Are You Really Ready to Contact Literary Agents with Your Idea for Writing a Nonfiction Book to Build Your Brand and Promote Your Business - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Are You Really Ready to Contact Literary Agents with Your Idea for Writing a Nonfiction Book to Build Your Brand and Promote Your Business - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Getting a literary agent to represent you is an essential step toward getting profitably published. Literary agents are necessary to help you get around the gatekeepers at most publishers; most publishers won’t even look at unsolicited manuscripts. A good agent will save you time by knowing which acquisitions editors and publishers are most likely to be interested in your book. In addition, a literary agent will make sure you are published under the most favorable terms possible. Your ONE chance to make a positive first impression But, before approaching an agent to represent you, you should finalize the presentation of your book. Its vital that you dont waste a literary agents time. Literary agents don’t have time to waste dealing with publishing “wannabees” who don’t haveand may never havea concrete book project to represent. To busy agents, dreams don’t make it. If you approach an agent before you’re prepared, you may never be able to contact them again. They’re likely to consider you a “dreamer” and ignore your e-mails and phone calls. Here are some 8 questions to ask yourself before contacting potential agents: 1. Do you have an elevator speech? Before approaching an agent, prepare an “elevator speech” describing your project in the less than thirty-seconds it takes for an average elevator ride. If you can’t quickly explain the essence of your book in a few words, your project probably isn’t ready for prime time. Your elevator speech must answer several basic questions: What is your book about? What is its big idea? Who is going to buy it? Why are they going to buy it? How does it differ from existing books on the subject? Where and how are you going to promote it? Your elevator speech will form the first sentence of the first paragraph of your book proposal, where you attempt to hook the potential publishers interest. If your first sentences dont communicate the urgency of the problem your book addresses, a fresh or unique approach to the problem, and why youre the one individual in the world best qualified to write the book, many acquisitions editors may not even continue reading. 2. Have you chosen a compelling title for your book? The book title is crucial to your book’s success. The title is often your oneâ€"and onlyâ€"chance to make a sale. It must attract the attention of acquisition editors, book reviewers, bookstore managers, web surfers and readers. The ideal title makes a compelling promise to a specific market segment and backs it up with a supporting subtitle that provides elaborates on the promise. Unlike fiction books, which are purchased for pleasure, nonfiction business and self-help books are purchased to solve problems and achieve goals. Few readers buy nonfiction books because they want to read a general textbook; most nonfiction readers have specific problems they want to solve or goals they want to achieve. Successful title techniques include: Alliteration. Repeated consonants, (i.e., hard sounds), create patterns in the readers mind, that help makes titles memorable, i.e., Beautiful Bridges of Baltimore, etc. Action verbs. Verbs ending in ing, i.e., gerunds, imply that action is being taken, i.e., Writing White Papers, etc. Conciseness. The shorter the words, the bigger they can appear on the cover of your book. 3. Have you created a detailed table of contents? Your book’s table of contents must demonstrate your mastery of your topic and your ability to organize and present complex information in a logical sequence. Each chapter title should be accompanied by a brief description of the main points to be covered in each chapter. Note that the chapters in many nonfiction books are organized into sections. Sections make a book appear easier to read by breaking it into a smaller parts. It appears easier to read 3 sections of a book, each containing 4 chapters, than a book containing 12 separate chapters.   The sections also   help readers better understand how to apply the information described in your book. Details count! Your publisher wants to know the expected page count of your book and the number of exercises, tables, illustrations, graphics, and worksheets you plan on including in each chapter. 4. Have you clearly identified whos going to buy your book? Its essential that you demonstrate that there is a reachable market for your book. Strive for urgency. Describe the specific market segment likely to be interested in buying your book. Describe the characteristics of your target market as concretely as possible. Answer questions like: What are the symptoms your book helps solve? How many people share the problem? What are the symptoms, or consequences, of the problem your book addresses? Quantify your book’s market in terms of buying power, willingness to buy books, and its ability to to be reached through associations, blogs, newsletters, or publications. 5. How will your book be different? Why will readers choose your book instead of one of the existing books on the topic? Existing books on the same topic are a good sign, not a bad sign. They prove that there is an market for books on the subject. Your analysis of currently-available books must address issues like: What are the strengths and weakness of existing books? What will make your book more desirable for readers? 6. What are your qualifications for writing your book? This section offers you an opportunity to describe your background and how it contributes to your book. How do your experiences permit you to write a better book than the authors of existing books? Never discount your ability to write a book. Academic credentials are not as important as your proven ability to contribute to the success of your clients and employers. If you have been successful in business, you probably know more than you think you know about the practical aspects of your field than those who have studied it, but never practiced it. 7. How are you going to promote your book? Promotion is your responsibility, not the publisher’s! Your ability to promote your book is as important as your ability to write your book. Start by describing your contact sphere; individuals who you deal with or write for on a consistent basis? What kind of an online presence do you have? Next, list book reviewers and press contacts who can help promote your book. List publications who might run an extract from your book. Research producers who book guests for radio and TV interviews. Discuss your speaking experience and willingness to travel to support your book. Describe how you will promote your book in your blog and on your web site. List authorities in your field who have offered to write a foreword or provide you with cover testimonials. 8. Have you prepared the necessary sample chapters? Prepare twoâ€"three, if you’re a first-time authorâ€"sample chapters and hire a professional editor to fine-tune them. It’s better to show three perfect chapters than a finished manuscript filled with spelling errors. You don’t have to write your whole book before approaching agents. And your sample chapters don’t have to begin with the first chapter, nor do they have to be in sequence. But, they must represent your writing at its best. Because of the importance of sample chapters, many authors work with book coaches or developmental editors to prepare their book proposal and   sample chapters. Conclusion Respect the time of the agents you contact. Agents are busy. To the extent you can sell your book idea as a realistic possibility in thirty seconds and can support your answers with a well-written proposal, a compelling title, and strong sample chapters, you are well on your way to success. After you’ve been successfully published, you may be able to sell a book on just the basis an e-mail. But, for now, you must be fully prepared. Write your way to success If youre interested in writing a book to build your brand and promote your business, visit www.publishedandprofitable.com and get my free, 4-step, Write Your Way to Success report. Subtitles. One of the most popular techniques is to partner a short titles, i.e., Me 2.0, with a longer subtitle, i.e., Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success, that provides additional details. Author: Roger C. Parker, as a “writer who understands design,” and a “designer who understands copy,” can help you create a marketing program based on these skills. Roger has a 20 year record of helping others successfully master and apply the latest technology to marketing challenges.

Resume Writing Tips For 2020

Resume Writing Tips For 2020Resume writing is an essential part of the job search process, but it is important to consider some tips on how to effectively write a resume in 2020. While some of the old-school techniques are still utilized by a lot of professionals, there are also newer, easier and more efficient methods that will help you make your resume stand out in the crowd.Paper resumes are hard to read. People are becoming more accustomed to printed documents, which include glossy photos and detailed information that will allow them to quickly scan over a document and identify specific skills or qualifications that they can apply for the right jobs. The key is to take advantage of today's technology to ensure that your resume is easy to read while conveying information that is relevant and interesting.One simple trick to make your resume more readable is to use bullets. It is very easy to skim over a resume, especially when reading from an eBook, but bullet points are more effec tive and easier to glance over. If you want to make your resume look professional, you should remember to use bullets to make it appear concise and professional.Be sure to list the most important skills that you have. Your skills and qualifications should be prominently displayed on your resume. This will give potential employers the ability to quickly focus on what they need to know about you. It is also recommended that you list these skills on the top of the page so that your resume does not look too crowded.Make sure that the information is as organized as possible. Use all of the formatting features that are available in modern computer programs like Microsoft Word to ensure that the content on your resume appears well organized.Use headings and subheadings. Headings and subheadings allow you to break up your resume into more manageable chunks. Using headings and subheadings in your resume can make it easier to read, and will allow you to see exactly what your content is all ab out without having to go through the entire document.Always keep your resume's eyes on the employer's attention. You want to make your resume stand out so that it gets noticed by employers looking for a job. A good way to do this is to make it easy to read by emphasizing your skills and qualifications.These are just a few of the ways that you can keep your resume looking clean and professional without sacrificing its professional appeal. No matter what your job or career field, it is always helpful to have a well-written resume that is visually appealing. Once you have mastered these tips, you will be able to impress potential employers in an even better way than ever before.

A Recruiters Inside Scoop on Salary Negotiation Tips - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

A Recruiter’s Inside Scoop on Salary Negotiation Tips Here’s a little secret you might not know: Employers hardly ever make their best offer first, and  candidates who negotiate their salary generally earn more than those who don’t. (Click here  to tweet this thought.) Also, very often people who at least attempt to ask for a higher salary are perceived more positively, since they’re demonstrating the skills the company wants to hire them for. Here’s a step-by-step guide to negotiating your best salary yet: Do Your Research Before you go for an  interview, you should  find out what the market rates are for the job you’re looking for. There are salary surveys available online, and if you’re dealing with a recruitment agency, your consultant should be able to advise you on the salary range for the position you’re interviewing for. Also think about what you want from the job, both in terms of the job itself and in terms of remuneration. This will help you appear more self-assured during the interview and salary negotiation process. Don’t Talk Money Too Early You should never ask about a salary during  the first interview. While we all want to earn more when we change jobs, no employer wants to hire someone whose only motivation to change jobs is a higher salary. So, how do you answer the inevitable interview question, “What salary are you looking for?” This is where your homework becomes invaluable. Hopefully, you’ll know the market rates for the type of a position you‘re looking for.  It’s better to give a range rather than a specific number  â€" you don’t want to give a salary that’s perhaps lower than the employer is looking to pay, but you don’t want to price yourself out of the market, either. Emphasize that you’re primarily interested in finding the right job for you, and salary isn’t your main consideration. Believe That You CAN Negotiate In This Economy It’s true that it will be easier in some industries than others. In my experience, salary scales in the public sector are usually fixed, and there isn’t much room for negotiation. When I make offers in my recruitment job, I take into account the candidate’s current salary, the company’s salary range for the position, market rates and also what other team members are earning. If you’ve been selected as the candidate a company wants to hire, and you have some highly sought skills and experience, you’re in an excellent position to negotiate. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask â€" But Don’t Demand, Either Know what you’re worth and don’t be afraid to ask for it.  No one loses a job offer because they ask for something  â€" however, you  can  have a job offer pulled because of the way you ask. It’s important that your request is within the ballpark of the salary range, so avoid giving a specific number until the employer is ready to make you an offer. Remember to be enthusiastic, polite and professional during negotiations. Communicate to your prospective employer through your tone of voice and demeanor that  your goal is a win-win solution. If you’re too pushy, the employer may get the impression that you’re not that interested in the job (or only interested in the money) and withdraw the offer. Keep Selling Yourself As you go through the interviewing and negotiating process,  remind the employer how they will benefit from your skills and experience. Let’s say, for example, that the employer wants to offer $50K, but you’re looking for minimum $57K base salary. Explain how they’d benefit by increasing your compensation. For example: “I realize you have a budget to worry about. However, I believe that with the desktop publishing and graphic design skills I bring to the position, you won’t have to hire outside vendors to produce customer newsletters and other publications. That alone should produce far more than $7K in savings a year.” In other words, justify every additional dollar or benefit you request.  Remember to do so by focusing on  the employer’s needs, not yours. Make Them Jealous If you’re interviewing for other jobs, you might want to tell employers about your offer. This should speed up the interview process. If they know you have another offer, you’ll seem more attractive to them, and it might help you negotiate a higher salary. Ask For a Fair Price You really need to ensure your requests are reasonable and in line with the current marketplace. A few days ago, I spoke to a candidate for an analyst role who’d asked for a salary of $55K â€" $60K. Since all analysts at his level (three years of experience) earn between $35K â€" $40K, this candidate had priced himself out of the process with his unreasonable demands. However,  if the salary offer is below market value, you might want to (gently!) suggest it’s in the company’s best interest to pay the going rate: “The research that I’ve done indicates the going rate for a position such as this is $6K higher than this offer. I’d really love to work for you and I believe I can add a lot of value in this job; however, I can’t justify doing so for less than market value. I think if you reevaluate the position and consider its importance to your bottom line, you’ll find it’s worth paying market price to get someone who can really make an impact quickly.” Negotiate Extras and Be Creative! If the employer can’t offer you the salary you want,  think about other valuable options that might not cost as much. You can look at negotiating holiday days (e.g. if new employees must work for six to 12 months before receiving paid holidays, ask that this restriction be waived.), ask for yearly salary reviews or negotiate a sign-on or performance bonus. Be Confident Remember to use confident body language and speech patterns. When you make a salary request, don’t go on and on, stating over and over again why it’s justified.  Make your request and offer a short, simple explanation of why that amount is appropriate. Finally, it’s a smart negotiating strategy to ask for a few benefits or perks you don’t want that badly. Then you can “give in” and agree to take the job without those added benefits if the employer meets all of your other requests. Ideally, both parties in a negotiation should come away from the table feeling that they’ve won. This is especially true when you’re dealing with salary negotiations. You want employers to have good feelings about the price paid for your services so that your working relationship begins on a positive note. What negotiation tactics have helped you in your career? Share your tips in the comments! Margaret Buj is an  interview and career acceleration coach  who specializes in helping professionals get any job they want at their best ever salary. If you want to find out how recruiters read resumes, why you’re not getting hired, how to sell yourself successfully in a job interview and how to negotiate your best salary yet, you can download her  free “You’re HIRED!” video course.

3 Easy Tips for Career Success Using LinkedIn

3 Easy Tips for Career Success Using LinkedIn I’ve been on LinkedIn for years and think it is an indispensable career tool. This week I attended a LinkedIn webinar hosted by career expert Lindsey Pollak and was reminded of a few areas of LinkedIn that are often neglected. Here are my top 3 tips for LinkedIn: 100% Complete Profile • Fill out your profile to 100% completion. Filling out all sections of your profile makes your professional brand more complete. It will not only provide information about your experiences but also will summarize your brand and list out your specialties. People, including employers, use LinkedIn to research you so put your best foot forward. Claim your Public Profile • Claim your Public Profile as a quick link to add to your resume or your email signature. Make it easy for people to find out who you are and what things they have in common with you. Company Research • Use LinkedIn as part of your company research strategy when preparing for a career search or an interview. When you search LinkedIn, choose Companies from the drop-down and then enter the company name. Not only does it list out information about the company but also showcases current employees and your connection to those employees. What a great place to see both information on the company and the employees of that company. What are your LinkedIn tips? Let me know by posting a comment below.   Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn.

How to Appear Confident When You Arent

How to Appear Confident When You Arent Ever have one of those days where you just dont want to interact with the world? Where you just want to crawl back in bed, pull the covers over your head and stay there all day? You know, the days where your confidence is nowhere to be found and you cant muster up the energy to even appear confident. The worst is when youre actually expected to shine, whether it be for a presentation at work, a long day at school or an interview. The good news is that, as the old saying goes, you can in fact fake it til you make it. Its possible to trick others into thinking you appear confident, just so you can get through the day, sleep it off and wake up invigorated again. How should you go about faking confidence, even when you dont feel up to it? Here are 6 tips for  how to appear confident on those days when youre *so* not feeling it: No One Is Watching You When youre having an off day, it may feel like everyone in the world notices. That woman walking past you on the street totally knows you didnt do your hair right. That guy up there can see that you didnt take enough time to pick out your outfit. Its a good thing this isnt true â€" could you imagine the stress that would be put on your life if everyone was watching? Look, the people you pass on the street only see you once, and theyre so busy in their own heads that its highly unlikely they would notice you, let alone your bad hair day. Talk to Someone The worst person to talk to when youre feeling down is yourself. When youre alone with your thoughts, its easy to feel lost and unconfident. Thats why you should take yourself on a walk and talk with someone. It can be anyone from a street vendor to a customer in line at a coffee shop. These small conversations will ease you out of your head and into the moment. Talking with a stranger gives many people a confidence boost, as well. If you dont feel up to going out, however, you can always turn to friends. Dont be afraid to pick up the phone and chat with an old pal. Even the quickest of talks with someone you love can be memorable and leave you feeling more upbeat. Eye Contact It really leaves an impression on a person when you can make proper eye contact. Dont just look them in the eye when youre speaking, either. You should look at them and listen when its their turn to talk, as well. Whatever you do, don’t look at your phone when talking to someone â€" or anywhere in public, technically. Not only is it rude, but it also makes you a target for low self-confidence. The next time you run into someone, try not to look away when you talk to them. You could practice this when youre having a friendly conversation with a stranger, as suggested in the last tip. Posture Is Power Its a shame that things have stooped low for you, but maybe its because youre literally stooping low as well. Body posture is a key factor in how you feel. Research has shown that slouching causes decreased energy levels. One great way to harness the positive benefits of posture is to strike a power pose. This involves making yourself open and full, taking up more space. Spending a few minutes in a power pose can help you maintain composure and confidence. Most of all, itll help you feel powerful. Here are some examples of power poses: Place your hands on your hips with your elbows out and chest puffed up. Stand with your legs farther apart than normal. Lift your arms over your head and spread them into a V shape. Stand with your hands rest on a table, and lean over the table. Speak Slower When youre nervous, you talk faster. One of the hallmarks of nervous people is shaky, rushed speech. In order to appear confident, you must slow down. Just think about the person youre talking to. If you speak a mile a minute, they wont understand your message as well as you thought. Theres nothing wrong with pausing. It makes you appear more dramatic and it gives you and the person youre speaking to enough time to collect your thoughts. Dress for Success Nothing screams confidence more than wearing an excellent outfit. When you dress well, people perceive you as more powerful. Youve probably heard your friends say that they always feel good when they wear black. Try wearing an outfit with lots of black to feel slick. If youre not really in the mood for the gothic look, just wear your favorite clothes. Youll find that when you look your best, your mind will think so as well. Dressing sharply is enough to put anyone at ease for a while. These tips should give you the confidence you need to power through an off day, and feel your best no matter what life throws at you. What do you think? Share your confidence-boosting tips in the comments! ?? Reply Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. 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What the In-Crowd Wont Tell You About Need Help Writing Resume Free

What the In-Crowd Won't Tell You About Need Help Writing Resume Free So it could be a good concept to get started with familiarizing yourself with several resume businesses that seem to be the most reliable. It's crucial to be critical about resume writing services in order to pick the correct one because obviously not all of these are scams and not all them deliver poor services. When seeking resume assistance from a business, either you came across their site or a magazine or newspaper advert, please be sure you subscribe to the correct support. The Most Popular Need Help Writing Resume Free So once you turn to a company like that you are essentially entrusting a huge portion of your career to someone you have not really met before. To find that precious interview everything must be exactly perfect. Resume writing can sometimes appear a bit overwhelming, particularly for anyone who's just putting together their initial one. So, you're receiving a work from someone with a tall intellect. There are a lot of choices offered for getting help with your resume to guarantee the last draft will receive a second look by employers. If you are searching for an accurate aid to acquire from professional resume writing service, you need to pick wisely. Don't be afraid to seek out expert assistance if you're unsatisfied with your resume. A creative lead typically directs a group of creative workers with a particular goal. The thing about jobs is they are tough to find and particularly if you have a particular dream job envisioned. Most people like to chat about themselves and their jobs and are prepared to offer realistic, and free, advice. Lots of people don't like their present job or career. The expert edge is a critical asset. Therefore, it's important to select a resume type that most fulfills your needs. Sending a resume seems to be a simple task as it is possible to attach the identical CV each time you make an application for work. Selecting t he best resume format is very important because there are lots of components to take into consideration. Our high-quality, but affordable assignment writing help is quite pleased with our professional writers that are readily available to help writing resume work effectively and efficiently to fulfill the tightest deadlines. If you're already acquainted with creative uses of technology, strive for mastery and remain current with the newest developments. Building an impressive dissertation can take some time particularly when you should research about your topic then analyze it to find the information which you need before writing what you've found out. Opportunely, dissertation writing help is only a few clicks away nowadays. A simple resume template is going to be your very best bet. Resumizer free resume creator allows you to preview your resume at any location in the creation procedure. An excellent idea would be to speak with a possible writer of your resume.

The Debate Over Resume Writing 3rd Person

The Debate Over Resume Writing 3rd Person The 5-Minute Rule for Resume Writing 3rd Person What all you will need is getting the assistance from a specialist and EssaysChief is going to be the expert that you seek out. It is possible to discover online writing workshops that cover every facet of writing, for every single skill level. Learn about the three sorts of skills you'll be able to highlight and the way you are able to incorporate them into your resume. To stand a great probability of being shortlisted by means of a recruiter you want to speak their language and present a contemporary up-to-date resume written in a style they are utilised to. It's more inclined to set a reader to sleep than to help anyone get work. Normally, writers are advised to use third person when they're just starting out because it is a bit simpler to get right. The majority of when folks talk about themselves, they speak in the very first individual. The Foolproof Resume Writing 3rd Person S trategy You are able to check the address in internet Maps. Analyze job ads You will see a lot of helpful info on job ads. You do not have to be worried about your personal details that could be viewed, as we handle the matter on a safe network. If you're a worldwide student worrying about your writing skills, there are numerous helpful resources which are available to you. Yes, there is in fact a rule for the style to compose your resume. In most instances, you do not need to share personal details in your bio. Writing in third person may be a very simple task when you get just a little practice with it. There are several different varieties of formats for functional resumes. Resume Writing 3rd Person and Resume Writing 3rd Person - The Perfect Combination You can trust the very best essay help online. At our essay assistance, essays are always delivered in a brief moment. Order top-notch essay at the moment and certified specialists will do their very best to supply yo u with higher quality at affordable price. Sometimes the issue with your essay is just the point of view you opt to write in. If you are searching for top essay writing companies, try out the mentioned above. You essay discover that it's helpful to compose numerous versions of your bio for both skilled and individual purposes. How can you compose an excellent argumentative essay.