So, you want to publish your first book? That’s amazing! Congratulations!

Writing a book is no small feat, and it’s an even bigger accomplishment to have finished it. Now, you’re ready to share it with the world. But where do you start? How do you get your book out there? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

At Harmonia Media, we believe that everyone has a story to tell. And we want to help you share yours with the world. We offer a comprehensive book publishing service that takes care of everything from editing and formatting to cover design and distribution. Our goal is to make the publishing process as easy and stress-free as possible so that you can focus on what you do best – writing!

Let’s cut through the BS and show you exactly how to get your book published. We’ll go step-by-step through the publishing process so that you can hit the ground running and put your work out there.

Here’s what you need to do:

Step 1: Decide what and why you want to publish

This is perhaps the most important step in the book publishing process. What’s your why? What do you want to accomplish with your book? Are you an entrepreneur who wants to build authority and credibility in your industry? Are you an artist who wants to showcase your work? Or are you a potential author who just wants to share your story with the world? Having clarity on your purpose will help guide you during the entire publishing process.

Step 2: Write your first draft

Your first draft acts as the foundation of your book. It’s important to take the time and make sure it’s well-written and all of your ideas are articulated effectively. Develop an outline and decide how you want to structure your book; this will make the writing process much easier.

Step 3: Revise and Edit

Before you even think about publishing your book, you need to make sure it’s the best it can be. Take the time to revise and edit your manuscript. Get feedback from beta readers and a professional editor. The better your book is, the more likely it is to be successful.

Step 4: Choose a Publishing Route

There are several publishing options available, including traditional publishing, self-publishing, and hybrid publishing. Each has its pros and cons, so do your research and choose the route that’s best for you and your book.

Self-publishing on your own allows you to have complete creative control, faster publishing time, and higher royalties. However, it can be expensive and time-consuming (unless you are working with us of course! 🙂). Traditional publishing offers you the benefit of expert guidance and support from a publisher, but there are drawbacks, like long lead times and very little control over the finished product.

Hybrid publishing solutions provide you with a boutique experience that combines the best of both worlds – you get access to industry professionals while maintaining control over your book and its publishing timeline. At Harmonia Media, our hybrid publishing model gives you the personalized service and careful attention to detail that you need to make your book a success.

Step 5: Get a Professional Cover Design

Once you’ve chosen a publishing route, it’s time to get creative. Designing your book cover is an important part of the publishing process and will help it stand out from the crowd. Choose a cover design that captures the essence of your book, create an enticing summary, and make sure you have professional-looking formatting.

Your book cover is the first thing readers will see, so make sure it’s eye-catching and professional. This will make all the difference in getting readers to pick up your book.

Step 6: Formatting and Layout

Once you have a final manuscript and cover design, you need to format your book for print or ebook. This can be a tedious process, so it’s best to hire a professional to handle it for you. Our book publishing packages include basic editing, eBook production, book cover design, and out-of-the-box branding that will bring more readers to your work.

Step 7: Getting your book on Amazon

Setting up your book on Amazon involves several steps that need to be followed carefully. Firstly, you need to create an Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) account, which is a free service that allows you to self-publish your book on Amazon. Next, you need to prepare your book for publication by formatting your manuscript for Kindle, creating a cover, and writing a book description. Once your book is ready, you can upload it and the cover to KDP.

To preview your book and see how it will look on different Kindle devices, you can use Amazon’s online previewer. When you’re happy with how your book looks and its price, you can publish it on Amazon. However, it’s essential to note that promoting your book is equally important to its success. Amazon provides several promotional tools such as advertising and Kindle Countdown Deals to help you promote your book and get more sales.

It’s worth noting that setting up your book on Amazon can be a complicated process, and you may want to research more about it or seek professional help to ensure that your book is set up correctly and marketed effectively. By following the above steps and adequately promoting your book, you can reach a broader audience and achieve greater success with your book on Amazon.

Step 8: Marketing and Promotion

Once your book is published, the work doesn’t stop there. You need to market and promote your book to get it in front of readers. This can include pre-order launches, book signings, social media, and advertising.

Your digital strategy should also include custom email campaigns, website design, and SEO optimization to help you reach more readers. At Harmonia Media, we work with authors working on their first book to craft a unique targeted digital strategy that fits the needs of their books.

More Than Just a Book

Your book is more than just words on a page. It’s an expression of your passion, creativity, and experience. This is why it’s so important to take the time to understand the publishing process and find a team of experts to ensure a successful launch.

At Harmonia Media, we provide more than just book publishing services. We provide expert guidance and advice on the entire publishing process – from writing to marketing and promotion. We want your book to be a success, and we’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen.

We are not just any other book publisher; we are a team of creatives and professionals who are passionate about helping authors succeed. We are known for our “Harmonia Difference” which is all about:

• Fair and Reasonable Pricing
• High Level of Customer Support
• From Pre-Manuscript to Post Publishing
• Ongoing Marketing and Support for our Authors and Their Books
• 1-to-1 Coaching for Authors
• Compassionate and Professional Publishing Customer Service

Get Published Today!

Potential authors go through multiple setbacks, rejections, and mistakes before they can get their books published. At Harmonia Media, we help authors overcome these challenges by taking the guesswork out of the publishing process.

We have a team who work with you throughout the entire process, from editing and cover design to marketing, promotion, and distribution. Our team of professionals is passionate about helping authors like you share their stories with the world. So what are you waiting for? Contact us today and let’s get your book published!

~ Matt and The Harmonia Team

By Emma Richter

You press the button, either up or down and two doors open.

Anybody can be in the elevator when the “ding” chimes: a potential customer, employer, celebrity, co-worker–anyone. 

When you are put on the spot and have to answer the question, “So, what do you do” or “what do you sell?” you want to be ready with an answer that will wow!

Many people get “stage fright” when asked about themselves and their companies. They hem and haw. That’s not a sign of confidence.

That’s why having a corporate elevator pitch ready–yes, it’s called that for a reason!–is the epitome of prior proper planning. It’s called an elevator pitch because, ideally, it’s an introduction of yourself and your company that you can do during one short elevator ride. Quick. To the point.

Online, your website becomes your elevator pitch.

Need help making sure your website attracts customers?

Contact Harmonia Media for help with SEO, Content & More!

In addition to digital marketing, there are many opportunities for networking–offline and outside an elevator. Regardless, making a great first impression means having an elevator pitch ready. It’s important to start perfecting the art of an elevator pitch now. Learn how you’re going to market yourself and your company in 60 seconds or less.

According to Forbes, “recent trends suggest that people, especially millennials, are becoming increasingly invested in the why behind a business–the greatest purpose your company exists to serve…”

That being said, make sure your verbal pitch (and website) tell the “why” behind your story! Just as you don’t waste your site’s “About Page” with history no one cares about, make sure your verbal pitch makes a lasting impression and will compel people to want to know more.

Tell prospective customers WHY they should buy from you.

In person, the first step to making connections is to create a bond or connection with your audience. Introduce yourself in the most polite and professional way. But, it is also important to stay genuine to who you are and what your company is about, while  avoiding the feeling or need to act “robotic” or stiff.

Many people hate traditional face to face networking because they feel awkward trying to just jump into a conversation–much less start one. In these cases, body language speaks volumes. People can pick up on awkwardness and forced connection, and it could be detrimental to how you come across.

The next step is having what you want to say prepared beforehand. It doesn’t have to be a script, in fact, it shouldn’t be memorized. That’s why you need to practice your personal and business pitches in advance.

Who Is Your Audience?

Truthfully, you will need a couple of pitches, because you wouldn’t be introducing yourself to a potential mate the same way you would a potential client or boss, right?

Once you know your audience, you need to put together a short introduction that offers the receiver the “essence” of who you are. And, really, who knows you better than you? When it comes to a personal intro, just sit with yourself and think about who you are and how you want people to view you.

Professionally speaking, if you think there is someone who may know you as well as you know yourself, consider asking them how they would describe you. You can use their words to craft your own professional introduction.

People want to do business with people, not random companies. Google drives traffic to websites (when your site is properly optimized) but when someone gets to your site, your content messaging needs to be informative and helpful to the person to get them to contact you and/or “buy now.” 

But in person, it’s a whole different story. You’re on! So, you need to be ready. As a starting point, you can start by writing down a couple of adjectives that describe you, as well as skills that you have obtained that reveal your expertise in your particular area and some personal characteristics. For example, honesty, loyalty, a sense of creativity and passion are necessary for both pitches.

Let’s face it, a CEO of a company won’t want to hear about your hobbies first, they’re going to want to hear about what you can bring to the position that nobody else can bring. But that CEO is a person too. If you see their office filled with photos of dogs and you love animals, it wouldn’t hurt to drop the fact that you like to volunteer at the local shelter or even that you have a dog at home.

It is also a good idea to bring up a story that has impacted you or shaped who you are. In that story, it can tell your audience who you are and all about your company’s raison d’etre.

In an elevator or not, the art of an elevator pitch is key to sharing yourself with others for a variety of reasons from winning a new client to getting a new job to meeting a new friend. Your pitch is the essence of your brand, Yes, YOUR brand. You have one. Don’t be afraid to talk about it with everyone you meet.

So, practice your talking points. Take a deep breath. Your star is on the rise so press the “up” button and start selling who you are to the world. First impressions do matter.

This is the final article in Harmonia Media’s three- part series about repurposing web content. 

In the old days of marketing, we used to say consumers need to see and read or hear something eight or 10 times before they connect with the messaging. Maybe that’s still true or maybe the statistics have changed.

Doesn’t matter. What matters is that you have meter seconds to catch someone’s eye before they’re off to the next thing.

This means companies looking to connect with prospective customers must be savvy. You’ve got one shot on goal and you have to make it count.

Except…. When you have more than one shot on goal. This is the definition of repurposing content: taking text you’ve used for one purpose and tweaking it to use it many times in different ways.

In the first and second articles in this three-part series on repurposing content, we discussed “How to Repurpose Content to Reinforce Targeted Messaging & Save Time” and “4 Great Ways to Repurpose Web Content.” This last part of the series focuses on what not to do when you are repurposing web content.

Don’t Forget to Review Data and Statistics 

Some statistics related to the content we create can change so quickly that it’s critical to check your work. Don’t forget to take the time to check any statistics you are repurposing to make sure the info is still accurate.

Updating constantly is unnecessary, but keeping your information current will help your audience view you as a reliable source for the most up-to date information.

Don’t Rehash Out of Date Keywords

Just because something was trending on social media two months ago doesn’t mean it’s still a thing.  You don’t want to appear behind the times by posting hashtags that “date” your content.

When you are repurposing content, it’s a good time to evaluate the key words associated with a particular article and update them. Also, change the hashtags on a repurposed social post.

You may need to consider eliminating any hashtags that are no longer performing the same as they were at the time of the original post.

Watch Out for Duplicate Copy Problems!

Repeating social content is fine and absolutely advised. It’s a great way to save time and extend your reach.

However, if you plan to repurpose an article or information from your website (or any other website) don’t risk getting dinged by Google for duplicate copy.

You can avoid this by:

• rewriting the article using different words that retain the meaning (big instead of large, as an example)
• changing the order of bullets
• summarizing some information in the article into bullet points
• rewriting the headline, opening paragraph and conclusion, etc.

Think about it like this, if you even momentarily think you are plagiarizing content that has already been published on the Internet (even if you wrote it to begin with), you need to do some heavy editing before reposting.

Harmonia Media can help you connect with customers and prospects with high quality content. We are happy to repurpose your old content so you can use it again. Contact us for a free phone or Zoom consultation.

This article is the second in a three-part series on making your content work double and triple duty when it comes to marketing your brand online. Read Part 1, How to Repurpose Content to Reinforce Targeted Messaging & Save Time.

You’ve already spent hours creating content and there’s a variety of ways you can revive it to create something brand new. You’ll get more mileage out of a topic or article and you’ll be able to post on social media more often—without making yourself crazy looking for new ideas!

Change the Image 

This is the down and dirty method of repurposing content. Selecting a new image to go with a repurposed social media post takes moments and it immediately gives your old post a new shine.

Change the Format 

For longer form content, an article can be shifted into a shorter blog post, a blog post can become a new social post, and any information can be turned into an infographic!!

Video is IN!

Many companies opt to create video versions of content for YouTube. Pick the main points from your blog and create a script for your video. You can appear in the video reviewing the main points, or you can use stock photos or videos to bring your blog to life. Add a recorded voice-over explaining the points, and you’ve got yourself a YouTube video.

From there, you can link it to another post on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to drive your audience to your YouTube channel.

Length Matters

People have the attention span of goldfish these days (not a lot!) So another way to repurpose content is to take a short blog post and turn it into a listicle. Or, take a longer article and cut it down.

Another option is to separate a long form article into a series of very short bulleted posts.

One more comment on length… if you want a bunch of long- form content but are short on ideas, choose one of your established pieces and break it down into articles that go in depth on a variety of points made in the old article.

When looking for extra social posts, create several posts pointing out individual points in the same one blog post and lead readers to your blog to read it!

Take the guesswork out of content creation and posting on social media. Contact Harmonia Media for a consultation about how we can help drive more traffic (paying customers!) to your website.

And, if you missed it, read part 1 of the series here.

This article is the first in a three-part series on making your content work double and triple duty when it comes to marketing your brand online. 

One of the biggest challenges content creators face is having a consistent flow of engaging content. This is especially true when it comes to posting on social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. You want fresh info to share but the idea bucket is dangerously low and time isn’t on your side.

What’s Old is New Again

What do you do? Smart content developers take what’s old—yet still great and relevant—and repurpose it.

Take a look at your blog and the last year’s worth of social posts. Everything you need, whether you’re in a time crunch or have hit a writer’s block, is in front of your eyes in the form of content that’s been written, posted and is ready for a refresh.

On social media, you can—and should—actually repeat posts over a period of time. First, not everyone saw it the first time (and maybe not the second or third either) and, even if they did see it before, repetition is key to marketing. Secondly, it’s quite likely your followers aren’t cataloging your posts. What is old to you will appear brand new to others.

Repurposing your best content will save you time and energy. Updating content that performed well in the past will help you take advantage of powerful information and continue to showcase your messages.

The bottom line is that giving your previous content a make-over will save you time and get more mileage out of work you’ve already done.

Invite Harmonia Media in to help you drive more traffic to your website with great content!

Effective web content isn’t easy to create. It takes a skilled writer, an understanding of the target audience and a talent for storytelling to compel reader, or customer, action.