Stuart Bell

Ep102: Lockdown Living with Laura Bruce

May 2nd, 2020  |  46 mins 48 secs

Today on the Book More Show, I'm talking with Laura Bruce, one of our authors from New Zealand.

Laura is the type of person to grab hold of the current situation rather than retreat from it. She's lived in several countries, she's helped many people professionally across her carer's and with the current situation, she grabbed hold of the idea of publishing a book to help people who are struggling to find things to do, a month into the lockdowns.

As you'll hear, this wasn't a book designed to change the world, she didn't really have a specific intent or next step for readers, she just wanted to get something helpful out there, and the impressive thing is how quickly she followed up on the idea.

This was a great conversation because although she didn't write this book with a mind to more business, our conversation turned to all the ways she can leverage the asset she now has, and create opportunities to promote her PR company and their services, as small businesses get back on their feet.

The great thing is, this all happens in addition to the original intent of just helping people. But by also looking for ways to bridge this book into other speaking gigs, media opportunities, or even just content for her email list, she has the opportunity to maximize the work she's put in.

I really enjoyed the conversation with Laura, and the ideas we got to are applicable for everyone as we look to engage new customers as the lockdowns hopefully draw to a close.

The next few months are critical to all our businesses, and finding a way to start a conversation with future customers today will take you many steps closer to new business tomorrow.

Ep101: Finding Opportunity

April 18th, 2020  |  42 mins 18 secs

Today on the Book More Show, I'm talking with Betsey Vaughn about the opportunity to engage people in the current moment.

There are unprecedented challenges as we all get used to today's 'new normal,' but in these changes are opportunities to be a leading voice and add value to those who could benefit from your knowledge.

It doesn't have to be earth-shattering insights. People still are still looking to buy flowers, run their business, or plan for their retirement, but NOW is a unique time to share your ideas and start a conversation, especially if you consider and write based on how the current situation is impacting your readers.

We talk about some great examples in today's show, and no matter what business you're in, something will resonate and focus your mind on finding your opportunity.

Ep100: Special Cause of Variations

March 28th, 2020  |  33 mins 19 secs

Today on the Book More Show, we’ve got a great podcast catching up with Dean Jackson.

This is a special episode for a few reasons. First, it’s always great to have Dean on the show ;) second, it’s episode 100 and milestones like that are always important, and third and most importantly, we are in some special times at the moment. With people coming to terms with the current ’normal’, it’s a great opportunity to look at what we think will be some of the permanent changes to come from this situation, and what we can do now to be ready for it.

As people are forced to adopt technology like Zoom, Google Classroom, Slack in a way they could avoid before, it overcomes the resistance to change, and for those situations where a virtual option is more convenient, it’s likely these will be the changes that stick.

Taking note of how you as a business owner and customer, overcome social distancing, looking to see how others are putting out content to engage virtually, can uncover huge opportunities and ways to streamline how you connect with people.

Necessity is the mother of invention at the moment, and while some things will get back to the way they were, many others won’t, and for every problem that causes, it will be an opportunity for others.

Without doubt, there are more challenges ahead, but as we move forward, be on the lookout for these special cause variations.

Ep099: Socially Distant Virtually Connected

March 21st, 2020  |  39 mins 30 secs

Today on the Book More Show, Betsey & I talk about how things look, a week into the rolling lockdowns.

As we talk with clients across the country, we’re getting an insight into how the physical restrictions affect the way people engage with customers, but we’re also starting to see all the amazing ways people are stepping up to provide help, content, and entertainment to people as they spend more time at home.

Depending on where you are in the country (or the world for that matter, with the UK & Florida now just announcing some of the same closures we’ve had in PA), you’ll be on different parts of the curve, both as a consumer & a business owner. The thing that appears very likely for everyone though is at some point you’ll need to deal with your physical location closing.

So, taking a note from the serenity prayer, in this episode, we look to accept the things we can’t change and make a plan for those we can.

There are some great examples of people finding amazing ways to keep in touch with clients and potential customers, so we talk about ways of both dealing with the present, and positioning yourself for when everything returns to ‘normal’.

Some challenging times ahead. Stay safe. Be helpful.

Ep098: On the edge of effectiveness with Sam Altawil

March 14th, 2020  |  48 mins 6 secs

Today on the Book More Show, we're talking with Sam Altawil from just outside Sacramento, California.

Sam is the author of On the Edge of Effectiveness, a book dedicated to helping individuals and organizations make the most of their HR capabilities, and I really wanted to get Sam on the show to talk about why he wanted to write his book, and his experience almost a year later.

His is an interesting book because he doesn't have a specific commercial intent. Rather than having a specific product or service to promote, Sam's goal was to share the knowledge he has and help people avoid some of the mistakes he's seen.

It lead to a great book, very authentic in its message, and now he's in a position of wanting to add more value, having received feedback from the first version being out in the real world.

We had a great conversation about how to best do this while keeping in mind one of the Book Blueprint mindsets of Beneficial Constraints. How can we best include the information most valuable in the book, and provide a way for people to continue the journey, without the usual lead model of guiding someone toward a specific outcome?

I really enjoyed this call. Sam's passion for his subject comes through in everything he does, and this conversation about adding the right value to the pages, and having the right information elsewhere is very useful to everyone, whether you have commercial intent or not.

Ep097: Avoiding the Production Trap

March 7th, 2020  |  41 mins 48 secs

Today on the Book More Show I'm talking with Betsey about an issue that's come up a lot recently, people underestimating how much time and effort is involved with doing the production work of creating a book yourself.

Getting your words onto a page is something everyone has some experience of. We all write emails, documents, letters, reports, so it's easy to think that laying out a book falls into this same category.

The reality is the level of detail required to satisfy your ideas, as well as the technical print and production requirements, can be a challenge to the most skilled Word-smith, let alone trying to do it yourself.

We often find that people come back and talk to us months or even years later, having wanted to take the DIY route, but running into the production details that can slow down the most well-intentioned author.

So, in this episode, we're hitting two main points: The 'Who Not How' approach of concentrating on the most valuable assets, your knowledge and time, and for those who only have resources for the DIY approach, we'll go through some tips for making it as painless as possible.

There is something for everyone here and some encouragement that there are quicker ways of getting your idea out there.

Ep096: Relationships for Keeps with Mike Mack

February 22nd, 2020  |  42 mins 28 secs

Today on the Book More Show, we have another of my favorite types of podcasts as we get to with one of our authors, Mike Mack.

You might recognize Mike's name because he's both written a book and has been a guest on the podcast before. So today he's back having just published a second book with us, Relationships for Keeps, and if you follow us on Facebook, you might have seen a video I shot as the book launched in towards the end of last year.

This is a really great episode. Mike has some fantastic insights into not only the creation process, but how he's using the book and, not surprisingly, how it's amplifying the relationships he has.

If you listened to the previous podcast with Mike, you'll remember relationships are key to how he builds his business and the framework or lens through which he views things. It comes across both in the tone and friendliness of the way he speaks, and in the steps, he takes to nurture those relationships and really add value at every stage.

It's not only the subject of his book, but that's really what all of our books are about.

Giving value to start a relationship and then build a journey, a follow-up that educates and motivates people towards the next step.

There is a lot to take away in this episode.

Ep095: Conversational Syndication

February 2nd, 2020  |  33 mins 31 secs

Today on the Book More Show, I'm talking with Dean about two great subjects. The opportunity to syndicate your book and the art of conversational conversions.

If you run a coaching group, generate leads for people, run a sales team, or anything where your success depends on other people's sales, then the opportunity to create a book that other people can use is a huge advantage.

We know that for most people, the idea of creating a book is beyond what they are willing to do. Even with a simple process like ours, it's just not something they think about. Know how straightforward a book can be to create, you can leverage that 'willingness gap' by essentially doing it for them, and benefitting from the conversations they're able to start.

We finished by talking more about those conversations and the opportunities for conversational conversions.

If you're looking to convert someone into a customer, there are really only two times; now or not now…

Once someone asks for a copy of your book, it's your ability to create a conversational conversion that will take someone to that next step.

Another great episode.

Ep094: Building Your Team

January 18th, 2020  |  44 mins 14 secs

Today on the Book More Show I'm talking with Betsy, and we dive into what turned out to be a pretty interesting episode, using a book to build your team and their success.

First, we looked at building your team itself using a book. We used real estate as an example. It's an industry where staff turnover can be relatively high. Agents have the freedom to move to any brokerage, so how can you use a book to attract the best agents, and set the tone, and communicate the values of your organization once people join.

We then looked at using a kind of syndication model, internally rather than externally, to help your team engage more clients.

As the business owner, you're in a great position to write the most effective lead generating book. You have the knowledge, experience, and authority to get it done. You also have the opportunity to amplify its reach by putting the team member's name on the front rather than yours.

At the end of the day, you're interested in the business being as successful as possible. If that goal is helped by the team using your book, with their name, to engage clients and start a conversation, that's a win.

So, lots more examples in this episode.

Ep093: Transforming Smiles with Jason & Denise Henderson

January 11th, 2020  |  29 mins 24 secs

Today on the Book More Show, I'm very excited because we have another author interview to share with you. I just finished talking with Jason and Denise Henderson, dentists with practices in Palo Alto and Tahoe.

Their patients are slightly different. There's a different demographic, and they specialize in different procedures, but the book they created addresses one of the common problems across all patients.

We often talk about this question of 'What's the common question in the minds of your potential customer?', something you can help with, or help them overcome. Well, this is what Denise and Jason have done. Their book helps people start to overcome any anxiety they may be feeling, by talking about their practice, their approach, and helps set the scene for how their practices operate and what people can expect.

Your book won't 'cure' someone, but it can put people's minds at rest, and it lets them peek behind the curtains a little bit, so there are no surprises, and it starts to build a level of comfort, enough for people to take the first step.

I talked with Jason first and then Denise, and it's great to hear both their perspectives on what the book provides, how it's being received, and their take on the responses they've already got.

Ep092: Tell People About Your Book

January 4th, 2020  |  46 mins 54 secs

Happy New Year, and welcome to another episode of the Book More Show.

We're starting 2020 by diving a little deeper into some of the basics steps everyone should be doing to promote their book, and though some of these may sound familiar, it's surprising how easy they are to overlook.

The New Year is a time to reflect, and sometimes be surprised by how fast the last 12 months have gone, and this episode, in part, was sparked by a conversation Betsey had yesterday when someone who worked with us last year asked for tips to 'do more' with their book, but who had yet to put some of these simple steps in place.

So often we're looking for a secret, but the great news is, the simple things can get you a lot of the way.

We wrapped up by talking about a few examples of when to use additional material in your book; something that can often trip people up, and a timely reminder that New Year is a great time to seek out the people who will be talking about, and interested in, the thing your book will help them with.

So, a great show to start the year. I know we're excited about the year ahead and working with you to get more books created, and more conversation started.

Ep091: What we saw in 2019

December 29th, 2019  |  34 mins 9 secs

Today on the Book More Show, I caught up with Dean to do a kind of year in review of 2019.

We're recording in the break between Christmas & New Year, so it was a great opportunity to pick his brain, and look at the trends that have changed, the things were still pretty bullish on, and the experiences we've had, coaching and helping people build their business using a book over the last 12 months.

There are some really interesting insights here, particularly the psychology of how people perceive requesting a book versus taking another action, and knowing this, what we can do to make that step as beneficial as possible.

Ep090: Beneficial Constraints

December 22nd, 2019  |  43 mins 41 secs

Today on the Book More Show, we’re closing in on the end of the year, so I grabbed some time with Betsey to talk about one of the Book Blueprint Scorecard mindsets - Beneficial Constraints.

The end of the year is always a great time to plan for the year ahead, but also to look back & realize how fast the last 12 months have gone!

This idea of Beneficial Constraints looks to help us understand that sometimes less allows us to achieve more, and what are the real and artificial constraints we can use to our benefit, to get a book out there, building our business.

If you want to read along with us and think about your score, then head over to BookBlueprintScore.com and complete your own scorecard.

There is a lot to get from this episode, especially at this time of year as we’re looking down the barrel of 2020, and all it’s possibilities.

Ep089: A Hook For Your Book with Justin Breen

December 15th, 2019  |  41 mins 52 secs

Today on the Book More Show I'm very excited because I had a chance to catch up with Justin Breen, the owner of PR company BrEpic in Chicago.

Justin has a fascinating background as before opening his PR company; he was a journalist for many years. It's this experience that's valuable here because he's very dialed into what hooks people and captures their attention, especially the media.

A book is a great way to do this because it's still seen as 'something different', a way of sharing an idea, but also to put that idea in an interesting context.

Justin shares some great insights into ways to make your book do more, but the main takeaway is the idea that although the information you're sharing with potential customers is fantastic for starting a journey, people are often more engaged when there is a hook.

This can be a personal story or background that creates an emotional connection, and it's especially true when you're trying to get your story shared because the hook is going to give people a reason to talk about you, and an opportunity for you to share your message and encourage people to take the conversation further.

Ep088: BCC's and CTA's

September 14th, 2019  |  48 mins 9 secs

Today on the Book More Show, I'm talking with Betsey about all the great initials… BCC's and CTA's, as we dive into your back cover copy and call to actions.

We've talked about some of these in the past, but it ties in nicely with the show over the last couple of weeks when we looked at your tables of contents and then last week when I spoke with Dean last week about your email followup.

Your back cover copy, and the step you want someone to take next is very specific to the context of how you use your book, so today we have two great examples to go deep into.

If you've ever questioned what the best next steps are, or how to guide and orchestrate people's thinking into an action, rather than just reading for the sake of reading, then this is going to be a great show for you.

Ep087: Engaging Potential Clients

September 11th, 2019  |  29 mins 57 secs

Today on the Book More Show, we have a great episode as Dean and I talk about 'what to do now, your book is complete'.

It's a question we often get because we talk a lot about your book being the first step in the process. In reality, a lot of the engagement you're going to have with people comes from the longterm relationship you'll build.

Not everyone is ready to take action straight away. Staying in touch with people is key to being front of mind, and there, ready to help whenever they are ready to take that next step.

Some great insights from Dean into your email followup, both immediately when someone opts in, and then over the following days. We're always looking to ask the right questions to engage and elicit a response that identifies your five-star prospects — the people who are most likely to want to do business with you.

Don't forget to grab a copy of Email Mastery from EmailMastery.com to dive deeper.