Category Archives: Branding

Maryann Reid – How to Position Yourself as an Expert to the Media

On July 9th, 2012 Susan Violante and Victor R. Volkman spoke with bestselling author and media guru Maryann Reid about how to go from author to media sensation. Maryann Reid is an Award-winning author and entrepreneur who has been featured by countless media outlets including USA Today, Essence, Glamour, The CBS Early Show, and The Wendy Williams Experience. Maryann’s first book Sex and the Single Sister: 5 Novellas was published by St. Martins Press when she was just 25 years old. At that time, Maryann had no idea that a few stories she wrote in her journal would become characters and later become a book. But she quickly learned the power of the media and pop culture influence on publishers and their decision-making.
What is your most popular book and why?
• Do you have advice for authors who have trouble publicizing or marketing fiction?
• How do you coach clients to increase their visibility and attract opportunities?
• Who is your ideal client?
• What are some things authors are doing wrong?
• What is the difference between a buyer and an audience?
• Why should authors work with a coach and what should they look out for?

Maryann Reid

Because of the popularity of HBO’s Sex and The City, Maryann Reid hit the zeitgeist she sold her first book without it being finished. She signed her first book deal with St. Martins and the strong support of a stellar agent.Several books later, Maryann teaches others how they can sell their own books, attract agents and publicity in half the time they would on their own.When her third novel Marry Your Baby Daddy was published, Maryann was able to address a social issue that she cared deeply about and rally a new movement. As a result, she and her books have been profiled in The New Yorker, Newsweek, Oprah.com, NBC Nightly News, etc. for her innovative approach to life and solving its complex issues.

Marry Your Baby Daddy

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Irene Watson – Creating Your Marketing Platform

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On September 1, 2011 Tyler R. Tichelaar and Victor R. Volkman spoke with author and marketing guru Irene Watsonon how authors can generate their marketing platform with a minimum of effort. Irene Watson is the Managing Editor of Reader Views, where avid readers can find reviews of recently published books as well as read interviews with authors. Her team also provides author publicity and a variety of other services specific to writing and publishing books. She spoke with us and addressed the following points:

What is an author platform?
Why does an author need a platform?
What’s the first thing to do to create a platform? (Define Audience)
What is the next step after I define my audience?
Basics of the platform (Brand, Reputation, Connections)
What is the foundation of a platform?
7 steps in creating an author platform.

Irene Watson

Among the many destinations Irene Watson runs includes ReaderViews, First Chapter Plus, Inside Scoop Live, and Review The book Dot Com. Her team produces press releases, media interviews, and book videos just to name a few.
Irene is also author of The Sitting Swing: Finding Wisdom to Know the Difference , co-author of Rewriting Life Scripts: Transformational Recovery for Families of Addicts, and co-author of Authors Access: 36 Secrets for Authors and Publishers.

The Sitting Swing: Finding Wisdom to Know the Difference

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Paul McNeese – Differentiating Your Book From Run-of-the-Mill Genres

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On August 19th, 2011 Irene Watson and Victor R. Volkman spoke with publishing and marketing guru Paul McNeese. Paul spent 27 years writing for radio, TV, newspapers, magazines and in corporate America before retiring to create his own organization. Paul’s new company, OPA Author Services, helps both first-time authors and seasoned professionals to self-publish their materials—in other words, to become their own publishers. In this session of Authors Access, Paul McNeese is with us to offer some thoughts – and perhaps a little advice – on a vital aspect of “branding” for writers and authors

Paul McNeese

In 2008 Paul McNeese re-focused his work and began guiding authors only through the development and production of books and E-books — and then turning his clients over to a consortium of trusted experts he gathered over the years specifically to handle marketing, promotion, publicity and distribution. Even though he limits his personal work to operations that end with the printing or electronic publication of a book, Paul knows that the marketing plan is a vital component of the consultant/client relationship and essential to the success of both books and authors, so he keeps up with all of the new approaches to book marketing and starts every new project by building a plan with each client that will make the transformation from concept to cash register a seamless one.

OPA Author Services

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Jim Bouchard – Promoting Your Book by Being a Media Personality

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On November 4th, 2010 Alan E. Smith and Tyler R. Tichelaar spoke with author, blackbelt, and media access guru Jim Bouchard, about how to develop yourself into a successful personality sought by the media. Jim Bouchard has spoken to numerous companies and organizations including the CEO Club of Boston, the University of New England, , the Association for Consulting Expertise, , and the Boy Scouts of America, to name but a few. He appears regularly on radio, TV and in person sharing his message of excellence, discipline, focus and opportunity. He spoke on a wide range of aspects including:

What does it mean to Think Like a Black Belt?]
What are some of the key characteristics of Black Belt Mindset?
Why is Black Belt Mindset so important in today’s world?
How do you apply Black Belt Mindset to business or personal life?
What exactly is success? Can anyone become successful?
Is this just another “positive thinking” philosophy or “secret?”
What’s wrong with positive thinking?
Do you need to be a martial artist to Think Like a Black Belt?

Jim Bouchard

Martial arts transformed Jim Bouchard’s self-perception from that of drug abuser, college drop-out and failure to success as a professional martial artist and Black Belt. Today Jim tours nationally to teach his Black Belt Mindset philosophy. His second book, Think Like a Black Belt was released in May, 2010. This first book is Dynamic Components of Personal Power.

Think Like a Black Belt

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Tom Wanek – Currencies that Buy Credibility for Your Book

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On October 7th, 2010 Irene Watson and Alan E. Smith spoke with marketing guru Tom Wanek about the six essential ingredients (or “currencies”) to successful marketing Tom Wanek. His book, Currencies That Buy Credibility, teaches the foundation that every smart marketer needs to know in order to craft a believable marketing message. Tom shares his views on marketing and advertising on his blog, MarketingBeyondAdvertising.com. In a wide-ranging discussion, we talked about

What is the book’s primary argument? Why is it important now?
Can money categorically buy credibility like buying ad space?
What was the inspiration behind Currencies That Buy Credibility?
How can fiction and non-fiction authors exploit these currencies?
Any surprising applications of your currencies?
What are the most commonly credibility investments in business today?
What are the key factors that will help marketers cut through the social media clutter and communicate with credibility

Tom Wanek

Tom Wanek is busy worldwide speaker and marketing consultant. Businesses as far away as Australia fly Tom in to fix their marketing and hire him to speak. Tom spent eight years growing his successful retail-clothing store. Dealing with his fair share of growing pains, skinned knees and all. Just like you.. This episode was edited by Victor R. Volkman.

Currencies That Buy Credibility

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