Want to avoid the slush-pile and give your book the head-start it deserves? Top publishers and literary agents are receiving up to 1000 manuscripts per week. They reject around 95% of these without so much as reading them. Continue Reading

Increasingly, agents and publishers are asking authors to help with the marketing of their books.

Many writers are taken by surprise when they receive a request for a “detailed marketing plan” – often before an agent has even taken them on.

Don’t be daunted. Treat this as an opportunity rather than a hurdle. Many successful authors draw up a marketing plan before they even start work on their book. Continue Reading

4 Killer Price Objection Handling Techniques

By

Simon Hazeldine

As you negotiate with other people in the course of promoting and selling your books and information products you are almost guaranteed to get people who will quibble about price. I always negotiate so would always expect other people to do ikewise. However, I make sure I have a few killer techniques tucked up my sleeve to maximise my profits. And when you have read this article, so will you!

1. The instant reverse

This very bold (and somewhat cheeky) technique often shocks the other person and overcomes their price concerns. Here is how it works:

John: “That’s expensive!”

You: “John, that is exactly the reason you should take it!”

John will usually look a little shocked and confused at this stage and you continue with anything that sounds logical! E.g

“John, you want the best value at the best price, don’t you? Well you’ll never get a better chance than today!”

2. The trim

With this technique you commence lowering the specification of your product and service to meet the person’s price concern.

“OK Jane , it looks as if I am going to have to trim the specification to meet your price requirement. What aspects of the proposal could you do without?”

The thought of having to lose some of the benefits of your product or service is often enough for a customer to re-think their price concern!

3. The add to

Sometimes the person wants to think they have got a better deal than the average individual (a great opportunity to stroke their ego), and adding something to “sweeten the deal” can satisfy this desire. This does not have to be expensive. Think about what you can offer that has a perceived high value to people but a low actual cost to you.

4. Scratched record

This technique is named after the tendency of the old fashioned vinyl records to jump when the playing surface was scratched and repeat the same part of the song again and again.

With the scratched record technique you just firmly and politely keep repeating your price position and the reason behind it in slightly different ways e.g.

“The price is because the specification meets your needs exactly”

“In order to give you what you really need we need to supply the specification that costs X price”

“I appreciate your point John however this price guarantees our ability to give you the specification that’s right for what you need”

With firmness and persistence you will be able to wear down many price concerns in this way.

Simon Hazeldine is the bestselling author of four business books that have been endorsed by famous business leaders including Duncan Bannatyne from BBC TV’s ‘Dragon’s Den’ and multi-billionaire founder and CEO of Dell Computers, Michael Dell.

Simon is in demand as a keynote speaker; performance consultant and facilitator in the areas of leadership, organisational performance and sales force effectiveness. He has a Masters Degree in the Psychology of Performance and extensive international business experience.

For more valuable information on leadership, sales, negotiation and persuasion including sample chapters from Simon Hazeldine’s bestselling books please visit http://www.simonhazeldine.com

The legendary bookseller, E. Haldeman-Julius was one of the biggest publishing sensations of all time. He sold over a 100 million books during the 1920s – which is an eye-watering amount of sales by anyone’s standards.

In all, he published around 2,000 titles as part of a series called Little Blue Books. What’s particularly interesting is that all the books were packaged in a similar way. They all had blue covers and there was little to distinguish them. Continue Reading

Getting a celebrity endorsement for your book is one of the easiest ways to promote it.

Readers are much more likely to listen to a well-known expert or media personality saying they can’t put your book down. Not only this but a little ‘celebrity’ magic tends to rub off on you.

I’m not saying that you should write to every celebrity or expert you can think of willy-nilly. However, if there is a tie-in with your book, however tenuous, then go for it.

Many authors are reluctant to approach celebrities for testimonials. Don’t make the same mistake!

Celebrities have egos the same as everyone else. And if your book is getting publicity and media attention, this is also going to benefit them.

You may have to approach 100, even 500, celebrities. But you only need ONE to make a massive difference to your book sales. Does it really matter if 499 tell you to get lost, if you get the one testimonial you’re after? What do you stand to lose? Hurt pride and the time it took to write the letter or email!

It’s never been easier to access celebrities via the Internet. Not only can you use search engines like Google to track them down. Many of them also have Facebook and Twitter accounts. Make it easy for them by writing 5 of your own testimonials. When you contact them, point out that they can choose one of your templates if they wish. Anything that saves them time or having to wade through loads of material, will persuade them of your professionalism.

If you’re feeling daunted, then focus on the positive benefits for you and your book. Quotes will boost your book sales and credibility. And think how great you’ll feel when you see those endorsements printed on your book cover.