When considering how to approach the topic of branding, be sure that you tread carefully. Remember, when you self-publish, you are essentially setting up a business. Whether you choose to publish through a subsidy press or if you decide to go 100% independent, you are still running a business. You are responsible for managing and promoting your written voice in some capacity, no matter the publishing path you choose. This is your time and money that is on the table, so take time to think about how branding is more than a label for your work. Branding is the most important element necessary for any business. When we shop, we are influenced by branding, whether we know it or not. We may look for quality and style, but branding is always affecting our decisions. From buying a vehicle to purchasing clothing, even to your weekly grocery trip, branding is present in a big way.

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Self Publishing presents the savvy author with many unique benefits. In this 2 part video series, Kristen Eckstein, book coach and founder of www.iampublished.com talks you through the benefits and guides you to self publish your book the RIGHT WAY.

If you want to make more money from the backend on your book sales then one simple method is to increase the price of your products, courses and services. If you are selling (for example) information based products with a high ticket then you may wish to make sure you cam handle any price objections that occur.

Here are 3 powerful ways to do this:

1. Ask the person

This is quite a bold approach that can be very effective. In response to someone raising a price concern, you reply:

“Mr Jones we never offer the lowest price in the market. Why do you think that even though we aren’t the lowest priced provider that so many people buy from us?”

The person will then usually reply along the lines of quality, service and so forth. Whatever the person offers as the reason, you respond:

“Mr Jones, you are exactly right and…” and then you can add in any additional reasons that are appropriate and move into re-selling the benefits of your high quality, service etc as described above.

2. Talk the difference

In response to someone telling you that, “You’ll have to do better than that, XYZ offered a similar product me a much lower price!” a method to pursue is:

“Can I ask you how much cheaper?”

On many occasions the person will tell you the price (or perhaps an even lower price than they really have been offered as a negotiation ploy!) and you can work out the difference between the two prices.

Then sell the benefits that the person gets for the difference:

“Mrs Jones, the difference is only £400. For that investment you get…” and sell the benefits that your product and service offers over and above the competitor.

3. John Ruskin

John Ruskin was a prolific writer in the 19th century. I have two of his quotes printed onto cards that I sometimes show to people when they are attempting to haggle over price. The quotations are:

“It is unwise to pay too much, but it is unwise to pay too little. When you pay too much you lose a little money and that is all, but when you pay too little you sometimes lose everything, because the thing that you’ve bought isn’t capable of doing the thing it was bought to do.

The common law of business prohibits you from paying a little and receiving a lot – it can’t be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder it would be as well to add something for the risk you run, and if you can do that you can afford to buy something better”.

“There is hardly anything in the world today that some man cannot make just a little worse and sell just a little cheaper, and the people who buy on price alone are this man’s lawful prey”.

John Ruskin, English art and social critic, 1819 – 1900

Mr Ruskin (God bless him!) has overcome many a price concern with his wise words. Not many people are comfortable with being someone’s “lawful prey”!