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    Media Training: How to Avoid Being Misquoted
    I often begin my media training sessions by asking members of the audience to raise their hands if they’ve been interviewed by the media. Almost all of the hands in the room go up. I then ask them to keep their hands up if they’ve ever been misquoted. Not only do virtually all of the hands remain up, but the usually nod their heads vigorously, followed by laughter.Being misquoted is one of the biggest plagues for any spokesperson. It can cause deep consternation for the interviewee, who has to sheepishly explain to her colleagues that she didn’t actually say what the reporter claimed she did.A former collea
    ubjects online

    A whole lot of research can be done from the comfort of your home by using your computer to search for books online with your idea. Go to Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com and search for subjects similar to yours. Also make notes of the prices. Your book must be competitive in price. Think about ways you can be an innovator and bring fresh new ideas to the subject.

    Go to your favorite bookstore

    This is my favorite. I love to go to the bookstore and see the new books. Check out the section where your book will be displayed. It might be the business, self-help or computer section if you are writing a how-to for computer learners. Look everywhere because each bookstore categorizes books differently.

    Now here is the best part. Peak inside to the Acknowledgements page. Does the author thank their Literary Agent by

    How Can You Tell In Advance What Will Sell On The Internet Or By Direct Mail?
    Over the last 50 years I must have seen thousands of ads, mostly 2 line classified ads in opportunity magazines, trying to sell the latest in a long line of “How to Make a Fortune in Mail Order” books or systems. Most have these have been the same ol’, same ol’, regurgitated 4 page claptrap priced from $5 to $20. Occasionally there has been a full blown course or manual for $97 to $197. Since the advent of the internet, these kind of publications have been transitioned to “How to Make a Fortune on the Internet”, but still the same ol’ regurgitated claptrap.Are any worth buying? Perhaps a few, but the $19.95 type w
    Write my book and the reader will come-- that was what I thought when I began writing my first book. Well, fortunately I had a publishing consultant to set me straight and let me know that it rarely happens that way. I had to know my competition and who my reader is. And this was the shocker for me: "Find out your competition and target market before you write your book." That is the lesson I want to share with you today. Roll up your sleeves, get your favorite beverage and writing tools and let's get started doing some planning before you start writing your book.

    Step 2: Identifying the Market For Your Book

    In Step 1 you selected your subject based on your area of expertise. Now you need to identify the market for your book.

    For example, suppose you are writing a book on "10 Easy Ways To Keep Your Car Running Smoothly." Who are your readers? Who will buy your book? A 10 year old? Not likely. A 40 year old? Maybe. How about 30-50 year old women? Yes, and especially single women with no car mechanic in the house. Another group could be widows-women who sadly no longer have a man in the house to take care of their car.

    The advantage of knowing who your reader is will help you focus your book on that particular type of market.

    Find your target market

    Here are some questions to answer to find your target market. If you can answer yes or identify your target market to a few of these questions then you are ready to write your book.

      Identify the buyer of your book.
      Is your subject easy for your potential reader to identify?
      Are there magazines, clubs, conferences, etc., that cover your subject frequently?
      Can you sell your book easily by mail to a well-targeted market?
      Are their hobby stores, schools or organizations that might buy your book?
      Is your book a cinch for specific corporations in your area of expertise?
      Who would buy your book if sold on the Internet as an e-book?
      What type of audience can you teach/speak to and sell your book.
      Will your book be of interest to women -- a growing market for nonfiction books?

    Check out your competition

    Visiting your library and local bookstore will help you not only identify your competition and target market, but it will give you scores of ideas on what your book cover design will look like and how to find a literary agent if you want to get it traditionally published.

    Go to the library

    Ask the librarian for Bowker's Books in Print which lists all books currently available by subject. This can give you an idea of what books are out there on your subject. Also check Forthcoming BIP for recent books. Make a list of those books you would like to review. If your book idea has been extensively covered, you need to evaluate what makes your book unique.

    A good example are cookbooks. The bookstores are surrounded with cookbooks. It seems like every type of cookbook has been covered, but that is not necessarily the case. Authors find new unique ways to introduce their cookbooks. You need to do the same by asking yourself, "How is my book different from those in print?"

    Also check out Publishers Weekly, a trade magazine of publishers, will tell you what is coming next season. Check the issue date and if it is old you will have to go to another library that stocks the latest issues.

    Check subjects online

    A whole lot of research can be done from the comfort of your home by using your computer to search for books online with your idea. Go to Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com and search for subjects similar to yours. Also make notes of the prices. Your book must be competitive in price. Think about ways you can be an innovator and bring fresh new ideas to the subject.

    Go to your favorite bookstore

    This is my favorite. I love to go to the bookstore and see the new books. Check out the section where your book will be displayed. It might be the business, self-help or computer section if you are writing a how-to for computer learners. Look everywhere because each bookstore categorizes books differently.

    Now here is the best part. Peak inside to the Acknowledgements page. Does the author thank their Literary Agent by

    Homeowner Loans: Immediate Solution for Emergencies!
    What Are Homeowner Loans? Though usually called homeowner loans or personal loans for homeowners, the truth is that these loans are better referred to as home equity loans. The name refers to the secured nature of the loan as home equity loans are backed up by the equity you’ve built on your home.Home equity is the remaining value of the property that is not affected by mortgages or liens. The difference between the value of the property and the mortgage loan amount that is still owed, constitutes equity. After subtracting the remaining liens (if present), the amount you get will be the home equity
    y." Who are your readers? Who will buy your book? A 10 year old? Not likely. A 40 year old? Maybe. How about 30-50 year old women? Yes, and especially single women with no car mechanic in the house. Another group could be widows-women who sadly no longer have a man in the house to take care of their car.

    The advantage of knowing who your reader is will help you focus your book on that particular type of market.

    Find your target market

    Here are some questions to answer to find your target market. If you can answer yes or identify your target market to a few of these questions then you are ready to write your book.

      Identify the buyer of your book.
      Is your subject easy for your potential reader to identify?
      Are there magazines, clubs, conferences, etc., that cover your subject frequently?
      Can you sell your book easily by mail to a well-targeted market?
      Are their hobby stores, schools or organizations that might buy your book?
      Is your book a cinch for specific corporations in your area of expertise?
      Who would buy your book if sold on the Internet as an e-book?
      What type of audience can you teach/speak to and sell your book.
      Will your book be of interest to women -- a growing market for nonfiction books?

    Check out your competition

    Visiting your library and local bookstore will help you not only identify your competition and target market, but it will give you scores of ideas on what your book cover design will look like and how to find a literary agent if you want to get it traditionally published.

    Go to the library

    Ask the librarian for Bowker's Books in Print which lists all books currently available by subject. This can give you an idea of what books are out there on your subject. Also check Forthcoming BIP for recent books. Make a list of those books you would like to review. If your book idea has been extensively covered, you need to evaluate what makes your book unique.

    A good example are cookbooks. The bookstores are surrounded with cookbooks. It seems like every type of cookbook has been covered, but that is not necessarily the case. Authors find new unique ways to introduce their cookbooks. You need to do the same by asking yourself, "How is my book different from those in print?"

    Also check out Publishers Weekly, a trade magazine of publishers, will tell you what is coming next season. Check the issue date and if it is old you will have to go to another library that stocks the latest issues.

    Check subjects online

    A whole lot of research can be done from the comfort of your home by using your computer to search for books online with your idea. Go to Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com and search for subjects similar to yours. Also make notes of the prices. Your book must be competitive in price. Think about ways you can be an innovator and bring fresh new ideas to the subject.

    Go to your favorite bookstore

    This is my favorite. I love to go to the bookstore and see the new books. Check out the section where your book will be displayed. It might be the business, self-help or computer section if you are writing a how-to for computer learners. Look everywhere because each bookstore categorizes books differently.

    Now here is the best part. Peak inside to the Acknowledgements page. Does the author thank their Literary Agent by

    Advice On A Debt Consolidation Loan
    Don't jump into anything. To succeed at debt consolidation takes knowledge, understanding and careful consideration before you move forward with any specific plan.Your first step is to know what you want. This should happen before you even look into the various options that might be available to you. Don’t let anyone cause you to make an early decision, before you clearly know your own objectives and the benefits and drawbacks to you of their program.To begin, sit down with paper and pen and make a list of your financial desires. Now I don't mean listing all the things you want to buy. This is not the time
    k easily by mail to a well-targeted market?
    Are their hobby stores, schools or organizations that might buy your book?
    Is your book a cinch for specific corporations in your area of expertise?
    Who would buy your book if sold on the Internet as an e-book?
    What type of audience can you teach/speak to and sell your book.
    Will your book be of interest to women -- a growing market for nonfiction books?

    Check out your competition

    Visiting your library and local bookstore will help you not only identify your competition and target market, but it will give you scores of ideas on what your book cover design will look like and how to find a literary agent if you want to get it traditionally published.

    Go to the library

    Ask the librarian for Bowker's Books in Print which lists all books currently available by subject. This can give you an idea of what books are out there on your subject. Also check Forthcoming BIP for recent books. Make a list of those books you would like to review. If your book idea has been extensively covered, you need to evaluate what makes your book unique.

    A good example are cookbooks. The bookstores are surrounded with cookbooks. It seems like every type of cookbook has been covered, but that is not necessarily the case. Authors find new unique ways to introduce their cookbooks. You need to do the same by asking yourself, "How is my book different from those in print?"

    Also check out Publishers Weekly, a trade magazine of publishers, will tell you what is coming next season. Check the issue date and if it is old you will have to go to another library that stocks the latest issues.

    Check subjects online

    A whole lot of research can be done from the comfort of your home by using your computer to search for books online with your idea. Go to Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com and search for subjects similar to yours. Also make notes of the prices. Your book must be competitive in price. Think about ways you can be an innovator and bring fresh new ideas to the subject.

    Go to your favorite bookstore

    This is my favorite. I love to go to the bookstore and see the new books. Check out the section where your book will be displayed. It might be the business, self-help or computer section if you are writing a how-to for computer learners. Look everywhere because each bookstore categorizes books differently.

    Now here is the best part. Peak inside to the Acknowledgements page. Does the author thank their Literary Agent by

    Advertising Fits Hats To A T
    There are several marketing strategies businesses can use today. Online marketing, television commercials, and radio plug-ins are some of the popular methods. Banners and flyers are still used to advertise sales and other promos. But these advertising strategies don't really give prospective consumers something. If anything, the flyers usually end up in the trash and the TV gets switched off. Nobody bothers with online ads for fear of viruses. If you're a business owner looking for a quick advertising fix, logo fitted hats, hats with embroidery, and marketing hats are good choices. Hats are effective marketing tools that
    urrently available by subject. This can give you an idea of what books are out there on your subject. Also check Forthcoming BIP for recent books. Make a list of those books you would like to review. If your book idea has been extensively covered, you need to evaluate what makes your book unique.

    A good example are cookbooks. The bookstores are surrounded with cookbooks. It seems like every type of cookbook has been covered, but that is not necessarily the case. Authors find new unique ways to introduce their cookbooks. You need to do the same by asking yourself, "How is my book different from those in print?"

    Also check out Publishers Weekly, a trade magazine of publishers, will tell you what is coming next season. Check the issue date and if it is old you will have to go to another library that stocks the latest issues.

    Check subjects online

    A whole lot of research can be done from the comfort of your home by using your computer to search for books online with your idea. Go to Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com and search for subjects similar to yours. Also make notes of the prices. Your book must be competitive in price. Think about ways you can be an innovator and bring fresh new ideas to the subject.

    Go to your favorite bookstore

    This is my favorite. I love to go to the bookstore and see the new books. Check out the section where your book will be displayed. It might be the business, self-help or computer section if you are writing a how-to for computer learners. Look everywhere because each bookstore categorizes books differently.

    Now here is the best part. Peak inside to the Acknowledgements page. Does the author thank their Literary Agent by

    Career as a Trial Lawyer
    Have you considered a career as a lawyer? Well why not? But what kind of lawyer do you want to be? Well, how about a lawyer, which makes a lot of money you are probably thinking right? Indeed that makes since especially if you do not care about people or who you will hurt in the process? Who knows maybe you can double and triple bill for your Great Advice and make even more money right? But first you have to get a law degree.Yes, getting a law degree is easy if your daddy is rich and can send you to a school like Pepperdine University, they tend to have a really high graduation rate, wink, wink? Unfortunately just
    ubjects online

    A whole lot of research can be done from the comfort of your home by using your computer to search for books online with your idea. Go to Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com and search for subjects similar to yours. Also make notes of the prices. Your book must be competitive in price. Think about ways you can be an innovator and bring fresh new ideas to the subject.

    Go to your favorite bookstore

    This is my favorite. I love to go to the bookstore and see the new books. Check out the section where your book will be displayed. It might be the business, self-help or computer section if you are writing a how-to for computer learners. Look everywhere because each bookstore categorizes books differently.

    Now here is the best part. Peak inside to the Acknowledgements page. Does the author thank their Literary Agent by name? Write it down. How about thanking their publishing editor by name? Write that down. Once your book is almost completed you can send a Query letter to these great people and see if you can get them interested in your book.

    - - -

    There you have your first marketing project. 1) Identify your target market, and 2) check out your competition at the library, bookstores and online.

    Whew! This may seem like a lot of work and you have not even written one word yet. But the more you know about your book idea upfront, the easier it will be to write your book. You can write your book in 90 days or less if you do your research first.

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