Bridget Engel, author of Guidance to Go, was looking for support to market her book when she met Tamara Monosoff who taught her to view her book and the marketing in entirely fresh ways.
Bridget shared with me how she wanted to connect with her audience at a deeper level—one that brought them back for workshops, retreats and coaching and also helped brand her business.
After hearing Bridget’s excitement about Tamara’s programs, I watched an impressive free webinar and then reached out to find out more. I was so impressed that I became a paid affiliate* — a rare move for me.
Lisa: Would you agree that most authors lack a sustainable model for making money with (monetizing) their books?
Tamara: Yes, most authors pour so much time, love, expertise and hard work into their writing, editing and publishing yet spend almost no time setting up their author “business.” I have now authored or coauthored seven books. I now think very differently about my book launches than when I published my first book.
I start by helping authors make a shift in terms of how they think about their book. Typically, the book itself represents something authors are passionate about. Without minimizing that accomplishment, we need to also see the book as a tool to make money.
Lisa: I agree. Often, when author’s don’t have a monetizing element, the book is not sustainable. They quickly run out of time and money to promote the book and it languishes. Conversely, if they have an income-generating aspect to the project—beyond book sales—then it’s much easier to justify funds for publicity, social media and more. And those income-generating activities also put the authors in front of more potential readers, so the effects can be exponential.
Tamara: Yes. If you’re selling a book, then you’re in business and the only way to build a successful business is to think of it that way. That means that you think through different money-making strategies and create a plan so that you make enough money to fully fund your next passion project and your ideal lifestyle. This way you can keep writing and doing what you love.
It doesn’t matter if you self-publish or go with a book publisher.
It doesn’t matter if your book is in Kindle format or printed copy.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve already launched your book or you’re still writing it. You can position your book to be a bestseller that opens the floodgates to consistent and reliable income…now and for years to come. And, it’s easier than you think!
Lisa: What are some of the ways you help authors create income with their books (monetize)?
Tam
ara: We start generating passive income instantly with the lowest hanging fruit first. For example, many authors don’t know that they can set up an Amazon Affiliate account and use their affiliate while selling their own books! By doing this, they will earn an additional 4% on each book sold that is directly deposited into their checking account each month.
Then we identify other ways to generate income that best fit their interests, comfort and natural advantages such as designing online programs, workshops, webinars, selling associated merchandise, selling advertising, among others that will bring in even more income quickly.
Lisa: You’re a big proponent of using videos in books, either embedded in an ebook or through a scannable upcoming QR code. Can you explain why and how?
Tamara: People are digesting information differently today than ever before. We now expect everyone to market to us as individuals. One simple example, when I place an order on Amazon, without asking, I am instantly shown other items that are similar or related that may also appeal to me. When we shop today we expect to be engaged in ways that are more personal than ever before. Since a book is, at its essence, a product, we must respond to people’s new expectations. Even if we did not aspire to do this, sheer competition makes it necessary so that we can to stand out. There are 4,500 books printed DAILY on Amazon (this does not include Kindle books).
According to YouTube…
— “Every day people watch hundreds of millions of hours on YouTube and generate billions of views.”
— “The number of hours people are watching on YouTube each month is up 50% year over year.”
So, what does this have to do with you as an Author? Everything! Most people have possession of their Smartphones at all times. If you make your book interactive, in other words, link to how-to videos, tips and expert advice within the book, you will be communicating with people in the way in which they are already consuming information. This will give you the advantage over other authors. But don’t wait… because more and more authors are catching on!
Lisa: Can you give an example how you help authors monetize their books differently?
Tamara: In my Author-to-Income Formula™ Training, I teach you how to start monetizing your book immediately. For example, one major opportunity that most author’s miss has to do with how they use the front matter of their book. I teach my authors how to set up an interactive page after the title page of their book. This is prime real estate in the book since most people look at the first few pages when deciding if they want to order it. When you put invitations with live links to a free video series, checklist, blueprint, something of value at the very beginning of the book, you are giving the prospective reader a chance to connect with you immediately. Each of these links should be connected to an Opt-In so that you can begin communicating with them directly. Once they see how generous you are you will build a fan base of people that appreciate you and want to learn–and buy more–from you. This is just one way to generate more income with your book.
Lisa: And in practicing what you preach, you are offering a high value, free webinar for authors, 5 Surpising Ways to Radically Boost Your Income with a Book, which I encourage readers to check out. I attended this program last fall and was super-impressed with these strategies you share.
*Note: It’s rare for me to promote a program as an affiliate. I only do so a handful of times a year–and only when I’m convinced the program is an excellent potential match for the needs of many people in my community. I was so impressed with Tamara’s coaching programs that I did sign up and, in full disclosure, if you sign up for her program using my link, I will receive a commission.
