One Sheets Can Market Your Book and Build Your Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

One Sheets Can Market Your Book and Build Your Brand - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career One sheets are a powerful marketing tool for you to use marketing your book and promoting the services that make up your personal brand. One sheets are easy to produce and free to distribute. One sheets are the ideal way to build your brand at minimum cost. Once you create your first one sheet, youll find it easy to create different versions for different topics Whats a one sheet? One sheets can be thought of as the authors equivalent to a one-page flyer or product specification sheet. One sheets are printed on a single side of a single sheet of paper. Only, instead of providing describing a product, authors use them to describe: Books. Authors should prepare one sheets for each title while writing their book. Each book should have its own one sheet. One sheets should describe the books intended market, its market positioning, and the principal benefits it offers. It should describe the book in the context of the authors career and other writing. Speaking. Authors should offer several one sheets. First, authors should create a one sheet that provides an overview of their speaking, listing the various topics and audiences that they frequently address. This sheet should also contain testimonials from event planners and attendees. Then, individual one sheets can be prepared for the authors most popular (and profitable) topics. Consulting. The same hierarchical approach can be taken to preparing one sheets to promote an authors consulting services. The first step is an overall view describing the types of projects the author works on, the clients served in the past, and a few, carefully-chosen, testimonials. Then, individual one sheets should be prepared for each of the authors most popular (and profitable) project categories. One sheet contents As a starting point, think of a one sheet as a larger version of your books back cover. Notice how back covers sell the book in the context of the authors qualifications. The back cover often begins with an emphasis on the books ability to help specific types of readers solve specific problems, but the book is presented in the context of the authors other achievements. Think of your one sheets as an expanded version of your books back cover Indeed, as you research competing books in your field, I encourage you to pay as much, or more, attention to whats on the back cover as whats on the front cover. You can download a good PDF example of a one sheet from Stephanie Chandlers website. Note the brief description of her top 5 topics plus the testimonials that follow. Notice the context provided by the 7 book covers, reinforced by the reader and expert comments on her books. Finally, notice the overview of her career at left, and the way her contact information at the bottom right stands out on the page. The full story is told on one side of a single sheet of paper! As a meeting planner, you either want to hire her or your dontbut, at least, youre not lacking information! One sheet formatting One sheets dont have to be fancy, but they should be consistent with the colors typefaces used in your other print and online marketing. The most important idea is the idea I developed in my Design to Sell book: design once, produce often. The idea is simple: Dont hire a graphic designer to produce every one of your one sheets! Instead, hire a graphic designer to create a custom template you can use over and over again for each of your books, products, and services. Even a simple page layout program will save you money and give you a commanding edge of your competition by allowing you to produce your own one sheets, if you have a strong starting point, or template. Separate design from production throughout all of your marketing and personal branding building. Hire professionals to create templates that you can complete over and over again. One sheet distribution Most of your one sheets distribution will be as downloadable PDF. However, try to send printed copies (in color) when following up with prospects. If you have a color ink-jet printer, of course, avoid printing too many copies a week. Instead, take the files to the duplication center of an office supply superstore, like Staples, and have a couple of dozen printed out and saved until theyre needed. When following up with prospects, if you can, send your one sheet and covering letter, or additional materials, flat in a 9 by 12 envelope. This packaging will enhance your message and professional image. On your website, you might consider placing links to your one sheets from both the pages where you discuss your specific books, speaking, and consulting, as well as a resources page with links to each of your one sheets. One sheets make your offer portable One sheets add tangibility to your image, whether you use them to promote your book or build your brand by promoting the specific services you offer. A formatted PDF, even if your prospects just read it on screen, is more portableor sharablethan the typical website page. Few of your prospects make decisions in a vacuum. Most of your prospects share decision-making with co-workers, bosses, and partners. Expenses often require approval from department and division managers. One sheets that tell a complete story in an attractive and easy-to-read way make it easier for your prospects to convince others that your book is the one to buy, and youre the one to hire for the next meeting or project. Author: Roger C. Parker is a content-oriented book coach who helps business professionals make appropriate writing and publishing decisions. Hes written more than 30 books and interviewed hundreds of successfully branded nonfiction authors. He   shares what he’s learned in free weekly teleseminars and at Published Profitable and his daily writing tips blog.