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Author, speaker uses sales skills for own products  Anne Nelson is marketing her book and CDs through appearances, a blog and her Web site. (courtesy photo) She released her latest creation, a “Rapid Recruiting” CD, in August 2007. She also has the self-help book “Find Your Joy Zone” and another CD, “Super Selling,” on the market, and more is on the way. She talked with LeisureSuits about her endeavors and what she has learned along the way.
Q: What is your latest book or CD? A: The “Rapid Recruiting” CD.
Q: When was it released?
A: August 2007.
Q: When did your first book or CD come out?
A: The “Joy Zone” book in January 2006.
Q: How would you summarize the philosophy or message of ”Rapid Recruiting”?
A: It is an overview of the whole recruiting process for direct sales in a very simplistic form. It’s for people who are just starting out, but seasoned pros will listen and think, ‘Oh my gosh, I didn’t even think of that,’ or ‘I know that but I haven’t been sticking to it.’ ... All of my material is instantly implementable.
Q: What has helped make you an expert in your field?
A: 14 years doing it (with Weekenders USA). My background was as an art educator, and I got into this and within two years as a manager had a million-dollar sales unit. ... Our unit was a circle of excellence unit for 11 years. ... I was on stage training for Weekenders at least 12 or 14 times.
Q: What roadblocks did you face in creating the CD?
A: My own perfectionism.
Q: How did you deal with that?
A: For one thing I work with a business coach and I have for years. Even your biggest in the industries. ... Jack Canfield (co-author of the ‘Chicken Soup’ series) even has a business coach. My coach kind of helps bring things in line for me. ... ‘Remember this isn’t about you, it’s about the people you can share this information with.’
Q: How long did it take you to produce your book or CD, from conception to finished product?
A: The book was two years. The CDs, the last CD I did in about six weeks’ time. ... The first one took six months.
Q: What local companies are involved?
A: Pine Hill Press did the book. The proofreader is Kathy Grow of Do-Write-Editing.com in Yankton. Wild Horses Media did one of the CDs. Cathouse Productions did the recording for one of the CDs. ... Cookies by Design has been a big promoter (also Home Porch Gifts and Pat Gustaf at Gustaf’s Greenery).
Q: What did it cost you to produce the book or CD?
A: The book, I covered expenses going into it. ...The editor that I worked with who’s fabulous and I love her dearly is Susan Kendrick. I spent $1,500 on just the front cover title and back cover verbage. Www.WriteToYourMarket.com, Susan’s site, has great information on how your title draws a crowd and how your subtitle helps. ... One hits the head and one hits the heart. The back side has to have enough information to make you curious enough to open the book. Kathi Dunn out of Dunn+Associates Design in Wisconsin designed the cover and my business logo. Being a novice at this, I wanted to work with those who have designed book covers for top-selling authors and Kathi has done that. So my cost there was $3,000 for cover and title work, along with that came coaching and their resources. About $1,200 for interior layout. $500 for a proofreader. My first proofreader was from California. She took my work and completely changed so much of my material that it wasn’t even me speaking anymore. Then I switched to Kathy Grow in Yankton, and her fee was $400 for everything. About $5,000 for book printing costs.
Q: Did you have any hesitations?
A: There was some hesitation only because I had started a speaking company with a partner years before and had a bad experience and lost a boatload of money, so that’s kind of a jolt. ... I had a lot of support along the way from a lot of people. So it was a natural transition for me. I love the aspect of being able to benefit people positively and that’s what the training allows me to do.
Q: How many books or CDs were produced?
A: 2,000 books. 500 of one CD, 700 of the other.
Q: Who do you bounce ideas or drafts off of?
A: To keep me moving ahead and staying on target is my spouse, David. Dee Dee Raap is another author in town; she has been an absolute blessing in my life. We’ve known each other two years in April. She’s been a real instrumental person in my life.
Q: How are you marketing your CDs and book?
A: That’s my biggest downfall. I find it easy to sell for other people, but when you’re selling yourself, it’s a whole different ball game. I have spoken at the Downtown Lions Club, a morning Kiwanis Club, Mothers of Preschoolers, Business and Professional Women, South Dakota Association of Office Professionals, several direct sales companies. When I speak at organizations, that’s when I sell a lot. I did look into having a publisher, but you still do a lot of your own marketing and you lose control of content. I do have a JoyBuilder Bulletin monthly (that goes out from Web site via e-mail). That has done a lot to increase readership. My speaker’s kit is on my Web site. Having a blog helps, too. Http://MadcapMother.blogspot.com has helped increase my readership. Holding free tele-seminars is another way I market to the direct sales industry.
Q: How is the local market? Friendly? Competitive?
A: Most people are pretty shocked at what speaker’s fees are for local people. ... The reality is the experiences are all the same (whether it’s a national or local speaker), so when you have a local speaker, what you’re saving on is all the travel expenses. Most people don’t understand that when you go to speak for them for 50 minutes or an hour, it’s not just that hour they have paid for; you bring your expertise, your insight and ideas that will make a difference for them. You bring all of those experiences to the table when you are a keynote speaker. As far as speakers go, I’d say we’re not competitive because we all have different areas of expertise. In fact, we tend to support each other and even promote each other as well.
Q: Any more projects in the works?
A: Two CDs coming this summer on recruiting, including bookings (home party aspect). I want to do more books on parenting, and my husband and I want do one on marriage and relationships. I have a free e-book that will be available the first of February for parenting. ... And I’ll probably do more self-help. ... The biggest challenge is it’s all in my head, and I still need to be a wife and a mother.
Biographical information
Age: 41
Family: Husband, David, a physician with Sanford Adult Medicine; and children Karin, 16, Ellie, 14, and James, 8
Occupation: Spent four years teaching art in Sioux Falls public schools; 14 years with Weekenders USA, a direct sales women’s fashion company
Hometown: Sioux Falls
School: O’Gorman High School; University of South Dakota for an undergraduate degree in art education and a master’s degree as a reading specialist
Where to buy: The books are available at Cookies by Design, Home Porch Gifts and Gustaf’s Greenery and online at www.YourJoyZone.com. The CDs are available online only.
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