The "Luck Struck" Progress Thread

[kurtyordy]

I know the feeling.

So you gonna man up or what?

exactly!

There are three elements involved here:

The product
The person
The process

One or more of them is not converting. Are you going to dig deep and fix, or just let it go.

Business beats the crap out of you at times. You are looking at all the money you sunk in, all the money you thought you would make, and the reality of the money you have made. Put all that behind you and out of your mind.

Start fresh today. If you were hired by a company to manage this project, what would your next steps be? How would you move forward? Forget about the money you already invested. Remember you are moving forward only.

Once the bet is on the blackjack table, you cannot take it back. You can only play the hand you are dealt.

You have just been hired by luckstruck.inc. Today is day one of your career. What will you do? How will you make a difference?

IMHO- discover who would buy your product. Figure out who focuses on luck, who would want to change their luck, who believes luck controls them. Then figure out who the buyers are from this group. Then get out in front of them and let them run to you.

 

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[PEERless]

Thank you! I am so happy with it. Hopefully, this will be the start of my Fastlane success story! A few of you are quoted directly, and all you Fastlaners are acknowledged! This project NEVER would have happened without the encouragement I have received here. You know who you are, and I'll rep+ you all as appropriate, but thanks to these folks especially:

Russ H, andviv, SteveO, Runum, mtnman, carlhuber, yveskleinsky, AroundTheWorld, RichKid, australianinvestor, PhxMJ, Justin, JScott, fanocks2003, Merkin Man, ZenSatori, marktech101, v4playa, ^eagle^, laughedat, ZDS, lightning... et al! I know I'm forgetting people, but you know who you are and how you've helped.

For a review of the way this project took shape from a stupid eBook to a book of which I can be proud (in 9 months and 2 days), check out these great threads:

1. Writing a Stupid eBook
2. Should I take Pre-Orders on my eBook?
3. Critique my eBook Sales Page
4. Vote on the Best eBook "Cover"
5. When Do I Release My Book?
6. Luck-Struck Manuscript Finished!
7. Free EBook to the First 10 Responders!

I will keep you posed on sales stats and the expansion of the Luck-Struck brand. Hopefully this will become a great success story. How lucky!

Luck-Struck: How to Take Control & Create Your Own Luck
By Skyler Reep
ISBN: 978-0-615-26126-3
LCCN: 2009901431

Order Now for $17.77

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Skyler,

When people hit your sales page they should feel something immediately. I feel nothing and to get "that feeling" i have to read. This is a barrier.

How do you invoke an instantaneous feeling? You do it with pictures. I'd recommend getting up one picture that conveys a feeling.

For example, a picture of a couple winning at a BlackJack table screaming in jubilence, arms extended high, as they just won a hand.

Something like this: (I'd find a picture that shows "a win" in progress)

The picture conveys: Happiness, excitement, and luck -- and its done instantaneously.

Find a picture that embodies "LUCK" in action!

 

[lo key]

No problem PEER, anything for a fellow fastlaner. I pm'd you the link to the zip file that has the images spliced up into single logos.

As far as the html part goes, this is the code you're going to want to input.

Parts of the code: (it's really just fill in the blanks)
<a href="INPUT TARGET LINK HERE (E.G. Luckstruck[dot]com/buynow.html)" target="_blank">
This tells the server where to take the user once the hyperlink (in this case, the image, is clicked)

<img src="INPUT IMAGE SOURCE HERE (E.G. luckstruck[dot]com/image1.png or /images/logo1.png"
This tells the server where the image is stored in order to access it.

Size goes here --> width="200" height="261" border="0"
This tells the server what size to resize the image too, somewhat like constraining proportions. For example, say you have an image that is 700x560, but you can only fit an image that is sized 200x261, this is where you fix that. It is always good to keep the images proportions correct though, as it could cause distortion. ( just my .02)

alt="INPUT ALTERNATE TEXT HERE (WHAT PEOPLE SEE WHEN THEY HOVER OVER THE IMAGE)" />
</a>
This tells the server what to display when people hover over the link, helpful if the image is not displaying or someone is lost/confused.

<a href="input link target" target="_blank">
<img src="Input image source" width="input width" height="input heigth" border="0" alt="Input alt text" />
</a>

 

[humphrey]

I have to admit at first glance, judging solely by your website, I would not buy your book. I'm sorry, that's the truth. It gives me no confidence in your product whatsoever.

If you want to bump your sales, you need to present your website in a way that instills confidence in potential customers. The fact that the "Learn More" button links to a page that is actually titled "conversion" in the url is shocking. The page is cluttered, confusing and there is WAY too much text.

You need to give your website a complete re-vamp. You seem to have the technical know how, so start by investing some time into learning how to customize a template in a content management system like drupal. A content management system can be a powerful tool for for organizing information and allows for simple and effective stylization.

Before building your website, look at what your direct competitors have done with their websites and try to improve upon them. After you have a good idea on the styles and methods they have used, choose a theme that best suits your needs. Think from the buyers perspective. Does this actually look good? You may be a self-published author but your website does not need to reflect that. Show it to friends, family, and anyone you can think of and ask for their honest feedback.

Add a blog to your website about how people can increase their luck, and update it regularly. Adding a blog will instill confidence in consumers. They can get a feel for your writing style and connect with you on a more personal level. By adding a blog, you will no longer just be a website trying to sell them something. You will be a person legitimately trying to help them.

Join social networks, work on SEO, and increase your web presence...
Drive traffic to a good looking, well thought out website and you will drive up sales.

Best of luck and keep us updated.

 

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[PEERless]

THREE WEEK UPDATE: $129
(No Change)

The "billion-dollar" line in the Whitworthian article was corrected.

Google Book Search got sued, so authors have had to individually resubmit their books.

I registered my final copyrights along with ISBN and LCCN.

I ordered a few thousand postcards to do some local direct-mailing. Check 'em out.

 

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[Icy]

FOUR WEEK UPDATE: $187
(No Change)

1. Finally listed on Amazon, but without a cover graphic(!)
2. Formatted for sale on the Kindle eBook reader.
3. Getting tons of Clickbank traffic, but no purchases yet. May need to re-optimize my sales page.
4. Still trying to decide whether having my website redone by an eLance pro is worth putting $1,110 on my credit card.

I think you could reformat it yourself to help sell better without paying someone else.

I may sound like a jerk for this but usually when I see websites like the one you have I tend not even bother reading (actually just like I did). All of the random highlighting in it and all of it centered instantly makes my mind go into 'not worth reading' mode simply best most of the websites selling like that aren't.

Surely your book is different than that and you should diverge from that type of layout. I have a feeling that those who have used the internet for quite a while are instantly turned off by the book because the website looks like that. I could give more information if you would like.

Again, I'm sorry for sounding like a jerk but frankly, I feel like it would have been even worse to not mention this. This is my opinion on it but truly feel others might view it the same way.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

I have to agree, the sales page might need some retooling ... when I hit it, my first perception was "Wow, that's a lot of words" (And really, its not a lot of words, it just "looks" like a lot of words) ... if people see a lot of words, they think "work" ... it'll take work to read this ... if they think work, they will choose to not read and leave.

 

[lo key]

Been following this thread since you made it. Very interesting stuff indeed. I made up some quick "Buy Now" Logos in photoshop for you. Just pm if you like any of the ones you see. Thought I'd help out a fellow fastlaner!

Edit- Apparently can't post images until I have ten posts :smx4:
PM me for the link i guess. I better get posting.

 

[chart3]

I'm new here but I've seen this kind of thing before. You've put so much effort already only to discover that even more is needed. Along with that fact, other distractions seem to have eased their way into your life and you may have allowed them to throw you off course for awhile. And that's okay. Things happen and it's called life. But how we respond to them is what makes the difference between failure and success...

With that being said, personally I am completely impressed and inspired by all that you've done thus far- most people never even dream the dream let alone take any action. If consider this time to be a semi-hiatus opportunity for a little mental rest, maybe in the next round of this battle for success, you could "make your own luck" and find a way to get re-inspired, re-energized, refocused, and re-committed to your goals.

I hope you don't give up and please keep us updated!

 

[kimberland]

re: The "Luck Struck" Progress Thread

Congrats!
That is a HUGE accomplishment.
You must be so proud!

 

[bflbob]

re: The "Luck Struck" Progress Thread

Congrats PEERless!

Great work and follow-through!

 

[marktech101]

re: The "Luck Struck" Progress Thread

Congratulations! I knew you could pull this off!

 

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[PEERless]

re: The "Luck Struck" Progress Thread

Seven sold in the first 24 hours! Good, but not great. Time to feed the viral promotion flames.

 

[PEERless]

re: The "Luck Struck" Progress Thread

Update:
Submitted about a dozen press releases.
Web-traffic spiked by almost 800% with the release yesterday.

 

[Bilgefisher]

re: The "Luck Struck" Progress Thread

Update:
Submitted about a dozen press releases.
Web-traffic spiked by almost 800% with the release yesterday.

If its not to much to ask, could you keep us up to date on how this goes down the road? I really enjoy watching something like this grow and do well.

 

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[PEERless]

re: The "Luck Struck" Progress Thread

If its not to much to ask, could you keep us up to date on how this goes down the road?

Too much to ask? Hell no! I'll keep everyone in the loop.

 

[CardinalsFan]

re: The "Luck Struck" Progress Thread

congrats peerless!

 

[Luke12321]

re: The "Luck Struck" Progress Thread

Way to go! Keep us update on the methods you are using to promote the website and also the results from the marketing tatics you use.

 

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[Redshft]

re: The "Luck Struck" Progress Thread

This is AWESOME bro! Congratulations!

 

[australianinvestor]

re: The "Luck Struck" Progress Thread

Nice work! Now market the hell out of it!

If you get any press exposure, post it here for everyone to see

 

[PEERless]

ONE WEEK UPDATE: $107
Sales: $107
Paperback: 10
eBook: 1

The book is only available on Lulu right now, so I don't have the ubiquitous exposure I need yet. In five to six weeks, Amazon and B&N will upload it, and I should have more movement. Press releases have met with requests for books to review, but no interviews or articles yet.

My Facebook group of 230+ "fans" is slow to buy, and I blame it on the fact that Lulu is not familiar.

I have agreements with three mom'n'pop bookstores in town to carry my book and one to do a book signing. Considering arranging that for next Friday, the 13th.

Set up ClickBank, but after setting up my listing I admit that I am stumped on how to actually get affiliates.

 

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[santiago]

re: The "Luck Struck" Progress Thread

Congratulations! Action + Plan = Success ...

Curious - are you in contact with B&N and Amazon or is that something done by your publisher? And, does that mean you'll get put in the bricks and mortar stores of B&N if the book is successful online?

Forgive me if this is mentioned elsewhere - I'm planning on digging thru your threads..

 

[PEERless]

re: The "Luck Struck" Progress Thread

are you in contact with B&N and Amazon or is that something done by your publisher? And, does that mean you'll get put in the bricks and mortar stores of B&N if the book is successful online?

Lulu has submitted my ISBN to the next batch of content updates to online retailers. The big ones add new content quarterly. I am also pursuing library listings and purchases through the Library of Congress. Brick-and-mortar stores are definitely harder to enter as a self-published author, but a measure of online success can certainly be convincing when submitting your book to the buyers' consideration. I will attack this project once I have some press, reviews, and sales.

 

[AroundTheWorld]

re: The "Luck Struck" Progress Thread

I thought I had read somewhere that amazon will not list your book unless you go with their publishing service. Maybe I got that wrong ??

Have you been happy with Lulu?
If you could do it over, would you go with Lulu again?
Why / Why not?

 

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[PEERless]

re: The "Luck Struck" Progress Thread

I thought I had read somewhere that amazon will not list your book unless you go with their publishing service. Maybe I got that wrong ??

Have you been happy with Lulu?
If you could do it over, would you go with Lulu again?
Why / Why not?

We shall see in a few weeks, but from what I understand, Lulu is compatible with both B&N and Amazon. I am happy with Lulu, though I cannot fairly compare it to others. It's easy as hell, and they do offer tons of services (both free and premium) from editing to cover design and press releases. I would use them again on my next book, unless I learn something new.

 

[PEERless]

TWO WEEK UPDATE: $129
Sales: $22
eBook: 1

Still available only on Lulu. I did have two interviews spawned from my press releases. One for an online magazine, and one for the student newspaper at my alma mater.

I'm still working in attracting Clickbank Affliates. If you have an account, you're welcome to make some dough promoting the eBook by clicking here.

 

[PEERless]

re: The "Luck Struck" Progress Thread

Asmara Amyan wrote Grad Shows How Luck is Controllable for the Whitworthian. A pretty good article, but she called PEER a "billion-dollar" company. (I think she was thinking of ourbilliondollarcompany.com) Anyway, check out the comments. Should I worry about damage control or just let the memes fall where they may?

 

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[LightHouse]

re: The "Luck Struck" Progress Thread

what damage control? thats your feedback. I would not try any "damage" control rather than move on or if you deem it good opinions take them into consideration. i would get the billion dollar company thing corrected however. That might lead to bad credibility.

 

[santiago]

re: The "Luck Struck" Progress Thread

I'd probably put a comment on the site disputing the billion-dollar comment, without discrediting the author or you (not sure how you'd do that!?)

Regarding the person's review - seems like jealously to me. As an author, you'll get critics and praise and I'm not sure it'd be fruitful to try to respond to the comment. What I would do, is encourage others who have read and like the book to post a comment, "drowning out" the negative, so to speak. It seems their comments are ordered most recent first..

Also, if you haven't already - I'd ask if you could reprint a copy of this article on your website as "press coverage".