Want to become an Author this year?

Hi, Katrina again,

I figured since I'm on here, I'd better keep writing...it's hard to keep this blog thing up to date! :)

So, if you're on my ezine list, you've seen my emails about getting yourself published this year. If you're not getting my ezine - YOU'RE MISSING OUT - SIGN UP RIGHT AWAY AT www.JumpstartYourMarketing.com!

I always knew I'd be an author some day....but who knew when "some day" would be right? Does this sound like you?

I wasn't sure what I'd write about but I knew it would be good.

Well, then I met my friend Christine Kloser who owns a publishing company called Love Your Life Publishing. Christine is a Conscious Business Coach as well and when I met her frankly I thought she was a bit too 'spiritual' for me so we didn't connect that well at first.

But, after being in my mastermind group with her for almost a year now, Christine and I have become a lot closer and I really got to know more about what she is all about and I love it! In fact, I've even gotten a lot more 'spiritual' in the process....AND I've seen the 'practical' side of Christine.

When Christine approached me to write a chapter for a book she was putting together called Inspiration to Realization back in April of 06 (or somewhere around then), I thought she was nuts, there's no way I can become an author.....YET? Besides, it cost a pretty big chunk of change for me at the time. So, I didn't do it.

But then our friend Ali Brown decided to put together a book similar to Inspiration to Realization with Christine, where 40 entrepreneurs share their journey in life and business; it is called Power and Soul. After thinking this over for a couple weeks, figuring out where I would get the money from to do this, I realized this too was another NO BRAINER!

This is the perfect opportunity for me to become that author I want to become and to do it now, within a year! WOW - I'd better jump on this one and so I did, I wrote my chapter, and the Power and Soul book will be out later this spring.

I'm talking about all of this because now the no brainer is that of course I needed to bring it to my contacts to give them/you the opportunity to become a published book author. Yes, it costs money, but only to buy your books at wholesale, you pay nothing else. You can even sell your books if you want and make your money back and then some.

But what I suggest you do with them is USE your books as promotional items, lead generators and in media kits to get you huge exposure, added credibility and more business this year!

It's not hard, in fact it's easy - anyone I know can do this IF you see the value and IF you take action now....otherwise this might just be another MISSED OPPORTUNITY you'll regret.

Find out more about the book I'm compiling with Christine set to come out later in 2007!
Go to www.loveyourlife.com/katrina today!

Katrina Out --

Bragging vs. Educating

Hi there,

It's Katrina, your Solopreneur Marketing Coach!

By the way, do you know what 'solopreneur' means? I realize I started using this title and didn't explain it. It's basically solo entrepreneurs, people who own and operate their own businesses. I specialize in finding unique, creative marketing opportunities and developing easy to use marketing systems for these types of small business owners.

So, I wanted to chat about Bragging vs. Educating for a couple reasons.

1. Some people on my regular weekly ezine list consider me to be 'bragging' occasionally when I simply tell them updates that are going on with me or my business.
2. Some people "don't get it" when I'm telling them a story about one of my accomplishments for example, that I'm telling them this because it's a great idea for them to do in their marketing too!

Most people I talk to "get it". They get the fact that I tell my subscribers when I do well, get recognized, win an award or get featured in the press in order to encourage THEM to go after similar opportunities in their local communities.

For example, I won an award this January, the "Small Business of the Year" award, by the El Dorado Hills Chamber, one of the chambers of commerce that I'm a member in. It was a great surprise to win but frankly I knew I was up for it because I nominated myself! And frankly, I knew there wouldn't be that much competition because I knew a bunch of other small business owners WOULDN'T TAKE THE TIME to nominate themselves or find someone to nominate them!

Now, I did the same thing last year and didn't win but did that discourage me from doing it again? Hell no, that would be silly. This is a FREE MARKETING OPPORTUNITY! It's a no brainer.

This has gotten me some good PR so far and I haven't even promoted it to my own media contacts yet (which is on my list to do of course). I was on the front page of the local newspaper with my photo and everything probably because the editor already had my photo on file AND because she knows it's available on my website too and most likely she didn't have easy access to the other 'winners' photos from that night - so my photo was the only one featured with the list of winners!

My point is that I'm not telling you or my email subscribers to toot my own horn but I'm telling you to educate you on how to go after specific opportunities that are easily available to you and COST YOU NOTHING! Consistently seeking publicity opportunities is where most small businesses fail tremendously, they simply just don't make the time for it. I think it took me about 15 minutes to fill out the nomination form for this....hmmm, pretty easy huh?

So, what opportunities do you have available to you? What's going on in your area that you could benefit from easily and/or contribute to in some way to increase your exposure?

In the Sacramento area this month (Feb & Mar 07), the Business Journal is taking nominations for the "Women Who Mean Business Awards" for their event on June 22nd. Will you be one of the women nominated? I know I will be! For this event however I plan on finding a friend, client or peer that will nominate me and in return I will nominate her. I know plenty of fabulous and worthy women in my area to nominate but it only takes ONE; someone who understands the power of this kind of exposure.

So, go seek out events or organizations that have awards like this or other things you could be a part of and get yourself some free publicity!

Katrina Out --