Finally, I have stepped into the future and joined everyone else! (Since the last time I really bought a device was my cell phone nearly five years ago, I was kind of out of the loop when it came to tablet technology.)

While I use a Mac, this was startlingly different. The first time I turned my new IPad on; I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. I was totally overwhelmed, yet determined to figure it out.

I went to the internet to try and find some clear instructions for how to use the basic functions. What I realized is that there is a plethora of available information – I was totally overwhelmed and most of the instructions I found were complicated or assumed that I had a basic working knowledge of the IPad. Most of them spoke of things like “Wifi” and using Email functions – all great features, I’m sure. Unfortunately when you aren’t even sure what to do once you turn the phone on, those instructions are difficult too! I really needed something that assumed I had never even seen an IPad before – something that would guide me from the very first step.

I came across TabletTraining in my efforts to figure out how to work my IPad. When I saw that they were video tutorials, I was excited! Maybe this time I would finally be able to really use my phone properly.

I loved the way they laid out the IPad in their videos – just as if it was sitting directly in front of me. This made it incredibly easy to see exactly how to accomplish tasks. I was able to simply follow along with the narrator. I’m absolutely amazed at the abilities my IPad has! These IPad tutorials are just amazing. As it turns out, there’s a lot of tasks my IPad can accomplish that I wasn’t even aware of.

In the end, I am absolutely extremely pleased with TabletTraining’s group of IPad tutorial videos. I still refer to them from time to time, either to refresh my memory or figure out how to accomplish a brand new task. They are an amazing resource to have directly at your fingertips, and since I also use my IPad for work, sometimes a crucial requirement. In my opinion, these tutorial videos are a must have for anyone with a new IPad – whether they are new to the device or simply want to learn how to get the most out of it.

If you’re like me, and you want to do more than basic web surfing on your new iPad, get these fabulous iPad Training Videos right now!  Your friends really will be saying, “Wow, that’s so cool!  How did you do that?”  ;-)

Best,
Kate

(P.S. If you have a FAV tip, please share it in the comments below!)

As part of my journey in becoming a writer, I found a few courses that were very helpful to me, and this is one of the least expensive while incredibly comprehensive at the same time == Novel Writing Workshop

Here’s what I love about the course:

• You CAN turn your idea into a published novel
• The workshop includes step by step videos on exactly how to do it
• The course includes 27 video lessons!
• It’s perfect for someone who has no idea where to begin
• It’s perfect for the person who started writing and is ready to begin again
• It’s perfect for the person who needs a kick in the butt and support along the way
• It includes lifetime access!
• The reviews are ALL 5 star because it’s really that good

If it seems intimidating, it doesn’t have to be.  Check out the Novel Writing Workshop Reviews ( <== click that link) and you will see that it’s a very supportive group, with all the direction and instruction you need to move forward starting today.  Best of all the group will be there tomorrow and the next day and the next day, too.

The entire course is lively and fun, and covers every possible aspect of writing a novel that you need in order to write a NOVEL successfully!  It’s exciting, and fun.  If you love reading and you’ve always wondered IF you could write a novel, consider this course.  If you have written a novel and it is sitting on your shelf, check out our Kindle Publishing recommendations.  Getting your book published on Kindle is very doable!

I found that the most difficult part of writing is getting past the fears…

What if it’s terrible and no one wants to buy it….

We all have fears.  A wise person (Dale Carnegie) once said, “Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”

Remember the Nike slogan, “Just Do It”?

If you want to write, dream of writing, have an idea for a book, or simply need the motivation to get started again, this is a fantastic course that I believe will help you move past your fear and begin writing that novel!

Novel Writing Workshop is the course for you.

Warmly,

Kate

One of the best and most comprehensive courses I’ve found on how to Publish Your Book on Kindle is Cathy Presland’s course. It is reasonably priced, and covers literally everything you could possibly need to know about publishing on Kindle.

When I purchased Cathy’s Kindle Publishing Course, I had already published my first book on Kindle, but as with most things in life, Amazon and Kindle change things often and it helps to have an experienced Kindle author to bounce ideas off and connect with.

Since I purchased Publish Your Book on Kindle, Cathy has added several new modules to the course, and she keeps it updated continuously.  Did I have to pay extra for that new content?  No!  That’s one of the benefits of the teaching/course platform she chose — all the udpates by the instructors are free to those who have already purchased the course.  In fact, she just added an updated module this week!

But the benefits don’t stop there…

There is also a place for questions and answers, and the opportunity to get feedback from other successful published Kindle authors.  If there’s something you don’t understand, or even if you have a question during the process of publishing, you are not alone.  Both Cathy and other successful students and instructors are there to provide support and direction every step of the way.

I have read (and yes, purchased) several Kindle Publishing courses over the last year.  In my opinion, there is nothing that even comes close to the level of thoroughness that Cathy has provided in this particular Kindle Publishing course.  Most course are video or PDF based, but without paying for additional expensive coaching, you are left to navigate the Kindle publishing waters on your own.  Not so with Publish Your Book on Kindle, which is just one of the reasons I recommend it so highly.

Here’s a sample of what you’ll see in the course, but please don’t let the volume overwhelm you because Cathy also provides summary lectures for those who are either already published, or have experience with Kindle.

Most of the course is video, and there are some PDFs, as well.

• Section One: Get Published (8 modules – very short and quick to breeze through)
• Section Two: The Right Book for Your Business (8 modules)
• Section Three: Easy Book Creation (9 modules)
• Section Four:   Edit and Format Your Book (9 modules)
• Section Five:  Titles and Covers (7 modules)
• Section Six: Publish Your Book Overnight – Literally (9 modules – she leaves no stone unturned!)
• Section Seven:  Get Sales (10 modules)
• Section Eight: Credibility and Social Proof (6 modules)
• … You get the picture.  

Right now there are Seventeen sections within the course, and again she updates it continually.  She even tells you what NOT to do, and that alone can be a huge time and ranking “savior” when it comes to Kindle publishing.

I love marketing, and I love the Internet, but by now most of you know that there are scam artists out there. People who claim to know something when in reality they simply purchased some PLR (private label rights) material, maybe edited it a bit, and threw it up as a course with no real experience or expertise.

That is not the case with Cathy Presland. She is a success and published Kindle author, and an excellent trainer/coach.

If you have a book or story in you – or even if you just want to learn more about how to Publish a Book on Kindle, I highly recommend Cathy’s course.  It has everything you need to educate yourself and then take action.

YOU CAN PUBLISH on Kindle!

Best,
Kate

PS. I want you to know that as a student of Cathy’s I do receive a commission for referring you to her course, should you buy.  With that also comes the opportunity to pop back here and ask any questions you may have.  As a best selling Kindle author, I would love to help you Publish on Kindle if you purchase her course through my link.

I am publishing my first book on Amazon Kindle today!

This journey started when I purchased Geoff Shaw’s Kindling course and then Michelle Spiva’s Good Fiction Fast course.

Geoff’s Kindling course is the most comprehensive course on Kindle I’ve found – and he updates it continually in addition to answering any questions from members himself.  I know, right?  How rare is that?!

He covers every type of publishing imaginable on Amazon Kindle, and he knows it well because he successfully publishes there.  You can’t go wrong with his course whether you are a beginner or experienced. There is literally something for everyone there.

It is not for the faint of heart, however. There’s a LOT of material and it takes time, discipline, and organization to get through it.  With that said, as a review, Geoff Shaw’s Kindling Course gets my highest recommendation.

Next is Michelle’s Good Fiction Fast (GFF) course – and it is nothing short of incredible. It is specific to fiction and fiction only.  Even if you think there is NO WAY you could ever write fiction, I can guarantee you that you will be able to after taking action on what she teachers.

Michelle is a natural teacher, a very intelligent woman, and incredibly caring. Her course also comes with the opportunity to be part of a private Facebook group and forum.  I can tell you that I have never been part of a more amazing Facebook group. It is active and filled with people that support, encourage and share.  It’s rare – a bit like Michelle.   Michelle is the leader of our group, and a fabulous one.

She is a natural motivator and continues to provide amazing mastermind webinars on various topics as they relate to fiction writing and publishing.  She consistently WAY OVER delivers.  Honestly, I am amazed that she still provides new information on almost a daily basis, and we have mastermind webinars scheduled in to July.  When I purchased the product it was $30, and a ONE TIME FEE.

Michelle’s product is closed right now, but I’ll be sure to let you guys know when she re-opens it to the public. It will be at a higher price, but still many times worth more than what she could ever charge.

If you’re reading this post today, you are likely searching, or maybe just checking in on my journey.

If I can help in any way, please let me know. I always respond to comments, and this blog started with the intent to share my journey and help others along the way.  That remains true today.

~Kate

Along with all this attention is an influx of garbage ebooks in the Amazon Kindle Markeplace that is impacting both buyers and sellers alike.

If you aspire to be a Kindle Author, and you’re interested in making money by selling ebooks on Kindle, please stop buying all the courses out there in the Warrior Forum.  Unfortunately many of these people have made little to no money on Kindle – but they know it’s a hot market and they are trying to take advantage of that fact by creating inexpensive and often junk courses.

If you want to do something well and right; if you are interested in a long-term sustainable business as a Kindle Author; or even if you have ONE book or story that you are dying to tell and ready to pour all your attention and efforts into…

The one person (ok – there are actually two people that I trust but this one is more comprehensive and contains tools that will make a difference) that I highly recommend is Jim Edwards.

Why?  Jim has been writing successful ebooks since 1997.  He has made literally millions (yes, millions) writing ebooks both on and off Kindle, and he knows the process of writing and of publishing on Kindle probably better than anyone I know.

Right now Jim is offering an incredible and comprehensive course on How to Write and Publish Your Own eBook at a pre-launch price of $29.

This price will rise soon, and Jim isn’t saying when.  I f you click this link to check out his course –> Jim Edwards Write and Publish Your Own eBook V2.0 and the price is higher, I’m sorry!  I just found out about it and wanted to share it with you right away.  He has completely updated this course and included some great bonuses that I believe are key to publishing successfully on Amazon Kindle.

In full disclosure, he does offer an upgrade beyond the initial $29 comprehensive course, but you don’t need that. The bonuses come with the $29 course, (at least as of right now – the price will increase but I don’t know when.) and in my opinion it is everything you need to be successful on Kindle.  The upgrade includes some fast start strategies and his executive notes. It will speed up the process, for sure, but again it is not necessary.

Publishing on Kindle is easier than you think – but it does take consistent action and knowledge to do it successfully.

Let me know if you have any questions or if I can be of help in the journey.  Here’s the link to Jim’s course again ->>  http://kindle.goodoptions.info

~Kate

I post here at SuccessAligned.com on average once per month.  This blog started as a place where I could blog about my online journey and share what I was learning with others.  As time went on, it became more of a “I have to figure out what I’m going to blog about this month…”, and the lack of engagement here demonstrates that.

I’m busy as a wife, mom, business owner and in life in general.  Although I have experience as a corporate trainer, it is not an area that I want to pursue within the online space.

As a result, when I do post, it is almost always something that I’ve learned from, really like, or want to recommend to you.

Is that enough?

No.

Glen’s recent post, The Future of Blogging is extremely well-written, and details his thoughts and research on the topic of whether or not it’s possible to stay visible and relevant in the ever-more-crowded online space.

My main take aways after reading it once were (Yes, it’s that good and I will read it again and likely learn things I didn’t pick up the first time.)…

• Who do you think you’re kidding?  You’re not.  Your genuine interest and passion level directly impact the level of success of your blog.
• If you are relying on SEO to rank in Google these days…don’t.
• If not SEO then what?  –>  Establish a relationship with your readers. (AKA Email Marketing)
• Provide VALUE over and over and over again.
• Know your market and be in their space.

Text message marketing – it’s more than a great communication, appointment reminder, and customer loyalty tool.

It’s about VISIBILITY is a world where traditional email marketing is dying with open rates at 5% or below.

It’s about VISIBILITY in a world where the noise around your customers is significant and one of the best ways to stand out to your customers through the noise is via their mobile phone because it’s always with them, and many consider it to be an extension of them.

Text messages are opened at rates above 95% and often within seconds or minutes of receiving the text.

In a world where everything is becoming mobile, you now have the opportunity to have your own mobile platform with a highly recognizable brand and at a wonderfully affordable price.

I run a mobile marketing firm.  I’ve had my own mobile website for 2 years (yes, I saw the coming trend), and now the percentage of my marketing focus is in mobile products and services….Because that’s where my customers – and your customers – are.

They are on their mobile phones all the time, and we are talking about customers of all ages.  Young, and not-so-young alike, we all carry our mobile smart phone with us everywhere we go.  We sleep with it on our nightstand and studies have shown that a huge percentage of people check their cell phone first before getting out of bed in the morning.

In fact, our mobile phones are rarely more than a few feet away from our body at any given time in the day.

SMS text marketing has become an essential element of ANY business today.  If you run a retail shop, salon, spa, real estate agency, car service, car dealer, golf course, restaurant, deli, medical or health practice, entertainment, tanning salon, any business requiring appointments, an author, or are service related — you will benefit from text message marketing in your business — and so will your customers.

In fact if you can benefit from connecting with, communicating with or establishing a relationship with your customers and clients – text message marketing is the best and most effective tool available to you today.

Is there a downside?  Yes.

It has been very difficult to find reliable and affordable text message platforms that business both small and large can afford.  I work with many small businesses and some of them struggle with the affording the prices of these programs while working on building their SMS list.   And yet they continue to sacrifice and even give me referrals to their friends (and yes even competitors) because they understand the value and importance.

That is until this week, when a business person I have a great deal of respect for contacted me about a mobile marketing opportunity with a company called iZigg.  I immediately saw both the potential and the value that comes with owning my own Mobile Text Agency – and the ability to now offer these services at incredibly discounted prices to the businesses I work with and encounter every day.

Watch This.

This opportunity is completely different from anything I’ve seen in the past.  It’s a direct sales digital mobile opportunity.  The technology is advanced, the product(s) are excellent, the company and leadership is established, and the demand for the product and service is skyrocketing.

This IS the moment to capitalize on a trend that is only going to continue to escalate and break all the forecasts for growth estimated to-date.

You can do more than just ride the mobile wave ~~ be part of it!  You can now build a mobile-focused business that can make a difference for you and everyone you share it with starting today.

Imagine the possibility of telling someone to text their name, company name, buzz word, product name or whatever word or phrase you choose to 90210 (yes, 90210! Already an incredible established brand.)  From there, similar to what you saw when you texted the word visibility to 90210, whatever information you want to provide will be delivered to their cell phone via text with an additional link to a mobile-optimized webpage that has more info.

The possibilities of how this can be utilized by virtually any business model are limitless and extremely affordable.

I am thrilled to be building a team of businesses and agency owners in my iZigg group.  You can check out my iZigg website at http://izigg.com/exec, and if you have any questions please feel free to contact me via the contact form on this page, my personal iZigg site, or… text.  (:

Best,

~Kate