Book Yourself Solid: Second Edition, Revised & Expanded

As an author and freelance copywriter, one of my bugaboos has always been self-promotion and networking. Although I'm a terrific promoter of other people's products and services via the written word as a copywriter, I've always found the idea of stepping out of my comfort zone and networking for additional business (or to sell the six books I've written) scary and daunting. I guess that's because I've met too many people who "network" the wrong way! I never wanted to be seen as one of them: pushy and "in your face." (Then again, maybe the others I've met who network do so with such finesse, as shown in this book, that it never occurred to me that they were "networking" or "pushing" their products, book or services at all!)Of course my aversion to talking about what I do for a living left me on the outside looking in. IF/WHEN people found out what I do, by way of another person introducing me, they always seemed surprised and delighted. But even then I'd deflect the conversation to something else--anything else!--to keep the attention off myself. (Confession time: I hated my own birthday parties as a kid. Too much focused attention! And when teachers would read what I'd written in class, I would want to melt, run under someone's shoe and disappear!)So BOOK YOURSELF SOLID seemed to be something I "needed" to read. It has revolutionized my way of thinking. It has given me the mindset I need to recognize that what I do is extremely valuable (to small business owners who can't afford paying a fortune for a copywriter, and for readers who love the kinds of subjects I tackle in my books) and that there is no shame in letting people know (like the Whos in Whoville) "I'm here! I'm here!"If I could give BOOK YOURSELF SOLID more stars, I would. But then you'd see nothing but stars!There's much more to BOOK YOURSELF SOLID than I've mentioned here. LOTS more. This is just the primary way in which the book has served my immediate, most pressing needs. It has turned this shy gal into a professional who networks with the best of them the RIGHT way. It's becoming less alien each time I do it. I'm still a work in progress, but I'm getting there!Thank you so much, Michael Port, for this helpful, amazing, step-by-step guide to booking myself solid! BRAVO!!!Kristine M SmithCopywriter, Author of 5 books at AmazonServal Son: Spots and Stripes ForeverDeForest Kelley: A Harvest of Memories : My Life and Times With a Remarkable Gentleman ActorLet No Day Dawn That the Animals Cannot ShareFloating Around Hollywood: And Other Totally-True Tales of TriumphPurposeful Christianity: Sharing the Verve and Value of the Prince of Peace

Michael Port's book is a fascinating read.A must have for the aspiring business owners. I was told about this book at the Annual Academy of Management meeting in San Antonio, Texas, in August 2011---by two colleagues. I was presenting a seminar on Motivational Scholarship when a male participant and colleague mentioned the book for aspiring business consultants. Later, at an Organizational Behavior and Change social, his name came up again. A brilliant woman told me that Michael created a way to offer a whole array of options when you market your services. First time hearing about Michael Port, I wrote his name down, sent an email to myself and followed up with the purchase when I got home. After buying and reading the book, and using his complimentary workbook, I noticed that my sales increased, my exposure to social media vastly improved, and I became aware of how many people there are in my niche market---perhaps more than I need and could possible serve in one lifetime. Like many things in life, when you find what your love--Your True North--you cannot find enough hours of the day to enjoy doing it.I began reading the book and I thought it was going to be the Four P's of marketing on steroids. It turned out to be much more than that. Michael has a way of getting to the heart of your core being. He addresses your anxiety, self-doubt, and self proposed limitations and shows you how you can break thru these constraints.His advice on social media- Twitter - Facebook - LinkedIn, is very detailed and addresses the key success factors for each. He advises to use these social media networks wisely with plenty of examples and success stories. For instance, he tells us to steer clear of games like mafia wars and the like. Adising us to focus on addressing the customer's concerns, finding your niche market and living your life meeting their needs in a natural process.He makes marketing and being a service business owner fun and rewarding.His idea of a free workbook is one that I will follow myself when I market my own book on motivation come January 2011. Based on Michael's suggestions and ideas on speaking engagements, your presentation skills will be better focused and you will be able to address the core needs of your participants---whether you are a student, professor, consultant, business owner, or aspiring leader.Book yourself a reading appointment with the BOOK YOURSELF SOLID book now! You deserve the opportunity to make your service business better while making your life more interesting.Courtesy of Dr. Michael Provitera, Professor, Consultant, Author, and Educator.[...]