Personally delivered to you by Steve Lindhorst, author of
"Selling on 'the River', Wanted! Frustrated Readers,
and "The Niche Book"
As this economy keeps sputtering along, we're all looking for ways to keep groceries on the table - myself included. I've been distracted lately by several things, including news that a close (and young) member of my wife's family has inoperable cancer, and my own diagnosis of Adult ADHD. Despite things like these, we have to keep working, and keep trying to make things work. It's times like these that I feel like punching a clock would be easier than keeping my own things going. On the other hand, thanks to working for myself, I can spend more time with my sick relative.
You may think you're just a name on my big email list. Trust me, my list is not that big and I want you to know I really appreciate my readers. I don't want to get too personal about my relative, out of respect for her. But hearing the news this weekend has shaken us a bit. I know our family is about to embark on a journey - and I hope you'll bear with me as we go forward.
On to the newsletter...
In This Issue
- The One Thing That Always Works
- Improve Your Online Sales with this Free eBook
- Advanced Selling on 'the River'? (Please VOTE in the Poll)
1. The One Thing That Always Works
That title probably got your attention. We're all looking for a sure thing. The fact is, you've probably been told what it is already.
My newest ebook, Wanted! Frustrated Readers is all about that one thing. It's not just another ebook about writing ebooks. It's talking about giving people what they want.
People want clear information. They will pay for it. Amazon's help system was so difficult for prospective sellers to understand, I wrote Selling on 'the River.' eBay was so confusing to new sellers, Marsha Collier has written several eBay for Dummies books. These books sell quite well, and since I own my product - it's profitable.
So what is that thing that always works? Give people what they want. If you give them what they want, they will be happy. Provide step-by-step instructions for people to use a website, navigate a bureaucratic maze, or solve a thorny problem. Any time you find people who are frustrated, you already know what they want - relief.
My new ebook teaches you how to find people who are frustrated due to poor communication, or poor instructions. How do you help them? Find the answer to what's frustrating them and write down what you find. Create an ebook. Then let people know about your ebook.
I'm telling you, I am proof-positive that creating a couple of ebooks can turn you around. If you think you can't because you're a simple person - you should think again. Simple people, with plain-spoken language is what buyers want.
Take a look at the following technical terms - and their interpretations.
1. A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT APPROACHES ARE BEING TRIED = We are still clueless.
2. EXTENSIVE REPORT IS BEING PREPARED ON A FRESH APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM = We just hired three kids fresh out of college.
3. CLOSE PROJECT COORDINATION = We know who to blame.
4. MAJOR TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGH = It works only so so, but looks very hi-tech.
5. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IS DELIVERED ASSURED = We are so far behind schedule the customer is happy just to get it delivered.
6. PRELIMINARY OPERATIONAL TESTS WERE INCONCLUSIVE = The darn thing blew up when we threw the switch.
7. TEST RESULTS WERE EXTREMELY GRATIFYING = We are surprised that the stupid thing works.
8. THE ENTIRE CONCEPT WILL HAVE TO BE ABANDONED = The only person who understood the thing quit.
9. IT IS IN THE PROCESS = It is so wrapped up in red tape that the situation is about hopeless.
10. WE WILL LOOK INTO IT = Forget it! We have enough problems for now.
11. PLEASE NOTE AND INITIAL = Let's spread the responsibility for the mistake.
12. GIVE US THE BENEFIT OF YOUR THINKING = We'll listen to what you have to say as long as it doesn't interfere with what we've already done.
13. GIVE US YOUR INTERPRETATION = I can't wait to hear this nonsense!
14. SEE ME or LET'S DISCUSS = Come into my office, I'm lonely.
15. ALL NEW = Parts not interchangeable with the previous design.
16. RUGGED = Too heavy to lift!
17. LIGHTWEIGHT = Lighter than RUGGED.
18. YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT = One finally worked.
19. ENERGY SAVING = Achieved when the power switch is off.
20. LOW MAINTENANCE = Impossible to fix if broken.
You could be the person supplying the interpretations. If you can see the humor in the above examples, you have all you need to pick a topic, learn more about it, and write an ebook. Think of some possibilities and check out my new book at: www.FrustratedReaders.com
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2. Improve Your Online Selling
No matter if you have your own website, or if you just write an occasional product description, you will need sales copy. To help you, I want to give you an ebook that I found to be helpful. I don't follow every single word in this book, but there are a lot of good principles to follow.
The author talks about fonts, wording, and colors among other things. Rather than rambling on about it - you can see for yourself here: Sales Letters for Newbies.
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3. Advanced Selling on 'the River'?
You know where I said all that stuff about giving people what they want? Well, I've begun putting together an advanced version of Selling on 'the River'. It's just in outline stages right now, but I'm pretty excited about it. It will include a lot more things about growing your business on Amazon and using the more advanced features they provide. I have lined up a few really big sellers to share their wisdom as well as some really good tips.
My question though is this: Am I the only one that thinks this would be helpful? Would you like to see an advanced version of Selling on 'the River'?
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Steve,
I look forward to your new book about selling on the river.
And thank you for telling us about the illness in your family.
Remember – Jesus loves you and is still healing and doing miracles today!
My prayers are with you.
Margaret
My sympathies to your and your wife’s family. I have lost both parents, my only sibling and my husband to cancer. When the time is appropriate, hospice care is wonderful and I highly recommend it.
How were you diagnosed with ADHD? I suspect I suffer from it!
Sometimes when someone is told they have cancer it is quite a blow. It happened with my mom. She was told she had cervical cancer in her 50′s and would need cemotherapy. My dad talked to several people at the church and decided to get another opinion. He got a new doctor who felt cemotherapy was not needed. She is now 82. We thought we might lose her last year with the flu and a severe infection. She pulled through that and this year the whole family is getting together for christmas. Never give up hope.
I would like to see a advanced selling on the river. I actually just went back and used the link to paypal to print shipping as I am getting tired of going to the post office. I can drop it off so much easier! I am growing a book business slow and steady and appreciate the advice I get along the way. Yes I am in for a new book.
We will keep your intentions in our Rosary. I am interested in trying my products on Amazon. Think it would be worth the time? I would like a copy of the new book. Could you put some email examples for thanking people, and increasing their chance of return visits to our sites. Thanks and Appreciate any input. Bob
Hi Steve,
Just wanted to A) thank you again for all the work you put into this newsletter & your books, & B) let you know that the thoughts of all of us are with you & your family. I liked H. Kushner’s “When Bad Things Happen to Good People” when my boyfriend got lymphoma & died in a matter of months at age 25…I’m not religious, but it was very helpful in coping with a disease/death that seemed so unfair. Best of luck to you & yours!
My interest towards an advanced version of Selling on River would depend on what will be in it.
My experience with the original version fell short of full satisfaction, even if I was able to realize that the book itself is well written and very informative. I stopped reading when I learned that Amazon.com is strictly about USA residents. I tried Amazon.ca only to learn that they have little or no interest with new customers.
Here are a few examples of information that I would be interested in:
1- Where can you possibly get information on the value of the things that you want to sell?
2- Where can you get information on what has sold on amazon? What books for instance? At what price?
3- If I can’t find a way to sell on amazon.com, could I partner with someone else who is already there. Any possibilities of joint ventures?
If you have information on those specific topics, let me know where and I’ll go along.
Concerning health, and life itself actually, I have learned that whenever you realize that a health problem is irreversible, you receive a terrible blow. The very word CANCER, when it is directed at you or at someone close to you, represents the equivalent of a death sentence. We’ve all heard that word hundreds of time; but it was always meant for someone else. The first time that it is tagged to you always represents a terrible shock. You learn then that you are not invulnerable, contrary to what you always thought before.
Believe me, you learn to live with that. You learn to appreciate life one minute, one hour, one day at a time. I know, I’m a survivor of cancer myself.
Best wishes
Steve,
I have yet to read the entire newsletter, but I did read the part about your wife’s relative and your own struggles with adult ADHD. I’m so sorry to hear about her illness, but keep the faith. I do continue to believe in miracles. And I can 100% completely empathize with the ADHD, which I have as well. One of those things about ADHD is that, we are interested in SO many things and going off in many different directions all at once…..that it is hard to focus and get something that another person would find easy to accomplish!
I also wanted you to know that you were the inspiration for me both starting to sell on eBay again (although not THAT much) and Amazon as well. Although I haven’t sold that much even on Amazon, you opened up my eyes to how much things have changed there since the last time I sold there! So before I distract myself (again!), let me thank you!
As if I didn’t have enough on my plate to tell to try to earn some money, the other day I signed up to sell Avon again. I sold that as far back as 1984, 1999 and things have really changed there too! (So if you appreciate the “tip” if you want to sign up, I would certainly be grateful if you would let me sign you up!) It can now be done totally online. I told the manager I used to sell the Avon stuff on eBay in 1999! Which is now not allowed, but they give you your own website and it really is a no-brainer!
(BTW, Suze Oreman is endorsing Avon as a way to attain financial and life freedom! And there are people making some very very serious money doing this!)
I really liked how you said that your readers were “not just another name on a list.” That made my morning! It makes me want to help you achieve your goals (and promote your books, with their vital information for online sellers.
Take care and I hope you have a great day!
Maria Keller
Hi Steve,
More Amazon training is 100% yes with my vote! Ha! Our prayers are with you and your friends and family. I am raising two grandsons with ADHD and once we got the right medicine they are top students and feel great. Best wishes!