Posts by Cathy Davis

I see a lot of what I call “Talking Heads” throughout social media. The video messages on Facebook and LinkedIn are EVERYWHERE . . . each claiming to have the PERFECT solution to what THEY perceive as my immediate need.

It reminds me a lot of the “Carnival Barkers” I encountered as a child at State Fairs. It was the job of the Carnival Barker to convince you to come play THEIR game and win THE prize of a lifetime. They too, made it sound like they were the ONLY solution to make my day better.

The Dangling Carrot . . . or was that a Giant Blue Teddy Bear?

Unfortunately, as a 10-12 year old child, these were the games where I ended up spending all of my allowance just for the CHANCE to win the 4-foot-tall, giant blue teddy bear. I had a spot all picked out for it in my bedroom. I never won that blue teddy bear . . . and eventually stopped believing I could. I suppose I never really NEEDED that blue teddy bear, but it would have been really cool to have bragging rights for a few days . . . or weeks.

The same discretionary deflection skills I could have used when I was 10-12 years old on the Carnival walkway are the same skills I need today when navigating my way through the great American bi-ways of social media. You think you are simply out for a calm, relaxing, Sunday afternoon stroll through social media, only to find yourself being bombarded with . . .

“Step right up!” . . .  “Put your money here!” . . .

“Everyone’s a winner!” . . . “Your life will suck if you don’t buy now!”

Yep . . . guilty.

• Guilty of buying into the notion that if I don’t buy into “this” or “that” program that my life/business/future will be doomed for eternity.
• Guilty of thinking I had to do the exact same thing . . . “bark” out my UVP (Unique Value Platform) to any willing listener.
• Guilty of hoping my barking would resonate with at least a few who might call me.

NOPE. NADA. NOT GOING THERE NO MO . . .

I LOVE dogs, but I’m not a barker. It’s actually quite the contrary. You see, my personal mission in life is to “create positive ripples.” This is the foundation for our business. As your Author Brand Connection, we help you Find Your Voice, Tell Your Story, and Make a Difference . . . which ultimately helps you GROW YOUR BUSINESS.

It’s really that simple.

“I never knew there were so many steps and details.
I can’t believe how easy your team makes the entire process . . .
I couldn’t have done it without you!”

So, if you’re ready to grow your business AND make a difference . . . give us a call.

We are ready to help.

Right now, I’m going to go let the dog in . . . he’s barking.

During a networking event last week we were given an “ice breaker” conversation starter of, “What super hero would you like to be and why?”

I met plenty of people claiming Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Batman, and Superman . . . but oddly enough, I was the only one who claimed “Tinker Bell.”

As a small child, that was one of the nicknames my Mother and older siblings would call me. What I knew at an early age was that Tinker Bell could fly, sprinkle magic fairy dust with her wand, and make people happy. That sounded like a pretty good gig to me.

As I got older I learned, as a “Tinker,” it was also her job to “fix” things. Isn’t that what super heroes do?

Kind of sounds pretty much like what I do now!

Clients call us with their problems and we “fix it”!

Our clients are referred to us when they want the best . . . and we introduce them to our M.A.G.I.C.!

• M = MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION. They want their book to reflect the same level of quality as does the rest of their brand.
• A = ATTRACT THE FINEST. As small business owners, they want to attract new, highly-qualified clients who are eager to work with them.
• G = GO FOR THE GOLD (fairy dust). They won’t settle for less, and they expect the best.
• I = INTENTION. They intend to succeed and more often than not, THEY DO!
• C = EAT THE CAKE AND THE ICING TOO! They have worked hard to establish themselves as an expert, and having a book to showcase their knowledge is the “icing on the cake.”

As one new client recently mentioned . . .

“I wanted to work with the best , so I asked around.
Everyone I spoke with told me I needed to work with you!”

No matter where you are in the process of writing or publishing your book, we can help.

We even have a magic wand . . . we share our magic fairy dust . . . we make our clients happy . . . and we fix things!

It’s a pretty good gig!

Ready to join us?
Give me a call.
888-598-0886

I spent most of the 1970s in either high school or college. My taste in music ran the gamut from Moody Blues and Queen to Kenny Rogers, Carol King, and Jim Croce. Pretty much the story-tellers of music in the ‘70s.

I was not all that surprised when, as I awoke this morning, this song was playing in my head . . .

“If I could save time in a bottle . . .
The first thing that I’d like to do
Is to save every day
‘Til eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you . . .

But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do
Once you find them . . .” (Jim Croce)

SO . . . if you’ve been wanting to publish that book you’ve been thinking about . . . NOW IS THE TIME.

If you are planning on publishing in 2019, NOW is the time to reserve your spot in our line-up.

You will want your book out in the public arena BEFORE Thanksgiving so it doesn’t get lost in the hub-bub of the December holidays.

No matter where you are on your publishing path, WE CAN HELP.

• Got an idea in your head for a book, and need help writing it down? WE CAN HELP.
• Is your manuscript ready for editing and proofreading? WE CAN HELP.
• Are you ready for a professionally-designed cover and interiors? WE CAN HELP.
• Do you need guidance to set up your trusted vendor accounts? WE CAN HELP.
• Have you been thinking about an Amazon Bestseller Campaign? WE CAN HELP.
• Looking for additional publicity and marketing support? WE CAN HELP.

Wherever you are in the process . . . WE CAN HELP.

We’ll make time for you.
Give us a call, 888-598-0886, or
email cathy@daviscreative.com

Prior to starting Davis Creative in January of 2004, I worked in corporate financial marketing for over a decade. There is not much I miss from that world . . . especially not the PUFFINS. If you have worked in corporate America, you know what I am referring to. Corporate PUFFINS have similar characteristics as the bird itself.

You see, the Puffin bird is known as the “clown of the sea” because of its colorful and comical appearance. It likes to strut about and “puff out” it’s chest in order to impress and intimidate the other birds. Although it is agile in the water and an excellent diver and swimmer, it is not as graceful in the air . . . often crashing and tumbling as it tries to land.

Now, please don’t get me wrong . . . I’m not here to bash corporate executives. I have many good friends still gainfully employed in the corporate arena. But, “back in the day”, there were a few corporate PUFFINS who DID strut about and try to intimidate others. NO one liked working with them, and they made everyone’s work-life miserable.

At the opposite end of the spectrum from the corporate PUFFINS, you have what I call the “PUFF IN THE WIND”.

The PUFF IN THE WIND is quite lovely to work with and it has been our goal, since starting Davis Creative, to attract the PUFF IN THE WIND peeps . . . especially as clients, team members, and vendors. The PUFF IN THE WIND personality is a gentle GIVER . . . they are here to share their knowledge, expertise, and gifts with the world.

How do you spot a PUFF IN THE WIND?

Much like the Dandelion, they have several characteristics to watch for . . .

• They plant seeds — they love sharing their wisdom with the slightest breeze
• They grow and multiply — they create positive ripples throughout the community
• They have deep roots — with strength and tenacity they are eager to spread their message in every continent on the globe

It’s their nature to nurture. The PUFF IN THE WIND sees value in giving, much like when a child harvests the Dandelion blossoms as their first “gift” bouquet.

So, if you see yourself as a PUFF IN THE WIND, and are looking to join a community of givers, give me a call . . . 888-598-0886.

In 2018, Bowker (the US registrar for all ISBN numbers) assigned a record-breaking 1,009,188 ISBNs to independent and self-published books. This number does not even include the books which are published by traditional publishing houses, NOR does it include the ISBNs assigned by Amazon/KDP (formerly CreateSpace).

Look Good. Get Noticed. Stand Out in a Crowd.

If you are in business for yourself, you know how important it is to look good, get noticed, and stand out in a crowd (in a good way). And, yes, writing a book can help you accomplish each of these three goals if you understand WHY you are writing your book.

Five GREAT reasons FOR writing a book:

• “I think it would help other people.”
• “I want to establish myself as an authority in this subject, and raise my visibility.”
• “I am starting a business around this topic and want to generate interest and clients.”
• “I really care about this and want to get the word out to other people.”
• “I want to switch careers and this will help me.”

So, allow me to repeat what I’ve said numerous times in the past . . .

It’s not about how well your book sells,
it’s all about how well your book sells YOU!^TM

Please don’t plan your retirement around the sale of your books. If your primary reason for writing a book includes any of the following, you may want to rethink your plan . . .

Five GREAT reasons to NOT write a book:

• “I want to sell millions of books and make lots of money.”
• “I want to be a famous, best-selling author.”
• “I want to live a writer’s life, in a bungalow, on a beach in Key West.”
• “I don’t care what anyone thinks, I just feel compelled to write this book, NOW.”
• “My competition has a book and I don’t want them to get all the business.”

Don’t let those other 1,009,188 authors intimidate you.

Every author-wannabe is just like the other 1,009,188 independent authors trying to look good, get noticed, and stand out in a crowd.

The best way to make that happen (and not get lost in the crowd) is to work with professionals who publish books on a daily basis. We know what it takes to help your book SELL YOU, and position you with the expert status you deserve.

Reach out. Let’s talk. We make it happen.

Writing a non-fiction book does not mean people will automatically buy it. WRITING your book is NOT the first place to start the publishing process. You can’t just “build it and they will come”. . . that only happens in the movies.

Before you even pick up a pencil or open a WORD doc to start typing, you want to identify your three-legged stool, which contains these 3 crucial elements:

CONSIDER YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE: Know who you are writing your book FOR . . . create an imaginary avatar to constantly refer back to. Include typical age, gender, nationality, likes/dislikes, and habit patterns.

REVEAL THEIR N.O.W.^TM FACTOR: N.O.W. is the acronym for NIGHT OWL WORRIES. What do they wake up in the middle of the night worried about?

IDENTIFY THEIR RELIEF/SOLUTIONS: What solutions do you offer which brings them the relief they are needing? Why do they need YOUR book vs. another one on the same shelf? What do you bring to the table that ONLY YOU can offer?

By establishing a sturdy foundation for your book, you create a well-received subliminal “flow” to which the reader can relate. Building your book outline upon this foundation gives your brand the credibility and expert status you deserve.

For additional information about our Author Brand Connection publishing services and programs, contact Cathy HERE.

And remember . . .

“It’s not how well your book sells . . .
it’s all about how well your book sells YOU!”

Our seven-year-old grandson likes to use the word EPIC, as in, “That birthday party was EPIC”! Why settle for an ordinary party when it can be EPIC?!

So, it got me wondering . . . just what exactly does EPIC mean from the perspective of a seven-year-old?

Historically, an epic has been seen as a literary work portraying heroic deeds and adventures throughout a period of time. Tales like Star Wars and Harry Potter use the epic formula to build successful Hollywood franchises.

More recently, the word has taken on a more informal meaning of “particularly impressive or remarkable,” which is probably much more in line with a seven-year-old’s perspective.

I invite you to join me in claiming EPIC as our remarkable super-power.

• How EPIC would our lives be if we BELIEVED we were born with EPIC super-powers?!
• What would happen if each and every day when we jumped out of bed we declared, “Today will be EPIC?!”
• How amazing would it be if we just assumed we had the Excitement, Power, Insight, and Courage to take on every challenge and celebration coming our way?!

Life would be EPIC . . . that’s WHAT!

You don’t need to write an epic novel or screenplay to share your EPIC strengths. If you are in the business of helping others, my guess is that you have lived an impressive and remarkable life (including challenges and celebrations), and you now help others navigate a similar path. These are the people you are here on this planet, during this lifetime, to help. These are the people who need your help and are eager to hear what you have to say.

If you are ready to build your brand, help more people . . .
AND claim your EPIC super-powers,
give me a call . . . 888-598-0886.

We can help you make that happen.

I vividly remember sitting in the back seat of my grandmother’s baby-blue Studebaker as she made a U-turn in the middle of a highway to avoid the smoke and find another safe, clear path to our destination.

Growing up in Oklahoma, it was a common sight to see signs like the one above on highways, “DO NOT DRIVE THRU SMOKE.” Add fire to rambling tumbleweed, blurred by the billowing smoke of a prairie fire . . . and driving through smoke could be quite dangerous.

Fast-forward a few decades, and much like the Wild, Wild West of my childhood, today’s world of self-publishing can be just as dangerous and smoke-filled as those prairie grass fires. It can very much be a buyer-beware, smoke-filled highway.

Just about anyone, who has ever self-published a book, now calls themselves a “publisher”. So, would you rather work with someone who has published ONE book . . . or a team who has published HUNDREDS?

Top 10 Reasons to Hire an Experienced Professional

The company . . .

• provides multi-faceted expertise in publishing, branding, target-audience identification, design, messaging, pricing and distribution
• employs veteran marketing professionals who are experienced and knowledgeable in book writing, book design, branding, publishing, and the marketing of small-business services
• aligns itself with expert resources for social media, websites, public relations, digital marketing, Amazon Bestseller Campaigns, etc.
• offers bundled packages and programs for maximizing an author’s investment

The project management team . . .

• exhibits a depth of knowledge of the publishing process and top industry standards; answers those questions you are not even aware to be asking
• creates client relationships built upon the mentor/student model of trust, patience and willingness to share expertise
• freely shares process details, establishes goals, and manages time-lines to meet your deadlines

Your completed book will . . .

• rival those produced by the top 5 traditional publishers
• reflect professional best-practice industry recommendations
• be customized to meet your specific author platform, to better position yourself in your market

So, how do you protect yourself from getting “burned”?

Hire us.

During a conversation with one of our clients last week, she mentioned how affected she has been this year by all of the gray-sky days, stating, “I need to get motivated . . . I can just feel the HOPE draining right out of me!”

I know what it’s like to be pulled down by the lack of sunshine, and her statement stayed with me. After a week of pondering, it occurred to me  . . . “H.O.P.E.” is the acronym for . . .

“Honoring Our Personal Empowerment”

• When looked at from a place of empowerment, H.O.P.E. becomes a call-to-action. Without H.O.P.E., we have no motivation.
• H.O.P.E. allows us to take the next best step . . . as in, “I won’t take this sitting down!” (or laying down, perhaps even in a fetal position!).
• H.O.P.E. clears a path for making things happen . . . giving us momentum when it would be easier to just stay in bed ‘til noon.

During this same week, coincidentally, I also had a conversation with one of our referral partners about confidence. A couple of her clients were involved as contributing authors to one of our anthologies, and she was sharing the impact of their participation in our Anthology  Program . . .

“I watched her transform from being the introverted, shy little caterpillar . . .
gain the confidence to share her story, spread her wings,
and fly like the beautiful butterfly she is!”

You see, our Anthology Programs are so much more than simply writing a chapter in a collaborative book of essays on a similar topic. As a contributing author, you reap the rewards of . . .

• H.O.P.E. — Honoring Our Personal Empowerment
• Placing the proverbial “stake in the ground” for your business. Who are you? What do you stand for? Who do you help?
• Finding your voice, sharing your story, and monetizing your business.
• Gaining clarity of purpose, vision, and mission.
• Brainstorming with our Creative Writing Coach on the outline for your chapter . . . it’s a great exercise to reinforce your WHY.

With Spring right around the corner,
I challenge you to step out of the grey skies,
and step up into the bright light of H.O.P.E.!

If you’d like to learn more about our budget-friendly Anthology Program, CLICK HERE.
2018 pricing good through March 17^th!

If you’d like to schedule a phone call with Cathy to get your questions answered, CLICK HERE.

Some believe the word ‘concierge’ evolves from the French ‘comte des cierges’, which means ‘the keeper of the candles’, which was essentially the main duty of a concierge during the Middle Ages.

Need to shed some light on the path to the stables?
Summon your concierge for those back-up candles!

Fast-forward about 500-plus years, and today’s, ‘concierge’ has evolved into a business model for just about any service you can imagine: from hotels, travel, and banking to healthcare, personal assistance, and . . . yes, even publishing.

Rachel was a successful business owner, mother of twin teens, and volunteered as a board member for a non-profit in her community. Her calendar was already filled with plenty of TO-DOs, having no time available to finish writing the book she desperately wanted to complete. As an expert in family dynamics, she knew having a book in her proverbial toolbox would add credibility and help open doors for additional engagements as a speaker and trainer.

Rachel was referred to us by another of our author-clients and hired us to help her finish her book . . .

• We paired her with one of our professional writing coaches who helped Rachel organize her thoughts, create an outline for her book, and as her accountability partner, delegated easy-to-handle homework assignments in small ‘bites’.
• We maximized the return on Rachel’s time- and financial-investment by setting up all her vendor accounts for her while overseeing the editing, design, printing, publishing, and marketing . . . enabling her to keep 100% of her royalty, copyright, and profits.
• We minimized her stress by handling the details, allowing her to relax, reassuring she was in highly-experienced hands . . . helping her publish her book in less than 7 months!

Working with a team of publishing professionals expedited the fruition of Rachel’s book. Having a high-quality published book in-hand allowed Rachel to book more paid speaking engagements, sell more books at the back of the room, and quickly recoup her publishing investment.

Need to shed some light on the best Publishing Path for YOU? 
Ask about our Concierge Publishing Services and
 how we can help you finish your book!

No matter where you are along the publishing path . . . from concept to completed book-in-hand . . .  our concierge publishing services help you find your way.

Click HERE to schedule time on Cathy’s calendar to discuss your book! 

Let us help you find your voice, write your story and monetize your passion!