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Low-Content Books as Smart Marketing Tools with Rachel Harrison-Sund · Values-First Marketing

• 0:02
  Unknown: I am here with Rachel Harrison, son, who is an entrepreneur, publisher and educator who helps aspiring online business owners build audiences and create passionate, passive revenue streams through her self titled YouTube channel and digital courses, Rachel has taught nearly 70,000 people across platforms, and she has been featured in Forbes money Applied Arts and the advertising and design club of Canada. So excited to chat with you today. Rachel, welcome to the show. Hey, Megan, thank you so much for having me. Super excited to be here.
• 0:37
  Unknown: I can't wait to dive in, because you do something that is I think so cool, and I think so many of my people in my audience maybe don't do that yet, or think it might be too hard, or, like, take too much, but then the way you do it and the way you explain it's like, oh, it's actually much simpler than than maybe we realize. So talk to us about how you help people monetize their unique expertise?
• 1:04
  Unknown: Sure. Yeah. Well, the main thing that I've been doing over the past few years is helping online business owners generate passive income, creating and selling what is commonly known as low content books. So these are books that kind of don't really fit into your typical non fiction or your fiction book, and they're interactive books, books that we write in. So basically we're talking about things like daily planners, journals, workbooks, log books.
• 1:30
  Unknown: It can even be coloring books, activity books. So anything that kind of falls under that broad umbrella. So that was something I turned to just kind of as a side hustle when I was working in advertising a few years back, and I was kind of looking for a way to get out of my ad job. And you know, we all want that dream of, like, doing our own thing and being our own boss. So that was essentially what I was trying to do. So I came across this business model where, essentially, you would go on to Amazon, you would research the different types of books that people were searching for, and then you would create those books and sell them. And you would do that at scale. So I actually got started with that business model with non fiction books, and then I quickly moved into fiction I was creating, kind of like I would loosely categorize them as romance, they were honestly, like, a little bit more toward erotica, and just like novella length. And I would hire a writer to write multiples of these books under a pen name, and then I would generate royalties from that, because I would purchase the rights. I've been doing that for about a year or two. And then I came across this idea of the low content book, and that was great for me, because I've got a bit of a design background, and I didn't have to pay a writer to write these books anymore. I could just easily create them myself. You're just creating digital files, essentially uploading those to the Kindle Direct Publishing platform, and then they're for sale. And that's kind of really when things took off for that, for that little online business that I'd started. And then after a couple of years, I just kind of had enough friends and people I knew going like, wait a minute, what is this? You're doing? How are you doing this? So then I decided to create a digital course, and that's when I started my YouTube channel as well. So right now, a lot of my students, they are side hustlers, as I was, that are trying to create passive income streams, so they're publishing these books at scale. And then there's also a secondary group of my students who are probably a lot like your audience. You know, they're coaches, creators, entrepreneurs, established business owners, and they don't necessarily want to publish these books at scale, but they'd like to publish something like a branded daily planner or a branded prompted journal, something that utilizes their own IP frameworks that they've already created. And they just want to create one of these books that they can use as a marketing tool, or it can be an additional offer, or a book that supports one of their current offers. And it's great for them as well, because this is something they can use to build their audience. They can take it to events and pass it around.
• 4:11
  Unknown: They could use it as bonuses for their offers, or they can just sell it directly to their list.
• 4:20
  Unknown: So it's been a really cool, it's a really cool little additional business model for so many different types of people, and I've just had so much fun with it over the years.
• 4:30
  Unknown: Yes, I think, I think I can see me and my people mostly using this for like, you said, like a daily planner or a prompted journal. I know that is something on my radar, specifically coming up. I love the idea of using it as a marketing tool, bringing it to those in person events and networking things to pass around. So talk a little bit more about what does this process. Process even look like, I want to know, like, Does this feel feasible for me, where I'm at? What is, what does that look like?
• 5:10
  Unknown: Well, it's very, very easy, especially if you're someone like you, or someone in your audience where you've you're not necessarily going on to Amazon to do the research, to figure out what people are already looking for. Because in your case, you're probably not publishing these books at scale.
• 5:26
  Unknown: You've already got IP that you want to use, so it might be some sort of a framework or something, and you've already got a list. So normally, when the side hustlers start, they don't have a list, so they have to really focus on the research to get their book discoverable.
• 5:37
  Unknown: Whereas you know, someone like you who may already have a list you've kind of got someone built in to promote to or offer this book to, so you're not as concerned about that. So mainly it's just what sort of IP Do you have that you would like to put into this, whatever the type of book is, you know, do you have a particular way of like, how you plan your week is that, is there a framework you've created around how you plan? I know I'm working with one seven figure business owner right now, and she does a lot around manifesting, and her people love all of her journal prompts, so I'm currently helping her put together a book of all of her best journal prompts. There's another seven figure business owner I'm working with right now where I'm really excited about where this is a little bit more involved. It's it's got a little bit more content, but she, she actually is. She's a copywriter as well. So her thing is email marketing. So she's got quite a lot of IP, and I'm going to be helping her put together kind of a condensed version of, like, all of her best email marketing tips that are going to go into a book. Listeners aren't going to be able to see this, but I've got this little book. I was at a dinner of hers a few weeks ago, and as a thank you for everyone coming to this dinner, she passed around this, this little book, it's probably about, I don't know, like a five by seven book written by Who is it? I think Ray Dalio or no, sorry, CJ Chilvers, and it's all about how to write newsletters. And I thought this is so cool, but this would have been 10 times more cool if it was your book.
• 7:15
  Unknown: Yes, like that would have been so cool. So that's the kind of book I'm helping her write right now. So it was just such a great little gift that she was able to give all of these people that came to see her while she was in town for this event. She was speaking at this big event and had this dinner. So it's really like, whatever your imagination can come up with what? What is the type of IP that you've got?
• 7:43
  Unknown: What could you condense into a little book? Because, you know, so many of us, and I'm sure probably most of the people listening right now, especially when you think about the statistics for this, it's something like 80, over 80% of people want to create a book, but we're not all ready to pen this, like, massive tone just yet, and try and hit that New York Times bestsellers list, but we might have something smaller that we can put into one of these little books that I really would consider more of like a marketing tool. So if anyone's listening, let's just got, you know, some sort of an idea, some sort of an IP, whether it's, you know, like I mentioned with this one person who's, you know, they want to compile all their best email marketing tips. Or, you know, this the other entrepreneur I'm working with who's got these ideas for these journal prompts. It could be a daily planner. It could be, you know, I've seen people put together coloring books.
• 8:35
  Unknown: They're, you know, like a behavioral therapist, or someone who works in counseling where this is like a stress relief adult coloring book. It's really whatever most of us have, this IP laying around that is oftentimes underutilized, and it just makes such a cool little, cool, little marketing tool, like I said. You can use it for gifts. You can take it to events handout. You can sell it directly to your list. You can have it on your website. And the one thing that I'll mention that that really makes this, you know, you're asking, Is this really doable for me, print on demand, like that? I need to mention that, because that is what's that makes this so easy.
• 9:16
  Unknown: So a lot of times when you get these types of books created, you're having to to source out a printer, and then you're having to print a minimum print run, and now you're saddled with inventory. You know, you've got these books stacked up in your living room, and this is why we're digital entrepreneurs.
• 9:33
  Unknown: Yes, yes. We don't want to worry about what, who wants that, right? So anyone can start an Amazon KDP account for free. You can publish a book for free, and then when somebody buys the book, they're just printing off one copy and shipping it directly to the customer. So KDP is a good option for this.
• 9:52
  Unknown: There's also Lulu or blurb, and again, print on demand. And with Lulu, you can actually set it up so people. Can buy your book directly from your website, so they don't even have to go to Amazon. And again, it's print on demand. So somebody orders one book, that book is just printed off and shipped directly to them. And so I think most people don't realize how easy it actually is. You know when in the past, and I've thought about because I've always loved these types of books. I love daily planners. I've always got a beautiful daily planner in front of me. So what I've thought about it and looked into it, it's like, oh, man, I would have to source a manufacturer, like a printer, and then, you know, I've got to print like, a minimum of 1000 and it's, it can cost 1000s of 1000s of dollars.
• 10:36
  Unknown: And I know people that do that, but this is just such a good option for someone who's not quite there yet and doesn't have that type of money to invest and the quality is decent. And if you're going with someone like Lulu, they've actually got options for not only just hard cover, but you can get, like the coil bound and the linen cover and foil stamping and things like that. So the print on demand scene has really improved in quality over the last few years. Yeah, so there's just, there's just so many options.
• 11:07
  Unknown: I love that. I love how it Yeah, the print on demand solutions is just like. I didn't even know that was a thing that is available out there. Your ideas about using these as marketing gifts is so smart, because I think, like going to network events is like a business card, like, you know, get just gets lost in my purse, you know, you don't really look at it too much. Or you can trade, like, you know, Instagram handles or whatever else, and follow each other, but then that can still get lost in the algorithm. But I feel like a marketing gift, a small tangible thing really makes you stand out much more expertise to the forefront.
• 11:54
  Unknown: This book at that dinner. And again, this isn't even my friend's book. So I'm like, this should have been your book, but that book that I was gifted.
• 11:59
  Unknown: This has sat on my desk. It's called Principles for newsletters, and I'll just pick it up and, like, you know, flip to a page. And this is just, it's been on my desk for the last month now, and I'm referencing it. So these things work, you know, and it is such a great way to be remembered. I mean, no one's I mean, first of all, I actually was at events a month ago, and I got a couple of business cards, and I was like, you can still do these business cards anymore, right?
• 12:28
  Unknown: Everything's digital, so this is just something that, not only is it kind of like a calling card for you, but it's something that's like, it's very high value, like, I'm getting use out of this book. And, you know, I'm not going to forget receiving this. So yeah, I think it's a really great option, especially in a day and age where things are going so digital, and there's just those of us who just love to have that physical something in our hands, like a really nicely designed physical book. Like, I don't know about you, Megan, but I just have such an affinity for books in general. Like, I just love I've got I've got my Kindle, but I always, you know, if there's a book I really want, I will always get the physical copy, just so I can have that feeling of it in my hands. So there's definitely something to be said about that. It just feels so much more high value.
• 13:19
  Unknown: Yes, yes, I definitely agree I like the actual book. I still like I live and die by my Google Calendar, but I still love, you know, a physical planner, sucker for that gold foil, absolutely those fun things, just having it feel pretty and be tangible. And I think too, especially working in this digital world, it feels so much more relaxing for me to be able to physically write something down with a pen and paper, even though it's not necessarily, as you know, convenient of just having it on my Google Drive. But there's something I think therapeutic about putting pen to paper, so I still very much value those journals, those planners, those physical products as well. Absolutely yes.
• 14:05
  Unknown: Okay, so we talked about a little bit about what you do, how we can use these as marketing gifts, or, you know, all the other ideas that we shared. And since this is a copywriting podcast, I also want to talk about how do you do it, not just what you do, but how you do it. I know you have a like a webinar master class that is now performing super well.
• 14:29
  Unknown: What can you do? Mind sharing with us maybe one or two of the tweaks you made that really made it take off, or just kind of a little piece of copywriting or marketing that has just like really been working well for you.
• 14:44
  Unknown: Oh, okay, good question. Well, I we're so if we're looking for copywriting tips this, this is a good tip, actually, because I just spent this entire week rewriting all the emails in my funnel because it was just about. Time to do that. And I don't know if this rings a bell for you or any of the listeners, when you've suddenly, like, you keep creating lead magnets, and then it's like, oh, wait, this lead magnet goes here, and this one goes there, and it's like, okay, there's only one lead magnet leading to my funnel.
• 15:35
  Unknown: Now, so this, I have to address this, because I've got a funnel with leaks on multiple fronts.
• 15:41
  Unknown: So I sat down and took an entire week to rewrite all of those emails. And what I noticed, because the last time I wrote these is probably sometime last year, maybe even the year before, but I'm like, wow, these are really long winded. People don't want, I mean, I don't want to sit through a long email, so I stripped everything out. And I don't know if you use this app or if you've heard of it. It's called Hemingway. I've heard of it, yes, so oh my gosh, this thing has helped me improve my writing so much. So it when you when you write in Hemingway, it will tell you what the grade level is that your writing is at. And when I was popping my emails in there, it was telling me it was like a Post Graduate Writing level, and really it's recommended to keep your writing between like grades three and six. Now that's not because our readers are imbeciles. It's just because we want, especially with marketing, you just want the message to be clear and concise, right? We want people get it.
• 16:48
  Unknown: Yeah, it's not about intelligence level. It's just about, how can we make our marketing message just as clear and concise and helpful as possible? So using this app, I was able to get it. You know, between that like it kind of hovered around the grade six level. It was really hard for me to get it down to grade three, but it just made me so much more aware of, like, how to simplify my sentences. And now I'm just so so much more pleased with the final, final emails. They're probably like a third to a half of the size. Everything's been simplified. Everything just comes across much more clearly, and then I'm still able to retain the personality that I like to inject in my emails as well. But now it feels like every sentence counts, whereas before it was like, oh, okay, I think I'm spending a little too much time on that story, or I'm, you know, belaboring this point a little bit more. You know, I've been really inspired by Laura belgray, who's just such a fantastic copywriter. But I think with her, because she sells copywriting products like, she really does have to like she's got more latitude with like, how long her stories can be, because that's what people are there for, right? They are there for that, whereas people coming to me, they're not here to hear my stories to that degree. So I still want to inject my personality and use stories, obviously, to to keep my emails interesting. But I think it's, you know, we all have to look at what, what exactly is our own personal message for our own business, and really keep that at the forefront. So I think I'd kind of, you know, gone off on a tangent a little bit too far on the storytelling where it's like, okay, people aren't here for that. They're here for this.
• 18:39
  Unknown: So, you know, keep the personality injected. But yeah, so that was, that was kind of my long winded way of telling you about, you know, if you haven't checked out the Hemingway app, check it out because it, it really has helped me improve my writing over just over this past week, it's been phenomenal. That is great to hear. I have heard wonderful things about that app, and I love that you simplified all of your emails, it made them shorter. And in my work with my six and seven figure done for you clients, that is a trend I'm noticing as well, is that short emails are working better, and that because, like you said, like people just don't have the time or attention span anymore to read the long winded emails they want to get to the point.
• 19:21
  Unknown: And I love how you said now every sentence counts. So shorter emails aren't necessarily easier to write. In some ways. It makes it, yes, more thoughtful, because you are doing that thinking work, that mental work, for your reader. So that is easier for your reader to read and get across, like, what are you trying to say in a much more simple way? And like you said, stories for sure are still important. Injecting your personality and your you ness is, for sure, still important.
• 19:53
  Unknown: And how can we do that in a way where it doesn't necessarily feel long winded and really kind of stripped down to, you know, what am I actually trying to get across in this, in this email?
• 20:06
  Unknown: So I love that you were able to do that yourself. Are you writing all your well with with the help of Hemingway, with the help of Hemingway, yes, that did make it a lot easier. Let me tell you, yes. Yes. Awesome.
• 20:22
  Unknown: Okay, well, that is a great tip, something I for sure see and agree with as well. So thank you for sharing that, and we I have loved personally hearing about doing this low, low content publishing, self publishing, how much more simple it can be than I think we realize, and how smart and powerful it can be for our marketing as well. So if people are like, Hey, wait a second, I think this could be for me, or I, for sure, have IP that I could totally like use for this. What is our next step to to connect with you and learn more?
• 20:59
  Unknown: Well? I think there a link, if you would just want to check out the master class that basically takes you through the entire start to finish process. The framework that I've used from coming up with ideas all the way through to publishing, I just kind of go over what the order of things is and what are those steps I talk about. I think it's three mistakes that a lot of Self Publishers are making that end up costing them sales. And I just basically talk a little bit more about, like, what is this low content book market, and how, how to leverage that booming market? Because it is a booming market. Like, I can't remember what the exact figures are, but like, people are buying these books and huge volumes, and they're highly consumable books, right? It's not like a novel where you read it once and then you're done. It's like you need a new daily planner every year your journal runs out, and then you need a new one coloring book. Like all of them are the same. They're highly consumable books that people will buy on repeat. And if you have an email list, or you're building one now, like these are the types of books that you can be promoting to your list once a quarter, if it's a planner, like, maybe once a year. And again, you can be like, using them as bonuses or as marketing tools gifts that you're giving out. But, yeah, probably the best way to to learn a little bit more about it is through the master class. But it's also my YouTube channel, where I've just got, like, dozens and dozens of videos all about low content publishing as well as just some general entrepreneurship tips. And then I think you've got my lead magnet too, which is three steps to publishing your first low content book in less than a day.
• 22:35
  Unknown: So that go does go a little bit more into, like the basics of the research portion, which, again, it's still important, because you're going to want to come up with, you know, when you publish your book, it's going to ask you for keywords and things like that, so you will still want to have some of that information as well. And again, that's just a it's a very basic step by step, start to finish guide that will show you how to do that. So I think those would probably be the best ways to find out more. Yes, yes, definitely, and we will have those linked in the show notes as well. So it's easy for you to click and find, but truly one of the simplest ways to do this to produce those journals, planners, coloring books, like all those things, and earn that monthly passive income or support. You know what you are already currently doing. So check that out in the show notes to connect with Rachel Moore.
• 23:26
  Unknown: You.