Media entrepreneur and motivational journalist Kelsey Humphreys is on a mission to break down success for the rest of us. She is the host and producer of The Pursuit a talk show and podcast where she interviews influencers like Tony Robbins, Barbara Corcoran, Gary Vaynerchuk, Brandon Bouchard, and others. She offers simple success tips and written articles for Success Magazine, Entrepreneur, LifeHack, and the Huffington Post. She is also the author of the book “Go Solo”.
Kelsey is a past student of SPS. I just love her book, and we have had a lot of fun. I’ve really enjoyed seeing her soar with all of the awesome stuff that has happened since the book was published. It’s not just because of the book. It’s because she is a hustler, but the book definitely helped. Today, we are going to discuss her book, her success, and a lot of great motivational ideas.
You can find Kelsey here:
Kelsey Humphreys
The Pursuit
Kelsey Humphreys facebook
@KelseyHumphreys Twitter
Go Solo
Kelsey Humphreys LinkedIn
Show Notes
[03:06] Kelsey wrote her book to teach her knowledge and she knew a book was a legitimate way to meet her end goals and to help launch her speaking and expert marketing career.
[04:15] Over time her career morphed into interviewing since her goals have changed since she first began.
[04:41] Kelsey had a newborn when she was writing her book. She typed during nap time for 6 months leading up to finishing up with Chandler and SPS. Most of us are already writing in our heads. All of the stuff we write can be compiled into a book.
[05:35] What people want is our perspectives. For me, writing was a lot of compiling and structuring and editing.
[06:16] She hired an editor for copy editing.
[06:28] Writing is like so many things in life. We can make them worse than they are before we start. Action is the key. The action to writing a book is to sit down and write.
[08:04] When Kelsey would get stuck she would go back and read what she had written and that would get the juices flowing again.
[08:32] We can spend tons of time reading about how to write a book, but sitting down and writing is the key to getting it done.
[09:20] The actual writing of the book took about six months after years of learning and compiling information.
[10:26] Kelsey hired Chandler because she needed help getting over the hump and with marketing.
[11:12] Test to see what works for you when writing a book. Whether it is an hour a day or all Saturday.
[12:43] How writing needs to be focused time, but it doesn't have to be everyday.
[13:06] How Kelsey positioned the book for solopreneurs she started broad, but then narrowed in.
[15:17] How a specific book for a specific person is more sell-able and will help more people.
[16:27] Kelsey offered the first chapter of her book for free with an email list. She also made a video series posted on facebook. The family and friend buy in on facebook was helpful. Looking back they were too long and too detailed, but facebook helped get the word out there.
[18:17] People knew Kelsey's story and signed up on her email list to check out her upcoming book.
[20:39] If you have a message worth spreading it is your job to get it out.
[21:22] Kelsey started with accessible guest posts. Which led her to Dan Miller. Don't underestimate the importance of your inner circle and snowballing your guest endorsements.
[24:13] A lot of people said no to Kelsey when she asked for endorsements, but Barbara Corcoran replied and gave her an endorsement.
[26:06] Kelsey will spend hours trying to find the correct contact info of a person.
[27:16] Keep it short when reaching out. The less you write about yourself the better you do. Make it about the goals of the person who you are reaching out to.
[28:59] Kelsey emailed the Entrepreneur editor and pitched guest articles. Once accepted you can pitch to your editor. You have to have writing experience or a really great article. Article writing is also a snow ball pitching technique.
[32:39] The importance of thinking about the goal of the person or publication that you are pitching too.
[33:18] Being a podcast guest and speaking engagements happened after writing the book.
[36:03] Kelsey used video strategically for a marketing tool including her doing book signings Back of room sales at speaking engagements are also great.
[37:23] The importance of promoting everything you do, not just sending out a tweet and moving on. Leverage one marketing method into the next things. Put what you do on your website.
[38:34] Kelsey decided to do a video show where she met the guests wherever they are instead of just an audio podcast. She made it the best video ever and sent it to her next potential guest. Then it snowballed from big name guest to bigger name guest.
[40:39] The key to getting these interviews was in the distribution.
[41:59] How Kelsey is in a journalist position and not someone just selling a product. When she gives pitches she tells them what is in it for them. She also creates articles about the interviews.
[43:25] How it was incredible interviewing Tony Robbins. Sitting down with Barbara Corcoran was also an incredible full circle experience.
[45:04] Successful individual focus on marketing and very strategic with their time.
[45:31] If an idea has stuck with you, it is worth pursuing It is your responsibility and job to see it through. Focus on one thing and commit to see the project through.
Links and Resources:
self-publishingschool.com
Spsfreetraining.com
48 Days to the Work You Love
The 90 Day Year
Kelsey Humphreys
The Pursuit
Kelsey Humphreys facebook
@KelseyHumphreys Twitter
Go Solo
Kelsey Humphreys LinkedIn
SPS 121 - Passion To Purpose- Adding A Nonprofit Arm To Your Book Or Business with Amy McLaren (And Advice For Nonprofits Writing A Book)
SPS 120: Building An Email List, The Long Game & Becoming A Full Time Author with Dorie Clark (Behind The Scenes On My Next Book Launch)
SPS 119: Read To Lead: From Podcaster To Published Author with Jeff Brown (And How To Write A Book From Your Podcast Topic)
SPS 118: How To Create & Launch An Online Course From Your Book (And Get Your First Sales) with Amy Porterfield
SPS 117: Why I Published Six $100 Books I'm Not Selling On Amazon (And How I'm Using Books To Grow The Warrior Movement) with Garrett J. White
SPS 116: What I Learned Launching The Most Successful Books Of The Last Decade with Daniel Decker
SPS 115: Using Atomic Habits To Write & Publish A Book (And How I Sold 4 Million Copies In 3 Years) with James Clear
SPS 114: How To Write A Book If You Have ADHD with Chalene Johnson
SPS 113: How To Find A Ghostwriter That Writes A Great Book Without Wasting Time & Money Doing It The Wrong Way with Carol Tice
SPS 112: How To Turn Your Podcast Into A Book (To Get More Subscribers & Sell More Books) with Nick Loper
SPS 111: How My Real Estate Investing Book Helps Me Close Deals & Get Funding with Hayden Crabtree
SPS 110: Supporting A Cause Or Charity With Your Book Launch (How To & Mistakes To Avoid) with Susie Harder
SPS 109: How To Sell More Books & Make A Full Time Living As A Non-Fiction Author with Scott Allan
SPS 108: Giftology, “Love Bombs”, And Why I Have A $250 Book with John Ruhlin (Using Your Book To Build Relationships & Get Referrals)
SPS 107: How To Write A Perennial Bestseller If You're "Not A Writer" with Dr. Henry Cloud (The Real Secret To Selling 20 Million Copies)
SPS 106: Hybrid Publishing 101, Audible Originals, And Why You Should Focus On Audiobooks with Phil Jones (Exactly What To Say To Get People To Buy & Read Your Book)
SPS 105: Using Partnership Marketing To Sell Books, Change Lives, And Grow Your Business with Pedro Mattos (An Immigrant's Guide To Affiliate Marketing)
SPS 104: How To Create A 1 Page Marketing Plan For Your Book with Allan Dib
SPS 103: Using Books & Thought Leadership To Grow My 200 Person Marketing Agency with Robert Glazer
SPS 102: How To Write A Memoir That Actually Sells Copies (Without Being Famous) with Justin & Alexis Black
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