Could a Book About Your Company be Worth $1.7 Billion? Building Value Through Publishing

Written by Ray Robinson


"Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) to purchase Clayton Homes for $12.50 in cash per share. Deal worth $1.7 Billion."

From an article inrepparttar Knoxville News Sentinel -- a University of Tennessee professor sent Warren Buffettrepparttar 105773 self-published autobiography of James Clayton as a gift. Less than 14 days after receivingrepparttar 105774 self-published book, Buffett contacted CEO Kevin Clayton, (James's son). After only three conversations, Buffett was expressing his interest in purchasing Clayton Homes. Another short two weeks later,repparttar 105775 deal was in place.

James Clayton was out of town during some ofrepparttar 105776 talks, and not wanting Buffett's name to be floated aroundrepparttar 105777 company's open-air headquarters, he suggested a code name for him: "Mr. Sunshine."

Indeed, he was.

--- The Ultimate Calling Card --- Interested in creating a way to communicate your legacy, build value and credibility, stand out fromrepparttar 105778 crowd, and increase your company's value inrepparttar 105779 market?

How do you getrepparttar 105780 word out about your company? How do you let your clients and investors know that you and your company are truly experts at what you do? Believe me when I sayrepparttar 105781 correct answer has nothing to do with traditional sales and marketing techniques. The real answer? Self-publish a book showing off your firm's expertise, distribute it for free your core clients and trade associations, use it as a sales tool in all your prospecting efforts, and sell it anywhere you can--and inrepparttar 105782 process, hopefully, make your companyrepparttar 105783 ones to turn to when expert information is needed about a topic in your industry.

Your book becomesrepparttar 105784 ultimate calling card for you and your sales staff. A self published book cuts through allrepparttar 105785 clutter that your clients receive from dozens of companies just like yours. Cold calls are are a imeless way of creating sales - but wouldn't they be much more effective if you could have created a lasting impression of your credibility and value in advance? Maybe you'd rather keep sending that "full-color" brochure or cheesy calendar.

Your book is far more than just a marketing expense -- but you might find it easier to budget it as part of your existing campaigns. The ultimate cost of producing your book can vary widely, but it will typically be based onrepparttar 105786 number of pages inrepparttar 105787 book, its trim size and format (for example paperback or hardcover) and how much assistance you need in publishing a book.

Most oftenrepparttar 105788 cost for publishing a book breaks down into two categories -- Publishing Services and Printing Services.

Publishing Services arerepparttar 105789 services involved in creatingrepparttar 105790 files that go torepparttar 105791 printer -- includingrepparttar 105792 design of your interior and cover, any editing or proofreading,repparttar 105793 actual composition ofrepparttar 105794 pages, and more. Costs are almost always regardless of page count and depend heavily onrepparttar 105795 level of editorial assistance needed andrepparttar 105796 degree of "retail" marketing support you want for your book. Most self-publishing companies include some number of books in their packages.

MUG AN AUTHOR DOT COM

Written by Eddie Bruce


There must be millions of thieves behind bars wondering where it all went wrong. Followingrepparttar traditional methods of separatingrepparttar 105772 vulnerable from their valuables like beating up old ladies, burgling homes, etc., more often than not they fell foul ofrepparttar 105773 law. All they really need to do is move withrepparttar 105774 times.

Today, with a criminal mind and a modicum of PC savvyrepparttar 105775 ungodly can dorepparttar 105776 crime without doing time inrepparttar 105777 largely unregulated Internet sector simply by forming a company and setting up a website. The Information Highway is swarming with highwaymen disguised as businessmen and racketeers rejoicing inrepparttar 105778 title entrepreneur, relievingrepparttar 105779 unwary and naïve of their hard-earned possessions. Meanwhilerepparttar 105780 law, ever respectful ofrepparttar 105781 man inrepparttar 105782 suit, hovers byrepparttar 105783 roadside scratching it's head, unable or unwilling to distinguish between villain and victim.

There's a multitude of businesses to choose from. Creativity, orrepparttar 105784 ability to lie glibly, is much more important than acquired skill. Why not try publishing and kill two birds with one stone? If you still haverepparttar 105785 manuscript of that potential best seller,repparttar 105786 one that's frayed aroundrepparttar 105787 edges from bouncing from one slush pile to another - hey, you could be your own first customer!

Know-how is not an essential requirement. Ifrepparttar 105788 old people you mugged in their home believed you were fromrepparttar 105789 electricity company after glancing at a fake ID, trust me, inrepparttar 105790 virtual world you can convince frustrated writers that you'rerepparttar 105791 Second Coming. For Fake ID read Impressive Website and it's a known fact that most people who can string more than two words together believe they "have a book in them." Tell them it's true by offering to give their workrepparttar 105792 chance it deserves and they're hooked! Editing? Isn't that what a PC spell-checker does?

You'll need an accountant and a lawyer, preferably Mafia trained; also a hook-up with a printing house that specialises in print-on-demand (that's like a highly sophisticated PC printer), so you don't have big print runs to worry about. "Sell a few - print a few" is your maxim and be sure to get cash up front. A "no returns" policy means no wastage. Big retail outlets, especially those that are Internet-based, will come running. Use their names in your advertising to impressrepparttar 105793 authors while convincing them that their books will adornrepparttar 105794 shelves ofrepparttar 105795 main bricks and mortar bookstores - they'll love that line.

Your web pages will be selling a dream, so don't letrepparttar 105796 truth spoil your marketing presentation. Tell those would-be authors that you're a TRADITIONAL publisher, and then offer royalties and a dollar up front to "legitimise"repparttar 105797 claim. You can say you'rerepparttar 105798 nation's Number One if you like - an equally meaningless phrase. Let them have two free copies of their own book for review purposes. Add something about sending out reviews then hit them withrepparttar 105799 clincher - ABSOLUTELY NO PUBLISHING FEE REQUIRED. All website promises can be modified later as you see fit.

Now get your hard hat on because you're about to be drowned in a deluge of slush. Sure, there's a danger that you may sign up some writers with real talent (Travis Tea's "Atlantic Nights" - http://critters.critique.org/sting/ -springs to mind ) but don't letrepparttar 105800 thought scare you into reading a complete manuscript. This is a hit and run, mass production operation where quantity rules over quality. Send a standard patronising acceptance. While they're still floating on cloud nine, get their signatures on an airtight seven-year contract and, WHATEVER ELSE YOU DO, make sure they give you get a list of up to 100 of their friends and family members for pre-publication targeting. Because ofrepparttar 105801 prohibitive cover price you will impose, those people could berepparttar 105802 only ones who buyrepparttar 105803 book, besides of courserepparttar 105804 author - your main target - who will have little option but to spend as much as he can afford on bulk-buying his own product for re-sale. These sales don't earn royalties. Soon you will have deprived victims of their prized possessions and all but emptied their wallets, without resorting to violence or attractingrepparttar 105805 attention ofrepparttar 105806 police.

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