| Re-Purpose to E-Purpose is rather like making a silk | | | | solves their problem? |
| purse from a sow's ear. Those with the right talent | | | | How does someone who doesn't like to write, doesn't |
| can make a great purse. The rest will just have a | | | | want to write and doesn't have the time or talent to |
| fancy pig ear to show for their work. | | | | write end up with an e-book and audio book as a |
| Most people don't like to write, don't want to write, | | | | marketing tool for business? They can do what more |
| don't have the time to write or think they don't have | | | | and more people are doing: have someone else do it |
| the talent to write. The idea of writing a book to | | | | for them. |
| showcase their expertise is something they may | | | | Recently, I did an audio book on horse care for |
| recognize as a good idea, and may hope to | | | | first-time horse-owners for a woman who runs a |
| "someday" do, but not something they're going to sit | | | | boarding stable. She deals with a lot of first-time |
| down and do right away, even if they know how. | | | | owners and used to answer the same questions over |
| Marketing research has shown that those who have | | | | and over again. Now, she has the audio book on her |
| written a book are perceived as having more | | | | website and not only does she not have to repeat |
| expertise than their competitors, who may have as | | | | herself, she gets more boarding requests because she |
| much experience and ability but don't have a book. | | | | has a book, and horse-owners perceive her as more |
| But how does someone who doesn't like to write, | | | | experienced and trustworthy than the other stables in |
| doesn't want to write and doesn't have the time or | | | | the area. Especially with first-time horse owners, she's |
| talent to write to become a writer? That's what | | | | seen as the helpful owner of a stable, not just as |
| re-purposing is all about. | | | | someone with an extra stall or two for rent. |
| Most people write a lot more than they think they do. | | | | Did she write the book? No, but she had written a lot |
| They write informational memos for their jobs. They | | | | of blog posts on horse care, and those were easily |
| write instructions so others can learn a new procedure. | | | | organized into book form, with chapters on horse |
| They write copy to be used on their web pages. They | | | | feeding, horse veterinary needs, horse behavior, horse |
| may also write long emails, articles and blog posts | | | | training, and so on. Add some helpful links at the end |
| showcasing their expertise on a topic. Without planning | | | | and voila - a book is born. Then I made an audio |
| on it and without knowing it, they've written the meat | | | | version and she had exactly what her prospects need, |
| of an e-book and audio book. There, in all of that work | | | | whether it's something to read or something to hear. |
| that's already been done, is something entirely new | | | | And she now has more boarding business than she |
| which can produce website traffic and revenue, if it's | | | | can handle, thanks to her new expert status. |
| put together properly. | | | | It's the "silk purse out of a sow's ear" thing...a talented |
| E-books and audio books don't have to be epic tomes, | | | | communicator takes the assorted writings that the |
| and shouldn't be. They can be very effective even if | | | | business owner has, organizes them into chapters, |
| they're only about 50 pages long. Sometimes the | | | | writes an introduction, conclusion and all of the words |
| e-book is offered as a free incentive in exchange for | | | | needed to string the articles together, and then makes |
| an email address or physical address. Sometimes it's | | | | an audio version. The business owner's investment of |
| sold at a small cost, with the audio version added if the | | | | time is what it takes to gather up the articles, blog |
| purchaser pays a higher price. Sometimes only the | | | | posts, web text and emails. If they choose to work |
| audio version is offered for sale. No matter how | | | | with me, then we'll spend about half an hour going over |
| they're used, the message is simple: you don't have to | | | | what they hope to gain from having a book available |
| be an expert to have a book, but you're perceived as | | | | and filling me in on the finer points of their area of |
| an expert if you do have one. | | | | expertise. In a short time, usually less than a month, |
| Most people don't know they have expertise. They | | | | they have proof of their expert status...a book in |
| think an "expert" is someone else, because they | | | | e-form and in audio-form...and have a powerful new |
| discount all of the experience, knowledge and skills | | | | marketing tool for their website. |
| they have developed just in the course of doing their | | | | Now, more than ever, re-purposing makes sense. |
| day-to-day work. That expertise is valuable to | | | | Business owners are working as hard as they can to |
| someone thinking of going in to a new line of work, | | | | make the same money they made this time last year |
| wanting to improve themselves in their current one, or | | | | and don't have time to sit down and write a book. But |
| just looking to enrich themselves by learning more | | | | with Re-Purpose to E-Purpose, they can have one |
| about an area of interest. People look for books to | | | | quickly and affordably, with very little effort on their |
| help them, and increasingly, that search is on the | | | | part. |
| internet, looking for e-books and audio books. It's not a | | | | Re-Purpose to E-Purpose is the way to stop |
| stretch to be perceived as an expert, and someone's | | | | answering the same questions all the time, gain an |
| going to be - why not you? Why not have that "halo | | | | edge on the competition, and get more respect from |
| of expertise" bestowed on you each time a new | | | | peers and clients. |
| prospect discovers your e-book and audio book and it | | | | |