Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
First off, I’m a Marketing Geek. When I started my first business, a web & graphic design firm, I had no clue what I was doing. I was great at designing websites. My clients loved me and raved about how awesome I was.
The problem was that I only had 2 of them and that wasn’t enough to pay the bills. So, I decided I really needed to learn marketing so I wouldn’t have to go back to another job.
That’s when I picked up my first marketing book.
If I remember correctly, it was “101 Ways To Promote Yourself” by Raleigh Pinskey.
From there I started building my library at about a book a week on marketing, sales, business, etc. I was hooked on studying marketing and how to grow a business.
So far this is our first published book and I’ve got a second one already written and in editing right now.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Marketing Tidbits: 50 Quick & Easy Ways To Grow Your Business” is our first book with myself and my partner Cindy Clemens. It’s the first in a series that we are writing.
Many people have a negative mindset around marketing thinking it has to be complicated, sleazy or expensive. We (my partner/co-author Cindy Clemens and myself) want to make a difference and change that mindset.
As long as you have a great product or service adding value to other people’s lives, marketing is a good thing.
Our goal with this book is to give the newbie and veteran business owner alike a checklist of things that they can implement in their business one at a time without getting overwhelmed and frustrated.
Think you need to grow your business? Pick up the book and read a chapter. Then go do it!
Once you make that one thing a habit go back and read another chapter.
It doesn’t matter what order you read them in, each one is independent of the others yet they all compound on each other
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do my best writing at a coffee shop with a large mocha and my headphone in listening to some kind of techno music. I don’t know if that’s weird but I find it’s my most productive time for writing.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Napoleon Hill – His books have stood time and are just as powerful today as they were when they first came out.
Larry Winget – He’s blunt and honest. I love that he’s so authentic. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know him and he’s not different in his books or on stage than he is in person. I love that about him.
What are you working on now?
My partner Cindy and I are each working on separate books now. Her book is called “Website Tidbits” and mine is called “Networking Tidbits”
Mine is in editing right now and I’m hoping that each of them will be published in the next month or so.
Our goal is to create a series under the YourMarketingUniversity.com brand so we can keep helping entrepreneurs in other ways.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I do a lot of speaking so that is a great way to promote and sell books.
We’ve also used KDP Select with a $0.99 special and landed #1 in two different categories. That alone added more exposure for us and other speaking opportunities (leading to more book sales).
It’s a non stop circle. Sell books to get exposure. Get exposure to sell books.
It’s working really great though. I’ve been able to use the book as a tool to get on radio shows, podcasts, speaking engagements, etc that I would never have been able to without it.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Remember that writing the book is just the beginning. You have to be willing to go out of your way to market the book and get it in front of as many people as you can.
I’ve spoken to groups of 3 people and have been a guest on radio shows that I’m not sure they had ANY listens live.
It’s all exposure and it also lets you practice to get better telling you story.
No gig is too small!
I see authors that think that once the book is written that their publisher will do all the rest. It really doesn’t work that way. If you’re independent, it’s even more in your hands.
Just remember it’s more work than you think it will be but it’s all worth it in the end.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That’s really a hard one. There’s so many things I’ve learned over the years that have helped me grow.
I would say it’s something that Jay Conrad Levinson said to me when I met him many years ago.
In case you don’t know, he’s the author of Guerrilla Marketing and was a huge mentor to me via his books for many years before I actually met him.
Unfortunately he passed last year. He made a huge impact on me over the years.
I was at an event in 2007 in Atlanta and saw him there. It was a big deal being that I had never met him before and was confused that he was there since he wasn’t on the list of speakers.
I went to talk to him, thanking him for being such an influence and helping me grow my first business, and I asked him why he was there since he wasn’t on the speaker’s list.
His response: “I”m here to learn. This Internet Marketing thing isn’t going anywhere and I know that if I don’t keep up with it you young whipper snappers are going to kick my ass!”
Imagine hearing that come from the short 70 year old creator of “Guerrilla Marketing”, the biggest brand in the world around marketing.
That was huge for me…
Never stop learning. When you do, you might as well just give up.
What are you reading now?
The Magic of Getting What You Want by David J. Schwartz
He also wrote The Magic of Thinking Big.
It’s a classic in personal development and this book is one that doesn’t get talked about as much. I love reading the classics. It amazes me how relevant they are to today’s world when many of the them are almost 100 years old.
It’s a great book on attitude and how to really get over yourself and become the person that you want to be.
What’s next for you as a writer?
The Tidbits series is top of mind right now. I love doing the books and in today’s ADD society I think that they will make a big impact. Each chapters takes only a few minutes to read and is designed for you to go out and take action right away with them.
I have a few other outlines for books as well. Not sure how soon I’ll get on those but I know they’ll be a lot of fun.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Think & Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill
Atlas Shrugged – Ayn Rand
Shut Up, Stop Whining & Get A Life – Larry Winget
Mindset, Critical Thinking and Personal Accountability. Things that all keep me motivated to move forward and do great things.
Author Websites and Profiles
Ely Delaney Website
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