Provocative E-Book Boosts Sales Over 500% - New Orleans Growth Summit - David Meerman ScottTHURSDAY, APRIL 30TH, 2009
You’re a dentist in Boston, Massachusetts doing about $150,000 a year in private practice. You’re spending about $2000 a month in the yellow pages because that’s what just about every other dentist does in Boston to get business. So you decide to take a different approach. You publish and e-book. Not just any e-book but an e-book that has relevance to your dental practice yet has a intriguing yet spicy name, “ Healthy Mouth, Healthy Sex.” Suddenly you are not just another dentist. Your patients are mentioning your e-book to others. Web site visitors and blog readers are discussing your book with others and your fame spreads. Everyone is talking about how cool this dentist is and how they should have a cool dentist like this too. Dr Helaine Smith, DMD business grows, and grows. It's currently doing $1 million per year. Her E-book, "Healthy Mouth, Healthy Sex broke in late March of 2008.
Can you achieve similar success? Why Not?
The best ideas are not going to come from your competitors. If you’re looking for attention you can pay for it, beg, or earn it. David Meerman Scott suggests that “word of mouse” is now the most effective advertising. The size of your business is affected by the size of your world. All of us as business people need to expand our reach. Dr Heliane Smith did an outstanding job of extending hers. David Meerman Scott suggests that as Yoda [Empire Strikes Back] said, “You must unlearn what you have learned.” We’ve been trained that we must use the traditional media to gain customers. Scott lost his job when he started using untraditional media, despite the fact that it was working. The world is changing and his book The New Rules of Marketing and PR explains how. See Riding the Rave to see more examples.
Where can you get ideas like Dr Helaine Smith? In many cases it can be as close as your staff. Weekly meeting rhythms where you break down one rock or challenge in your business can be a breeding pool of fresh invigorating and possibly significant breakthrough ideas for your business. Trust your younger employees to provide input on what they are doing. Often this can lead to real insights into where to place your emphasis. Customers, vendors, employees are all a source of information that can steer you in the direction of reaching your dreams. The Rockefeller Principles for meeting rhythms can be a great stimulus to your organization.
The web can cut a swath good or bad. A personal experience this week on how your website can hurt your business in my next blog.
Need help implementing these ideas?
Positioning Systems helps business owners and entrepreneurs transform their business. We provide the tools and coaching to help you take control of your business -- rather then having your business control you.
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