As noted in the article, I have returned from my latest trip. Never in my life have I done back-to-back traveling like this before. Let me just say that air travel is not as much fun as it used to be.

Even though getting there (and back) was not half the fun, my experience at the No More Homeless Pets Conference and the subsequent visit to the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary  was incredible. (I'm even in the closing video - http://video.bestfriends.org/media/p/1347.aspx)

I realize it has nothing to do with publishing, but if you are an animal lover and happen to be in Utah, you really should stop by the sanctuary. It's amazing and inspiring ;-)

What does relate to publishing is that I was invited to speak at the conference because of my book. I also exhibited at the conference, and I sold OUT of my book. It was a whirlwind of activity with people handing money over so quickly, I could barely record the sales in my ledger. Yes, speaking really does help your book sales!

If you are thinking about speaking about your book, I've shared a few tips on preparing for a presentation in the article.

Enjoy!

Practice a Presentation Even When You Can't Practice

by Susan C. Daffron

A few tips for practicing your presentation even when you are busy and on the road

I often wonder if I worry too much. As a consumer myself, I want our customers to be happy purchasing the things we produce. I've had enough buyer's remorse in my life that I don't want to inflict it on anyone else.

Obviously, not every client we've ever had loves us, since people don't always get along. However, we do try to represent the products we sell accurately. I think that is why we've only had two product returns in the five years our online storefront has existed. In both cases, people simply didn't read the text explaining what the product was.

You hear the term "truth in advertising" a lot, but I think truth should go beyond just advertising. Truth in marketing is important.

Enjoy!

Embrace Truth in Marketing

by Susan C. Daffron

People don't like being manipulated; by telling the truth you stand out from all the online snake oil salesmen

Right now, I'm listening to the peaceful sound of canines snoring on the floor next to my chair. Apparently, one dog is having a groovy dream, given all the little woofs and paw wiggles.

Today's rainy-day tranquility has only been interrupted by the occasional phone call. I had a great time talking to a client, but other than that, today's calls have been annoying B2B telemarketer calls. So in addition to the writing advice below, I offer you my husband's best writing productivity tip:

"Don't answer the phone."

Although I have a difficult time not answering the phone, he's right. I schedule all my client calls and really should not answer the phone. In fact, I've turned off the ringer, so I won't even know when it rings. (Welcome to voice mail Mr. Telemarketer!)

Enjoy!

Moods are for Cattle, Not Writing

by Susan C. Daffron

Excuses for not writing often relate to one of two problems: priorities or perfectionism

Fall is definitely here. We shut down the garden, and I've been taking dogs to the veterinarian for their fall checkups. (So far, everything seems fine with the all-furry team!) In the midst of all this activity, we've also been plotting out activities for next year. I'm pleased to report that the Small Publishers Artists and Writers Network (SPAWN) will be a sponsor of the Self-Publishers Online Conference in May. Yes, SPOC 2010 is coming! You can keep up with all the details by signing up for SPOC News at:
http://www.SelfPublishersOnlineConference.com/

In related news, I also heard from "Mr. Publishing" Dan Poynter. He has agreed to do the keynote on the first day of SPOC: May 12, 2010. He'll be talking about "Book Publishing Opportunities: Past, Present and Future." Given that Dan travels 6,000 miles every week, I'm thrilled that he's able to fit SPOC into his busy schedule again this year.

We're committed to self-publisher education and helping aspiring authors make good choices about their books. One of the things that came through in the comments about the conference last year was how "blessedly devoid of hype" and sales fluff the presentations were. Just like last year, we plan to pack a lot of content into three days.

Casting a critical eye at hyped-up programs also happens to be the subject of this week's article.

Enjoy!

Write a Book the Fast and Easy Way

by Susan C. Daffron

When it comes to book publishing, it's time to get real about what fast and easy really mean

Today, I'm thinking about reading. I got a shipment of books from Amazon this afternoon, and now I'm in a hurry to get this done so I can dig into my new cache of books and learn.

People underestimate the power of simply reading books. Actually having the patience to sit down and read a book cover-to-cover is a tremendous and often under-appreciated competitive advantage in business.

"Read books!" is also the first advice I give to aspiring writers and publishers. Countless written resources about entrepreneurship and publishing are available that cost nothing or next to nothing, as noted in this week's article.

Enjoy!

How to Set Up a Home Publishing Business

by Susan C. Daffron

Publishing is an ideal home-based business, but you need to answer some key questions first