I’m really excited about my new upcoming website design. It’s been an interesting process for me. I put together my current site with very limited web design skills. I knew it was time for a new look. This time I hired a professional so I thought it would be easy…  However, I found it challenging to figure out what kind of design it was I wanted!

I now can empathize with my clients. It’s a process to put together a website and when you’re investing your time and your money you want to do it right. Of course, my job is to help clients determine the right copy for their website. My advice to you whether your hiring a copywriter or a web designer is find someone you work well with and who is patient. Thankfully my designer has been patient with me!

I also want to mention that I’ve made it easier to post comments on my blog. You no longer have to jump through so many hoops so feel free to leave a comment.

If you’re a coach, therapist, or any kind of “expert” in your field, Amazon provides terrific opportunities to promote yourself and your website. The first step is to set-up a profile where people can learn more about you. Be as thorough as possible—post your picture, a bio, and of course your website. 

Find a descriptive name for yourself too—for example I might call myself Jen Odear, The Internet Writing Pro. That makes it clear my area of expertise because Jen Odear by itself doesn’t mean a whole lot, at least to most people…

There are three ways you can generate some buzz within Amazon and encourage visitors to click on your profile:

1. Book Reviews - Write a book review. I’m not talking about just any book you’ve read, I’m talking about books related to your expertise. Books that your target audience is interested in reading.  When they find that book they find you, because your book review will show-up on the page. Give an informed opinion on what you like—or don’t like—about the book.  People who are interested in what you have to say will scroll over your name and a window will pop-up with your information—very cool!
2. Create Listmania Lists - Listmania allows you to create lists of Amazon books or products that you recommend. It’s an effective way to show that you’re a “well read” expert in your field.  Give your list a catchy name but make sure it’s obvious what category you’re covering. This is a great way to get yourself listed throughout Amazon.
3. So You’d Like to . . . Guides – This is another great area to post any “how to” articles you have relating to your field.  Make them informative and interesting, this isn’t free advertising but it will help your target audience find you.

There’s also a new feature that allows authors who sell products on Amazon to send their blog posts to readers who have bought their books on Amazon or have signed up to receive their posts. Something authors should definitely check-out.

If you have any tips on using Amazon as a marketing tool please share them with me! Also contact me if you’d like more information on how to implement these strategies - www.internetwritingpro.com/contact.

I just finished listening to a teleseminar for copywriters by the famous Joe Vitale. It was interesting to hear his distinction between manipulation and persuasion in copywriting. He said the difference lied in your personal belief. Do you believe the product or service you’re writing about will truly benefit the target audience? If the answer is yes, then your copy is persuasive. If the answer is no, then you’re being manipulative.

Copywriters obviously spend most of their time writing about their clients’ products and services.  Do you need to believe in the value of the service or product to write persuasive copy? Yes, you do. Many of my clients seem to be aware of how important it is to find a copywriter that’s truly engaged. I’ve observed when they’re in the process of hiring me that they are often looking for my honest impressions. That’s smart!

When you hire a copywriter, or any kind of a marketing professional, find out what they think about your service/product? This might take a bit of probing but it’s worth the effort. You want someone who is going to be authentic and sincere in their writing.

A few times I’ve declined projects for that very reason. I knew my heart wasn’t in it and it wouldn’t be fair to this potential client to let them hire me so I referred them to someone I thought would be more appropriate. Some writers or marketing professionals might not be that upfront with you. So take it upon yourself to find out what they really think. Your reward will be authentic, persuasive copy.

I’m very pleased that one of my clients recently landed a contract with a book publisher. I enjoyed helping her develop and distribute her book proposal. I’ll tell you right now…it was a lot of work.

 Authors who just focus on writing a great book are going to miss the key to success—your book proposal needs to SELL YOU not just your book. In today’s competitive market publishers are looking for authors that have marketing savvy. They are looking for authors with some national visibility. So before you approach the publisher, you should establish yourself as an “expert” through speaking engagements, seminars, articles, media coverage and a strong Internet presence. Then you have to package you book proposal in a way that will showcase all this expertise!

Need more advice? I recommend Rick Frishman’s newsletter which contains loads of helpful tips for authors. You can sign-up at www.rickfrishman.com. Feel free to contact me with questions or take a look at some of the services I provide for authors at http://www.internetwritingpro.com/services.html.

I recently enjoyed a vacation to Northern California. My husband and I explored Napa and Sonoma Valleys for the first time. We had a great time… but what was interesting was my reaction when I came back home to the Rogue Valley (located in Southern Oregon). As I drove by the pear orchards and vineyards to my house I realized that it was just as beautiful as Napa AND a lot less expensive!

Sometimes you have to get away from something to really appreciate its value. I think that’s good advice if you’re an entrepreneur promoting a new service or product. Sometimes we’re just too close. If you can afford to hire a marketing expert—go for it. If they’re good it will be worth every penny.

If you can’t hire someone, find some friends or colleagues to give you a FRESH perspective. It should be someone who is successful at promoting themselves. Encourage them to be honest and listen to their perspective. It might reveal something you’ve never considered before. You can also take advantage of my free initial consultation. Contact me to set-up a time that works for you - info@internetwritingpro.com.