Sometimes size really does matter. In the world of digital marketing, Yuri Elkaim and others state that the marketing funnel that creates sales looks like: Content which leads to a lead magnet that captures e-mail addresses to a no-brainer offer (which converts the browser to a customer) to a core or back-end offer (higher priced that provides added service and value). Underlying this whole process is the idea that each step provides the potential customer or customer something of value and that the level of value increases which helps build trust in the relationship. In the case of Healthpreneur and others, for example, this may look like free articles and maybe a booklet (for which the customer pays shipping and handling only), followed by an offer for a free phone call or for a video recording of a one-day long conference, followed by an invitation to a longer in person conference or person coaching program.

Or for another example: How many times have you been exposed to an author unknown previously to you on Amazon with a promotional deal on that author's book. Maybe you were offered a one-day only, acquire it for free price, or for 99 cents or $2.99. The author or publisher does this because they hope the discounted price causes you to purchase, and then, after you enjoy your experience with that first discounted story, you'll want to read more from that author and be willing to purchase things at full price. Marjory Kaptanoglu did this successfully with her novel Dreadmarrow Thief, as she explains in my new book, Creating A Freelance Career.

This marketing concept is also the reason why every person or company with a mailing list or a site subscription offers you free educational, informative, and/or entertaining information on a regular basis. The idea is to create content that people find valuable and will want to follow you. This content can be done through writing articles, releasing snippets of songs if you're a composer or a sneak preview of a music video, or creating video content. Musician and painter Andrew Cadima entertains his audience with YouTube video that captures his painting process, as you can see if you click on his name in this sentence. The videos show the beauty in his work and his skill and they entice the viewer to want to see more, by maybe even joining or following his YouTube channel so they never miss the next installment.

While potential customers/clients and current clients need regular useful content from the people or companies they follow, the question remains how much content should you provide and how long should that content be? I, for one, have immediately unsubscribed when I've felt like the content provider was in contact way too often, such as daily or multiple times per day. My exception to this rule is content providers who send out a daily quote in the morning. No one wants to feel badgered or pressured.

And since we live in a world that is fast-paced and filled with abundant information, what we send out in any part of the marketing funnel needs to be relevant and we need to be conscious about the amount of time it would take the consumer to engage with the product for the value they are getting (meaning, they may not have time nor inclination to sit through a 30-minute video whose real purpose is to try to upsell them at the end of it). People may be more apt to read or listen to or watch short things (or need the small vehicle like the white truck above) as opposed to buying the massive vehicle of your message. 

The bottom line is that successful business offers a variety of things at different levels of price points both as a way to build relationships and as a way to reach customers.

From now until the book comes out on August 26, 2018. you can register to win a copy of the 272-page  book Creating a Freelance Career. Go to https://www.subscribepage.com/Summer-Book-Giveaway. Your phone number is only collected in case you don't respond to the e-mail saying you won. We promise not to call otherwise.. 

Writing a autobiography seems like it might be an easy task, right? After all, who knows us better than we know ourselves? But writing about ourselves and our accomplishments can be tricky. How much detail should we include? What kinds of things are the literary agents or publishers looking for in the bio? How can we make ourselves sound compelling and authoritative or expert when we don't always feel like we are? 

The Author's Biography section of the book proposal must follow a few guidelines:

1) It needs to be written in the third person. This may feel awkward at first to start with your full name and then talk about yourself as She/He/Them and maybe even a Mr. or Ms. if not just referring to yourself by your last name. And, yes, this goes against the way most authors talk about themselves on their website bios. (Take Janet Evanovich, for example, who starts her bio, "When I was a kid I spent a lot of time in LaLa Land. La la Land is like an out-of-body experience –while your mouth is eating lunch your mind is conversing with Captain Kirk." She can do that now that she's a big author and probably never has to write another book proposal again. :)

But for the rest of us, the book proposal needs to a have bio and it needs to be written in the third person. For example, my bio usually starts "Jill L.Ferguson is an artist, consultant, and author of eight published books...."

2) It needs to answer who are you and why are you qualified to write about this topic? My brother, Eric Ferguson, founder of Metanoia Missions is the author of five books on Christian living, leadership and marriage. The bios for his book proposals focus on the fact that he holds degrees in psychology (bachelor's), Biblical studies (bachelor's), counseling (master's) and leadership (doctorate). He also worked in numerous pastoral and counseling positions before he and his wife founded the nonprofit Metanoia Missions in 2002 and built it into a multi-faceted, million-dollar budget international humanitarian aid organization. 

3) It needs to be honest and not exaggerate. Literary agent Steve Laube tells the story of receiving a book proposal from a writer who claimed to win a Nobel Prize in their area of expertise. Laube looked it up and said, "yes, we do Google." He could not find the writer's name at first, but then after further digging, he did uncover the writer's name among a team of colleagues who were all awarded the Nobel Prize. Claiming to have won a prize without stating you were part of a team that won a prize is an exaggeration that isn't quite factual. And can be a deal breaker if literary agents and publishers don't think they can trust you or your behavior. So, if you've co-authored say you've co-authored as opposed to authored. If your work awarded the company who employs you a patent, state it that way, even if your name is on the patent along with the company's name. And if you write that you're an award-winning whatever, you need to be able to back that up with proof, if called upon to do so.

4) It can show your personality.  If you're naturally funny, it's okay to let that come through in your bio. If you have interests that aren't exactly relevant to the pitch but may get someone's attention, it's great to add that in the last line or two of the bio. "She co-habitats with a guppy, a goldfish and an iguana" is a fine ending to your bio if it is accurate, even if your book is on astrophysics. Or "When not building airplanes for Boeing, Steve Smith bats .289 on his community softball team, coaches his son's kinderhockey team, and loves to gun his Harley down country roads." 

Two other parts of the bio can be optional, but helpful--photo and social media contacts. By including your social media links (Facebook and LinkedIn, especially) you are making it easier for the agent or publisher to understand more about you and what kind of followings/reach you have (since that can translate to more book sales).

If you include a photo, make it more of an up close and personal head shot (as opposed to a candid or a funny selfie, unless a funny selfie is relevant to the topic of your book). The photo I chose for the top of this article could be used as a bio photo since her eyes seem to communicate a lot and it is a very clear, in focus, up close image. The photo you choose should make a statement about who you are and your personality, if possible. (And if you don't have a professional looking one that fits that bill, it's fine to not include a photo.)

The Author's Bio's purpose is to sell the agent and publisher on why you are the perfect person to write the book, and in some ways, persuade them that you will be professional and a joy to work with. :)
 

The purpose of the marketing analysis section of a book proposal is to show potential literary agents and publishers that you've done your homework in regards to knowing the market or potential sales appeal of your book (or book idea). As William Cane writes,  the marketing section of your proposal should first "assert confidently that markets for your title exist", then mention major markets, followed by minor ones.

For example, Creating a Freelance Career was commissioned by Routledge / Taylor & Francis, a major worldwide publisher of textbooks, so colleges and universities are the primary market for the book. Additional markets for this book are freelancers, the self-employed and entrepreneurs--a specific business niche. And because the book covers writers, editors, musicians and composers, designers, video game developers, artists, podcast personalities/hosts and also talks about Uber and Lyft drivers and others who work in the gig economy (with references to Upwork, Guru.com, LinkedIn, FlexJobs.com, etc.) its potential sales and appeal could be huge. 

As Jane Friedman writes, "At the publishing house I worked at, this was called 'evidence of need.' Why this book? Why does it matter? What need does it fulfill?" Friedman said that so many people focus their proposals on the contents of their book when what publishers really want to see is why should they publish this book and how will it make them money.

And don't forget to include any built-in audiences you have for your book, even if they are minor. For example, the Thug Kitchen cookbooks were, in part, instant best-sellers because the authors had a website and a mailing list with a huge following, and their readers were clamoring for that first cookbook by the time it was published. If you have a large social media presence, are active in far-reaching professional organizations, are a frequent public speaker or a performer, mention these things towards the end of your marketing analysis as other ways you can help promote and market your book.

Next week we will discuss the author bio section of the book proposal and how this can be written to support the marketing section. Until then, keep writing....