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How I created my 6-fig business and work less than 3 hours a week (Step by Step Tutorial)

Stevie Drive

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WARNING: Long Post Ahead!

I know the title sounds like the "4 hour workweek" but it is indeed possible to create a business that requires very little maintenance and I'll tell you the exact steps that I managed to make this work this in this post.

It's a pretty comprehensive post so brew yourself a nice cup of coffee or tea and let's dive in! You're in for a treat.

It has been over 10 years since I quit my job and started working full time online.

It has been a wild roller coaster ride but now it has gotten me to a point where I make more than I've ever dreamed of, working less than 3 hours a day.

In fact, scratch that. I don't even have to work 3 hours if I didn't want to. I can work 3 hours a week and I'll bet you if I check my bank account at the end of the month, the earnings will still be the same or higher.

No, this is not a "hype" - in fact, probably like you, I hate hype and fluff.

This is also not one of those "dream" posts where you would be lifted to the clouds without a plan to get there.

This is a real, ground-level, step-by-step tactical blueprint that has been seized through numerous hard fought battles and tribulations.

To be fair, to get to where I am today was NOT easy. It took a lot of trial and error and iterations and a ton of years in the dark.

When I look at some of the facebook posts and "gurus" out there flashing their Lamborghini's, Rolex watches, girls, saying that you can "have it all" if you just press this tiny button on a software, I silently cringe because it's really not that easy as they make it out to be. And if you start out with that kind of expectations, it is 100% that you will get disappointed.

Sure it's always great to imagine the possibilities but those are the end results. Kind of like holding up the championship trophy. But nobody really sees the hours, sweats, practices, work that was done in the dark so I'll take you on a tour "behind the scenes" of what successful internet entrepreneurs really do when nobody is watching so you can duplicate the success as well.

When I first started out 10 years ago what I thought missing was the actual (and accurate) ground level step-by-step strategies and tactics for success so I thought I'd share it with you today. With this, it is my hope that you will drastically cut your learning curve and start making some real cash (if you know what I mean) once and for all.

I've read a lot of books and I LOVED MJ DeMarco's "Millionaire Fastlane ". In fact, it's one of the best business books I've ever read. And I also love this forum and the community. Everyone is passionate and eager to realize their dreams.

But unfortunately I also noticed some people were providing advice from theories that are simply not true and a lot of "blind leading the blind".

So now that Christmas is around the corner, I feel like it's a good time to share some good ole' value with you guys. And since 2014 I've been teaching and mentoring people around the world to help them make full time income and quit their jobs so I think I've gotten pretty good at this teaching thing and at a good place to give back.

This will be a newbie friendly post and if you heed this advice, I'm sure you will save yourself a lot of frustrations no matter where you are at.

And if you're more advanced, you will nod your head in silent agreement because it's the same strategy both me and my millionaire friends employ daily.

If you're ready, let's begin. It's about to get damn good...

1. Killing the "Superman Syndrome"

It's interesting because NOBODY talks about this.

A lot of people seem to have the "Superman Syndrome".

They try to be good at everything. They think they're Superman.

But in reality, you should have 1 or 2 things your phenomenal at, and suck at the rest.

In order for you to succeed with internet marketing, you need to be good at a WIDE RANGE of things. (you need to know copywriting, have technical skills, be good at tracking and optimizing, etc.)

Not only that, you need "soft skills" like focus, discipline, taking action, managing time, etc etc.

If you lack in any one of the (let's say 10 skills needed to be successful) - that will always be your tripping point. You will always run into that wall. Over and over... until you tire out.

When I realized this and finally accepted that maybe I can't be really good at everything, I began to delegate...

And it ironically revolutionized my entire business!

Now I can just do what I'm GREAT at and delegate everything else I am not good at or hate (like technical things) - and then, almost immediately you score these incredible benefits:

Benefit #1. You can make FAST progress and not get stuck (because nothing trips you up anymore)

Benefit #2. Your bottom line SKYROCKETS (as a natural result of #1)

Benefit #3. You have MUCH more free time (because everyone's doing YOUR work while you're doing something fun)

Benefit #4. You can SCALE much easier (meaning more profits into your bank account)

Benefit #5. You spread the wealth instead of hogging it yourself (and you can get it delegated for pennies on the dollars overseas)


There's a lot more benefits but you get the idea.

One of the best places I find workers is either freelancer.com or upwork.com.


If you're thinking,

"But Stevie! That's going to cost me a lot of money!",

think again.


Keep this simple mantra and you will never go hungry again:

"Make More Than You Spend"


If I asked you if you want to trade $1 for $8, would you take it?

In a millisecond right?

Same thing here. Yes you are paying these workers but you will make multifolds back that amount from your sales.

which brings me to my next point...

2. "There's No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"

EVERYTHING'S an investment.

You might think it's free if you're doing all the work yourself. Not true.

Our time in a day is limited.
Our time in a week is limited.
Our time here on earth is limited.

If you are spending hours and hours in a day trying to figure out how to set up your Wordpress site even if you hate it or doing data entry (which I can get it done at $3/hr), You are missing out on the most important resource of all - TIME.

You are missing out on other things you can do such as spending time with friends or family, your hobbies & passions, or traveling.

So unlike before when I was trying to be a "Cheap Superman" - I do the opposite now - I spend spend spend! Like a BOSS...

I see everything as an investment and try to simply make more than I spend. Later on, everything becomes an investment game.

3. STANDING ON SHOULDERS OF GIANTS

One of the BIGGEST mistakes I made when I was first starting out which got me spending wheels for years and years was spending too much time consuming information and not executing.

I was consuming information after information and taking notes. It was mental masturbation.

It was fun learning and I thought I was going somewhere but it did just the opposite.

I became overwhelmed, confused, and stuck.

I didn't have a solid direction or focus. I was getting distracted everywhere by the next "shiny object".

And one day, it got VERY bad. I got so frustrated and sick and tired of being stuck.

I became DESPERATE.

So I decided to do something that TOTALLY went against my norm.

I decided to get a mentor. (i.e. coach)

And my life immediately changed for the better. And it has never been the same since.

Because check this out.

These days, anybody with a computer hooked up to the internet can type and give advice. Even a monkey with half a brain.

Robert Kiyosaki, the financial guru, says "what's worse than no advice is BAD advice.

When it comes to business, you should be VERY careful who you are listening to.

Your key job will be to figure out who's the 5% to listen to and ignore the 95%.

But if you find the 5%, who have walked the walked and been in the trenches and not just spitting theories, listen to everything he/she says.

Because everything he will be saying will be something that is derived from experience - the truth. (hint: when you listen to truths, it should have a 'heavy' feeling in your gut)

And applying just a handful of these "truths" that is distilled from hundreds of trials and errors, your income will take off like a ROCKET.

That's why you'll rarely see anyone who've made it do it without a mentor. We all need help.
In order to achieve success, one must always be humble and be open to learning all the time.

4. Freedom vs. Another Job?

If you want to be free and not have just another job, you need to be in an industry with a PASSIVE INCOME model. Not earned income model.

Warren Buffett said,

"If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die."


I see a lot of guys who quit their jobs and start doing something like graphic designing, web designing, and programming and can’t get out because they’re making some money.

That's why you gotta pick business models that spit out passive income, not earned income.

One of the business models I love is Amazon Kindle publishing.

Because all the books that you publish become a "mini-asset". It's as close to "set-it-and-forget-it" as it can get.

In fact, I have books that I've published 5 years ago that's STILL making me money today (and I haven't touched it for years)

Imagine what will happen if you have HUNDREDS of these books?

Yes, your "internet marketing dream" might be indeed possible if you play it right...

Because since it's passive income, it will make money with or without you.


5. Pick a BIG niche that sells well.

Here's another key mantra to remember:

"Sell What Sells".

A lot of writers come into this industry writing books they know a lot about or they like. Big mistake.

Sure, you might have a passion for candlemaking or Labrador dog traiing, but how many people in the world shares the same passion as you?

Thing about Kindle is you need to sell in volume.

If you're selling nonfiction, you'll make about $2 - $4 per book.

That means, if you want to earn SUSTAINABLE income, meaning $3,000, $5,000, $10,000+ /month,

You need to sell these many:

$3,000 / $2 = 1500 books per month / 30 days = 50 books a day

$5,000 / $2 = 2500 books per month / 30 days = 83 books a day

$10,000 / $2 = 5000 books per month / 30 days = 166 books a day



That means, you need to be in a BIG niche. Small niches won't have the traffic to yield this kind of sales.

What are the BIG niches?

I'm glad you asked.

Anything that is related to:

-diet/weight loss
-fitness
-self-development
-cooking
-mass media
-dating
-gaming
-make money


...will be a good start.


6. Create An Irresistible "BAIT"

You don't have to reinvent the wheel.

In fact, this is one of the biggest reasons I see guys failing.

I know we're all entrepreneurial and enjoy creating new things, but when starting out, this is deadly.

I tell my students until I'm blue in the face (in a loving way of course)

"Don't reinvent the wheel... just make it CHROME!"


What does that mean?

You see what's selling in the marketplace.

Specifically, under Kindle Bestseller Rank of 20,000. They're selling around 10-15 books a day.

Which means potentially,

15 books a day x $4 earning per sale = $60 a day. Or,

$60 a day x 30 days = it's making $1,800 from ONE (1) book!

Can you see how this can get profitable very quickly?

Now, you will want to MODEL this book.

Or, you LEARN from this book. What works and what doesn't.

Take a look at their reviews. Especially 5 star and 1 star reviews.

What you will be doing is take what people are raving about, and improve what people are complaining about.

For example, let's say you’re looking into the cookbook niche.

You find a cookbook that is under 20,000 Bestseller Rank. Let's say it's called "Easy and Delicious Paleo Diet Recipes"

You check their 5 star reviews and it says:

-Loved the pictures!
-Really like the clear instructions
-Found the grocery shopping list incredibly useful!


And you see these 1 star complaints:

- Formatting was horrible
- Grammar and typos were everywhere
- Couldn't careless for stories - just give me the recipes already!


So, jot that down on a piece of paper. All of it.

What you'll be doing next is totally ninja.

You will now keep what your customer says they like and improve what they don't like for your own books!

So it'll go something like this:

- Formatting was horrible >> Have proper formatting for YOUR book

- Grammar and typos were everywhere >> Have correct grammar and spelling for YOUR book

- Couldn't careless for stories - just give me the recipes already! >> Just give them the recipes and not stories.


And once you publish your book strengthened on your competitor's weakness, you will have 0 reasons why people will give you a negative review for.

Remember, on Amazon review is KING.

So if you have all these 4,5 star reviews and very few 1 star reviews, you will be GOLDEN.

Your book will eventually get more and more sales than "Easy and Delicious Paleo Diet Recipes" and eventually TAKE OVER its spot.

Meaning, the sales that he gets $1,800 in monthly passive income will now be yours! :)

But I can hear you saying,

"But Stevie! what if I don't know ANYTHING about that niche? Even though it's profitable, I won't be able to do anything about it!"

Well, I'll tell you what to do in the next step...


7. Have an expert to create the perfect bait FOR YOU.

But the challenge is, you don't know anything about Paleo, dating, or meditation right?

What should you do?

If you said "outsource"

BINGO!

You hit the nail on the head!


What's so amazing about outsourcing is, you can get just about any writers who specialize in all kinds of different topics!

Here's what to do in 4 simple steps that will work over and over like clockwork:

7.1 Just go to either freelancer.com or upwork.com

7.2 Post a compelling ad looking for writers in your topic. (make sure you have it in your title)

7.3 Invite some candidates to get the momentum going (look for guys with hundreds of hours logged and over 4 star reviews)

7.4 Hire and give them clear, specific instructions about your book!

That's it!

They will get to work right away!

Remember, you know you're going to be making $1,800 /month for this book so you can spend anything under this and you'll come out ahead! (For nonfiction books, I usually get it for $50-$100 for 35-50 pages)

Keep it simple. Just make more than you spend.

So while you're at the beach enjoying a fresh margarita, your writers will be hard at work creating your "perfect bait" for you.

8. Get a MAGNETIC Cover That Is Impossible To Ignore

This is one of the 3 MOST important pieces to your marketing.

You will have 0.2 seconds to capture reader’s attention while they're scrolling.

If you can't make them STOP on their tracks, battle is lost even before you started.
All your time and money spent creating your book will be wasted.

Create a MAGNETIC cover. One that is impossible to ignore!

Here are the steps:

8.1 Look for a great cover designer specializing in KINDLE cover designs. (it's different from physical book design) - hint: you can get one at Fiverr.com for $5 and it will outperform a $500 design from a US based cover designer if you tell them these instructions.

8.2 Ask them to make the titles BIG and BOLD.

Thing about Kindle is most people are looking through the titles on their phones.
If the titles are small, it won't be read.

8.3 Ask them to use High Resolution graphics

People associate higher resolution = higher quality.
So if your book uses HD graphics as the background, they will IMMEDIATELY think your book is high quality and they will pay more for your book even though the content is the same.


10. Do a KILLER Promotion

Here comes the fun part.

Now you just have to do a KILLER promotion.

And here's what to do shoot your book rankings higher than the freakin' Empire State Building. You'll love this.

Here's what to do:

10.1 Right after your publish your book, your book will be ranking high for a keyword for a brief period of time. You will want to get downloads in SPIKES because that's what Amazon likes.

So in order to get these spikes, enroll in KDP Select.

10.2 Promote your book to as many promotion sites as you can. There's tons of Facebook groups. Just search "Kindle Promotion" or "Kindle Free". You can also get people at Fiverr to do it.

Another good resource is this: Free Amazon Kindle Book Submission Tool | Author Marketing Club


10.3 Set your book on a "Free Promotion" in KDP Select.

10.4 If you have your book in a series (recommended by Amazon), link all of your books together inside the book and the product page and as soon as the promotion is over, set the 2nd book on the promotion. After that's done, set the 3rd book on promotion, etc. This will cross-promote your books and your sales will have a compound effect while building your brand.

10.5. Continue to do this and you'll have generated tons of sales across your series!


NOTE: Keep on doing steps 1-10 as many times as you can. The more you do it, more cash you'll make.

11. BONUS: Automate Everything

And I mean EVERYTHING.

Get a Project Manager that replaces you.

And your entire book pumping FACTORY will be rolling non-stop with or without you!


12. BONUS: SCALE It To 6-7 Figures

If you have a project manager working for you, sky becomes the limit how many books you publish.

After the project manager starts managing about 5 books a week (or 20 books a month) he'll start running out of capacity. That's when you hire another one :D


Final Step: Sit back, relax, and watch the MAGIC all happen.

By the way, you could've stopped at Step 10 and still created a 6 Figure business....

But if you want more... and you want it done FASTER... then follow all steps to a T.


Well, it took a LOT longer than I thought! Haha

But I hope it was useful for some of you guys.

Try it out, and let me know your results!
 
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Argue

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This looks like a copy and paste from a landing page selling the next big thing.

No offense.

Words like this raise flags for me:

“And here's what to do to shoot your book rankings higher than the freakin' Empire State Building. You'll love this.”
 

Stevie Drive

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Haha I do get excited when I share this stuff! Plus, tried to make it a bit more motivating. Hope you got some value though. Thanks for the feedback!

This looks like a copy and paste from a landing page selling the next big thing.

No offense.

Words like this raise flags for me:

“And here's what to do to shoot your book rankings higher than the freakin' Empire State Building. You'll love this.”
 

DavidK

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@Stevie Drive
Great post, I can definitely relate to steps 1-3. I have been thinking of getting involved with Kindle Publishing since I travel for work and am in hotels a ton, meaning my fastlane road needs to be location independent thus internet based. I tried writing myself but quickly discovered that the books I want to write will be much better once the pressure to make money isn't a factor. Much like MJ writing TMF after becoming wealthy, not to become wealthy.

Anyways, just wondering how much a typical book costs to produce and if branding is important?

Thank You
 
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Stevie Drive

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@Stevie Drive
Great post, I can definitely relate to steps 1-3. I have been thinking of getting involved with Kindle Publishing since I travel for work and am in hotels a ton, meaning my fastlane road needs to be location independent thus internet based. I tried writing myself but quickly discovered that the books I want to write will be much better once the pressure to make money isn't a factor. Much like MJ writing TMF after becoming wealthy, not to become wealthy.

Anyways, just wondering how much a typical book costs to produce and if branding is important?

Thank You

Yes definitely. I advise my students who are starting out to focus on accumulating a good base of passive income first by producing books on what sells and after it frees them up and provides a peace of mind and relieves financial pressure, write books on what they want to write.

It doesn't cost much to produce books that sells. Like I said $30-100 for 50 to 100 page book is enough to test quickly and won't break the bank. And it's pretty easy to get a positive ROI.

You don't need ph.d level writing here. The reader doesn't care if the writing is worthy of winning the Pulitzer prize. They only care if your book solves their problem.

Hope that helps!
 

Raoul Duke

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I'm sorry, you are coming off as spammy. You say one thing in your copy, but contradict yourself in another sentence. Spending no more than a few minutes searching your name on google. I get a few hits. You're giving cookie cutter advice. I feel you are simply "targeting" a new set people by coming on here. That's not going to work here.


You'll go further by following @Walter Hay approach GOLD - Sharing my lifetime experience in export/import. Product sourcing specialist.

I might be wrong. My bullshit meter is going through the roof right now. @MJ DeMarco
 
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Argue

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Don't take this the wrong way. But I don't trust this post. This forum is built on trust and integrity. I believe that should be protected. So I'm gonna point out what I think is wrong.

Your post reads very similar to stuff I googled a few minutes ago. Yours and others follow the same structure/format. It might not be word for word, but nevertheless same idea.

For example:

OP

u5S2EZW.jpg


Google Search

0od7Yy0.jpg


Again, not word for word but seems like PLR to me. In my opinion, buy some PLR content, make a landing page, sell dreams to the naive about how you can earn 6 figures a year — doing little work, and living the good life.

This forum is about process, hard work, and determination. Well, thats what I think.

I don't mean to pick on you. I just can't stand when someone sells the dream through a platform built on trust.
 

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This does sound landing-pagey but at the same time... he's not really selling anything to us (yet?)

Stevie - do you have any proof that you actually do this and that it works for you? Some behind-the-scenes stuff you can share to corroborate your story?

If you actually do what you say you do in this post, and it works well for you, I know we'd all love to see more behind the scenes stuff - backend photos, something you've worked on, some shots of something you're working on right now, freelancer communication screenshots, etc... - hell post it in the inside section if you like so it stays out of the public's eyes if you wish.

I think some other members brought up some important concerns and addressing them would go a long way into figuring out whether or not this new member posting landing page content is walking the walk, or just talking the talk.
 

TheJackal

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Kindle publishing is my world, and to say things like "set it and forget it"... Not how it works, at least not anymore.

The other part that concerns me, and while I admire your enthusiasm, maybe I missed the part where you talk about how much VALUE you're providing to readers.
 
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Stevie Drive

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This does sound landing-pagey but at the same time... he's not really selling anything to us (yet?)

Stevie - do you have any proof that you actually do this and that it works for you? Some behind-the-scenes stuff you can share to corroborate your story?

If you actually do what you say you do in this post, and it works well for you, I know we'd all love to see more behind the scenes stuff - backend photos, something you've worked on, some shots of something you're working on right now, freelancer communication screenshots, etc... - hell post it in the inside section if you like so it stays out of the public's eyes if you wish.

I think some other members brought up some important concerns and addressing them would go a long way into figuring out whether or not this new member posting landing page content is walking the walk, or just talking the talk.

Certainly. You can private message me.
 

Stevie Drive

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Don't take this the wrong way. But I don't trust this post. This forum is built on trust and integrity. I believe that should be protected. So I'm gonna point out what I think is wrong.

Your post reads very similar to stuff I googled a few minutes ago. Yours and others follow the same structure/format. It might not be word for word, but nevertheless same idea.

For example:

OP

u5S2EZW.jpg


Google Search

0od7Yy0.jpg


Again, not word for word but seems like PLR to me. In my opinion, buy some PLR content, make a landing page, sell dreams to the naive about how you can earn 6 figures a year — doing little work, and living the good life.

This forum is about process, hard work, and determination. Well, thats what I think.

I don't mean to pick on you. I just can't stand when someone sells the dream through a platform built on trust.
Don't take this the wrong way. But I don't trust this post. This forum is built on trust and integrity. I believe that should be protected. So I'm gonna point out what I think is wrong.

Your post reads very similar to stuff I googled a few minutes ago. Yours and others follow the same structure/format. It might not be word for word, but nevertheless same idea.

For example:

OP

u5S2EZW.jpg


Google Search

0od7Yy0.jpg


Again, not word for word but seems like PLR to me. In my opinion, buy some PLR content, make a landing page, sell dreams to the naive about how you can earn 6 figures a year — doing little work, and living the good life.

This forum is about process, hard work, and determination. Well, thats what I think.

I don't mean to pick on you. I just can't stand when someone sells the dream through a platform built on trust.

Sorry if it sounds that way but it's definitely not a PLR. And yes I'm sure there are common reasons that a book gets negative reviews. But your example described a list of reasons for negative reviews and I have listed an executable strategy what to do to leverage that information to outperform a book that gets those reviews. It's totally different. Outsourcing completely is a strategy that I have constructed and implemented. I'm not going to say I'm the only one that is using complete outsourcing strategy but I am not aware of it and it certainly is working for me.
 

hayden0001

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WARNING: Long Post Ahead!

I know the title sounds like the "4 hour workweek" but it is indeed possible to create a business that requires very little maintenance and I'll tell you the exact steps that I managed to make this work this in this post.

It's a pretty comprehensive post so brew yourself a nice cup of coffee or tea and let's dive in! You're in for a treat.

It has been over 10 years since I quit my job and started working full time online.

It has been a wild roller coaster ride but now it has gotten me to a point where I make more than I've ever dreamed of, working less than 3 hours a day.

In fact, scratch that. I don't even have to work 3 hours if I didn't want to. I can work 3 hours a week and I'll bet you if I check my bank account at the end of the month, the earnings will still be the same or higher.

No, this is not a "hype" - in fact, probably like you, I hate hype and fluff.

This is also not one of those "dream" posts where you would be lifted to the clouds without a plan to get there.

This is a real, ground-level, step-by-step tactical blueprint that has been seized through numerous hard fought battles and tribulations.

To be fair, to get to where I am today was NOT easy. It took a lot of trial and error and iterations and a ton of years in the dark.

When I look at some of the facebook posts and "gurus" out there flashing their Lamborghini's, Rolex watches, girls, saying that you can "have it all" if you just press this tiny button on a software, I silently cringe because it's really not that easy as they make it out to be. And if you start out with that kind of expectations, it is 100% that you will get disappointed.

Sure it's always great to imagine the possibilities but those are the end results. Kind of like holding up the championship trophy. But nobody really sees the hours, sweats, practices, work that was done in the dark so I'll take you on a tour "behind the scenes" of what successful internet entrepreneurs really do when nobody is watching so you can duplicate the success as well.

When I first started out 10 years ago what I thought missing was the actual (and accurate) ground level step-by-step strategies and tactics for success so I thought I'd share it with you today. With this, it is my hope that you will drastically cut your learning curve and start making some real cash (if you know what I mean) once and for all.

I've read a lot of books and I LOVED MJ DeMarco's "Millionaire Fastlane ". In fact, it's one of the best business books I've ever read. And I also love this forum and the community. Everyone is passionate and eager to realize their dreams.

But unfortunately I also noticed some people were providing advice from theories that are simply not true and a lot of "blind leading the blind".

So now that Christmas is around the corner, I feel like it's a good time to share some good ole' value with you guys. And since 2014 I've been teaching and mentoring people around the world to help them make full time income and quit their jobs so I think I've gotten pretty good at this teaching thing and at a good place to give back.

This will be a newbie friendly post and if you heed this advice, I'm sure you will save yourself a lot of frustrations no matter where you are at.

And if you're more advanced, you will nod your head in silent agreement because it's the same strategy both me and my millionaire friends employ daily.

If you're ready, let's begin. It's about to get damn good...

1. Killing the "Superman Syndrome"

It's interesting because NOBODY talks about this.

A lot of people seem to have the "Superman Syndrome".

They try to be good at everything. They think they're Superman.

But in reality, you should have 1 or 2 things your phenomenal at, and suck at the rest.

In order for you to succeed with internet marketing, you need to be good at a WIDE RANGE of things. (you need to know copywriting, have technical skills, be good at tracking and optimizing, etc.)

Not only that, you need "soft skills" like focus, discipline, taking action, managing time, etc etc.

If you lack in any one of the (let's say 10 skills needed to be successful) - that will always be your tripping point. You will always run into that wall. Over and over... until you tire out.

When I realized this and finally accepted that maybe I can't be really good at everything, I began to delegate...

And it ironically revolutionized my entire business!

Now I can just do what I'm GREAT at and delegate everything else I am not good at or hate (like technical things) - and then, almost immediately you score these incredible benefits:

Benefit #1. You can make FAST progress and not get stuck (because nothing trips you up anymore)

Benefit #2. Your bottom line SKYROCKETS (as a natural result of #1)

Benefit #3. You have MUCH more free time (because everyone's doing YOUR work while you're doing something fun)

Benefit #4. You can SCALE much easier (meaning more profits into your bank account)

Benefit #5. You spread the wealth instead of hogging it yourself (and you can get it delegated for pennies on the dollars overseas)


There's a lot more benefits but you get the idea.

One of the best places I find workers is either freelancer.com or upwork.com.


If you're thinking,

"But Stevie! That's going to cost me a lot of money!",

think again.


Keep this simple mantra and you will never go hungry again:

"Make More Than You Spend"


If I asked you if you want to trade $1 for $8, would you take it?

In a millisecond right?

Same thing here. Yes you are paying these workers but you will make multifolds back that amount from your sales.

which brings me to my next point...

2. "There's No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"

EVERYTHING'S an investment.

You might think it's free if you're doing all the work yourself. Not true.

Our time in a day is limited.
Our time in a week is limited.
Our time here on earth is limited.

If you are spending hours and hours in a day trying to figure out how to set up your Wordpress site even if you hate it or doing data entry (which I can get it done at $3/hr), You are missing out on the most important resource of all - TIME.

You are missing out on other things you can do such as spending time with friends or family, your hobbies & passions, or traveling.

So unlike before when I was trying to be a "Cheap Superman" - I do the opposite now - I spend spend spend! Like a BOSS...

I see everything as an investment and try to simply make more than I spend. Later on, everything becomes an investment game.

3. STANDING ON SHOULDERS OF GIANTS

One of the BIGGEST mistakes I made when I was first starting out which got me spending wheels for years and years was spending too much time consuming information and not executing.

I was consuming information after information and taking notes. It was mental masturbation.

It was fun learning and I thought I was going somewhere but it did just the opposite.

I became overwhelmed, confused, and stuck.

I didn't have a solid direction or focus. I was getting distracted everywhere by the next "shiny object".

And one day, it got VERY bad. I got so frustrated and sick and tired of being stuck.

I became DESPERATE.

So I decided to do something that TOTALLY went against my norm.

I decided to get a mentor. (i.e. coach)

And my life immediately changed for the better. And it has never been the same since.

Because check this out.

These days, anybody with a computer hooked up to the internet can type and give advice. Even a monkey with half a brain.

Robert Kiyosaki, the financial guru, says "what's worse than no advice is BAD advice.

When it comes to business, you should be VERY careful who you are listening to.

Your key job will be to figure out who's the 5% to listen to and ignore the 95%.

But if you find the 5%, who have walked the walked and been in the trenches and not just spitting theories, listen to everything he/she says.

Because everything he will be saying will be something that is derived from experience - the truth. (hint: when you listen to truths, it should have a 'heavy' feeling in your gut)

And applying just a handful of these "truths" that is distilled from hundreds of trials and errors, your income will take off like a ROCKET.

That's why you'll rarely see anyone who've made it do it without a mentor. We all need help.
In order to achieve success, one must always be humble and be open to learning all the time.

4. Freedom vs. Another Job?

If you want to be free and not have just another job, you need to be in an industry with a PASSIVE INCOME model. Not earned income model.

Warren Buffett said,

"If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die."


I see a lot of guys who quit their jobs and start doing something like graphic designing, web designing, and programming and can’t get out because they’re making some money.

That's why you gotta pick business models that spit out passive income, not earned income.

One of the business models I love is Amazon Kindle publishing.

Because all the books that you publish become a "mini-asset". It's a "set-it-and-forget-it" kind of thing.

In fact, I have books that I've published 5 years ago that's STILL making me money today! (and I haven't touched it for years)

Imagine what will happen if you have HUNDREDS of these books?

Yes, your "internet marketing dream" is indeed possible if you play it right...

Since it's passive income, it will make money with or without you.


5. Pick a BIG niche that sells well.

Here's another key mantra to remember:

"Sell What Sells".

A lot of writers come into this industry writing books they know a lot about or they like. Big mistake.

Sure, you might have a passion for candlemaking or Labrador dog traiing, but how many people in the world shares the same passion as you?

Thing about Kindle is you need to sell in volume.

If you're selling nonfiction, you'll make about $2 - $4 per book.

That means, if you want to earn SUSTAINABLE income, meaning $3,000, $5,000, $10,000+ /month,

You need to sell these many:

$3,000 / $2 = 1500 books per month / 30 days = 50 books a day

$5,000 / $2 = 2500 books per month / 30 days = 83 books a day

$10,000 / $2 = 5000 books per month / 30 days = 166 books a day



That means, you need to be in a BIG niche. Small niches won't have the traffic to yield this kind of sales.

What are the BIG niches?

I'm glad you asked.

Anything that is related to:

-diet/weight loss
-fitness
-self-development
-cooking
-mass media
-dating
-gaming
-make money


...will be a good start.


6. Create An Irresistible "BAIT"

You don't have to reinvent the wheel.

In fact, this is one of the biggest reasons I see guys failing.

I know we're all entrepreneurial and enjoy creating new things, but when starting out, this is deadly.

I tell my students until I'm blue in the face (in a loving way of course)

"Don't reinvent the wheel... just make it CHROME!"


What does that mean?

You see what's selling in the marketplace.

Specifically, under Kindle Bestseller Rank of 20,000. They're selling around 10-15 books a day.

Which means potentially,

15 books a day x $4 earning per sale = $60 a day. Or,

$60 a day x 30 days = it's making $1,800 from ONE (1) book!

Can you see how this can get profitable very quickly?

Now, you will want to MODEL this book.

Or, you LEARN from this book. What works and what doesn't.

Take a look at their reviews. Especially 5 star and 1 star reviews.

What you will be doing is take what people are raving about, and improve what people are complaining about.

For example, let's say you’re looking into the cookbook niche.

You find a cookbook that is under 20,000 Bestseller Rank. Let's say it's called "Easy and Delicious Paleo Diet Recipes"

You check their 5 star reviews and it says:

-Loved the pictures!
-Really like the clear instructions
-Found the grocery shopping list incredibly useful!


And you see these 1 star complaints:

- Formatting was horrible
- Grammar and typos were everywhere
- Couldn't careless for stories - just give me the recipes already!


So, jot that down on a piece of paper. All of it.

What you'll be doing next is totally ninja.

You will now keep what your customer says they like and improve what they don't like for your own books!

So it'll go something like this:

- Formatting was horrible >> Have proper formatting for YOUR book

- Grammar and typos were everywhere >> Have correct grammar and spelling for YOUR book

- Couldn't careless for stories - just give me the recipes already! >> Just give them the recipes and not stories.


And once you publish your book strengthened on your competitor's weakness, you will have 0 reasons why people will give you a negative review for.

Remember, on Amazon review is KING.

So if you have all these 4,5 star reviews and very few 1 star reviews, you will be GOLDEN.

Your book will eventually get more and more sales than "Easy and Delicious Paleo Diet Recipes" and eventually TAKE OVER its spot.

Meaning, the sales that he gets $1,800 in monthly passive income will now be yours! :)

But I can hear you saying,

"But Stevie! what if I don't know ANYTHING about that niche? Even though it's profitable, I won't be able to do anything about it!"


WHOA! Slow down young grasshopper!

I'll tell you all about it in the next step...

(btw, are you liking this so far? Just curious...)


7. Have an expert to create the perfect bait FOR YOU.

But the challenge is, you don't know anything about Paleo, dating, or meditation right?

What should you do?

If you said "outsource"

BINGO!

You hit the nail on the head!


What's so amazing about outsourcing is, you can get just about any writers who specialize in all kinds of different topics!

Here's what to do in 4 simple steps that will work over and over like clockwork:

7.1 Just go to either freelancer.com or upwork.com

7.2 Post a compelling ad looking for writers in your topic. (make sure you have it in your title)

7.3 Invite some candidates to get the momentum going (look for guys with hundreds of hours logged and over 4 star reviews)

7.4 Hire and give them clear, specific instructions about your book!

That's it!

They will get to work right away!

Remember, you know you're going to be making $1,800 /month for this book so you can spend anything under this and you'll come out ahead! (For nonfiction books, I usually get it for $50-$100 for 35-50 pages)

Keep it simple. Just make more than you spend.

So while you're at the beach enjoying a fresh margarita, your writers will be hard at work creating your "perfect bait" for you.

8. Get a MAGNETIC Cover That Is Impossible To Ignore

This is one of the 3 MOST important pieces to your marketing.

You will have 0.2 seconds to capture reader’s attention while they're scrolling.

If you can't make them STOP on their tracks, battle is lost even before you started.
All your time and money spent creating your book will be wasted.

Create a MAGNETIC cover. One that is impossible to ignore!

Here are the steps:

8.1 Look for a great cover designer specializing in KINDLE cover designs. (it's different from physical book design) - hint: you can get one at Fiverr.com for $5 and it will outperform a $500 design from a US based cover designer if you tell them these instructions.

8.2 Ask them to make the titles BIG and BOLD.

Thing about Kindle is most people are looking through the titles on their phones.
If the titles are small, it won't be read.

8.3 Ask them to use High Resolution graphics

People associate higher resolution = higher quality.
So if your book uses HD graphics as the background, they will IMMEDIATELY think your book is high quality and they will pay more for your book even though the content is the same.


10. Do a KILLER Promotion

Here comes the fun part.

Now you just have to do a KILLER promotion.

And here's what to do shoot your book rankings higher than the freakin' Empire State Building. You'll love this.

Here's what to do:

10.1 Right after your publish your book, your book will be ranking high for a keyword for a brief period of time. You will want to get downloads in SPIKES because that's what Amazon likes.

So in order to get these spikes, enroll in KDP Select.

10.2 Promote your book to as many promotion sites as you can. There's tons of Facebook groups. Just search "Kindle Promotion" or "Kindle Free". You can also get people at Fiverr to do it.

Another good resource is this: Free Amazon Kindle Book Submission Tool | Author Marketing Club


10.3 Set your book on a "Free Promotion" in KDP Select.

10.4 If you have your book in a series (recommended by Amazon), link all of your books together inside the book and the product page and as soon as the promotion is over, set the 2nd book on the promotion. After that's done, set the 3rd book on promotion, etc. This will cross-promote your books and your sales will have a compound effect while building your brand.

10.5. Continue to do this and you'll have generated tons of sales across your series!


NOTE: Keep on doing steps 1-10 as many times as you can. The more you do it, more cash you'll make.

11. BONUS: Automate Everything

And I mean EVERYTHING.

Get a Project Manager that replaces you.

And your entire book pumping FACTORY will be rolling non-stop with or without you!


12. BONUS: SCALE It To 6-7 Figures

If you have a project manager working for you, sky becomes the limit how many books you publish.

After the project manager starts managing about 5 books a week (or 20 books a month) he'll start running out of capacity. That's when you hire another one :D


Final Step: Sit back, relax, and watch the MAGIC all happen.

By the way, you could've stopped at Step 10 and still created a 6 Figure business....

But if you want more... and you want it done FASTER... then follow all steps to a T.


Well, it took a LOT longer than I thought! Haha

But I hope it was useful for some of you guys.

Try it out, and let me know your results!

I LOVE THIS CAN YOU PM PLEASE ......
 
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JAJT

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Really the big question just boils down to this - do you have a paid product or service you intent to introduce to this forum at some point or did you post this to genuinely try and help folks?

Really this is the main question / concern.

If you have something related to this post that you intent to sell to us, then you can see our concern with a new-ish user posting a how-to guide promising the world followed by the eventual "oh by the way, my course/mentoring/product/service is only...".

Certainly. You can private message me.

You may or may not know this but a lot of pushers of products/services come to this forum and this is their go-to response to any criticism. They want to take the conversation private and get it out of sight of the "target audience".

I'm not saying this is what you've intended, but that's how it may be taken by others.

HOWEVER - I do apologize if such assumptions are unfounded. I can be totally wrong on this. If you came here with a history of kicking a$$ and your post is a genuine effort to help others emulate your success then I'd certainly hate for you to think this is a "hostile crowd of assholes who can't take good advice when they see it". That's why we encourage a bit of transparency, proof, motives, etc... It helps assuage the fear, uncertainty, and doubt that comes from the kind of "marketing-heavy" messaging your post contains. Most of us have seen a million landing pages and are involved in copy-writing to some extent so it's usually a red flag when someone appears to be trying to use landing pages and copy to sell to us on our own forum. This may not be the case - but that's what it smells like.
 

Stevie Drive

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I
Really the big question just boils down to this - do you have a paid product or service you intent to introduce to this forum at some point or did you post this to genuinely try and help folks?

Really this is the main question / concern.

If you have something related to this post that you intent to sell to us, then you can see our concern with a new-ish user posting a how-to guide promising the world followed by the eventual "oh by the way, my course/mentoring/product/service is only...".



You may or may not know this but a lot of pushers of products/services come to this forum and this is their go-to response to any criticism. They want to take the conversation private and get it out of sight of the "target audience".

I'm not saying this is what you've intended, but that's how it may be taken by others.

HOWEVER - I do apologize if such assumptions are unfounded. I can be totally wrong on this. If you came here with a history of kicking a$$ and your post is a genuine effort to help others emulate your success then I'd certainly hate for you to think this is a "hostile crowd of assholes who can't take good advice when they see it". That's why we encourage a bit of transparency, proof, motives, etc... It helps assuage the fear, uncertainty, and doubt that comes from the kind of "marketing-heavy" messaging your post contains. Most of us have seen a million landing pages and are involved in copy-writing to some extent so it's usually a red flag when someone appears to be trying to use landing pages and copy to sell to us on our own forum. This may not be the case - but that's what it smells like.

I see. Thanks for your thoughtful, well articulated response JAJT. Yes it's true that I've been teaching people over the last few years but I've been in this game since 2011 and what I've described is one of my exact business models that I have that makes money on Kindle. And no, I'm not going to turn around and try to sell you my course lol.
The information is already out there for the taking. I seriously hope at least one person would run into this post and kick-a$$ with it. But again, thanks for articulating your concerns! I'm not in forums too much but I try to deliver value whenever I see fit. You can check out some of my other posts if you'd like too.
 

DavidK

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Seems like certain posts make the forum feisty lol... I can understand why the post might get that sort of reaction but there's no bait really, he gave the gist of what he does.

@Stevie Drive
Thanks for the reply, just wondering do you notice that your ebooks have a certain timeline where they are profitable? For example, maybe sales increase initially then level off but eventually I assume they must drop off eventually as there are so many books being produced on such topics?
 
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SGSystems

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What's the ratio of profitable books to flops that you've experienced?

Other than the cost of book production, what other costs do you spend on promotion per book on average?

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
 

TheJackal

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Would love to see some numbers to go along with this, like how many sales each book is nabbing from launch to six months in. Also, like others have wondered about, I'm curious about quality control. If you're contracting the writing out, how is your stamp of approval getting on the final product? Thanks in advance.
 

100k

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Some good tips are really good solid advice, especially the one recommending you to get a mentor. I'm going to put that one into action in the new year.

But some of the other stuff you suggest sounds like warrior forum / get rich quick tricks.

30-50 page ebook of high quality for $100.... hmmm
 
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Stevie Drive

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Seems like certain posts make the forum feisty lol... I can understand why the post might get that sort of reaction but there's no bait really, he gave the gist of what he does.

@Stevie Drive
Thanks for the reply, just wondering do you notice that your ebooks have a certain timeline where they are profitable? For example, maybe sales increase initially then level off but eventually I assume they must drop off eventually as there are so many books being produced on such topics?

Thanks for your comments. Yes rank dropping is the most common problem publishers face. Some people waste hundreds of dollars or months of their time and they can't make it stick so their books drop off into the abyss.

So since you were respectful in your question, I'm gonna tell you a secret which I haven't really shared on any public forums that will make your book stick for literally years. That's why I have books that I've published years ago that I still make passive income from. Try finding this in any PLR or other Kindle "gurus" advice. ;)

Some people advise that appearing #1 in keyword search term i.e. "paleo diet" is the best to get you sales. Another argue that it's appearing top of the categories. (e.g. Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Diets & Weight Loss > Diets > Paleo) but I secretly laugh when I hear these because I will outrank these books any day of the week 24/7. These strategies simply don't have any sticking power unless it's backed by incredibly strong conversion points (magnetic cover, irresistible title, contents within "look inside", lead magnet, description, reviews, etc). So it may feel good to have your book appear #1 in the category charts temporarily and call yourself a "bestseller", (I can get #1 in overall Amazon ranking total within 24hours) it will drop just as quickly and it just doesn't do anything for your bottom line.

I'm on the other hand all about the bottom line. I don't like to be flashy or noisy. Most don't really know my name because I don't like to be caught up in all the noise and distraction. But my students probably make more than certain "gurus" out there. :)

With that said, in my opinion, bar none the MOST valuable real estate on Kindle is other REAL, perennial bestsellers's "customer's also bought" section. There, I said it.

I'll give you an example. Check this book out: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003WEAI4E/?tag=tff-amazonparser-20

You've probably heard of this book, "How to win friends and influence people". It's currently around 1k BSR and #7 in most read in the ENTIRE amazon. However, what's more impressive is this book has been around for decades and it's been consistently pulling these numbers and most importantly, consistent TRAFFIC.

If you check out a bit lower on the product page, you'll see "customer's also bought" section. Now THIS is where you want to be at. Because, if you land here, you'll generate TRAFFIC to your book consistently and as you know, CONSISTENT TRAFFIC = CONSISTENT SALES.

This is just an example but there should always be books like this in your niche. I try to get into sections of books like this as fast as possible. And not just one, but multiple books. That way, my book sticks for a very long time.

I call these "anchor books" because it will anchor my book into the ground and don't go dropping off into the abyss. :) let's just keep this tactic between us in this forum...
 
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Maxboost

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Isn’t the market saturated for e books?
 

Stevie Drive

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Would love to see some numbers to go along with this, like how many sales each book is nabbing from launch to six months in. Also, like others have wondered about, I'm curious about quality control. If you're contracting the writing out, how is your stamp of approval getting on the final product? Thanks in advance.

First off, rather than trying to develop a C player to a B+ player which takes a lot of work, I just hire A players from the get go as it's much easier.
I make sure the writers I hire are good right from the get go and I find out by having them go though a test, meaning they simulate the work they are about to do. If you give them this test work, you will separate a lot of wheat from the chaff. It'll be obvious who produces quality work promptly on time which is what you want. You'd want writers who may not be creative writers but who is able to produce consistently, promptly on time as consistency is the hallmark of a productive writer and who you would want in your team.

When I get the manuscript back I myself read it and get some of my team members to read it and some of our beta readers to read it. When it's clear I upload it and watch out for negative reviews and when I get it I don't panic. I just instruct my writers to avoid that problem later on and it almost always leads to a quality book that lasts for a long time. Whats great about kindle publishing is you can upload revisions as much as you want. Later on you begin to develop a publishing system that consistently outputs quality books all the time and you need very minor quality control.
 
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Stevie Drive

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Isn’t the market saturated for e books?
Not at all. Amazon's customer base is getting bigger every year. What there are a lot of books that are crap.

If you know what to do to produce quality books people want and market properly, future is looking very bright.
 

Stevie Drive

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Some good tips here and there.

But some of the stuff you suggest sounds like warrior forum / get rich quick ebooks.

30-50 page ebook of high quality for $100.... hmmm

Like I said people are buying books to solve their problems and be entertained. You dont need a pulitzer quality writing here. It depends on the niche but if it's a nonfiction book like the business model I've outlined in this post, you can easily get a writer from Phillipines or Pakistan and they will get the job done for a fraction of the US dollars because their dollars is your pennies. Make sense?

And lots of times they have attained Ph.d in their countries so they're smart cookies. And they are extremely hard workers.

Sure it won't work as well for fiction books as the writer needs to understand the culture and subtle nuances and expressions but for nonfiction books you can totally outsource very cheaply.
 

stefan

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Stevie, thank you for posting this thread.

Here's where I'm a little lost though:

You're contradicting yourself, which makes you seem incongruent.

For example, you talk about paying writers a rate of $3/page or less.

Then, you claim to only work with "A players" from the get go.

These two statements are incompatible (in my opinion) because quality writing is much more expensive than that.

I'm not bashing you or anything like that. Just looking for solutions/truth.

If you can publish high-quality e-books that sell over the long-term for $100 a pop, then more power to you.

But as of right now, I find that a little hard to believe.

I hope that you can prove me wrong with some kind of evidence, and I'll gladly change my opinion.
 
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Stevie Drive

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Stevie, thank you for posting this thread.

Here's where I'm a little lost though:

You're contradicting yourself, which makes you seem incongruent.

For example, you talk about paying writers a rate of $3/page or less.

Then, you claim to only work with "A players" from the get go.

These two statements are incompatible (in my opinion) because quality writing is much more expensive than that.

I'm not bashing you or anything like that. Just looking for solutions/truth.

If you can publish high-quality e-books that sell over the long-term for $100 a pop, then more power to you.

But as of right now, I find that a little hard to believe.

I hope that you can prove me wrong with some kind of evidence, and I'll gladly change my opinion.

Yes like i said, A players from other developing countries like Phillipines. It's way cheaper. It's much more expensive for US or European writers. Even though writers from developing countries are cheap, they have great command of English (many of them with phds) and very consistent with their output. That's why I consider them A players. Hope that makes sense.
 
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stefan

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OK. Gotcha.

I believe in your core message, which is to delegate as much writing as possible, and create automated systems for Kindle.

This is the only way to scale a publishing business IMO, because writing is just too time intensive to handle on your own.

I do something very similar but in the web publishing space (media website).

The thing is, I pay at least $30/1000 words for good compelling evergreen copywriting.

In my experience, this is about the minimum market rate that you'll need to pay native English speakers who know how to relate to an American audience really well.

I just want to give people an accurate impression of what they'll most likely need to pay for high-quality writing that actually engages readers.

I know that Kindle is a different beast, because you're dealing with bulk writing (like 10,000 words for shorts, or 50,000 words for real books).

So what I'm saying is that it's not uncommon to pay a few thousand bucks for a proven ghostwriter.

You're describing the extreme low end of the publishing market. I'm trying to balance this thread by describing the higher-end of the market.

Most people will achieve some success somewhere in the middle of the market.
 

howard0944

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Phenomenal post! I love the idea of outsourcing for get content to satisfy the niche! What a great idea! Thank you!
 
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Stevie Drive

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OK. Gotcha.

I believe in your core message, which is to delegate as much writing as possible, and create automated systems for Kindle.

This is the only way to scale a publishing business IMO, because writing is just too time intensive to handle on your own.

I do something very similar but in the web publishing space (media website).

The thing is, I pay at least $30/1000 words for good compelling evergreen copywriting.

In my experience, this is about the minimum market rate that you'll need to pay native English speakers who know how to relate to an American audience really well.

I just want to give people an accurate impression of what they'll most likely need to pay for high-quality writing that actually engages readers.

I know that Kindle is a different beast, because you're dealing with bulk writing (like 10,000 words for shorts, or 50,000 words for real books).

So what I'm saying is that it's not uncommon to pay a few thousand bucks for a proven ghostwriter.

You're describing the extreme low end of the publishing market. I'm trying to balance this thread by describing the higher-end of the market.

Most people will achieve some success somewhere in the middle of the market.

Yes absolutely the price really depends on the type of content that is necessary for the job and audience. You don't need a sledgehammer when a simple hammer will do.

This publishing model I've outlined is one that requires very low expense. For some of my other publishing models I've paid as much as five figures per book.
 

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