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I am delighted to announce that my research and TEDx Talk titled “Stories of COVID” has been recognized by the Bounce Back Challenges with the 2021 Bounce Back Award. This award recognizes outstanding projects and initiatives designed to help humanity process and work through the pandemic.
Stories of COVID is an international ethnographic (anthropological) archive documenting the pandemic in real time. It follows the legacy of my first book and study, titled “Stories of Elders,” which documented the high-tech revolution through interviews with those born before 1945.
The goal of Stories of COVID is to capture the very real sentiments of the developing pandemic, from its outset to the (hopeful) retreat of the virus and return of close communal connections. What sets it apart is the bottom-up approach of the interviews. Rather than summarize the events of the time, these interviews offer an intimate and emotional perspective of the true consequence of living through a global pandemic.
Thank you to everyone who has supported the project as it develops and to the Bounce Back Challenges for the honor!
“There’s one thing I regret about working with Veronica – not having met her sooner! She had a clear perspective on the challenges I was facing and was quick to offer me the latest tools for my projects.”— Niki A., Executive Coach
https://i0.wp.com/veronicakirin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/storiesofcovid-bouncebackaward.jpg?fit=2240%2C1260&ssl=112602240Veronica Kirinhttps://veronicakirin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/VSignatureGold-1024x363.pngVeronica Kirin2021-09-08 14:06:002023-05-08 14:15:55Stories of COVID Receives the Bounce Back Award
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I am so pleased, honored, and excited to announce Stories of Elders won the 2020 National Indie Excellence Award for US History. This is an incredible achievement, and I am eternally thankful to those of you that have supported this work along the way, whether by sponsoring, donating, or contributing to different stages of the work.
This award is not just an accolade. It helps ensure the ultimate mission of this book: to preserve the experience of the high-tech revolution and its effects on society for future generations that won’t have the context for understanding our analog past. These paradigm shifts have befores and afters, and while they are often difficult to grasp in the moment, someone, somewhere will look back and wonder what it was like. Stories of Elders will tell that story. By the way, I am currently working to document the paradigm shift of COVID-19. Another “Stories of” book is in the works!
We have also been recognized as a FINALIST in the 2020 International Book Awards in the General History category. What an absolute honor to be named in a category with fellow authors like Dr. Nina Ansary, who has done historic work advocating for female emancipation in Iran.
“There’s one thing I regret about working with Veronica – not having met her sooner! She had a clear perspective on the challenges I was facing and was quick to offer me the latest tools for my projects.”— Niki A., Executive Coach
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Sarah [not her real name] came to me for coaching to develop her consulting business, speaking career, and strategically use her new book to launch into both containers. Throughout our coaching period together, there was one problem after another with her publisher, and we were constantly working to pivot around the mistakes or misleading information that the publisher had provided.
The Moment of Panic
This came to a head as launch day neared. The agreed-upon plan was to print advanced reader copies on the 1st of December in order to give the sales team time to market the book to stores to receive orders before the holidays. It would also give Sarah time to send advanced reader copies to reviewers and the press. We would then hit the ground running in early January with a book launch date in early February.
The print date came and went. The distributor had not bought into that plan. We’re not sure if the publisher did not communicate well with the distributor, or if the distributor was a bad choice and went rogue. However, there were no books to begin the sales process at this critical juncture.
When my client contacted the distributor, they simply stated they had chosen to wait to print the advanced copies in mid-January — only weeks before launch and not enough time for stores to make their orders.
This left a massive gap in the marketing plan for the book, especially due to the looming holiday season. The book would launch to crickets if we didn’t do something fast.
Time to Get Disruptive
Marketing a book is a critical part of being an entrepreneurial author. We had to make a plan that would fill the marketing gap but not create excessive costs outside the original budget. It also had to be something we could launch fast because we were a week into December and already behind.
What I created for this client was a postcard campaign. The postcards would contain the book cover, a synopsis, and the contact info for the sales team. This gave the sales team a physical showcase item to replace the physical books.
However, that created another problem. If the postcards were used in different regions, that meant different sales person’s information needed to be provided for each region. We didn’t have time or the budget to develop small runs of postcards with unique contact information.
The solution was to create a universal postcard that forwarded interested parties to a sales team page on the book’s website.
Finally, my client was concerned the sales team either would not know about the book in time or wouldn’t care about the postcard solution to make up for the lost time. Each salesperson has several books that they are promoting at one time. We needed the sales team on our side and we needed them to be ready to help us when the advanced reader copies came out.
We decided to send them all holiday presents of bourbon-filled chocolate. Not only was the team happy to receive a gift, but it also made my client memorable, so when they finally had the book in hand in January, they were invested in its success.
So what happened?
Not only did the postcard idea help bridge the gap in the marketing plan, but it also created an entirely new marketing plan. The distributor, the sales team, the publicist, and even the publisher were so enthused about the postcard idea that they all requested a batch of their own. We bought a larger run of postcards, saving some money on the individual cost, and garnering the book greater attention than originally planned.
This client is both an author and a consultant. We were building a marketing plan for both, and so the success of this book was critical. Knowing that I helped her to pivot as fast as possible and bring the book to success is exactly the work that I love to do.
If you have a book in the works and you’re not sure how to fit it into your business plan, or you need support to pivot a marketing plan fast, I’d be happy to talk to you. Let’s schedule an intro call.
“There’s one thing I regret about working with Veronica – not having met her sooner! She had a clear perspective on the challenges I was facing and was quick to offer me the latest tools for my projects.”— Niki A., Executive Coach
https://i0.wp.com/veronicakirin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/book-marketing-case-study-5507662.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&ssl=110801920Veronica Kirinhttps://veronicakirin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/VSignatureGold-1024x363.pngVeronica Kirin2020-03-19 11:05:002023-04-28 15:57:48How We Rescued (and amplified) a Book Launch Marketing Plan
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This week I learned that my book’s documentary was selected for the Lift-Off Film Festival 2020. Soon after, we made the Finalist distinction! This is very exciting for a number of reasons. First, it will widen the awareness of my book and work, as the documentary will be screened in both the UK and Los Angeles. Second, it gives much-deserved distinction to David Astudillo, who took the footage I gathered during the interviews I conducted in my research and turned them into something marvelous. Finally, it is a perfect demonstration of persistence paying off.
So much of entrepreneurship is about persistence, especially as an author, which is why I created the Entrepreneurial Authorship Course. One of the most prolific and awarded authors of our time, Jacob Appel, has been rejected by publishers 21,000 times while having published 215 stories and won several awards. Our work takes time and patience.
I conducted my research for Stories of Elders in 2015. It took three years to write the book, finally publishing in 2018 through Identity Publications. In between research and publishing, David approached me and stated he had an interest in making my work into a documentary. Lucky for us, I had recorded footage of the interviews I’d conducted. The night of my book launch I didn’t read from the book — I screened his film, which brought the audience into my seat during interviews and told the story in an intimate manner.
Today that documentary is being used to prime the next wave of interviews with Generation Z. Their reaction to the film creates a perfect compare / contrast between the last analog generation and the first all-tech generation.
I applied to many more film festivals than will ever accept us. That’s simply how it works. But so many authors and entrepreneurs get discouraged after only a few no’s.
“There’s one thing I regret about working with Veronica – not having met her sooner! She had a clear perspective on the challenges I was facing and was quick to offer me the latest tools for my projects.”— Niki A., Executive Coach
https://i0.wp.com/veronicakirin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/lift-off-film-festival-stories-of-elders-5505033.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&ssl=110801920Veronica Kirinhttps://veronicakirin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/VSignatureGold-1024x363.pngVeronica Kirin2020-03-02 11:09:002023-05-08 14:16:34Stories of Elders a Finalist at Lift Off Film Festival
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As I was putting together my thoughts for a keynote appearance in Indianapolis, I began to think about the steps that brought me to this incredible point in time. Simply put, I wrote a book. However, there is so much more hiding in the details.
Anyone writing a book today has near infinite opportunities to get their content in front of an audience than ever before. Traditional publishers still provide a solid foundation to anyone who lands a deal — contrary to what many information sources might lead one to believe. Outlets like Amazon’s Kindle Direct and Lulu also provide writers with the ability to create and self-publish a physical or electronic volume. That means anyone who has written a book can get it into the public’s hands for a fairly modest investment.
Other publishing possibilities also exist, such as partnerships with independent publishing houses as I did for Stories of Elders. Indie publishers are often willing to take on newer authors and can provide them with a great foundation from which to launch a successful book and writing career.
Each option has its pros and cons, but there is one important ingredient any book needs to become a success but is often overlooked. It is something that I believe made it possible for me to research and write my book, fundraise on Kickstarter, find a publisher, manage the project, and garner the publicity it deserves (including two awards).
Whether you self-publish, find a traditional publisher, or work with an indie house, writing a book means being involved in almost every aspect of the project from start to finish. The general public still believes that a traditional publisher will grab the book from the writer’s hands while the proverbial ink is still wet and ship millions of copies to waiting bookstores around the world while the writer lounges by the pool cashing royalty checks. Not so much. The “if you build it, they will come” mentality may have worked in 2000, before the advent of eReaders and self-publishing.
Today, billions of books are readily available to everyone, everywhere, with many provided free online. Unless your book is put in their direct path, your potential reader will never know it exists. Today’s writer must be a marketer, speaker, designer, and any of the other pieces of the puzzle that make up the Entrepreneurial Author. If you build it, you must be willing to work to ensure the reader can easily find it, will desire it, and can buy a copy in the format they choose. Even the largest publishing houses may not do this for you.
As a serial entrepreneur, I truly feel that my decade of business building ensured that I was equipped for the task of writing and distributing my book. Looking back, I can easily see how so much of my business and networking experience directly impacted my ability to get the project done. Entrepreneurship basically made this book.
My path to becoming an Entrepreneurial Author began while running my tech company. While building the business I learned to manage projects, write copy, and build websites, all of which were important skills throughout the writing and editing process. My entrepreneurial experiences empowered me to build the website for Stories of Elders, create a podcast of the interviews in the book, and syndicate the episodes to iTunes and Google Play. My design background meant that I had the vision to guide the book cover design, branding for my website, and any printed materials as well. In the early days of my tech company, I spent a lot of time in coworking spaces making valuable connections with people who were busy with their own startup businesses. Many of those people had used Kickstarter to raise their first round of funding, and their knowledge was pivotal in my Kickstarter success, as did my experience with online marketing. The networking skills I learned as an entrepreneur helped me to find the people I needed to interview for Stories of Elders, and eventually led me to the publisher I am working with now. All that to say, without having been through the development and day-to-day management of my own company, I may not have completed and published my book.
If you want to write a book, you need to think of it as a business venture and approach the project with an entrepreneurial mindset. You must be willing and able to take on any of the tasks required, especially marketing your book — and yourself. This means being honest with yourself about the tools in your toolbox, and reaching out to others who can help where you cannot. Although the process may be easier if you have your own entrepreneurial background, surrounding yourself with knowledgeable, experienced entrepreneurs can help provide the necessary knowledge and experiences needed to do the job.
Don’t be afraid to write your book. Just start with some careful planning and don’t take the process lightly. Approach the project not only as a writer but as an Entrepreneurial Author as well. I designed my Entrepreneurial Author Course to help you do just that. Have a look →
“There’s one thing I regret about working with Veronica – not having met her sooner! She had a clear perspective on the challenges I was facing and was quick to offer me the latest tools for my projects.”— Niki A., Executive Coach
A resource for business owners & entrepreneurs who want to reclaim their time. Become a SCALING:lab Member and receive the articles + case studies a week before they’re live to the public..
What an amazing day. I am still reeling from the love, excitement, and gratitude received by all of you.
On September 30, 2018, I hosted a Release Party for my book, Stories of Elders, in Downtown Grand Rapids. I was honored that eight of the elders whom I interviewed in the book attended the event, and they signed the books alongside me. 100 friends, family, and community members also attended, as did FOX17 news.
The accompanying Documentary, edited by local filmmaker David Astudillo, was also premiered at the event. I was delighted to hear the audience laugh, moan, and comment on the film. Several asked for a feature length documentary, which is now being considered.
Next comes the local book tour. I will be offering signings at libraries and bookstores across Michigan, as well as at a conference in Bloomington, Indiana. You can help make this book a success by sharing the book with your friends and colleagues. I am also offering to speak at schools and universities in a combined documentary screening + tech discussion with students.
The book was published by Identity Publications. Thank you to Gregory V. Diehl for your time and expertise. Onward!
“There’s one thing I regret about working with Veronica – not having met her sooner! She had a clear perspective on the challenges I was facing and was quick to offer me the latest tools for my projects.”— Niki A., Executive Coach
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We’ve been in the studio for several days, now, recording the Stories of Elders audiobook. I’ve been surprised by how quickly my voice becomes hoarse, how tired I am of hyper-focusing my vision on the text, and annoying it is to repeat the same line over and over because of my Midwestern articulation!
I now can honestly say that recording an audiobook does not come naturally to me. However, I am honored and extremely blessed to have the support of Dan Salas of Vida Recording Studio and Video Productions. He is so good natured that it almost doesn’t feel like work!
We are approximately halfway through the recording process. The book is 90,000 words long, which means two weeks in the studio only puts us halfway.
I’ll be spending all week with Dan and our mutual friend, Tim Sokoloski, who is sponsoring a portion of the studio time. I’m so thankful for their good attitudes and willingness to laugh when I just can’t make it through a sentence without messing up the words. Repeatedly. You can catch some of our sessions on Facebook Live.
We are announcing the Launch Party for the book very soon. Stay tuned!
“There’s one thing I regret about working with Veronica – not having met her sooner! She had a clear perspective on the challenges I was facing and was quick to offer me the latest tools for my projects.”
A resource for business owners & entrepreneurs who want to reclaim their time. Become a SCALING:lab Member and receive the articles + case studies a week before they’re live to the public..
Last night was just amazing. Thank you to everyone who attended the Kickstarter Launch Party at J. Gardella’s Tavern in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan.
This critical took a lot of research and preparation. I interviewed people in our city who ran their own successful crowdfunding campaigns, worked with local businesses and artists to create wonderful rewards for funders, and carefully planned a video series to explain the importance of the project.
And YOU helped by providing testimonials to the project as well!
The purpose of the event was to jumpstart the campaign. Kickstarter works like many other search engines and e-commerce websites. The algorithm looks for a host of activity just after launch. If there is enough, the site will promote the project in a favorable manner, helping to achieve even greater success.
Last night we funded the research by 25%!!! That’s an ENORMOUS success. Over the next 29 days, those that find the project will know that this is something worth investing in. Thank you for your support!
And a heartfelt thanks to tinyUproar photography for documenting the night!
“There’s one thing I regret about working with Veronica – not having met her sooner! She had a clear perspective on the challenges I was facing and was quick to offer me the latest tools for my projects.”— Niki A., Executive Coach
https://i0.wp.com/veronicakirin.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/kickstarter-launch-party.jpg?fit=2240%2C1260&ssl=112602240Veronica Kirinhttps://veronicakirin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/VSignatureGold-1024x363.pngVeronica Kirin2015-09-02 11:44:002023-05-08 13:51:23Thank You for a Successful Kickstarter Launch Party