Break Free & WRITE should be a hoot!

I can’t think a better way to get the creative juices flowing than to spend 7 fun-packed days on a cruise ship in the Eastern Caribbean!

In support of this, I’m offering my eBook version of Becoming Irresistible: How To Pack Your Copywriting Business With Five New Clients Every Month to seminar attendees at the rock bottom price of just $18. 

So why limit this great, one-time limited-offer to those folk and not my own peeps? Good question!

The short answer is that I’ve just reduced the eBook price by 40% and now BAR folks can take advantage of this Special Discount offer as well.

But you should hurry as it won’t last very long!

Likewise, Chevrolet recently reissued an updated version of my first car, the Camaro. It has all the original lines and a very classic look.  It’s sure to become an instant success as well.

Never Ask For Referrals…Ever! – New Title & New Content

Like Ford and Chevy, bloggers and authors need to redesign and update their own works to keep up with changing technology and the needs of their market.  Sean D’Souza’s recent update of The Brain Audit is one example.

I’ve been revising and rewriting my book on referrals and I’m happy to reintroduce it today under a new title: Never Ask For Referrals…Ever! – How To Generate a Flood of Referrals for both You & Your Clients Using Case Studies.

Whats New?

The Title The title of the previous version always bothered me for some reason.  When I embarked on the rewrite, I knew it would ultimately change.

Throughout the revision process one theme kept coming to me and it became the new title – after all, never asking for referrals is the main idea of the book.

The Subtitle The subtitle explains the benefit of using the book. In the book, I take you step-by-step through the process of approaching your client, selling them on the benefits of participating in a case study, and finally, how to complete one.

The Content I’ve revised and rewritten most of the content to reflect the advent of the blogosphere and its impact on Internet marketing. I’ve also enhanced the tutorial about how to approach clients with the case study-referral conversation and included a script for follow-up conversations.

New Audio Version I’m going to add an audio version to accompany a ‘Premium version’ of the book and it will be priced a bit higher at $24.95.  Still, a bargain in my opinion.

What Hasn’t Changed?

The price. Even though the content has changed and it’s become more focused and -well, quite frankly- a heck of a lot better than the old version, I’m keeping the price the same at $19.95.

A Special Re-Issue Offer

Because I’ve not finished the audio version of the book, my Premium package isn’t ready.  As I said above, the Premium version will be priced at $24.95.

Here’s my Special Offer

Purchase the new version of the eBook within the next five days and I’ll give you the audio version for free*.

*In order to get this deal, you must purchase the book (an instant download eBook) by Saturday, April 18th.

When you purchase the eBook before April 18, I’ll send you a special download link by week’s end and you can download the audio version of the book as well.

Want To Take Advantage of This Special Offer?

Click here to take advantage of this Special Offer or just read about the book in more detail.

Today’s Brief: ’4 Copywriting Tips for Podcasters’

Brian Clark, the Executive Editor over at Copyblogger.com, posted a useful article today that contains four good tips for those who use audio in their blog posts.

If you use audio on your blog, check out Brian’s post.

Read Brian’s post on Copyblogger here.

Let’s play some word association, shall we?

I say “Expert.”  You say: ___________?

I say “Friend.”  You say: ___________?

Here’s how I completed this exercise.

Expert: Authority

Friend: Trust

What’s the point?

I was reading Mark Silver’s Heart of Business Blog this morning.  (Check it out here.) In this post on the expert v. friend role of the the blogger/business owner, he says the following:

“When someone is hurting, it’s easy to go into “expert” mode to try to fix them, because *you* are uncomfortable with their struggle. It’s never fun to watch a client struggle to get a business going when their home is at risk of foreclosure, or to struggle with illness when their life is on the line.

When you find [the] acceptance in your heart for their situation, then you won’t be using your expert status to create distance from their pain. And they will trust you more.”

Does it have to be ‘either or?’

When free associating earlier, my responses, at first, seemed separate - disjointed; as if the expert and the friend are two separate entities.  But a true leader can be both expert and friend as Mark suggests.

I think Mark’s point is well intentioned.  It’s also accurate when we think of the charismatic leader of a blog-religion.

Leaders need to be able to inspire followers, but there must be some substance, some inspirational quality within the leader in order for followers to, well…follow.

Leaders aren’t just self-appointed (are you listening, Mr. Limbaugh?), they’re developed over time.  The development often takes years and usually occurs well before anyone decides, “Hey, I think I’ll follow you!”

Leaders of blog-religions should be, in order to be truly effective, both expert and friend.

Mark’s post talks about how to blend the two roles in your responses to readers and in writing your articles and blog posts.

“Expert mode” is just that – a mode.  It tends to create distance between you and your followers.  Being an expert is something entirely different. It’s the state where you always have the welfare of your follower in mind.

Perhaps it’s why gurus, experts, mentors and leaders of all kinds get a bad rap every once in a while.  Perhaps they post first, and think later.  Better to switch that around, don’t ya think?

Have a different opinion? Think I’m all wet?  Please share your comment below!

As you know, I offer a Free eBook on this site that teaches you how to plant and maintain a ‘blog-post-garden.’bino

It’s the method most successful bloggers use to guarantee fresh content for their blogs on a consistently frequent basis.

A Snapshot of My Garden

Even though it’s totally free (with no-up-sell), some wonder if this is right for them. So…I thought I’d open up my own blog-post-garden and let you take a peek at how it works.

Currently I have 8 blog posts in various stages of development.  Some are just ideas, others are completed outlines. Still some are nearly complete posts while others are long articles that take more time and research.

Here’s what the Dashboard Snapshot of my blog post garden looks like at the moment.

The Secret

The Secret

The real secret to producing a consistent volume of blog posts or articles is walking daily in your blog garden.

Just like any other garden, if you don’t plant seeds, water them occassionally or transplant them when they ripen, you efforts will be for nothing.

Blog Post Bounty teaches you, in only 6 brief pages, how many successful bloggers provide their readers a bounty of fresh content year round!

Don’t your readers deserve the same?

To get your free copy of Blog Post Bounty, click here!

photo credit: Kapungo

Today’s Brief: ‘More Comments.’

Darren Rowse of ProBlogger.net has another set of suggestions designed to generate more reader comments.

Worth checking out by clicking here.

Whereas George W. Bush operated in a more formal mode -insisting on a coat and tie in the oval office and even locking Secretary of State Colin Powell out of the Cabinet Room when Powell showed up 3 minutes late to a meeting- President Obama operates in a less formal manner.

Obama often is seen in a shirt and tie, allows for late arrivals at meetings, and doesn’t have to have a script in front of him when facing the cameras.

Aloha Zen Some have called Obama’s style more of an ‘Aloha Zen.’ I liked that term as soon as I read it. And it brought to mind some thoughts about blogging. (How’s that for a segue?) Is your blog written in a more formal style making it more like Dubya?  Or is it less formal and more Obama-like?

Is there a definitive style that’s best? In a word, no. It depends on a few factors:

1. Your target audience -  If you’re writing a finance blog for MBAs at Ivy League firms on the East Coast, a formal style is probably best for your audience.  If your blog is about iPods or the latest Macs and your readers are Silicon Valley Mac purists, I’m guessing a formal style probably won’t work that well.  Shed the tie and roll up your sleeves and get jiggy wit’ it!
2. Your own personality - Just as each President adopted the style that best suited his personality, so too, should you adopt the blog style that best suits your personality.  I tend to be less formal as a rule because that’s my personality. I abhor wearing a tie (hated every minute I had to wear one as a college Dean and President). I much prefer ‘Baz’ than Barry and humor over a lack thereof.

Is your blog written in a certain style?

Does it support the overall theme of your religion? Are you more formal or somewhat less? If you’d like to leave a comment about what works best for your blog, I’d love to hear from you.