Book Profit Secrets with Ray Brehm

Sarah Jolley Jarvis specializes in helping people build the businesses of their dreams on their own terms. She’s an international best-selling author and a multi-six-figure business owner and she’s an expert on turning your passion into profits. Sarah started her career in medical device sales about 17 years ago in the UK and learned a lot about selling and building relationships. After the birth of her first child, she realized she couldn’t go back to her original job while raising a family. Sarah then decided to dip her toes in the online business world and today, she continues to help clients excel in sales and marketing.

It's easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day tasks of our business and we lose sight of the bigger picture. No one wants to be the best-kept secret in their niche and Sarah shows her clients how to get in front of their ideal audience. Many of us authors write our books in the hopes we won’t have to be sleazy with sales, but there are ways to sell ethically and still be successful. In her book, Selling Without Sleaze, Sarah explains why finding your ideal client makes sales authentic and genuine. We talk about why mindset is important in sales, how to identify your target audience, how to set and advertise your pricing, and what to cover on a client discovery call.

What’s Inside:

• Why sales and marketing don’t have to be sleazy 
• How to find your target audience and client base
• How to set the price for your products and services
• How to structure a discovery call

Mentioned In This Episode:
Ray.fm
Selling Without Sleaze - Book

Troy Broussard is my mentor, friend, and coach. I use several of his amazing software products. Troy is a prolific content and offers creator and here, we’re talking about how to create great things from the back end of your book. Troy’s services make me look like a champ to my clients, and his RedirectMe.io platform has been a game changer. We get into the benefit of QR codes and how they could help you capture more leads. We also talk about how to use Amazon and whether or not it’s more beneficial to sell books in more unconventional ways. Technology is advancing at a fast pace and as an author, it’s worth keeping up with the latest trends.

First and foremost, it’s important to know your objective and start with a goal in mind. Staying alive in business should be your goal and it’s no secret that Amazon isn’t going to help you retire early. Troy talks about why it’s important to know your end goal before you even start writing. We discuss what to do if your first book wasn’t written that way and what you might be able to do to turn things around. We also talk about how breaking content up can help you make more sales, the advantages of private book sales, why it’s important to understand your target demographic, and more.

What’s Inside:

• How technology is changing and which tools authors should use to boost sales.
• Why you should start writing a book with an end goal in mind.
• How to break up content to make more sales and elevate your authority and brand.
• The advantages of private book sales.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Ray.fm
RedirectMe.io
Troy Broussard

Sales, marketing, and automation are all things that scare authors, but they’re the fundamentals of building a business from your book. Tim Hyde is a fixer, a Keep Certified Partner, and an authority in these scary topics, which we’re diving into here. After founding one of Australia’s first social media sites, Tim has since moved on to help businesses convert more of the attention they create from their digital marketing efforts. Over the last eight years, he’s worked with more than 1,000 business owners in 36 countries to help them optimize their sales and marketing strategies. He focuses on CRM, sales life cycle, and marketing automation.

Tim found that his clients only had part of the puzzle when it came to attracting attention, and the missing piece was marketing. Writing a book is only part of the customer journey, and we need to move people from one part to the next. When you nurture your readers, you can then turn them into high-ticket clients over time. Tim walks through how he makes marketing less overwhelming for his clients and shares some practical tips you can use in your own business. We also talk about overcoming icky feelings about sales and how to get started if you’re an author who’s brand new to sales.

What’s Inside:

• How Tim helps authors build a sales lifecycle and master marketing.
• Why it’s important to move your readers along on the customer journey.
• How to overcome resistance to selling.
• Where to start if you’re a sales beginner.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Ray.fm
WinMoreClients.com.au

Melanie Benson is an authority brand amplifier for expert-preneurs. She’s also the host of the Amplify Your Success Podcast where she shows you how to stand out in a crowded market and attract high-paying clients and opportunities. Melanie’s been in business for 21 years and has a proven track record of accelerating results for her clients. In fact, it’s not uncommon for them to experience a revenue increase of up to five times in the first six months. As a business coach, Melanie searched for ways to set herself apart from the competition and consistently be seen by clients looking for solutions. After doing some speaking, Melanie launched her podcast which allowed her to share her expertise without being a road warrior.

Podcasting allows you to transform the lives of people you’d never encounter otherwise. Melanie shares tips for authors who want to get into podcasting, and explains the differences between hosting and being a guest. Guesting is a great way to build momentum before launching your own show. Most podcast hosts are looking for authority figures who can provide value for their audience, and if you have a book, you’re ahead of the game. We dive into how to pitch to podcasts and how to choose a topic, which isn’t always the name of your book.  Melanie also shares how to structure a “podcast tour” to promote your book or services and why having a plan is important.

What’s Inside:

• How Melanie used podcasting to elevate her business.
• Why being a podcast guest can help you build momentum.
• How to pitch to podcast hosts and choose the right topic.
• How to structure a podcast tour to promote your book.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Ray.fm
MelanieBenson.com/bookprofit

Chris Kyle is a coach, teacher, and e-learning expert. He’s also the founder and CEO of Launch Academy, a deep-dive online training program community to help authors, speakers, and experts create and launch profitable online courses. Chris is the co-author of the number one best-selling book Internet Marketing Secrets. He started as a coach doing one-on-one work with business owners and entrepreneurs and then received a full-time Chief Marketing/Development Officer role through a client where he created courses with some of the world's most well-known teachers. Chris fell in love with the e-learning space and eventually started Launch Academy, which has been his focus over the last several years.

Today, there are so many opportunities for authors to create amazing online courses and teach their passion. Your book is your calling card and what brings you visibility, but it’s often not your primary money maker. Chris recommends that authors shift their mindset from selling books to finding a way to teach the material. Launching a course is a great way to make a ton of money and build a sustainable community and audience along the way. We discuss how and when to launch your online course and how to set up the right system. We also talk about why tech isn’t the most important thing in creating a course, how to step through imposter syndrome, the essential elements of a great online course, and why courses are key in creating a community.

What’s Inside:

• How Chris got into the e-learning space and founded Launch Academy.
• Why authors should shift their mindset and commit to developing a course.
• The myth that tech is the most important component of an online course.
• The essential elements of creating a great course.
• Why courses are key in creating a community around your message. 

Mentioned In This Episode:
Ray.fm
ChrisKyle.com/ebook

Dr. Gena Lester is a Wall Street Journal best-selling author and professional speaker. She’s also an educator with over 20 years of experience in college admissions counseling. Dr. Gena helps business owners, coaches, and consultants take their skills into the entrepreneurial world by developing their "uniquely you” formula. Through this formula, her clients develop their passions and become more successful on their journey. After working as an admissions counselor for several years, Dr. Gena was inspired to write her first book, which was geared toward helping the average student. She then moved towards creating a program that was more affordable for families and offered more support than a high school counselor provides.

After experiencing success with her book, Dr. Gena looked for ways to expand her offerings outside of the one-on-one, in-person work she was doing. She then took her signature formula which she outlines in her book and created an online course. She started her business in 2019 and experienced triple growth over the last several years! Dr. Gena shares tips on how to get started if you’re an author looking to develop an online course of your own. We also discuss designing a business around your own personal preferences, how to shift your mindset around competition, and advice for aspiring online course creators.

What’s Inside:

• How Dr. Gena developed a highly successful online course from her first book.
• Where to start when developing a business from your book.
• How to design a business on your own terms.
• Advice for aspiring online course creators. 

Mentioned In This Episode:
Ray.fm
Education Prep Centers

Since 2015, Paul Brodie has launched 71 consecutive best sellers for his clients through his book launch service. He’s also a best-selling author himself and has written and published several books. Paul lets me pick his brain on making money after the book and has some great advice for authors. He shares his go-to method for doing business with authors, which includes a high-ticket offer. Paul attracts his clients in a number of different ways, including podcasts, websites, summits, books, and referrals. He runs one summit a few times a year and interviews some of his top affiliates. This year, he’s letting his speakers pick the topics to change things up.

Word-of-mouth referrals bring in a ton of business for Paul and he’s always refining his list to keep only the most interested and engaged audience members. Many people stall themselves because they think they need to have a perfect launch right out the gate but done is better than perfect. Your book positions you as a subject matter expert and allow you to leverage your business and your brand. Even though you may not make millions from your first book, selling copies after your speaking gigs can help you make connections with potential clients and a book is way more powerful than a business card. We wrap up by talking about the next steps authors can take to start building out their business.

What’s Inside:

• Different ways to attract clients for high ticket offers with your book. 
• How to use your book to build authority. 
• Next steps for authors to take to build a business.

Mentioned In This Episode:

Ray.fm
BrodieConsultingGroup.com

Heather Dempsey is a business coach who specializes in emotional health, mindset, and the psychology of business. She focuses on helping introverts, highly sensitive people (HSP), and those struggling with anxiety show up powerfully and comfortably in their businesses by creating radical mindset transformations. Heather and I discuss the roadblocks authors often face after publishing our first books, dealing with imposter syndrome, and not knowing what to do next. She helps her clients carve out a path to public speaking, live coaching, and workshops based on their book, which also uncovers valuable market research.

You can create a whole new business from your book, and completing your book is just the beginning. Many readers will look for more when they’re finished with a book, so offering programs or the next steps can be a game changer. It’s easy for authors to put themselves in the writer box, but the truth is that the audience wants more than words, they want guidance. Authors can use this knowledge to develop offerings to further their credibility, better support their audience, and make a lot of money along the way.

What’s Inside:

• Roadblocks authors face when launching a business from their books.
• How to change your mindset and overcome imposter syndrome.
• Why taking imperfect action is the key to success.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Ray.fm
HeatherADempsey.com

If you need a crash course in publicity, you came to the right place! Jill Lublin is a four-time best-selling author, international speaker, and master publicity expert. She helps authors get book deals and teaches a virtual publicity course. Jill’s books include Guerrilla Publicity and The Profit of Kindness, which went number one in four different categories. “How do I get publicity?” is one of the most common questions authors have, and here, Jill demystifies the process. Jill became a publicity expert out of her own frustrations with getting her message out, as both a businessperson and an author. Today, her system helps authors and entrepreneurs create messages that matter and get out there.

When it comes to getting publicity, it all starts with your message, which should come before your book. You can get started with promoting your work way before your book is finished or published, even if it’s just a simple 500-word blog post. You can start integrating the name of your book in your messaging as well to start getting noticed. Just like growing a garden, publicity for your book should be planned in advance so you can bloom when you’re ready to launch. Whether you’re planning your first book or your 50th, Jill’s tips can help you take your publicity to the next level.

What’s Inside:

• Where to start when setting out to get publicity.
• Why publicity for a book should be planned in advance.
• How to get featured in media outlets.

Mentioned In This Episode:
Ray.fm
JillLublin.com
PublicityCrashCourse.com/FreeGift

Derek Doepker has achieved best-selling author status multiple times. When I first got to know Derek, he helped me with audiobooks, and he’s got an amazing instructional course on them. Derek’s also a rock musician as well as a successful digital entrepreneur and I’m always learning something new from him. He’s got a ton of great tips around email and here, he’s sharing his tips and tricks. Building a business off the back end of our books is a major goal for us authors, and you can take things to the next level with a smart email strategy.

Although you can grow your audience in many different ways, having an email list is one of the best ways to do so. Through an email list, you can keep the relationship going with your readers through personal messages and share upcoming books and product launches. You can even funnel people from your social media into your email list, which can help you stay focused. Derek breaks down list building and list engagement and gives his recommendations on where to start. The frequency and type of communication will be up to you, but Derek shares fundamental principles to help you stay consistent. We also discuss how a solid list can help you make quick cash and test out new concepts.

What’s Inside:

• Why you don’t need a huge audience to have a successful email list
• How to get an email list up and running if you’re just getting started
• How an email list can boost your revenue on demand

Mentioned In This Episode:
Ray.fm
DerekDoepker.com