We have sort of outgrown it at this point, and I'm searching for another more flexible solution to it -- but it worked well for me when I had only 100 or so tasks to track. I'll continue to use it until I find something equally user friendly and cost effective for our task lists that are more than 2000 tasks long.
The third item I purchased and put in place was Standard Time. It is a time-clock oriented piece of software that has things compartmentalized by the person assigned to the task, the client and the project on which we are working. Each project is broken down into subcategories and then down to tasks within those categories. For example, a string might look like this:
KELLY W. (Client in purple here)
Book 1 (Projects in royal blue here)
Publishing Compliance (Subcategories are in red)
Purchase ISBN (Tasks are in black)
Apply for LCCN
Join IBPA
Category Research
Pricing Research
Design
Front Cover
Back Cover/spine
Interior
Product Feature development
Illustrations
Photography
Index
Diagram album
Marketing/PR
Press Release
Sell Sheet
POP Display
Book Launch Party
Facebook Updates
Distribution and Sales
Baker & Taylor set up and maint.
Amazon updates
Amazon sales
EBook
Programming
Design
Upload
Marketing
Facebook Updates
Coupons
Each time a person works on something, they are able to specify exactly which thing they are working on simply by clicking a clock-like icon and then selecting the task as the project tree expands from that simple click. Expenses are noted in the same way. For example, let's say someone spends $45 on their company Amex card printing sell sheets. They just expand the tree until they see the sell sheet category under Marketing and PR, and then enter the amount and the payee. When reconciling the Amex bill at the end of the month, I know exactly what the charge was for. And for billing I run reports to tell me by client, project and employee what we worked on how many minutes it took. (You can set parameters to always round up to five minutes, or fifteen minutes, etc.) There is also a feature that lets you link to Quickbooks or bill directly from the program.
This type of program is quick, inexpensive, and very effective. I researched several and found this one more than served my needs. (The only thing I wish I knew how to do is write my own reports for it; currently I use the pre-existing ones that come with the program with the various filters that allow me to customize them for me.)
Check this out: Standard Time, and talk to Warren Peacock.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
"Triple Threat" Theory is as Important in Your Business as it is in Show Business
Singing, Dancing, Acting. Movie stars, TV stars, stage actors and other performers are quickly identified as Unbeatable when they embrace their gifts and hone their skills in all three of these areas -- they are Triple Threats. You don't have to break out your opera glasses to see that you can apply these principles to your book, your promotions, and your business, too.
Tom Becka examines the relationship between business and show business in his funny, practical book There's No Business Without the Show (Orpheum Brothers Press, 2008), he demonstrates how any type of business can apply show business techniques to enhance their sales. I've watched him deftly apply his theory to non-profits for fundraising, to government agencies protecting their budgets, and to businesses of all types and sizes setting their sights on increasing revenues.
I see it in my own business, and I have had the opportunity to watch some authors succeed beyond their dreams; and I have also seen others falter with their books and their platforms -- and the spotlight is focused squarely on how well they script their message, and how well they deliver it day after day.
Here's your Triple Threat Plan:
Singing: Create a message that is harmonious with your product or service. When you deliver your presentations or promotion, make sure you connect with your audience, show your passion, and also that you are on pitch and in tune with your market.
Dancing: The choreography of your whole business and every product and service within it is important. Make sure your techniques are spot on, your timing is right, and you are following through with your actions.
Acting: Pull from your own emotions or reactions to identify with the product or service being portrayed. Carefully answer the needs and wants of your audience when developing your business strategies and designing your products, services, promotions, and marketing materials.
I know this isn't new information, but the principles beg to be revived: Develop a great script, choreograph your moves, and deliver a great performance night after night.
If you would like to read Tom Becka's book, it's available in hardcover or paperback on our website (here's the link). If you prefer ebooks, it is available on Amazon Kindle, and all other ebook formats via Smashwords. Use his Promocode ZZ34F to save 44% through April. If you are planning an event, I can also attest that he is an entertaining and thought-provoking speaker!
Tom Becka examines the relationship between business and show business in his funny, practical book There's No Business Without the Show (Orpheum Brothers Press, 2008), he demonstrates how any type of business can apply show business techniques to enhance their sales. I've watched him deftly apply his theory to non-profits for fundraising, to government agencies protecting their budgets, and to businesses of all types and sizes setting their sights on increasing revenues.
I see it in my own business, and I have had the opportunity to watch some authors succeed beyond their dreams; and I have also seen others falter with their books and their platforms -- and the spotlight is focused squarely on how well they script their message, and how well they deliver it day after day.
Here's your Triple Threat Plan:
Singing: Create a message that is harmonious with your product or service. When you deliver your presentations or promotion, make sure you connect with your audience, show your passion, and also that you are on pitch and in tune with your market.
Dancing: The choreography of your whole business and every product and service within it is important. Make sure your techniques are spot on, your timing is right, and you are following through with your actions.
Acting: Pull from your own emotions or reactions to identify with the product or service being portrayed. Carefully answer the needs and wants of your audience when developing your business strategies and designing your products, services, promotions, and marketing materials.
I know this isn't new information, but the principles beg to be revived: Develop a great script, choreograph your moves, and deliver a great performance night after night.
If you would like to read Tom Becka's book, it's available in hardcover or paperback on our website (here's the link). If you prefer ebooks, it is available on Amazon Kindle, and all other ebook formats via Smashwords. Use his Promocode ZZ34F to save 44% through April. If you are planning an event, I can also attest that he is an entertaining and thought-provoking speaker!
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