Keyword research is so very important that I want to highlight this tip sheet for my readers. Please download this free PDF for a fast introduction to the why and how.

I recently gave a talk for the Nanaimo Women’s Business Network here on Vancouver Island, and for the Ladies Who Launch in Vancouver, and we talked about keyword research quite at bit more than I had intended to. I suppose I really am an Uber-Geek, because I actually enjoy doing keyword research. Seriously. This is how I spend my evenings while all of you are out dancing at the local pub.

You should do a basic keyword research exercise (30 mins to 2 hours) before you do any of the following;

• write a book
• even think about writing a book
• decide on the final title for your book
• design the cover for your book
• create a company logo
• setup your website
• create business cards or brochures or advertising
• write a business plan (especially this!)
• create a blog post
• put anything on social media sites
• create a podcast
• revise any of the above

I’m not trying to freak you out – I’m just trying to make it clear how important this is. The document is free, so please feel free to re-distribute it to friends.

You’ll notice that I’m no longer primarily referring to myself as Humanus Publishing, but now by my nickname, the Wizard of eBooks.

In practical terms, this does mean some changes. Our mission is now more closely focused on creating, editing, and marketing what we call “next generation” books and eBooks. I’m also going to indulge myself in more professional podcasting in the form of interviews and corporate messaging, and coaching for WordPress (the blogging platform on which this site is built), both of which have been particular passions of mine for some time now. You’ll notice that both of these will be featured shortly on my Services page, which is the next thing on my long list to be re-vamped.

We still hold a special place on our bookshelves for the Self-Published Author: a symbol of independence, and the new wave that is sweeping the publishing industry. If you were worried that we had forgotten about you, please don’t! But perhaps we should change the term to be “self-empowered” – if you’d like to know what that feels like, give us a call toll-free at 1-866-907-4084.

May I say Thanks to my wonderful clients, friends, and mentors for all of your assistance as I make this shift. I’m extremely grateful for your honesty, your knowledge, and your faith in our alliance.

I’ve just updated my website with a new tab labeled “Speaking”, and there you’ll find my revised speaking topics for the rest of 2009.

Short Talks:

1) Using Online Marketing to Get Attention for Your Brick-and-Mortar Business

2) What is “Social Media Marketing” and How to Use it for Greatest Effectiveness

3) Tapping the Potential of Digital and Paper-Based Publishing for Small Business

Long Talks (1.5 hours or less)

1) eBooks – The Next Generation

2) You’ve Written an eBook – Now What?

I’ll be traveling quite a bit this summer, and offering these talks to various organizations in Canada and the USA. If you’d like to book me for a lecture or talk, please call me toll-free at 1-866-907-4084, please drop me a line at info@humanuspublishing.com.

I also really enjoy creating fresh material tailored to the needs of your organization. If you don’t see a topic listed that you’re interested in, just ask. I may already have it in my archives. Some of my additional topics include;

- PodCasting (What It Is, and How Anyone Can Do It)
- Affiliate Marketing for Authors
- Building Your (e)Book Business
- Market Research for Your Book in 1 Hour or Less
- How to Create Your (e)Book From Scratch
- Using You Tube to Market Your (e)Book with Video
- … and more

It’s been said that there’s a reason for everything, but despite communication difficulties, I was meant to be in Victoria today to meet Scott Humphries.

Scott works as one of 10 trainers in North America for the group of Tony Robbins companies. I came to Victoria today to meet Scott, and see if there was a possibility for Scott and Humanus to do some sort of creative work together.

A few wires were crossed, and what I thought I was coming here for turned out to be all wrong. However, Scott is a very interesting guy, and he’s a very hardworking speaker. I found his talk to be informative, uplifting, and definitely clarifying. I’m sure that there will be an opportunity for us to host Scott as a speaker at an event hosted by Humanus in the future. It’s a good thing I stuck around and decided to see what I could learn today.

But that’s not the only lesson I learned: to avoid driving the harrowing highway to Victoria, I took the passenger train. I imagined myself working during the 2.5 hour ride, while the world whipped past outside the window. As it turned out, the train ride to Victoria swayed too much for me to type or write accurately, so I felt cheated as I realized I would be seasick if I didn’t just look out the window at the scenery.

I admit that I was grumpy as I sat with my arms crossed, trying not to enjoy watching Vancouver Island’s beautiful pastures and ocean views. (Bad Peggy, bad, bad!!!) Of course I was moved by how lovely our island is when summer finally arrives. In fact, I found myself composing a few lines of poetry into my voice recorder. (Sorry, but I will not publish them here.) Once again, I learn the lesson that everything happens for a reason. That little time out on the train did me a lot of good.

When I arrived at the meeting location today to meet Scott, it turned out that Scott hadn’t heard about me coming to hear him speak. Neither had the hosts, who were extremely polite, and generously allowed me to crash their party. I could have made the choice to leave when confronted with confusion, but if I had done that, I would have missed a great talk that was really motivating.

I’m now considering going to the Tony Robbins event in Vancouver in October because of Scott. But most importantly, I’m definitely going to get my voice-recognition software working again, so that I can take that train ride again, and dictate all the way to Victoria.

 

 Attitude - A Conversation with Jeri-Lyn McCrea, Author of Words in Action - A Journal to Inspire Change [9:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is one of my favourite podcasts so far – Jeri is really clear about issues related to Attitude, and how it’s a choice that we all make every morning when we get out of bed. In her clear-cut no-nonsense style, she gives us the opportunity to question our own attitude, and how we can improve it. Thanks, Jeri!

 

 Setting Goals - A Conversation with Jeri-Lyn McCrea, Author of Words in Action - A Journal to Inspire Change [9:06m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Here’s a podcast I recorded last week with Jeri-Lyn McCrea, Author of Words in Action – A Journal to Inspire Change. Jeri’s major theme in the book is setting goals, and achieving them. In this podcast, we talk about some obstacles to goal setting (real or imagined) and how we can overcome those obstacles.

Stay tuned for a second podcast shortly!

Wow – it hardly seems possible that I’ve already reached the 100 mark, when this revised blog has only been operating as you see it for a few months. Prior to that, I was posting on multiple blogs for similar subjects. This forum has been an exercise in setting personal boundaries.

Thank you to all of you who continue to send me email and comments, online and offline. I really find the interaction very stimulating, not only for my own writing, but for the development and marketing of my clients’ products. My commitment to helping to develop authors on the West Coast of Canada is renewed every time I hear from one of you.

As a blogger who loves what she does, and what I write about, I can offer one piece of key advice. If you glean nothing else from reading about blogging, please know this: only blog about topics for which you have a true passion. Blogging is work, and loving your subject makes it a pleasure rather than a chore. More coming soon!

Join me on Saturday, August 2nd in Langley, BC, Canada, for an all-new version of my 6-Hour Blog Workshop. The class is from 10 am to 4 pm, and participants will set up their own custom blog, live, right in the class. If you’ve been looking for a hands-on class that empowers you with the skills to manage a strategically-developed blog yourself, and you need someone to walk you through each step of the way, this is it.

The class fee of $425 USD includes a continental breakfast, lunch, coffee and tea throughout the day, and all the software and tools you’ll need to put your blog on rocket fuel.

The class is capped at 12 people, because otherwise I can’t be sure that I’m giving all users the attention that they need. Registration will be open on the “Classes” page (link at the top of this page) as of Monday June 23, 2008. Click there now for more detailed information, or call us at 1-866-907-4084 for info in the meantime.

Please note: users are required to bring their own laptop to use during the class, as files will be downloaded and applications set up on their computers for future use. (Don’t own a laptop? Please call us at 1-866-907-4084 for other solutions. We can always work out something.)

This same class will also be offered on Vancouver Island in late August in the Nanaimo area. The date is tentatively set for August 23rd, but this will be confirmed shortly.

See you there!

I was very impressed this evening by my latest follower on Twitter, Jarret M. Coon. Jarret is a Technologist, which is clear by the (slightly) overwhelming graphic design elements on his Twitter profile page. But his style has a nichey hip-ness about it that makes his passions clear at first glance. He clearly “gets” his audience – and they can’t get enough of this guy.

Jarret is also a self-professed financial guru. I might believe that, because anybody who can cultivate a following of 6,490 people must have a handle on social media marketing. Jarret does the major part of social media extremely well: he’s a prolific poster. He’s witty and charming, and he engages his audience 140 characters at a time. He’s gotta be making an income on the affiliate possibilities here.

However, the part that really “zinged” me is that – wait for it – Jarret is only 14 years old. Now, there’s definitely a book in that kid.

Thanks to all who came to my presentation on Thursday evening at the eWomen Network on June 12th in Surrey. I’ve just made updates to the Private Resources Page as promised, and will be adding more cool stuff all week – what’s there is really just the beginning. There are two eBooks on the way for certain, plus other valuable items. Click here to see the current updates, and enter your password that was given to you on the white postcard at the dinner. The password is case-sensitive, so please enter it as you see it on the card. (Missing your card? eMail me and I’ll fill you in.)

Didn’t attend the dinner, but want to see the page? Call me at 1-866-907-4084, or email me for more information.