The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

Grow Your Business With a Book (An Unorthodox Marketing Strategy That Built One of the Largest Real Estate Companies in the World)

Marketing, social media, advertising

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
457%
May 1, 2011
7,512
34,293
Are you looking for a new, lesser-known but potentially very lucrative source of leads to your business?

Would you like to build authority in your niche, develop new relationships, get press mentions, paid speaking gigs, or consulting contracts?

Do you want to have a high-value gift for your clients that will reassure them of their decision to work with you and reinforce your expert status?

Publishing a book can help you accomplish that, and much more.

I’ve been in the self-publishing industry since August 2014 (I have a 61-page gold thread on the inside) and generated through book sales over $2,000,000 in revenue. I have about 100 published titles, which includes short, mid-length and long non-fiction books, short stories, novels, translations, compilations, etc. in various formats like Kindle, paperback, hardback, and audiobook.

Many of my books have become Amazon bestsellers, reaching #1 in their categories. Some were temporarily so popular that they were in top100 Kindle books in the entire store. One is a Wall Street Journal bestseller. I write under several pen names, each in a different niche, but currently limited to non-fiction which is my main area of expertise.

With my experience in the industry, I can help you publish a book that will grow your business through the following ways:
  • Build authority in your niche—this can be a hugely valuable asset, particularly if you’re working with more affluent clients who want to work with the best of the best. A professionally-published book is a great way to demonstrate your expertise and position yourself as a thought leader. You may also get press mentions and podcast interview invitations which will further cement your expert status.
  • Get paid speaking gigs and consulting contracts—people who read your book might be interested in hiring you as a consultant or public speaker. I regularly receive offers to speak at virtual events (I always decline as I’m not into that but the opportunities are there) and participate in various joint promos. I made over $1,000 from a recent one with perhaps 10 minutes of work and am participating in a similar one this month.
  • Get a new source of high-quality leads—having your potential clients read your book first can help you establish a relationship without lifting a finger (other than writing your book in the first place of course). Then they come to you instead of you coming to them—and they already trust you. Who doesn’t like an easy sale?
  • Give a high-value gift for your new clients—make your new clients more likely to stay with you by giving them a free copy of your book. This serves the function of what Gary Halbert called “a stick letter”—a letter sent after a client bought something from you, intended to reassure them of their decision and stop refunds or in this case, stop doing business with you.
  • Attract high-quality employees—that’s what Gary Keller from Keller Williams Realty, one of the largest real estate companies in the world, accomplished with his book, attracting A-players who read his book and used his strategies as they grew his own company.
  • Engage in corporate responsibility and improve your image—depending on your industry, you can donate a few boxes of your book to libraries, schools, prisons, non-profits, etc. It’s an inexpensive way to promote your business, do some good, and maybe even change some lives.
To learn more about how you can grow your business with a book, check my gold thread How to Use Book Marketing to Grow Your Business (a Less Common But Powerful Strategy) in which I outline the entire strategy.

In this thread I’d like to offer my services for those who would like some help and/or who would like to hire me to execute the entire strategy to make sure that it's done right. I offer the following services:

1. Consulting

A 60-minute call in which I answer your questions, assess your book, help you with your marketing strategy, or anything else related to self-publishing or book writing.

Send your list of questions in advance so I can prepare and pack in as much value as I can during the call. I’m confident that during our 60-minute call I can help you save a few dozen hours and hundreds of dollars you would otherwise have to spend to figure out the answers yourself. If your hourly rate is higher than $20, this is a no-brainer.

Price: $500 per hour

2. Do it for you services

I can walk you through every step of the process, starting from helping you identify the right topic for your book, outline it, write it (I won't write the book for you but I can help you find someone who will), prepare for publication, find early reviewers, and promote. This also includes turning your existing e-book that you currently give away on your opt-in page into a Kindle book and promoting it on Amazon.

Price: depends on your needs but generally speaking starts at $5,000 and goes all the way to $20,000+ for doing everything for you. I’ll give you a quote when you send me details regarding what kind of help you need. Note that it's a fee for my help and there will be additional costs to hire editors, designers, and other freelancers, pay for advertising, etc.

Full disclosure: I’m not cheap and I’m not ashamed to admit it.

I only want to work with those who are serious about publishing a quality book as otherwise we’ll be wasting each other's time.

I’m still a full-time independent author and this is just a side business to share my knowledge. I enjoy launching new books. Helping others publish theirs will be a fun and rewarding experience for me.

If you’re interested, reply in this thread or send me a PM and we’ll discuss details.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.
Last edited:

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
457%
May 1, 2011
7,512
34,293
Thanks, @Raoul Duke.

Wanted to add that if someone already has something published and needs a quick critique but can't afford to hire me, I can offer a brief e-mail consultation pro bono (well, a testimonial would be nice) on a limited basis—if you sell yourself convincingly :)
 

Andy Black

Help people. Get paid. Help more people.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
370%
May 20, 2014
18,494
68,506
Ireland
This a great service and offer @MTF, and well written (of course!).

I’d take you up on it except that books and personal branding aren’t in my sights.

Creating a book is a great marketing channel though so I wish you success with that.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
457%
May 1, 2011
7,512
34,293
Thanks, Andy!
 

Soul971

New Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
133%
Feb 4, 2019
9
12
Guadeloupe Islands
Hello MJ

I am extremely interested, I have dreamed of such an opportunity many times actually!

How advanced does the « project » need to be? I have 2 competing ideas, many many pages written, but I have been action-faking for a while now, not knowing which idea would bring the highest value to the public.....

Are you looking for a new, lesser-known but potentially very lucrative source of leads to your business?

Would you like to build authority in your niche, develop new relationships, get press mentions, paid speaking gigs, or consulting contracts?

Do you want to have a high-value gift for your clients that will reassure them of their decision to work with you and reinforce your expert status?

Publishing a book can help you accomplish that, and much more.

I’ve been in the self-publishing industry since August 2014 (I have a 61-page gold thread on the inside) and generated through book sales over $2,000,000 in revenue. I have about 100 published titles, which includes short, mid-length and long non-fiction books, short stories, novels, translations, compilations, etc. in various formats like Kindle, paperback, hardback, and audiobook.

Many of my books have become Amazon bestsellers, reaching #1 in their categories. Some were temporarily so popular that they were in top100 Kindle books in the entire store. One is a Wall Street Journal bestseller. I write under several pen names, each in a different niche, but currently limited to non-fiction which is my main area of expertise.

With my experience in the industry, I can help you publish a book that will grow your business through the following ways:
  • Build authority in your niche—this can be a hugely valuable asset, particularly if you’re working with more affluent clients who want to work with the best of the best. A professionally-published book is a great way to demonstrate your expertise and position yourself as a thought leader. You may also get press mentions and podcast interview invitations which will further cement your expert status.
  • Get paid speaking gigs and consulting contracts—people who read your book might be interested in hiring you as a consultant or public speaker. I regularly receive offers to speak at virtual events (I always decline as I’m not into that but the opportunities are there) and participate in various joint promos. I made over $1,000 from a recent one with perhaps 10 minutes of work and am participating in a similar one this month.
  • Get a new source of high-quality leads—having your potential clients read your book first can help you establish a relationship without lifting a finger (other than writing your book in the first place of course). Then they come to you instead of you coming to them—and they already trust you. Who doesn’t like an easy sale?
  • Give a high-value gift for your new clients—make your new clients more likely to stay with you by giving them a free copy of your book. This serves the function of what Gary Halbert called “a stick letter”—a letter sent after a client bought something from you, intended to reassure them of their decision and stop refunds or in this case, stop doing business with you.
  • Attract high-quality employees—that’s what Gary Keller from Keller Williams Realty, one of the largest real estate companies in the world, accomplished with his book, attracting A-players who read his book and used his strategies as they grew his own company.
  • Engage in corporate responsibility and improve your image—depending on your industry, you can donate a few boxes of your book to libraries, schools, prisons, non-profits, etc. It’s an inexpensive way to promote your business, do some good, and maybe even change some lives.
To learn more about how you can grow your business with a book, check my gold thread How to Use Book Marketing to Grow Your Business (a Less Common But Powerful Strategy) in which I outline the entire strategy.

In this thread I’d like to offer my services for those who would like some help and/or who would like to hire me to execute the entire strategy to make sure that it's done right. I offer the following services:

1. Consulting

A 60-minute Skype call in which I answer your questions, assess your book, help you with your marketing strategy, or anything else related to self-publishing or book writing.

Send your list of questions in advance so I can prepare and pack in as much value as I can during the call. I’m confident that during our 60-minute call I can help you save a few dozen hours and hundreds of dollars you would otherwise have to spend to figure out the answers yourself. If your hourly rate is higher than $20, this is a no-brainer.

Price: $500 per hour

2. Do it for you services

I can walk you through every step of the process, starting from helping you identify the right topic for your book, outline it, write it (I won't write the book for you but I can help you find someone who will), prepare for publication, find early reviewers, and promote. This also includes turning your existing e-book that you currently give away on your opt-in page into a Kindle book and promoting it on Amazon.

Price: depends on your needs but generally speaking starts at $1,000 and goes all the way to $10,000+ for doing everything for you. I’ll give you a quote when you send me details regarding what kind of help you need. Note that it's a fee for my help and there will be additional costs to hire editors, designers, and other freelancers, pay for advertising, etc.

Full disclosure: I’m not cheap and I’m not ashamed to admit it.

I only want to work with those who are serious about publishing a quality book as otherwise we’ll be wasting each other's time.

I’m still a full-time independent author and this is just a side business to share my knowledge. I enjoy launching new books. Helping others publish theirs will be a fun and rewarding experience for me.

If you’re interested, reply in this thread or send me a PM and we’ll discuss details.
 

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
457%
May 1, 2011
7,512
34,293
How advanced does the « project » need to be? I have 2 competing ideas, many many pages written, but I have been action-faking for a while now, not knowing which idea would bring the highest value to the public.....

It doesn't matter as long as you're serious about it. I can help you with that by giving you some pointers regarding market research. I can't finish the book for you, though.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.
D

Deleted74925

Guest
Great idea @MTF

While this offer isn't the right fit for me, here's another spin on this idea for anyone else who may benefit:

The main driver of traffic to my online learning site has been a free ebook like this. Customers begin reading and then are prompted to purchase a subscription to access end-of-chapter exercises and video content.

This isn't exactly a novel, but the technical info has established credibility so that customers pay for the premium content. For more details, see Building a better online learning site.
 

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
457%
May 1, 2011
7,512
34,293
Thanks for your suggestion, @SamHalen. Sounds like a cool idea as long as there's value in the free book itself (I hate it when I read something for free only to learn that to get to the good part I have to pay). In your case it seems sensible - theory for free, exercises as an upgrade.
 

Kak

Legendary Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
492%
Jan 23, 2011
9,666
47,535
34
Texas
This is awesome! I just saw this. I have scattered material and notes from life just waiting for the right time to just amass and organize it all into a book.

I will definitely be taking you up on an hour of consulting at some point in the next couple of months.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
457%
May 1, 2011
7,512
34,293
Cool, @Kak! Looking forward to this.
 

Big Spender

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
93%
Jul 1, 2019
14
13

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
457%
May 1, 2011
7,512
34,293
I already have an ebook out. Could you help me with converting this into a better opportunity?

If you're comfortable sharing it in this thread I'd write a post giving you some pointers how to improve it. If not, please send me a private message and I'll take a look.
 
Last edited:

Big Spender

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
93%
Jul 1, 2019
14
13
If you're comfortable sharing it in this thread I'd write a post giving you some pointers how to improve it. If not, please send me a private message and I'll take a look.

I no longer offer consulting services as I'm focused on a new business now.
Thanks for your offer to look at my book.
Here's the link to the squeeze page Buy The Prosperous Musician: Busking for Beginners Ebook
I am currently producing a course that this book will act as a companion to.
I am in the process of getting hard copies printed.
Open to any constructive feedback or suggestions.
Many thanks
Spence
 

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
457%
May 1, 2011
7,512
34,293
Thanks for your offer to look at my book.
Here's the link to the squeeze page Buy The Prosperous Musician: Busking for Beginners Ebook
I am currently producing a course that this book will act as a companion to.
I am in the process of getting hard copies printed.
Open to any constructive feedback or suggestions.
Many thanks
Spence

Thank you for sharing it, Spence.

1. This type of a book IMO won't work well financially on Amazon because it's too niche. Staying in control of distribution lets you charge a higher price, make it more premium, and ultimately build a better business if that's your intention.

I'd consider adding more content to the book and releasing a second edition distributed via your website only (or just making your new course a bundle with the book, but available only on your website). You can use a print-on-demand provider like IngramSpark to stay in control of distribution without the headaches and risks of printing a lot of books in advance.

2. Your book cover is very amateur. I'm not saying it to be mean but to help you. Please hire a professional designer. There's nothing more important than a professional book cover (after high-quality content of course).

3. Your website requires a lot of design work. It currently doesn't inspire much trust in the book (particularly the first graphic). Your picture is very good. If you have a few more pictures of you performing in the street that would help a lot with social proof. The descriptions need to be polished and tightened. Example:

Original:
My name's Spence and I started busking in 2014, since then I have played all over the world and it has helped to kickstart my career as a professional musician.

If you've ever thought about busking for fun or profit, then this short guide will give you all the essential information, guidance and links to resources you will need to get started today! It's all based purely on my own experience and the wisdom of the many seasoned buskers I have met on my journey.

My edit:
I'm Spence and I've been busking since 2014. I've performed all over the world. Street performance was not only an enjoyable source of income for me. It has also kickstarted my career as a professional musician.

If you've ever thought about busking for fun or profit, then The Prosperous Musician will give you all the guidance you need. Avoid the common mistakes and learn the best practices based on my experience and the wisdom of the many seasoned buskers I've met on my journey. Buy my book now and get started today.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

richard@09

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
14%
Oct 3, 2020
7
1
canada
Are you looking for a new, lesser-known but potentially very lucrative source of leads to your business?

Would you like to build authority in your niche, develop new relationships, get press mentions, paid speaking gigs, or consulting contracts?

Do you want to have a high-value gift for your clients that will reassure them of their decision to work with you and reinforce your expert status?

Publishing a book can help you accomplish that, and much more.

I’ve been in the self-publishing industry since August 2014 (I have a 61-page gold thread on the inside) and generated through book sales over $2,000,000 in revenue. I have about 100 published titles, which includes short, mid-length and long non-fiction books, short stories, novels, translations, compilations, etc. in various formats like Kindle, paperback, hardback, and audiobook.

Many of my books have become Amazon bestsellers, reaching #1 in their categories. Some were temporarily so popular that they were in top100 Kindle books in the entire store. One is a Wall Street Journal bestseller. I write under several pen names, each in a different niche, but currently limited to non-fiction which is my main area of expertise.

With my experience in the industry, I can help you publish a book that will grow your business through the following ways:
  • Build authority in your niche—this can be a hugely valuable asset, particularly if you’re working with more affluent clients who want to work with the best of the best. A professionally-published book is a great way to demonstrate your expertise and position yourself as a thought leader. You may also get press mentions and podcast interview invitations which will further cement your expert status.
  • Get paid speaking gigs and consulting contracts—people who read your book might be interested in hiring you as a consultant or public speaker. I regularly receive offers to speak at virtual events (I always decline as I’m not into that but the opportunities are there) and participate in various joint promos. I made over $1,000 from a recent one with perhaps 10 minutes of work and am participating in a similar one this month.
  • Get a new source of high-quality leads—having your potential clients read your book first can help you establish a relationship without lifting a finger (other than writing your book in the first place of course). Then they come to you instead of you coming to them—and they already trust you. Who doesn’t like an easy sale?
  • Give a high-value gift for your new clients—make your new clients more likely to stay with you by giving them a free copy of your book. This serves the function of what Gary Halbert called “a stick letter”—a letter sent after a client bought something from you, intended to reassure them of their decision and stop refunds or in this case, stop doing business with you.
  • Attract high-quality employees—that’s what Gary Keller from Keller Williams Realty, one of the largest real estate companies in the world, accomplished with his book, attracting A-players who read his book and used his strategies as they grew his own company.
  • Engage in corporate responsibility and improve your image—depending on your industry, you can donate a few boxes of your book to libraries, schools, prisons, non-profits, etc. It’s an inexpensive way to promote your business, do some good, and maybe even change some lives.
To learn more about how you can grow your business with a book, check my gold thread How to Use Book Marketing to Grow Your Business (a Less Common But Powerful Strategy) in which I outline the entire strategy.

In this thread I’d like to offer my services for those who would like some help and/or who would like to hire me to execute the entire strategy to make sure that it's done right. I offer the following services:

1. Consulting

A 60-minute Skype call in which I answer your questions, assess your book, help you with your marketing strategy, or anything else related to self-publishing or book writing.

Send your list of questions in advance so I can prepare and pack in as much value as I can during the call. I’m confident that during our 60-minute call I can help you save a few dozen hours and hundreds of dollars you would otherwise have to spend to figure out the answers yourself. If your hourly rate is higher than $20, this is a no-brainer.

Price: $500 per hour

2. Do it for you services

I can walk you through every step of the process, starting from helping you identify the right topic for your book, outline it, write it (I won't write the book for you but I can help you find someone who will), prepare for publication, find early reviewers, and promote. This also includes turning your existing e-book that you currently give away on your opt-in page into a Kindle book and promoting it on Amazon.

Price: depends on your needs but generally speaking starts at $1,000 and goes all the way to $10,000+ for doing everything for you. I’ll give you a quote when you send me details regarding what kind of help you need. Note that it's a fee for my help and there will be additional costs to hire editors, designers, and other freelancers, pay for advertising, etc.

Full disclosure: I’m not cheap and I’m not ashamed to admit it.

I only want to work with those who are serious about publishing a quality book as otherwise we’ll be wasting each other's time.

I’m still a full-time independent author and this is just a side business to share my knowledge. I enjoy launching new books. Helping others publish theirs will be a fun and rewarding experience for me.

If you’re interested, reply in this thread or send me a PM and we’ll discuss details.
this is a very helpful article, must-read by everyone who wants to get leads for his business
 

BarKogan$

Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
57%
Sep 29, 2020
54
31
Are you looking for a new, lesser-known but potentially very lucrative source of leads to your business?

Would you like to build authority in your niche, develop new relationships, get press mentions, paid speaking gigs, or consulting contracts?

Do you want to have a high-value gift for your clients that will reassure them of their decision to work with you and reinforce your expert status?

Publishing a book can help you accomplish that, and much more.

I’ve been in the self-publishing industry since August 2014 (I have a 61-page gold thread on the inside) and generated through book sales over $2,000,000 in revenue. I have about 100 published titles, which includes short, mid-length and long non-fiction books, short stories, novels, translations, compilations, etc. in various formats like Kindle, paperback, hardback, and audiobook.

Many of my books have become Amazon bestsellers, reaching #1 in their categories. Some were temporarily so popular that they were in top100 Kindle books in the entire store. One is a Wall Street Journal bestseller. I write under several pen names, each in a different niche, but currently limited to non-fiction which is my main area of expertise.

With my experience in the industry, I can help you publish a book that will grow your business through the following ways:
  • Build authority in your niche—this can be a hugely valuable asset, particularly if you’re working with more affluent clients who want to work with the best of the best. A professionally-published book is a great way to demonstrate your expertise and position yourself as a thought leader. You may also get press mentions and podcast interview invitations which will further cement your expert status.
  • Get paid speaking gigs and consulting contracts—people who read your book might be interested in hiring you as a consultant or public speaker. I regularly receive offers to speak at virtual events (I always decline as I’m not into that but the opportunities are there) and participate in various joint promos. I made over $1,000 from a recent one with perhaps 10 minutes of work and am participating in a similar one this month.
  • Get a new source of high-quality leads—having your potential clients read your book first can help you establish a relationship without lifting a finger (other than writing your book in the first place of course). Then they come to you instead of you coming to them—and they already trust you. Who doesn’t like an easy sale?
  • Give a high-value gift for your new clients—make your new clients more likely to stay with you by giving them a free copy of your book. This serves the function of what Gary Halbert called “a stick letter”—a letter sent after a client bought something from you, intended to reassure them of their decision and stop refunds or in this case, stop doing business with you.
  • Attract high-quality employees—that’s what Gary Keller from Keller Williams Realty, one of the largest real estate companies in the world, accomplished with his book, attracting A-players who read his book and used his strategies as they grew his own company.
  • Engage in corporate responsibility and improve your image—depending on your industry, you can donate a few boxes of your book to libraries, schools, prisons, non-profits, etc. It’s an inexpensive way to promote your business, do some good, and maybe even change some lives.
To learn more about how you can grow your business with a book, check my gold thread How to Use Book Marketing to Grow Your Business (a Less Common But Powerful Strategy) in which I outline the entire strategy.

In this thread I’d like to offer my services for those who would like some help and/or who would like to hire me to execute the entire strategy to make sure that it's done right. I offer the following services:

1. Consulting

A 60-minute Skype call in which I answer your questions, assess your book, help you with your marketing strategy, or anything else related to self-publishing or book writing.

Send your list of questions in advance so I can prepare and pack in as much value as I can during the call. I’m confident that during our 60-minute call I can help you save a few dozen hours and hundreds of dollars you would otherwise have to spend to figure out the answers yourself. If your hourly rate is higher than $20, this is a no-brainer.

Price: $500 per hour

2. Do it for you services

I can walk you through every step of the process, starting from helping you identify the right topic for your book, outline it, write it (I won't write the book for you but I can help you find someone who will), prepare for publication, find early reviewers, and promote. This also includes turning your existing e-book that you currently give away on your opt-in page into a Kindle book and promoting it on Amazon.

Price: depends on your needs but generally speaking starts at $1,000 and goes all the way to $10,000+ for doing everything for you. I’ll give you a quote when you send me details regarding what kind of help you need. Note that it's a fee for my help and there will be additional costs to hire editors, designers, and other freelancers, pay for advertising, etc.

Full disclosure: I’m not cheap and I’m not ashamed to admit it.

I only want to work with those who are serious about publishing a quality book as otherwise we’ll be wasting each other's time.

I’m still a full-time independent author and this is just a side business to share my knowledge. I enjoy launching new books. Helping others publish theirs will be a fun and rewarding experience for me.

If you’re interested, reply in this thread or send me a PM and we’ll discuss details.
Well done, I have also some experience with KDP , made about 20K$ in sales from my books, but I kinda quit cause I don't feel passionate about it anymore :)
Thanks for sharing
 

Big Spender

New Contributor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
93%
Jul 1, 2019
14
13
Thank you for sharing it, Spence.

1. This type of a book IMO won't work well financially on Amazon because it's too niche. Staying in control of distribution lets you charge a higher price, make it more premium, and ultimately build a better business if that's your intention.

I'd consider adding more content to the book and releasing a second edition distributed via your website only (or just making your new course a bundle with the book, but available only on your website). You can use a print-on-demand provider like IngramSpark to stay in control of distribution without the headaches and risks of printing a lot of books in advance.

2. Your book cover is very amateur. I'm not saying it to be mean but to help you. Please hire a professional designer. There's nothing more important than a professional book cover (after high-quality content of course).

3. Your website requires a lot of design work. It currently doesn't inspire much trust in the book (particularly the first graphic). Your picture is very good. If you have a few more pictures of you performing in the street that would help a lot with social proof. The descriptions need to be polished and tightened. Example:

Original:
My name's Spence and I started busking in 2014, since then I have played all over the world and it has helped to kickstart my career as a professional musician.

If you've ever thought about busking for fun or profit, then this short guide will give you all the essential information, guidance and links to resources you will need to get started today! It's all based purely on my own experience and the wisdom of the many seasoned buskers I have met on my journey.

My edit:
I'm Spence and I've been busking since 2014. I've performed all over the world. Street performance was not only an enjoyable source of income for me. It has also kickstarted my career as a professional musician.

If you've ever thought about busking for fun or profit, then The Prosperous Musician will give you all the guidance you need. Avoid the common mistakes and learn the best practices based on my experience and the wisdom of the many seasoned buskers I've met on my journey. Buy my book now and get started today.
Hi MTF,
Thankyou for taking the time to review my book!
  • I agree that selling it on Amazon isnt the best way to get the optimal price per copy but is more of a vanity metric as it's widely visible and has a lot of reach. But virtually no profit so I agree there.
  • I also agree about bundling it with the book on my own website, that would be a way of justifying a higher price!
  • I was suprised by your comment on the book cover. I thought it looked quite striking and othes have commented on it positively too, but I take your point.
  • The website is more of a placeholder thing at the moment, there's not much content on it and it needs a lot more to fill it out.
  • Thanks for your revised copy, I like what you've done there and the CTA at the end.
I will implement these changes now, thank you again!

PS. what do you think about the idea of setting up live Busking experiences on Air BNB? I could offer it to groups who want to try it out, I have all the equipment, I could tie it in with a bit of a guided walking tour of Oslo, bundle the book, course and experience.

Spence
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
457%
May 1, 2011
7,512
34,293
PS. what do you think about the idea of setting up live Busking experiences on Air BNB? I could offer it to groups who want to try it out, I have all the equipment, I could tie it in with a bit of a guided walking tour of Oslo, bundle the book, course and experience.

I have no experience with this whatsoever. It won't hurt to try since you won't have any costs anyway.
 

SjCurless

New Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
65%
Dec 22, 2020
17
11
Are you looking for a new, lesser-known but potentially very lucrative source of leads to your business?

Would you like to build authority in your niche, develop new relationships, get press mentions, paid speaking gigs, or consulting contracts?

Do you want to have a high-value gift for your clients that will reassure them of their decision to work with you and reinforce your expert status?

Publishing a book can help you accomplish that, and much more.

I’ve been in the self-publishing industry since August 2014 (I have a 61-page gold thread on the inside) and generated through book sales over $2,000,000 in revenue. I have about 100 published titles, which includes short, mid-length and long non-fiction books, short stories, novels, translations, compilations, etc. in various formats like Kindle, paperback, hardback, and audiobook.

Many of my books have become Amazon bestsellers, reaching #1 in their categories. Some were temporarily so popular that they were in top100 Kindle books in the entire store. One is a Wall Street Journal bestseller. I write under several pen names, each in a different niche, but currently limited to non-fiction which is my main area of expertise.

With my experience in the industry, I can help you publish a book that will grow your business through the following ways:
  • Build authority in your niche—this can be a hugely valuable asset, particularly if you’re working with more affluent clients who want to work with the best of the best. A professionally-published book is a great way to demonstrate your expertise and position yourself as a thought leader. You may also get press mentions and podcast interview invitations which will further cement your expert status.
  • Get paid speaking gigs and consulting contracts—people who read your book might be interested in hiring you as a consultant or public speaker. I regularly receive offers to speak at virtual events (I always decline as I’m not into that but the opportunities are there) and participate in various joint promos. I made over $1,000 from a recent one with perhaps 10 minutes of work and am participating in a similar one this month.
  • Get a new source of high-quality leads—having your potential clients read your book first can help you establish a relationship without lifting a finger (other than writing your book in the first place of course). Then they come to you instead of you coming to them—and they already trust you. Who doesn’t like an easy sale?
  • Give a high-value gift for your new clients—make your new clients more likely to stay with you by giving them a free copy of your book. This serves the function of what Gary Halbert called “a stick letter”—a letter sent after a client bought something from you, intended to reassure them of their decision and stop refunds or in this case, stop doing business with you.
  • Attract high-quality employees—that’s what Gary Keller from Keller Williams Realty, one of the largest real estate companies in the world, accomplished with his book, attracting A-players who read his book and used his strategies as they grew his own company.
  • Engage in corporate responsibility and improve your image—depending on your industry, you can donate a few boxes of your book to libraries, schools, prisons, non-profits, etc. It’s an inexpensive way to promote your business, do some good, and maybe even change some lives.
To learn more about how you can grow your business with a book, check my gold thread How to Use Book Marketing to Grow Your Business (a Less Common But Powerful Strategy) in which I outline the entire strategy.

In this thread I’d like to offer my services for those who would like some help and/or who would like to hire me to execute the entire strategy to make sure that it's done right. I offer the following services:

1. Consulting

A 60-minute Skype call in which I answer your questions, assess your book, help you with your marketing strategy, or anything else related to self-publishing or book writing.

Send your list of questions in advance so I can prepare and pack in as much value as I can during the call. I’m confident that during our 60-minute call I can help you save a few dozen hours and hundreds of dollars you would otherwise have to spend to figure out the answers yourself. If your hourly rate is higher than $20, this is a no-brainer.

Price: $500 per hour

2. Do it for you services

I can walk you through every step of the process, starting from helping you identify the right topic for your book, outline it, write it (I won't write the book for you but I can help you find someone who will), prepare for publication, find early reviewers, and promote. This also includes turning your existing e-book that you currently give away on your opt-in page into a Kindle book and promoting it on Amazon.

Price: depends on your needs but generally speaking starts at $1,000 and goes all the way to $10,000+ for doing everything for you. I’ll give you a quote when you send me details regarding what kind of help you need. Note that it's a fee for my help and there will be additional costs to hire editors, designers, and other freelancers, pay for advertising, etc.

Full disclosure: I’m not cheap and I’m not ashamed to admit it.

I only want to work with those who are serious about publishing a quality book as otherwise we’ll be wasting each other's time.

I’m still a full-time independent author and this is just a side business to share my knowledge. I enjoy launching new books. Helping others publish theirs will be a fun and rewarding experience for me.

If you’re interested, reply in this thread or send me a PM and we’ll discuss details.
Wow, very impressive! Let me level up and get back to you.
 

nichol

PARKED
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
0% - New User
May 21, 2019
5
0
San Francisco
Are you looking for a new, lesser-known but potentially very lucrative source of leads to your business?

Would you like to build authority in your niche, develop new relationships, get press mentions, paid speaking gigs, or consulting contracts?

Do you want to have a high-value gift for your clients that will reassure them of their decision to work with you and reinforce your expert status?

Publishing a book can help you accomplish that, and much more.

I’ve been in the self-publishing industry since August 2014 (I have a 61-page gold thread on the inside) and generated through book sales over $2,000,000 in revenue. I have about 100 published titles, which includes short, mid-length and long non-fiction books, short stories, novels, translations, compilations, etc. in various formats like Kindle, paperback, hardback, and audiobook.

Many of my books have become Amazon bestsellers, reaching #1 in their categories. Some were temporarily so popular that they were in top100 Kindle books in the entire store. One is a Wall Street Journal bestseller. I write under several pen names, each in a different niche, but currently limited to non-fiction which is my main area of expertise.

With my experience in the industry, I can help you publish a book that will grow your business through the following ways:
  • Build authority in your niche—this can be a hugely valuable asset, particularly if you’re working with more affluent clients who want to work with the best of the best. A professionally-published book is a great way to demonstrate your expertise and position yourself as a thought leader. You may also get press mentions and podcast interview invitations which will further cement your expert status.
  • Get paid speaking gigs and consulting contracts—people who read your book might be interested in hiring you as a consultant or public speaker. I regularly receive offers to speak at virtual events (I always decline as I’m not into that but the opportunities are there) and participate in various joint promos. I made over $1,000 from a recent one with perhaps 10 minutes of work and am participating in a similar one this month.
  • Get a new source of high-quality leads—having your potential clients read your book first can help you establish a relationship without lifting a finger (other than writing your book in the first place of course). Then they come to you instead of you coming to them—and they already trust you. Who doesn’t like an easy sale?
  • Give a high-value gift for your new clients—make your new clients more likely to stay with you by giving them a free copy of your book. This serves the function of what Gary Halbert called “a stick letter”—a letter sent after a client bought something from you, intended to reassure them of their decision and stop refunds or in this case, stop doing business with you.
  • Attract high-quality employees—that’s what Gary Keller from Keller Williams Realty, one of the largest real estate companies in the world, accomplished with his book, attracting A-players who read his book and used his strategies as they grew his own company.
  • Engage in corporate responsibility and improve your image—depending on your industry, you can donate a few boxes of your book to libraries, schools, prisons, non-profits, etc. It’s an inexpensive way to promote your business, do some good, and maybe even change some lives.
To learn more about how you can grow your business with a book, check my gold thread How to Use Book Marketing to Grow Your Business (a Less Common But Powerful Strategy) in which I outline the entire strategy.

In this thread I’d like to offer my services for those who would like some help and/or who would like to hire me to execute the entire strategy to make sure that it's done right. I offer the following services:

1. Consulting

A 60-minute Skype call in which I answer your questions, assess your book, help you with your marketing strategy, or anything else related to self-publishing or book writing.

Send your list of questions in advance so I can prepare and pack in as much value as I can during the call. I’m confident that during our 60-minute call I can help you save a few dozen hours and hundreds of dollars you would otherwise have to spend to figure out the answers yourself. If your hourly rate is higher than $20, this is a no-brainer.

Price: $500 per hour

2. Do it for you services

I can walk you through every step of the process, starting from helping you identify the right topic for your book, outline it, write it (I won't write the book for you but I can help you find someone who will), prepare for publication, find early reviewers, and promote. This also includes turning your existing e-book that you currently give away on your opt-in page into a Kindle book and promoting it on Amazon.

Price: depends on your needs but generally speaking starts at $1,000 and goes all the way to $10,000+ for doing everything for you. I’ll give you a quote when you send me details regarding what kind of help you need. Note that it's a fee for my help and there will be additional costs to hire editors, designers, and other freelancers, pay for advertising, etc.

Full disclosure: I’m not cheap and I’m not ashamed to admit it.

I only want to work with those who are serious about publishing a quality book as otherwise we’ll be wasting each other's time.

I’m still a full-time independent author and this is just a side business to share my knowledge. I enjoy launching new books. Helping others publish theirs will be a fun and rewarding experience for me.

If you’re interested, reply in this thread or send me a PM and we’ll discuss details.
:) ♥️
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Fox

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
Forum Sponsor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
690%
Aug 19, 2015
3,871
26,711
Europe
Okay so here we go!...

I took @MTF up on this offer and he has been an absolute champ at getting a book launched for me.

There are so many things he helped with that I don't think this post can do it justice but it was only been up a few days and here are some results already...

the million dollar web design guide.png


I will try recap how the process has been so far:

- Hired @MTF
- We had some great talks and he gave me a ton of advice for how to start off with a good concept/approach
- We decided me shooting videos (my best way of making content) would be the way to get going and then his team could turn these videos into chapters/sections of the book
- I made about 15 rough videos and sent them over (only just the videos and a tiny bit of notes)
- His team turned those videos into amazing chapters and did a LOT of cleaning up with the ideas/format
- He also helped with the design of the book (cover, text, layout, sections)
- We did some editing rounds and move towards getting it ready to actually launch

The above might sound like a short list but MTF crushed it with a TON of amazing top level work in here and really made it all come together. I actually learned a lot of meta lessons too about how to better a better entrepreneur just by watching him work and his thought process.

So with the launch I can't really go into much detail because he took care of 99% of it and is still doing even more to market and promote it. I do know there were about 20-30 different technical accounts/systems to set up and all I had to do on my end was some very basic work so he could do his thing. He removed probably several weeks of learning/mistakes here and the launch has been super easy from my side.

The results so far have been amazing. I will have to update this thread in a few days/weeks cause it only just launched but already we are coming up fast on 1,000 books sold/downloaded.

Overall - unbelievably good service and I can't believe the price on this was so good. I would gladly pay 20-30k knowing what I now know about how much this will help my business and the quality of MTF's work.

Than you @MTF!

I will keep this thread updated so things progress.

Book link: Amazon.com: $1,000,000 Web Designer Guide: A Practical Guide for Wealth and Freedom as an Online Freelancer eBook: O'Rourke, Rob Anthony: Kindle Store


IMG_9648.PNG
 

MTF

Never give up
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
457%
May 1, 2011
7,512
34,293
Awesome, @Fox. Thank you so much for your kind words. I'm very happy to read that.

Also just wanted to note that the content of this book is SOLID and that makes everything much, much easier. It all starts with a great product and Rob's original guidance videos were already top-notch (I think you could actually sell them as a separate product lol).
 

UnderdogStrategy

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
181%
Feb 6, 2021
42
76
Heard about the book yesterday, in a another thread.
By yesterday evening, the book was already read.

The most inspiring, insightful and mind-blowing reading i had in a long time.

I would need to go through it again, because there's so much stuff to internalize and let sink.

I deeply feel like this is THE game changer.

I'm so grateful. Thank you.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Fox

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
Forum Sponsor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
690%
Aug 19, 2015
3,871
26,711
Europe
Heard about the book yesterday, in a another thread.
By yesterday evening, the book was already read.

The most inspiring, insightful and mind-blowing reading i had in a long time.

I would need to go through it again, because there's so much stuff to internalize and let sink.

I deeply feel like this is THE game changer.

I'm so grateful. Thank you.

wow - amazing to see this @alongthegap and really glad it was worth the read.

Would you mind posting this over here - MARKETPLACE - Not sure how to start? This free book will teach you how to build a successful web design business

Also let me know if you got any questions about what was covered in the book. Thanks!
 

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top