Friday, December 27, 2019

Get an Overview of Publishing and Book Marketing

Get an Overview of Publishing and Book MarketingGet an Overview of Publishing and Book MarketingBook marketing creates awareness for a specific book among booksellers and consumers. The goal of marketing, of course, is to generate book sale. What Is Book Marketing? In general, the function of a book marketing department in a traditional publishing house is to help the various sales departments get your book in front of bookstore buyers, book distributors and other channels, to make sure your book is available and (ideally) displayed and promoted through them to the consumer public. Book marketers also generally oversee online consumer promotion (in some houses this falls to the publicity department). In a traditional publishing house, each book is assigned a marketing manager or marketing director. This marketer is working on dozens of titles at any one time. For self-publishedbooks,some or all of the traditional book marketing functions may be made available from a self-publishi ng service or from other book publishing consultants (at a cost). But however youre coming around to being an author, understanding the traditional functions of book marketing will help you navigate the publication of your book Book Marketing Strategy Early in a publishing season (or, even as early as shortly after the author submits his or her authors questionnaire), the marketer gets involved to help determine the kompetenz readers for an individual book, the size of the market for the book, and strategy for how best to reach the readers who might be interested in the book. Based on the strategy, the marketer creates a tactical marketing plan (which includes some or all of items 2 - 6 below). As many elements of the marketing plan such as special advance sales materials, point-of-sale displays, advertising, etc. cost money, the marketing plan is done in the context of the estimated marketing budget for the book. For major book acquisitions that require large investments on the part of the publisher, the book marketing department is sometimes brought in to strategize even before the book is acquired and, as a rule of thumb, the mora the publisher has paid to acquire the book, the greater the marketing budget. Book schlussverkauf Materials Development and Book Sales Support Before the book is published, the book marketing department works with the promotion department to develop the standard sales tools for each book, such as their description within the seasonal catalog of the publishers list. The sales departments use these to present the book to booksellers, wholesale distributors, gift stores, libraries, etc. This support also extends to any book presence at industry trade shows, such as BookExpo America or the fall trade shows held by the regional independent bookseller organizations. Point-of-Sale Promotional Material Development The book marketing department is responsible for managing the design and creation of in-store signage, bookmarks, and other materials that promote the books to the consumer at the store level. notenzeichen that, with the rise of the online book sales channels, these expensive-to-print point-of-sale items are less prevalent.(Note that at national account bricks-and-mortar store chains, such as Barnes Noble, the point of sale promotionsfor example, a books presence on a seasonal table displayare determined by the account, not the publishers marketing department, and are paid for out of the accounts cooperative advertising funds, usually referred to as co-op.) Social Media Blogger Campaign Development In some publishing houses,outreach to book bloggers and other related bloggers falls to the marketing department in other houses, bloggers are considered part of the media and sending them information about the books being published falls to the publicity department. While some social media campaigns might be developed in-house (for big-budget books), social media often falls to the author as pa rt of platform development. Advertising While print advertising has waned, it still exists in vehicles likeThe New York Times Book Review online ads are more common. The marketing department and a books marketing budget determine if, where and when a book will be advertised. (Again, advertising that is done on behalf of the book but tied to a specific account has likely been paid for out of co-op.) Sponsorships and Cross Promotion Companies whose products dovetail with the audience for books are sometimes tapped to help cross-promote books. For example, a food company might cross-promote a cookbook prize or giveaway on their website.Sponsorships and cross-promotional efforts also involve other departments (special sales, publicity if a book tour is involved).

Sunday, December 22, 2019

We are all terrible at managing our own time, scientists prove

We are all terrible at managing our own time, scientists proveWe are all terrible at managing our own time, scientists proveEvery job has a prescribed set of daily tasks assigned to it. Teachers must teach classes. Doctors must see X number of patients. I need to file this story to my editor.Theres a human tendency to think that maybe we the employees would be better at scheduling ourselvesthan the companies and corporations we work for. Who wants to be shackled to deadlines and limited timeframes for production? Why not let our inner selves be free?Heres why were not good at it. A Harvard Business School studyfound that when employees wentrogue and deviated from their prescribed schedules, they actually became less productive and efficient. The researchers looked at2,766,209 cases that a radiology firm processed between 2005 and 2007 to figure out what drives peopleto deviate from company-mandated tasks, and if that autonomy helped radiologists work mora quickly.Choosing our own sch edules makes us slowerFirst, they found out that many employees were veering from their company-approved schedules to manage their own time.As a test, the researchers examined radiologists, who examine x-rays. While their company wanted them to look at images on a first-come, first-served basis, 42% of radiologists would independently choose the order of images they needed to process.The result the radiologists who did things their way worked mora slowly. The time it took those rogue radiologists to read an image increased by 13%, which cost the doctors more time and their firm up to 3% increase in profits lost.Why we go rogue and why that makes us slowerNot surprisingly, we go rogue when we get more experienced at our jobs, which convinces us we know better than company policies. With seniority comes familiarity with ones job, and the desire to be more autonomous about how we complete these responsibilities.With each year that the radiologists worked at the firm, the likelihood tha t they would make these independent changes to their queueincreased by 18.4%.The choice to defy the accepted practice wasnt random, though. The researchers suggested that radiologists were doing this so that they could do the easier, shorter cases before taking on the more daunting, difficult cases. Radiologists were also changing up their queues, so that they could handle cases by categories and get their brain scans done all at once.These changes sound good in theory - but the decision-making was costing employees time. The researchers found that employees fail to take into account the time lost in just making your own schedule decisionspeople fail to consider the time it takes just to choose one task over another, in what they believe to be the best interest of personal productivity.For leaderswho have to make many minor and large decisions a day, figuring out ways to prioritize decision making is key to limiting inefficiency and preventing decision fatigue. Thats why former Pre sident Obama always wore the same clothes. As he told Vanity Fair in 2012,Im trying to pare down decisions. I dont want to make decisions about what Im eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make.Of course, this study does not mean that managers shouldnt empower their employees to make decisions about their work. But a well-designed schedule should make it easier for employees to prioritize their tasks, so that they dont have to think about minor annoyances like order of tasks, and can focus on more essentialtasks like doing their job.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Three Dangerous Assumptions That Keep You From Finding the Right Candidate

Three Dangerous Assumptions That Keep You From Finding the Right CandidateThree Dangerous Assumptions That Keep You From Finding the Right CandidateThe third agreement in The Four Agreements, a bestselling book by Don Miguel Ruiz, is dont make assumptions. Whenever we make assumptions, he writes, were asking for problems. Yet recruiting is full of assumptions that can be made, such as when receiving job requisitions, when reviewing resumes and when interviewing candidates. Making too many assumptions can keep you from finding great candidates.The way to keep yourself from making assumptions is ask questions, writes Ruiz.Here are some common assumptions and questions you can ask to overcome them.The Position Requirements Are Set in Stone (or Just General Guidelines)There are many assumptions you can make when receiving a job description. While one recruiter might look at a list of requirements and see a mandatory list of qualifications that must be checked off, anotlageher might look at the same list and see some or even all of them as flexible. Instead of assuming anything, ask the hiring manager which qualifications are must-haves and which are nice-to-haves.Career development expert Christy Robb said, It is always best to engage in a conversation with example resumes in hand, to clarify what exactly is required. As Simply Hired vice president of marketing Kristy Strombergsaid, In an ideal world, the recruiter would be a strategic thought partner to the hiring manager. The task of finding candidate resumes to send to the hiring manager will be much easier if desired qualifications are clearly defined.Related Degrees Are MandatoryHistory abounds with stories of college dropout millionaires. Oprah, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs all changed the world without graduating from college. The reasons for not finishing college are as varied as the individual. Some leave for health reasons or family matters and never make it back. Dont be afraid to ask a can didate why he or she didnt finish college- if you feel that this is relevant. If the candidate has many years of work experience behind them, is it even necessary to ask?Using completed degree as a blind filter kicks out very talented and experienced candidates Robb said. In some fields, such as education and the sciences, undergraduate and graduate degrees truly matter. Make sure you clarify this with the hiring manager.Many jobs in fields such as education, healthcare and science do require related degrees. In business the degree requirements are more flexible. Many people working in fields such as marketing, human resources, sales and consulting had liberal arts majors.As a liberal arts major, I have a positive view of liberal arts degrees, and some of thebest thinkers of our time support it.As always, ask the hiring manager for clarity and keep an open mind, particularly when reviewing resumes for entry-level positions from new grads.The most dangerous assumption in the career f ield is that people should have a clear idea of what they want to do with the rest of their lives at the age of 18. You might just provide the opportunity of a lifetime to someone who did not have enough exposure to the work world by that age to know what they would like to do for a living.Extra Qualifications are Over-QualificationsWith the population aging and many Baby Boomers choosing to stay employed well into their 60s, you probably receive many resumes from candidates whose experience goes far beyond what a position requires. Its dangerous to assume that someone who went to the trouble of applying and happens to have management experience couldnt be a great individual contributor.Not everyone wants to keep piling on additional stress and responsibility, and not everything is chasing the dollar as a first priority, said Robb. Dont assume that because someone had a director title in the past means that they require a director-level salary.Many candidates these days are not as i nterested in meeting their most recent salary as they are being treated with respect, getting to work within a great company culture and feeling valued and challenged at work, Robb said.If you receive applications from candidates who held higher level positions than the position they are applying for, ask if they are comfortable with the reduced responsibility and salary. This is particularly important when considering candidates who havechanged careers.Have the courage to ask questions until you are as clear as you can be, and even then do not assume that you know all there is to know about a given situation, writes Ruiz in The Four Agreements. Some of your companys best future employees could be right in front you, if you only ask for clarification about the experience and education requirements, and dont automatically discount candidates with extra experience.Read Related ArticlesBaby Steps to MeritocracyAre You Aware of Your Hiring Biases?

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Why I Chose a Career in Health Tech

Why I Chose a Career in Health TechWhy I Chose a Career in Health Tech Im your prototypical product person. After cutting my teeth at ICQ, which is arguably the first successful social network company, Ive continued my path of monetizing data at scale by leveraging technology and my business acumen. And what better domain to excel at monetizing data through technology? Thats right, online advertising. I have spent a better part of a decade working for companies like Dotomi (now part of Alliance Data Systems Corporation), Facebook, and others. Ive learned how to convert data into money. The birth of my second daughter, Aya, made me question my career choices and take a deep look at how Im spending my time. Do I really want to continue and optimize the way people purchase more stuff they dont need? Or should I spend my time helping people? Make the world a better place and all that. So there I was. A product person, looking to make the world a better place. Where sho uld I start?I was looking for a big dicke bretter bohren mssen to solve, where the total addressable market is substantial, and the ability to drive positive outcomes is within reach, or doesnt rely on technologies that have yet to be invented.There were a few reasons that attracted me to healthcare .Lastly, my personal affinity towards healthcare My father is a medical doctor. He oversaw an internal medicine unit in a leading hospital in Israel, and as I child, I remember vividly the heated debates with his colleagues and friends about the state of health care back home. The impact of these was apparently profound, as all my siblings ended up in medical school and later specialized in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Plastic Surgery. When I got the call from Livongo , I was delighted to see theyve spent the first three years of their existence honing their products and services, and finding a strong product-market fit It is hard to argue with 650 + clients, and 95% retention rate.With proven clinical results, Livongo is able to demonstrate financial cost-reduction to its clients. Livongos members are getting healthier, which results in our clients paying less and less in health care costs.Every companys culture is different. And yet, there are commonalities, especially in Silicon Valley. If I were to describe a culture which celebrates shipping products fast in order to fuel its massive growth, leapfrog its competition and increase its marketshare, I suspect youll know which company is the poster child of that culture. In a similar vein, if I were to describe a culture that celebrates its cut-throat approach to winning business, drivers and riders, I suspect youll know which company Im talking about. As you evaluate your next career move , it is important for you to map out your current core values (these might change over time) and find a company these aligns with .Personally, earlier in my career, I suspect my competit ive nature would thrive in a cut-throat environment. These days, I dont need a stick to motivate me, nor am I looking to artificially introduce stress into my life in order get going. Im motivated to be the best version of myself and make a positive impact in the world. I rather work with likeminded people.What makes Livongos culture unique and appealing?Its obsession with our customers, and with its members - the humans who actually need help managing their chronic conditions.This obsession with customers and members lumineszenzdiode to a few innovations, that shaped out Livongos DNAWhen members are using their blood glucose meter a few times a day, they were paying for test strips. Removing that barrier, and supplying our members with unlimited test strips free of charge, increased how often members were testing their blood glucose levels. Weve also learned that getting members data and acting on it can create positive outcomes. So we started building our own cellular-connected d evices. Whether its a blood glucose meter, blood pressure monitor, or a scale- they are all cellular connected. If we see that your blood glucose level are low, we will notify you to drink a glass of orange juice and bring it back up to normal levels.We have also learned that pairing a person with a chronic condition with a certified coach can yield positive outcomes. And so weve built out a national coaching team so we can provide unlimited coaching to our members. Combined these, you realize youve got a unique organization. One that excels in building hardware devices. Excels in building personalized digital experiences at scale. One that is leveraging the knowledge of expert physicians. One that is powered by human coaches. One that is obsessed. Obsessed with its customers and its members.Digital Health startups raised approximately $8.1 billion last year, according to venture fund Rock Health latest report, up from $5.7 billion the year before. As I said - U.S. health care spe nding is in the trillions .Come join me in our journey, as we help everyday people lead healthier lives.Eitan Shay is the Director of Product Management at Livongo responsible for Livongos Member Experience platform and driving usage, retention, observability, and clinical improvement across Livongos member base.

Sunday, December 8, 2019

How to Choose Cool Resume Templates

How to Choose Cool Resume schablones Youre able to download as many resumes as you desire. So your resume must stick out Separate resumes are offered for assorted disciplines. Imagine you have two resumes facing you. Cool Resume Templates Help Resume creators enable jobseekers to make and download their finished resumes right from the web to get started applying immediately. Wiki claims A chronological resume format is most commonly employed by experienced people with over 4 decades of experience in related job field. The majority of the moment, applicants waste lots of time worrying what things to write in their resume, rather than how it must be written. Its possible to never underestimate the ability of a good resume format, especially if you are searching for employment. More frequently than not, customizing your resume does not signify a major rewrite, but instead just a couple of tweaks. Professionally, our resumes are often the very first impression a prospective e mployer gets of us. As soon as you add your private stamp to it through imputing your exclusive abilities, professional experiences, and wording, it is going to stand from the crowd for all of the correct factors. You also receive a feeling of what information you dont need to include. Every individuals resume looks slightly different. There are lots of beautiful resume templates out there, but nevertheless, it can be simple to feel as a lot of the greatest cost a ridiculous quantity of money, require special design programs in order to edit, or both.Theres no specific length for a resume, and theres no standard to it. Then it may be time to bring some style to your resume The fashion of functional, chronological, and combination are three major kinds of the resume. DO guarantee the remainder of your resume is completely machine readable. With some vital info in the perfect order, everyone can create one. You may leave every one of them as is or customize just a little bit a s a way to bring a personal touch to the presentation of your candidacy. On the reverse side, at times the decision is final. A perfect selection for candidates with a great deal of experience who desire to have a really good one-page resume template. Employing a template can lessen the quantity of time you must spend formatting your document, which makes it possible for you to concentrate on adding content and polishing your resume. Contents are well-organized and simple to skim. Utilizing the right resume format is vital in quickly draw in the interest of a possible employer. You could also see Modern Business Resume Templates One of the absolute most important things to keep in mind while writing a resume is that its not an autobiography. Project Manager Blank Resume Templates do not will need to appear stylish but they have to appear professional. The Resume Template is among the simplest and convenient ways of creating highly professional, concise, and well-written resum es which can help you fetch excellent opportunities without difficulty. Credit Card Authorization Form Template is vital if youre a business user. The upcoming free resume template is made in the shape of a brochure. Theres also a resume links page and a few resume tips on other pages to have you started. Most websites permit you to download the empty template and put in your information by means of a word application. There are several online resume maker tools which will sure help you to have a resume in portable document format format only as long as you pay them.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

4 Costly Hiring Mistakes to Avoid - Spark Hire

4 Costly Hiring Mistakes to Avoid - Spark HireAs a small business owner, hiring the right people for the right positions is key when it comes to the success of your small business. There are 4 hiring mistakes that can cost your business its potential for success.1. Hiring only for skillYes, it is important to have the right experience in your small business. However, do not get so caught up in this that you hire the wrong person.Just because someone has 20 years of experience doesnt meant that he will be the right person for your small business. Ask yourself important questions during the interview processDoes more experience mean its the right experience for what your small business needs?Will the experienced candidate bring the right attitude and approach to the table?Does the experienced candidate fit in with the type of culture you want to encourage in your small business?You can hire the most experienced candidates, only to find out that their experience doesnt help them fit in with your company culture and brand. This puts you and your business in a bad spot, costing you more in the end when you have to find a replacement.Dont let lesser experience be a deal breaker when hiring.2. Hiring without input from your gruppeWhen it comes down to final interviews, consider including key members of your team on the interview. Your team members will feel valued and you will be promoting a more collaborative environment within your small business.You also may be surprised at some of the red flags you have missed during the interview process. Including your team on the interview will help you to better understand the candidates communication skills and attitude towards others.Be sure to have a team huddle after the final round of interviews to gather insight and opinions from your team on the candidates fit.3. Not explaining expectationsNever assume that your job description prepares a new hire for the job expectations. Always discuss with the candidate what you and your small business will expect in the day to day work as well as long term work.When your new hire knows what to expect, there are fewer surprises and you have a better weg of hiring the right fit.4. Forgetting to check referencesThis is a mistake that so many hiring managers make.Ask each candidate in the final interview stages for a list of references and only accept management references. If you are hiring for a sales or customer service role, it can be beneficial to check customer references, but never forego the management references.Just imagine the cost avoided by simply checking references when you find out your star candidate was fired from a previous position or had a problem with following protocol, etc.What are some other costly hiring mistakes that you avoid? Please share your tips in the comments below.Image Sergey Nivens/BigStock.com