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This is what Scottish psychologist R. D. Laing says about paying attention to the universal messages:
"The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice. And because we fail to notice that we fail to notice, there is little we can do to change -- until we notice how failing to notice shapes our thoughts and deeds."
Today, feel the energy of the universe talking to you. It is all loving and knowledgable. It is the fuel for all that we need.
Catherine
by Catherine Franz
Step 1: Be a leak-er. The media adores describing events that are “going” to occur. Use it and use it to its longest capacity. Don’t jump out too soon.
Step 2: The Slow Buildup. Like a rose, slow gets more beautiful to people the more it unfolds. It is the way people expect and are comfortable with, respect it.
Step 3: Recruit natural allies to support your launch and buildup. Especially, the enemy of your competitors.
Step 4: Bottom-up rollout. You don’t want to jump up to the roof and yell, people just think you’re crazy. Begin at the lowest rung on the ladder first. Consider each rung a media outlet. Each media creates its own momentum, its own attraction.
Step 5: Listen and Adjust. Be very aware of credible comments and adjust accordingly. Don’t react but do respond.
Step 6: Make message modifications. What attributes are working and build on them. Observe media feedback and watch for media nosebleeds.
Step 7: Patience. Launch occurs after PR has run its course, not before. Have a big D-day planned with a massive approach.
(c) 2004, Catherine Franz. All rights reserved.
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by Catherine Franz
Play a bigger game with your book sales by expanding your audiences at local or nonlocal book fairs, festivals or trade shows. Can't afford a booth or table, rent a space on someone else’s table and volunteer to be back for their book. In fact, rent a corner at various different tables in the same fair or show and triple your exposure.
The place on the net to go to find out what’s upcoming in your area, or an area you want to travel to, is at the Library of Congress’ website: http://www.loc.gov.loc/cfbook/bookfair.html. When you visit, the listings are in alphabetical order or by state. You will find shows for other countries, including Canada,
Australia, and the United Kingdom. International events, including Canada, listings available. Travel for a month, write it off for your taxes, and include several different fairs and shows while you there.
Since I live in Virginia and travel frequently to Washington State, I plan my travel and schedule around these two areas to start.
Virginia
Fall for the Book | Fairfax | Sept
http://www.fallforthebook.org/
Hollins University Annual Literary Festival | Roanoke | Mar
http://www.hollins.edu/news-events/litfest/litfest.htm
LAUGHS: Loudon's Annual Unforgettable Gigantic Hilarious Storyfest
http://www.laughsfestival.org/ | Sterling | June
Newport News Celebrates the Book | Newport News | Oct
http://www.newport-news.va.us/library/
Virginia Book Festival http://www.vabook.org/ |
Charlottsville | Mar
Virginia Storytelling Alliance Gathering | Glen Allen | Mar
http://vasa.communitypoint.org/archives/events/vasa_gathering_2004_call.html
Washington
Bellingham Storytelling Festival | Bellingham | Nov
http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~rvohs/storyfestival2001.html
Bumbershoot http://www.bumbershoot.org/ | Seattle | Sept
Forest Storytelling Festival | Port Angeles | Sept
http://www.dancingleaves.com/storypeople/forestfestival/index.html
Northwest Bookfest | Seattle | Oct/Nov
http://www.nwbookfest.org/
If you prefer to view the list by date, visit:
http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/bkevents.html.
The National Book Festival, Washington DC, an extremely large event, held every October on The Mall. For more information: http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/natl.bk.fest.html.
Take a few minutes, visit the Library of Congress’ web site, and find the ones that fit into your schedule and location. Get bold and stand out, do book signings at Wine Festivals too (no matter what your topic).
Continue reading "Sell Your Book At Book Fairs, Festivals & Trade Shows" »
By Catherine Franz
Success is a journey and along the way we need to correct our course by unlearning the behavior that derails us and invite in a new behavior to continue our success. If you feel you want to change your success, take a measure of your current key behaviors.
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Listening
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Listening is not a passive activity. It is unfair to the person who is speaking to have a person there in body but not in mind. Just because we are the person being quiet does not mean we are listening. As a listener we must be in the present and taking in the speakers message in the proper context. It's not the time to be thinking about what to have for lunch or your next witty comeback. Be fair to the speaker and have a clear and open mind.
Active listening requires us to set aside our own agenda, uses our best internal language skills, and takes present energy. The best gift to yourself and your speaker if the energy isn't available is to say so. Yet, due to the perception management masks we've learned from society, we don't usually provide this honest feedback. So, we
passively listen, like pretending as a child to hear, and say something quick, something we think they want to hear, just so we can move on.
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Choice
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The Power of Choice is the energy we send out and is exactly what the Universe sends us back. No choice is a choice too. I believe that we are where we are today because of the accumulative effect of all our choices. We made thousands of choices each day and we control our lives by those choices. Having the ability to choose equals power. When we don't choose, you give someone else the ability to make choices for you, whatever they may be, and you give up any possible power with it. Once you realize you have the power of
choice, life happens for you, not to you!
Feel your power. It is a powerful resource to success.
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Internal Dialogue
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All day long, everyday, we talk to ourselves. Sometimes we even talk to ourselves out loud. When we talk to ourselves what we are really doing is giving commands to our subconscious mind. The subconscious mind is a very powerful tool and it can carry out its orders efficiently and effectively.
We've been listening to ourselves talk for so long, we have just learned to hear past it. The noise of our inner dialogue can usually and only be hear if its screaming or if someone points it out.
This discussion is telling us what we need, how we want it, and what we will and will not do in order to get it. We assume, we don't know what we want, until we begin to listen. Until we begin to stop long enough to ask what it is that our internal dialogue wants or needs.
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Success Begins Here
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These are the three toughest keys to behaving our way to success. Are you listening to yourself? Are you listening to people who are already successful? All excellent questions to ponder on from time to time. To check in with our self frequently to see where we stand on them. They are keys that are continuously evolving as we mature and actually will not stop. They require gentle nudging, gentle
understanding, gentleness all around.
(c) Copyright 2003, Catherine Franz. All rights reserved.
Catherine Franz, a eight-year Certified Professional Coach, Graduate of Coach University, Mastery University, editor of three ezines, columnist, author of thousands of articles website: Hosts: The Abundance Center
And also publisher of this blog!
by Catherine Franz
A seasoned networker knows the real meaning of networking – being organized, efficient, effective, and, of course, work the event to its fullest. Attending networking groups after so many years can tire and drain anyone’s excitement. Especially since these situations are not social events. It is easy to have one foot in the event and the other some place else. A major challenge for all networkers is to be there with both feet.
What propels someone to advance networker? Is it the number of events or the number of years they attend? No. Is it the delicate balance and expertise on how they work the event? Yes.
Here are nine techniques that raise networkers skill level:
1. Business cards. If you are networking for a new job or career, there is nothing inappropriate about having a business card with a tag line of what type of job or company you are seeking.
Basic networkers learn that wearing an outfit with two pockets is important for the business card shuffle. Advance networkers think of those pockets as their in-box and an out-boxes.
Aware networkers hand business card exchanges differently. They don’t ask for the card until they know something about the person’s functionality and there is a match. No match, no card. When you receive someone’s card; receive it gently with both hands, stop and read it. This shows respect. Respect to who they are and what they do.
Present your card exactly the same way you receive a card. Present with both hands and the card’s information facing the receiver. Extend your card, with eye contact, and wait for them to receive the card. To present and receive in this manner, both hands need to be free.
Keep a pen handy, in the out-box pocket with your own cards, for writing tidbits on the back. Doing so is also a physical queue that is your pocket in case you forget. In-box, left pocket, is for other’s cards. If you are left-handed, the boxes are opposite.
Never apologize for your business card. At the last six events I attended, there were at least four people that were apologizing for either not having a business card, or for some error on their card. When this occurs you have zapped your personal power. It sends a signal that you aren’t ready to do business. Even quickie inkjet business cards and better than an excuse.
If you don’t have any business cards or ran out, I recommend skipping events until you do. Don’t say you don’t have a card, use this other technique: ask if you can call them and schedule the time then. Advance networkers are ready to schedule an appointment right then. Generally seasoned networkers toss any business card if presented with an excuse.
By Catherine Franz
I conducted a survey for my own upcoming book signings. Afterwards I realized the wealth of insight it had given me. I thought I would share it with a wider audience, along with my thoughts. The results were conducted in-person from people who attended book signings at Borders book store, Arlington, Virginia, between January 2004 and September 2004. A total of 325 people completed the survey.
Here is their response to one of the questions: Why do you go to book signings?
If you are wondering how this can help you in marketing your book. These 10 items are extremely important. They tell what authors need to give to their audience in order to increase their books sales and to connect with the audience. When you know what you audience wants, what they expect, the guessing fades and transforms into a great book signing event.
10 Reasons Why People Attend Book Signings
1. People desire to be acknowledged for taking their time to come – by you, the store, and others that came. Participants who have either already read the book, come to meet other like-minded people. They have a social intention and you need to give it to them. Most book signings don’t have any social aspect to them so create one. When you include ways, you will definitely increase sales. People want connection, they don’t want to be ignored. Get them to talk to the people around them. Introduce one person you just met to the next person to them. There are many techniques or create some of your own. A seasoned author learned to do this over time. Learn to do it sooner.
2. Curiosity. People are normally curious about authors and how they write, or how they got their book published. Tell them about your journey with all this. For the wanta-be or gonna-be writers there because their vision includes what you are doing, give them that feedback. It creates immediate connection. Even if they didn’t come not to buy your book, usually they will change their mind, just because you settled their curiosity.
Continue reading "10 Reasons Why People Attend Book Signings" »
Wow, there is a ezine for everything it seems. One of my articles, "A Writing Exercise That Increases Awareness And Descriptive Skills" was published in the October issue of Ezine Ezone, The Learn English Magazine.
Lynne Hand is the publisher of this U.K. publication. If you would like to subscribe or find out more information:
Learn English - http://www.learnenglish.de
Learn English Online Free Lessons - http://www.learn-english-online.org
Learn English Forum - http://pub238.ezboard.com/blearnenglishonline
I highly recommend checking out this ezine (link below) if you teach English as a second language or even want to learn language from another angle.
I loved the comparison article Lynn has in the October issue about the differences between American spelling and the U.K. spelling of words. To read...see the link below.
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