Interview with Carol J. Dunlop, author of UN-Market Your Business: 10 Ways for Savvy Entrepreneurs to Stand Out, Stop Struggling, and Start Profiting
Author’s Bio: Carol J. Dunlop is the founder and CCO at CSI Corporation, the company she founded more than twenty-three years ago with her husband Alvin. Carol is an Amazon #1 International Best-selling author of her book, UN-Market Your Business: 10 Ways for Entrepreneurs to Stand Out, Stop Struggling, and Start Profiting.
She works with women entrepreneurs who struggle to market their business successfully online and is known as “The Online WOW! Strategist.” Carol currently speaks to women entrepreneurs about how “UN-Market” their business and utilize their website as their business hub. Her clients hail from cities across the U.S.A., the U.K., and Australia. Carol currently serves on the board for ProWIN, a women’s business networking group in Atlanta, co-founded and formerly served as the marketing mastermind behind Write Books That Sell Now, and also serves as the Graphic Design sponsor for Atlanta Women’s Network.
DL: What’s the inspiration for writing your book?
CJD: I wrote the book to help women entrepreneurs market their business without breaking the bank.
DL: Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
CJD: Growing up it was Mark Twain, I loved how he developed the Tom Sawyer character and all the mischief he got in. I lost myself in their adventures every time. As an adult, it was Terry McMillan. I was first introduced to her writing in Waiting to Exhale.” I have been a fan ever since.
DL: How long did it take to write your book?
CJD: 90 Days.
DL: Do you write with an outline, or just let it flow organically?
CJD: I definitely had to use an outline, otherwise I would still be writing.
DL: Do you listen to music when you write? If yes, is there a theme song for this book?
CJD: No, I don’t really like to listen to anything while I write, I actually like for it to be quiet. But a song for this book would be, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” because marketing is a dirty word to entrepreneurs, men and women alike, but its necessary. I wanted to show them that marketing your business really isn’t that bad, especially when you choose strategies that resonate with you and feels authentic to how you want to be seen and heard.
DL: What are the keys to success in marketing your book(s)?
CJD: The number one key that leads to success in marketing your book is knowing who your audience is. You can't write a book for "everyone," if you attempt it, you'll wind up affecting no one. Meaning no one will buy and no one will read your book. Get clear first on who you are writing the book for, meaning a specific group or segment of people. Once you figure that out, your marketing will be easier for you to create and easier for your target audience to find and buy.
DL: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
CJD: My advice to aspiring writers is to write. You'll never get good or better at writing unless you actually write. Start writing social media posts, then blogging, then move to articles. The people who gravitate to your writing will gravitate to your book.
DL: How about sharing an excerpt from UN-Market Your Business: 10 Ways for Savvy Entrepreneurs to Stand Out, Stop Struggling, and Start Profiting?
CJD: Sure, here’s an excerpt from Chapter 2 The 2:00am Problem
My mentor, Rob Schultz, is a business coach, speaker, and on-line strategist. He says that, to be successful, you have to sell your ideal prospects what they want, and then when they purchase, give them what they need.
That may sound counterintuitive, but it isn’t, and here’s why. Buying is an emotional decision; people buy what they want, not what they need. For example, your ideal prospects may wish they had more time in the day to do what needs to be done but have no idea how to accomplish this. Since you classify yourself as a productivity coach, you create a product that will help them.
Look at these two examples of marketing copy. Which one do you think would appeal to your ideal prospects in solving their problem?
1) How would you like to free up 2 hours in your day?
2) This scheduling software is easy to use.
Which example would grab your attention faster?
DL: What’s next for you?
CJD: Launching my Book Tour which kicks off in September in Philadelphia. I have 2 clients who each is holding a big event on the same weekend at the end of September and both of them wanted me to be there to help them with their marketing strategy. So, it’s going to be a busy last weekend in September!
DL: Where can readers find out more about you and your book(s)?
• Website: www.csicorporation.com
• Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B00WH9AN04
• Facebook: www.csicorporation.com/fbgroup
• Twitter: @csicorporation
• Blog: www.csicorporation.com/blog
• Book Buy Links: https://www.amazon.com/Market-Your-Business-Entrepreneurs-Struggling/dp/1978181795/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
It’s been a pleasure having you here with us today. I know my readers will enjoy getting to know you and your work.
She works with women entrepreneurs who struggle to market their business successfully online and is known as “The Online WOW! Strategist.” Carol currently speaks to women entrepreneurs about how “UN-Market” their business and utilize their website as their business hub. Her clients hail from cities across the U.S.A., the U.K., and Australia. Carol currently serves on the board for ProWIN, a women’s business networking group in Atlanta, co-founded and formerly served as the marketing mastermind behind Write Books That Sell Now, and also serves as the Graphic Design sponsor for Atlanta Women’s Network.
DL: What’s the inspiration for writing your book?
CJD: I wrote the book to help women entrepreneurs market their business without breaking the bank.
DL: Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
CJD: Growing up it was Mark Twain, I loved how he developed the Tom Sawyer character and all the mischief he got in. I lost myself in their adventures every time. As an adult, it was Terry McMillan. I was first introduced to her writing in Waiting to Exhale.” I have been a fan ever since.
DL: How long did it take to write your book?
CJD: 90 Days.
DL: Do you write with an outline, or just let it flow organically?
CJD: I definitely had to use an outline, otherwise I would still be writing.
DL: Do you listen to music when you write? If yes, is there a theme song for this book?
CJD: No, I don’t really like to listen to anything while I write, I actually like for it to be quiet. But a song for this book would be, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” because marketing is a dirty word to entrepreneurs, men and women alike, but its necessary. I wanted to show them that marketing your business really isn’t that bad, especially when you choose strategies that resonate with you and feels authentic to how you want to be seen and heard.
DL: What are the keys to success in marketing your book(s)?
CJD: The number one key that leads to success in marketing your book is knowing who your audience is. You can't write a book for "everyone," if you attempt it, you'll wind up affecting no one. Meaning no one will buy and no one will read your book. Get clear first on who you are writing the book for, meaning a specific group or segment of people. Once you figure that out, your marketing will be easier for you to create and easier for your target audience to find and buy.
DL: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
CJD: My advice to aspiring writers is to write. You'll never get good or better at writing unless you actually write. Start writing social media posts, then blogging, then move to articles. The people who gravitate to your writing will gravitate to your book.
DL: How about sharing an excerpt from UN-Market Your Business: 10 Ways for Savvy Entrepreneurs to Stand Out, Stop Struggling, and Start Profiting?
CJD: Sure, here’s an excerpt from Chapter 2 The 2:00am Problem
What They Want
My mentor, Rob Schultz, is a business coach, speaker, and on-line strategist. He says that, to be successful, you have to sell your ideal prospects what they want, and then when they purchase, give them what they need.
That may sound counterintuitive, but it isn’t, and here’s why. Buying is an emotional decision; people buy what they want, not what they need. For example, your ideal prospects may wish they had more time in the day to do what needs to be done but have no idea how to accomplish this. Since you classify yourself as a productivity coach, you create a product that will help them.
Look at these two examples of marketing copy. Which one do you think would appeal to your ideal prospects in solving their problem?
1) How would you like to free up 2 hours in your day?
2) This scheduling software is easy to use.
Which example would grab your attention faster?
DL: What’s next for you?
CJD: Launching my Book Tour which kicks off in September in Philadelphia. I have 2 clients who each is holding a big event on the same weekend at the end of September and both of them wanted me to be there to help them with their marketing strategy. So, it’s going to be a busy last weekend in September!
DL: Where can readers find out more about you and your book(s)?
• Website: www.csicorporation.com
• Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/default/e/B00WH9AN04
• Facebook: www.csicorporation.com/fbgroup
• Twitter: @csicorporation
• Blog: www.csicorporation.com/blog
• Book Buy Links: https://www.amazon.com/Market-Your-Business-Entrepreneurs-Struggling/dp/1978181795/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
It’s been a pleasure having you here with us today. I know my readers will enjoy getting to know you and your work.
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