What's the quickest way to write a book? Interview an expert by phone and have the tapes transcribed. Then edit, run the manuscript by the expert and have them fill in the holes, polish it up and add examples to make it an interesting read.

Start by making a list of 50 - 100 questions to ask your expert. This is what Dean Jackson did when he compiled the Stop Your Divorce ebook which reportedly brings in half a million dollars a year in annual sales.

You can split the revenue or profits with your expert and/or they can benefit by getting new, totally prequalified clients who have already bought the book and now want to work with the expert. Thus, the book works as a paid brochure for the expert.

And if you're an expert yourself - better yet. Just "talk" your book, following these three steps:

Step 1: Make a list of questions.

You can do this by imagining that you are someone who is interested in your topic but knows nothing about it. List the questions this person would ask.

For example, say you are an expert on using shade plants in the landscape. Here are some questions that a novice shade gardener might ask:

1) how do you know if a plant will work in the shade?
2) and where do you buy shade plants?
3) my garden is a mix of sun and shade - can I plant shade plants?
4) do any shade plants have flowers?
5) can I make a shade garden look natural like the forest?
6) I've heard that slugs love shade plants - is this true?

This is just a partial list but you get the idea.

Another great way to make this list is to get someone else to ask you the questions. That way you won't overlook questions that seem obvious to you but would be of interest to your readers.

Step 2: Audio record your answers

There are several ways to audio record your answers. You can use the old-fashioned tape recorder, an MP3 recorder, your computer or a telephone recording service such as AudioAcrobat (this is my preferred way, because it is simple).

Step 3: Contract out the writing and editing

Hire a ghostwriter and editor to complete the project. You end up with a book based on your knowledge and insights, without going through the often-painful process of writing it.

I've had great success hiring freelance writers and editors. Online freelance sites such as Guru.com, Elance.com and GetAFreelancer.com provide a convenient, centralized location for freelancers and buyers to find each other.

Freelance listing sites contain job postings, evaluations and ratings for both freelancers and buyers, some type of escrow or secure payment service and, usually, a private message board where contacts can converse with each other over terms, qualifications, and project details.

There are just three things that you need to include in your "elevator speech" or marketing niche statement:

1) who your customers are
2) the problem they have
3) the solution you provide

I call this the customer-problem-solution formula.

So how do you do that?

It's really quite simple. Here's a template:

We provide ______ (the solution you provide) to ___________ (type of customer) who need to __________ (problem they want to solve).

Case study

Below is some copy from a website called SprayAlert.com. I've added the notes in italics to show you how they followed the customer-problem-solution framework

Feline Focus was formed in late 2004 with the intention of marketing SprayAlert products to Cat Lovers (type of customer) dealing with cat spraying problems (their problem). Our mission is to help cats -- by giving cat owners means to manage cat spraying, as opposed to getting rid of the cat (company's solution).

If you had a cat with a spraying problem, would you be interested in that website? Yup, me too. See how easy it is?

What goes on the website?

Most people try to do too much with their websites. Keep it simple.

The two main questions you should keep in mind as you design your website are:

1) How clear is it that you have a way to help your ideal client get what they want and need?

2) How easy is it for them to take the next step? (whether that’s signing up for your newsletter, contacting you, making a purchase or something else)

Here are some examples of websites that do this well:

www.atomicshops.com
http://www.teachmeteamwork.com

What do I like about these websites?

1) the design is clean and simple. I don’t feel bombarded by big headlines or garish colors.

2) it’s obvious that the business understands EXACTLY what the visitor needs and wants, and that the business has a way to give it to them.

Joan Stewart, author of the Publicity Hound newsletter, writes:

My thanks to Jim Hunt, immediate past president of the National League of Cities, for passing along this great tip on Saturday, when I spoke to the Pittsburgh chapter of the National Speakers Association.

Jim, who speaks and consults for cities all across the U.S., says many local public access channels are begging people in their communities to submit decent-quality videos that can be broadcast for free.

"Most local officials will tell you they’re astounded at how many people watch these channels," Jim says. "If they don't have a lot of content, they'll replay your program sometimes 20 times. So people who might be surfing through the channels late at night might stop and see your program for maybe 5 seconds, get a good taste for what it's about, then keep watching."

In the old days, Publicity Hounds who wanted to be on the public access channel would have to go to the studio at their local cable TV company, pay a small fee to rent camera equipment, bring their own camera person with them, and record the show.

Today, however, most cable companies will accept videos that you can create in your own basement, living room or office. And you don't even need fancy equipment. Some digital cameras, for instance, can produce decent-quality video that you can edit on your computer. It's that easy.

Jim says an auditor he knows created a video on identity theft, and the local cable company featured it several times. A local high school created programs on drug prevention.

You've likely heard the term "trackback" in reference to blogs, but do you know how to make one? Like most things techie, it's really quite simple once you know how.

Here's a step by step guide to the basics of how to make a trackback.

1) If you are reading someone's blog and you like a particular post, click on the title of the article.

2) That will bring you to a page that is exclusively devoted to that article. Look in the address bar of that page and copy the link (that link is called a PERMALINK).

3) Now go to your own blog and paste that link into an post that you write. For example, you might write "I was just over at Sally's blog reading her excellent post http://www.sallysblog.com/title-of-the-post-you-like/.

4) In most blogging software that's all you have to do. When you publish your post it will automatically "ping" Sally's blog and leave her a message saying that you did a trackback to her.

5) Watch your screen the first time you do it to see if there's a message that says something to the effect of "pinging http://www.sallysblog.com/title-of-the-post-you-like/"

6) If you don't see a message to this effect, then it means that your blogging software doesn't do trackbacks automatically. In that case, you'll have to do an extra step: look on the page where you composed your post for a place that says "trackbacks". In the blogging software that I use, that place is down in the lower right corner. Paste the PERMALINK (http://www.sallysblog.com/title-of-the-post-you-like/) in the trackback box and publish your post.

And that's it!

This is a really simplified version of how to make a trackback. There are, of course, finer points that you can learn by reading posts such as the one here by Joe Pisano (via Liz Strauss at Problogger)

It's easy to schedule a bridge line (conference call) at FreeConference.com .

First, you need to sign up...it's free.

Once you are logged in, click on Schedule at the top menu. Click on Standard (this is the free bridge line) and then hit NEXT. This will bring you to the screen to schedule your bridge line.

Put in the number of people you expect on the call, schedule the time and date for the call, and select the amount of time (I generally schedule it for a bit longer than expected to allow the flexibility of running over a bit). Click NEXT

At this next screen, you can either create your own pin (participant code) or the system will generate one for you. Click NEXT again.

You'll then be taken through several screens that give you some options...you can either set some...or keep hitting the NEXT button. You will finally be taken to a screen where you must hit the CONFIRM CONFERENCE button to schedule your conference.

That's all there is to it... an easy way to schedule your own conference calls or teleclasses.

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I had a situation last month when a business sent me an unsolicited newsletter. I unsubscribed (mildly annoyed because I had not subscribed in the first place) and then an email exchange ensued. In part, this is what the business owner wrote:

“I am new to the newsletter process, this is my first one and I just emailed my whole address book which were all people I had some kind of contact with. I have only sent you ONE email newsletter, and now you are removed I promise to send you no more. I just know this does not constitute SPAM”

This was my reply:

“Just so you know, the method you used does constitute spam. Legally, you can’t send someone email of that nature without them having actually subscribed. If you want to let people know about your newsletter, you could send your whole address book an email that says “I have a new newsletter and if you would like to receive it, here is how to sign up”. “

Some people would say I was way too nice (and must have time on my hands!) to engage in an email exchange with someone who had spammed me. So why did I do it? Well, for one thing it seemed obvious that she was sincere. For another thing, I HAVE MADE THE SAME MISTAKE in the past. But the time I did it this was the response I got:

“Enough spam. F*ck off!” (spelled out)

It was pretty shocking to be on the receiving end of that kind of aggression. That said, I was in the wrong and his response did get the message across loud and clear.

Anyways, I guess my point is more of a reminder to myself more than anything else. What I want to remember is that if someone engages in what I perceive as sneaky marketing, it could just be inexperience on their part. We are all learning.

My friend and colleague Kerul Kassel is excited, and for good reason: she just received the first shipment of her new book Stop Procrastinating Now. And by coincidence, this happens to be National Procrastination Week. Talk about timing...Kerul's a pretty organized person but that's uncanny!

Kerul's book teaches a system for ending procrastination, and some of the elements might surprise you. Among other things, she covers:

- Why you need to drop your goals to get lots more of the right things done.

- The "secret pain" of people who do things immediately - and why you as a procrastinator are better off and much closer to getting things done than you think (what a refreshing thought).

- The difference between "want to" and "have to" projects - and how to focus on the right type.

And just to show that procrastination definitely has its funny side, Kerul provides these quotes:

"I like the word "indolence." It makes my laziness seem classy. " ~Bern Williams

"Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired." ~Jules Renard

"Only Robinson Crusoe had everything done by Friday." ~Author Unknown

"If it weren't for the last minute, I wouldn't get anything done." ~Author Unknown

"Anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn't the work he is supposed to be doing at that moment." ~Robert Benchley

"I do my work at the same time each day - the last minute." ~Author Unknown

"Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week." ~Spanish Proverb

"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." ~Douglas Adams

If you're like the majority of new small businesses, you're operating on a financial shoestring. And although you may be tempted to skip hiring professionals such as a lawyer and an accountant, that's not the place to skimp. I'll tell you why.

Hiring good professional advice from the outset is never a waste of money. In fact, no matter how tight your budget, getting professional legal and financial advice will usually result in saving you money in the long run.

Financial recordkeeping for small business

Unless you have both the time and the expertise to maintain a complete set of financial records for your business, you should not hesitate to hire an accountant. Most new small business owners discover too late that maintaining current financial records can either make or break their venture. Most of the time, this message does not register until tax season or when they attempt to get financing from a lending institute.

Choosing the form of small business you operate under requires some planning and foresight. Variables such as administrative costs, tax planning and control need to be considered. There are several options available and none are "the best". It all depends on your needs. Here's an overview of the various types of business structure.

1) Sole Proprietorship

• By far the simplest method, sole proprietorship is most common for small business ownership. A sole proprietorship operates either under your own name, or under any name you choose (DBA – Doing Business As), provided you do not add any of the legal designations of other forms of business such as Ltd. or Inc.

• As a Sole Proprietor, it is not really necessary for your business to be registered (although sometimes this is a good idea, especially if your product or service is popular – by registering your business name, you will have a modicum of copyright protection).

• A sole proprietorship is basically an extension of your personal identity and as such, you can include business transactions as part of your personal income. This eliminates the obligation to file taxes separately.

• The advantages of setting your business up as a sole proprietorship are ease of setup and administration. You alone control both sales and costs, allowing more comprehensive operational leverage.