Book Yourself Solid is a handbook for self-promotion that translates into results. We tend to think of "busy" as the equivalent of "successful"—but that's not always the case. The key lies in what you're busy doing. Success means spending your time doing work that gets you closer to your goals, and the critical driving force behind that success is self-promotion. This book shows you how to promote more than just your skills—you need to sell your reputation, your service, your very self. It starts with laying a foundation so potential clients know you can give them what they want and need. How do people see you, and how does that diverge from what you would like them to think? Once you know where you are, you can map out a plan for getting where you need to be, and this book shows you how to build the reputation you need to be the go-to person in your field—and keep the business coming in long-term.

Book Yourself Solid has been one of the most popular marketing books in the world for service-based businesses since its initial release in 2006. This new third edition includes updated and expanded strategies, techniques, and skills to help you get more clients and increase your take-home profits.

• Build a solid foundation for a stellar public image
• Enhance your reputation for trust and credibility
• Perfect your pitch and pricing to attract higher-caliber clients
• Adopt the six core strategies that will keep you booked solid

Spending just a small amount of time on self-promotion is an investment. You build a reputation that attracts high-quality clients, which boosts your profits, your track record, and your reputation, which in turn attracts even more high-quality clients. Book Yourself Solid shows you how to kick off this cycle of success, and maintain it for the long term.

MICHAEL PORT is a small business expert and celebrated public speaking coach, host of the Steal the Show podcast, and the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of six books, including Steal the Show, Beyond Booked Solid, Book Yourself Solid ILLUSTRATED, The Contrarian Effect, and The Think Big Manifesto.

Acknowledgments ix

Author’s Note xi

Preface xv

MODULE ONE Your Foundation 1

Chapter 1 The Red Velvet Rope Policy 3

Chapter 2 Why People Buy What You’re Selling 16

Chapter 3 Develop a Personal Brand 32

Chapter 4 How to Talk About What You Do 48

MODULE TWO Building Trust and Credibility 61

Chapter 5 Becoming a Likeable Expert in Your Field 63

Chapter 6 The Book Yourself Solid Sales Cycle Process 76

Chapter 7 The Book Yourself Solid Keep-in-Touch Strategy 95

Chapter 8 The Power of Information Products 108

MODULE THREE Simple Selling and Perfect Pricing 125

Chapter 9 Perfect Pricing 127

Chapter 10 Super Simple Selling 141

MODULE FOUR The Book Yourself Solid Six Core Self-Promotion Strategies 151

Chapter 11 The Book Yourself Solid Networking Strategy 155

Chapter 12 The Book Yourself Solid Direct Outreach Strategy 177

Chapter 13 The Book Yourself Solid Referral Strategy 199

Chapter 14 The Book Yourself Solid Speaking Strategy 210

Chapter 15 The Book Yourself Solid Writing Strategy 237

Chapter 16 The Book Yourself Solid Web Strategy 256

PART 1: Designing Your Website 258

PART 2: Getting Visitors to Your Website 270

PART 3: Building Your Social Media Platform 281

Final Thoughts 290

References 293

How to Reach Michael Port 295

About the Author 296

Index 297