Need to know how to call someone who can help me

Re: Anne's remark about our German expert forum -

it's more like a place for SEO tips, keyword and title suggestions, and general advice on money making opportunities for writers. I had started it 2 years ago when our German authors were still a bit behind with all that online stuff.

Re: Sheri's request -

I have a feeling that Sheri mostly needs reassurance. After doing so much for such a long time, there comes a moment when you doubt yourself and ask:

Is it really going to pay off?

How long will it take?

What could I do to be more efficient?

Who could help me?

Sheri - you could hire all kinds of experts, and I'm sure that many of them could teach you lots of new stuff. But that costs a lot of time, and therefore a lot of money. And then you'd be probably even more overwhelmed because of all that new stuff.

Here's my advice for you:

If I "read" you correctly - out of a desire to make things happen quicker, you're doing too many things at the same time. However, you may need more focus.

Pick the one thing you love doing the most, which is dearest to your heart, and for which you have the most passion and expertise. (Cue to angels' choir: "And the money will follow...")

Then make a plan.

Let's pick child abuse as an example.

1. Professional website with ...

   a) 10 great articles that establish your authority. (Everyone can see those.)

   b) Once a week a great blog post with more useful insights. (Everyone can see those.)

   c) Membership section with forum. (For members only; low monthly fee.)

   d) Your own Kindle e-books for sale (Everyone can see those ads and reviews.)

   e) Related products from Amazon.

Then you promote your website on all your existing web properties.

Forget Zazzle, forget "sales pages" on Wizzley, Squidoo, HP... focus on your website and your e-books.

You can have all this up and running within 3 months. Easily! You've got plenty of content available for quick repurposing.

Here comes the hard part:

Pay for a professional website. It's the only way that makes sense.

Figure somewhere around $750-$1000 for an initial set-up with all the necessary bells and whistles, and then about $60 a month for webmaster maintenance (updates, security, etc.)

Hire Anne (NightOwl) to do it. She's done amazing work for me and my US and Europe clients, and for a bunch of other large firms. She is the most knowledgeable, creative, and helpful web designer and webmaster I know, and that at a ridiculous price.

Once you have your website up and running, then you can go back to Wizzley, Squidoo, etc. and promote it with occasional articles.

2. If you can't afford this, focus on writing Kindle e-books and promoting them on Wizzley, etc.

I don't think you need to hire a coach anymore. You've just received the best advice for free.    

That was a great post Chef, little long (kidding!)... You should put that whole thing in a wizzle IMHO... you got it all formatted great and it's good advice (and 450 words+ I believe)... and you may send Owl some business :), just re-purpose it and link to it from this thread... many won't see this as it gets buried down the hatch... I'd be happy to do it for you :) 

Thanks for your offer, Jerrico, but I think I can handle it.  

What an incredible mail to wake up to!

Achim - that touched something inside me as being the right thing to do. I have to bite the bullet and just do it!  There is that second book on child abuse I have been putting off writing and I guess it is time to get down to it!

So here's my new plan - wake up, finally get into the habit of going for a walk in the mornings and only then checking emails and seeing if I made any money on things I will no longer actively work on for the time being - then about 4-5 hours working on my book, unless I have scheduled teaching I have to go do or other important things that need taking care of. Then free time with friends (if I still have any after having disappeared from them for so long). And maybe doing new zazzle products for the fun of it in front of the evening news.

After my book is completed, then I will approach Anne and set up my website.

How can I ever thank you! You are so right. (And I am copying out your mail to me to hang it up on my fridge to keep me focussed.)  I'll worry about squidoo and wizzley articles after I have a book and a working website. Can I give you a hug and a kiss?

I know you can was just thinking of your time... your a busy chap... I know I have virtually the same job on another 3 sites (but your's is harder than mine)...

chefkeem: 02/03/2013 - 12:09 AM

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Thanks for your offer, Jerrico, but I think I can handle it.  

Double WOW! when I came onto the Internet this morning, it flipped me directly to Achim's post at the top of the second page, and only now, sitting at a coffee shop waiting for my next meeting did I go back and see the other posts on the first page.

Thank-you guys for your support and encouragement. Jerrico, you are thorough as always and I appreciate that. You must be ADHD - I don't know how you handle 40 websites. I know people who do more in an hour than I can do in a day and I get tired just thinking about them. More power to you! And you always have good ideas about how to approach things.

Frugalrivers - thanks so much for sending me back to my professional roots that Achim later echoed in his post - yes, I guess I should focus on those mental health topics even though I thought I was going to focus on gardening and selling my zazzle gifts - it's so much more fun sometimes to fiddle with pictures and graphics than the graphics of the human heart. 

OK. time to get back to getting ready for this next meeting.

frugalrvers: 02/02/2013 - 09:40 PM

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I meant to add, Sheri, that in your case you should have blogs with forums. With the right topics, you will be saturated with traffic.

I agree whole heartidly and in fact do the very same it all comes from within me for as seeking what will work for me in others has always sent me inward with more clarity. 

NOTE: Sandyspider is a great source, she formats content for Kindle and the like brilliantly and all for a very affordable price you cannot beat. 

PLUS - To all great advice I'm motivated by. Thanks Everyone   I've been working on building my ebook portfolio in Kindle form that is. We all have so much content laying in wait we only need to format it for online purpose. Best of Success to US ALL!

Thank you Sheri, always glad to help :) I don't have adhd that would mean I wouldn't need coffee for anything but slowing down :)- I don't manage everything in a day, I have a routine where I check everything, update things, and take it in baby steps... I can tell you this though- if your not a multitasking master, don't do what I do, I've developed my speed and efficiency over years and years and a lot of great software for managing it all, and even I get overwhelmed (this is where communities like wizzley help you stay centered)... I'm going to be going down the same street your on (different books?) soon with that kindle thing so I too found Chef's post enlightening, so I may come to you for advice in a year when you're a pro at it. 

You got this girl! Just do it! byyyyy menon.

Please pull up to the next window  8^)

J-

p.s. Katie I love your inspiration, your always so dam positive and I know you affect people in positive ways. Just wanted to say thanks.

My meager two cents is that it's good to develop a strategy and then a concrete plan complete with action steps. That way you keep going and stay focused and even if you have to disappear it's all right there waiting for you to get back at it. 

Strategy

Plan.

Good luck! (The group idea is pretty cool. It's always good to have that support and accontability.)