Warren Buffett Wants to Buy Your Small Business

For more information, check out my first book, My Happy Assets at http://www.myhappyassets.com/ and the complete second book, Small Business Coffee Hour, Three Essential Ingredients for a Successful Businessathttp://www.smallbizcoffee.com/. Both are also available at lulu.com. Happy Reading!

Also be on the lookout for my fourth book due out in February 2012 by Wiley. To stay tuned in go tohttp://www.facebook.com/myhappyasset and "like" away.

It would be great if a book could sell itself - it hits bookshelves and bam ... it sells. This is typically not the case ... one must promote the book. Although many times I have purchased a book without hearing the author spout his head off. As a matter of fact, I've probably only purchased half a dozen books out of hundreds based on the ramblings of the author.

So, one can hope ... although I will promote the book as well. Case in point: this blog.

Some other bestselling ideas:

1. I know I've mentioned this already but it will be a series: Abraham Lincoln Wants to Buy Your Small Business is the sequel.
2. When the book hits the big-time, I am going to use part of the proceeds to help out part of my family in need.
3. Goal: 2 million copies sold by December 25th, 2012 at 7pm.
4. Goal: 5 things a day to market the book.
5. Goal: Have to get half of it done, in great shape by May 31st, 2011 at 7pm.
6. The Oprah show will be cancelled by the time this is published so ... get on the Dr. Oz show?

Oh yeah ... here is the book ... due in February 2012 by Wiley. Pass it along to 1 million others so it can in fact become a bestseller. Much appreciated ... and go to www.smallbizcoffee.com if you would like to sign up for updates.

The Plan is the Plan ...

Some Bestseller, Planned Tactics

1. Public Speaking (Now git on across them burning coals. Git!)
2. Facebook and Twitter (duh)
3. Google AdWords
4. eMail Campaigns
5. Bloggin' (just like this)
6. Web Seminars
7. In-Store Appearances (Hallo)
8. Branding
9. Autographed copies (signature goes for two bucks on eBay!)

More to follow.

Oh yeah ... here is the book ... due in February 2012 by Wiley. Pass it along to 1 million others so it can in fact become a bestseller. Much appreciated ... and go to www.smallbizcoffee.com if you would like to sign up for updates.

It Will Be a Series ...

It seems important in the world of non-fiction to create a best-selling series. McDonald's has a menu with a plethora of menu items from Big Macs to milk shakes, not just a menu that has only one item: Quarter Pounders for example. Once they build a brand around fried apple pies its easier to get the customer to buy a vanilla milk shake wrapped in the same brand.

The same applies to non-fiction and fiction books for that matter. (think Stephen King.) When you write one book, think of 10.

Here is the book ... due in February 2012. Pass it along to 1 million others so it can in fact become a bestseller. Much appreciated ... and go to www.smallbizcoffee.com if you would like to sign up for updates.

Some Goals and Contract in Place

Again ... Some Goals:

1. I see us with a happy family with a stable, abundant, happy household.
2. I see a series of books that create a good living. A few bestsellers.
3. Down the road (and this is really down the road) I see myself teaching a local college.
4. I see us with financial independence with a plethora of assets spewing off a decent amount of cash flow.
5. I see a couple of happy kids who love their parents.
6. I see myself in good health (more water, veggies and running, less pizza)
7. I see myself playing music on a fun, hobby-basis (not everything has to be a goal. Damn, this is a goal.)
8. I see us with a happy circle of family and friends.

Oh, by the way ... I have a book contract. Now I just need to make it a bestseller.

Please help out by forwarding this along ... you can be a part of making this happen.

15 Creative Ways to Build a Bestseller

1. Call up Oprah.
2. Stalk Oprah. (strike that, please disregard)
3. Recruit 1 million fans on Facebook.
4. 1 million fans on Facebook all buy the book.
5. Build an aluminum "weather balloon," release it and tell the national media my kid is on board, all the while holding the book in my hands.
6. Tell everyone I am Abraham Lincoln reincarnated and these are my words of business wisdom.
7. Blog like there is no tomorrow.
8. Tweet like there is no tomorrow.
9. Go visit Stephen King and ask him to write the book.
10. Start a national radio show ... sell the book.
11. Get a job as a national football coach, tell everyone I wrote a book.
12. Get a job as CEO ... again, here is my book.
13. Get a job as a greeter at Wal-Mart and harass folks to buy.
14. Crash the Royal Wedding.
15. Drop a picture of the book at the end of my post and ask you the reader to forward it on to the millions in the blog-o-sphere ... please!

Out in February 2012.

Just Some Ruminations ...

1. Facebook has some leverage but is it effective? Instead of recruiting 10,000, random folks, it is probably much more effective to recruit targeted customers or take out ads.
2. Definitely need the business cards with the book title on it.
3. A radio show?
4. Adwords can reach tons of people and is highly targeted but as with all good marketing tactics, it must lead to conversions.
5. Again, a speaking/consulting business seems necessary.
6. It would be nice to get celebrity endorsements such as Oprah or Jack Canfield.

Remember, continue to visualize the future and if all else fails, use the publication to land a decent paying job ... as if any employer cares that you wrote a book and you will spend your time promoting the book instead of working for them.

Hi-ho!

Oh yeah ... here is the book. Please spread this around the web so I can in fact sell 2 million copies by December 25th, 2012.

AB

P.S.: I almost forgot. The publisher is supposed to send me the contract in the next couple of days. It is probably going to ask that I buy a few thousand copies of the book since I mentioned that I could do this depending on the per copy cost .... sure, if the per copy cost was $2 a piece. This will be the deal killer and as I told my wife ... I will go get a job at Kroger ... or the library.

Building the Bestseller ...

Okay ... I am going to go for it.

I know the odds are stacked against me and building a bestseller is a hard thing to do ... but doggone it, I am going to try. If anyone wants to help, please leave some comments or forward this along.

From my initial reading on writing for a living I see that the majority of authors are not able to make a great living off of publishing books but they are able to build successful, well-paying speaking businesses.

I have already ordered a book on this subject.

I guess I am going to become one of those motivational gurus who asks you to walk on hot coals in order to prove you can do anything.

"Doing anything" will include writing me a check for a thousand dollars because I told you that you can do anything. I will also ask participants to write down their limiting beliefs on a sheet of paper and to tear it up. That will cost an extra five hundred bucks.

Speaking ... fine. Truthfully, I just wanted to get into this gig to write but if it involves speaking in order to build a bestseller, then fine.

Perhaps I should just bag a job as a journalist if those things still exist.

Why Write?

I think I like it, as heartbreaking as it is.

Why a Book?

A book can be an asset that delivers royalties and I believe in building assets. I also like researching a topic and then writing a book on the subject. Not necessarily interviewing and reporting all of the time.

Why a Bestseller?

I figured that in order to have vindication and a decent paycheck, then a bestseller is necessary.

Things I Have Learned About Making a A Bestseller

1. Again, a speaking business seems necessary. Note to self: Learn how to build an online speaking business.
2. The author is responsible for the majority of the marketing. John Kremer's 1001 Ways to Market Your Books is indispensable.
3. eBooks are taking over so have the book available across all platforms.
4. You need an agent first and then a publisher. I have obtained the publisher so this is a big check mark.

New Goals

A great goal setting formula is found in Jack Canfield's Success Principles. A goal setting framework is absolutely necessary when doing something as ridiculous as this. New goals I have set to make this work.

1. Family first.
2. Generate $100,000 a year from investments, pay off rental property debt and finish saving for new house.
3. Build the best seller, 1 million copies sold by December 25th 2012.
4. If all else fails, land a decent paying job.
5. Keep health in mind - no need to turn into a fat slob. Besides, cardiac arrest tends to get in the way of selling books.
6. Play some music.

Outside the Box Tricks

Okay, there are numerous inside the box marketing tactics such as printing the book on your business card, calling radio stations, newspaper ads, online ads, etcetera, but then there also exists outside the box tricks in order to make the book a bestseller. Some of these "tricks" appear to be unethical so I do not recommend them. Input is much appreciated.

1. Reverse shoplift - leave copies of the book on the shelves of major bookstores. If it is purchased then in theory, the store should order more.
2. Order books yourself - the author places orders for the books in order to ratchet up the sales. Of course, this only pays off if the book keeps selling and generates a return.
3. Call up bookstores requesting copies of the book.
4. And the story that takes the cake -http://www.businessweek.com/archives/1995/b343648.arc.htm

Alright, well there you have the start of it all. If anyone has any suggestions such as go back to your day job, it is much appreciated. And if you would like information on the book as it becomes available, please go to www.smallbizcoffee.com and drop your name in the e-mail sign-up and I will send you updates when it is available.

Thanks so much!

AB