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Dramatically Increase the Number of People You Reach - And Your Monthly Income
September 1, 2011
As a pastor, did you know you have a unique opportunity to dramatically increase the number of people you reach and increase your monthly income at the same time? It doesn't matter what size church you serve. You have something of value that a lot of other people are willing to pay for. Here's how to use it to expand your ministry and your income....
If you're like most pastors, there's been at least one sermon series you've preached that really grabbed your congregation. It moved them like nothing you've ever preached. You know which one it was. There were tears in their eyes. Their comments after each sermon were heartfelt and enthusiastic. They knew the Lord had spoken to them.
Believe it or not, their overwhelming response is a strong indicator that there's an even larger need for those messages. And there are several ways to meet that need.
First, you can offer CDs of your sermons for free or a nominal cost. Many churches do this. But too often it's church members who get the most out of these. Others outside of the church aren't as interested in listening to sermons from someone they don't know.
You also can post a transcript of the series on your church website. But unless you have an effective way to draw people to that particular series, it's going to get lost among all of your other sermons. And it won't bring in any extra money for you or your church.
The third way is the only proven way to effectively reach beyond your church doors. It's time-honored, as generations of pastors have used it to reach not only their own generation, but generations beyond. And it's one of the best ways to bring extra funds into your church - or into your own pocket.
In addition, this proven method also can dramatically increase your credibility within your church - and with the community around you.
This proven method is none other than a book. And if you're like most pastors, you've got a book burning inside of you that's just waiting to get out. When you preached that sermon series, you knew it had greater potential. You felt the power of the message. And your congregation responded. Now it's time to turn those messages into a book. It's a lot easier than you might think.
The first step is to take those sermons and turn them into a manuscript. You can probably find a church staffer or volunteer in your congregation who would be willing to transcribe the messages.
Then you'll need to find an editor who can take the messages and turn them into a book format. If this requires a lot of writing and rewriting, you might consider making them a co-author. That way you don't have to pay them upfront - they simply receive a portion of the proceeds.
Once the manuscript is complete, ask some people in your congregation to proofread it and offer feedback. You can usually get several people to do this for free. The last thing you want is to produce a book with a lot of typographical or factual errors in it.
The final step is the one that usually trips up most authors - getting your book published. When most people think of writing a book, they dream of having a large publishing company do it for them. It's true that large publishers offer prestige and fame. Unfortunately, it isn't easy to get your foot in the door of these companies. If you don't have the platform to reach tens of thousands of people, they usually aren't interested. And neither are the agents that can get you in the door. What's more, unless your book is a runaway bestseller, you won't make much money from the big publishers. In fact, most authors make about $1 per book sold - or less.
What most authors are finding these days is that self-publishing is a much better way to go. Thanks to incredible advances in technology, publishing a book has never been easier. Digital printing has made it both affordable and easy. All you have to do is find the right printer.
Some digital publisher will publish your book and even sell it on their website. The problem with these setups is that you have to tell people to go to the website to get the book. And the publisher usually keeps at least half of the selling price. So your profits are cut back substantially.
You can do the same thing on your own church website by printing your book as an e-book. This is a simple and inexpensive way to print your book digitally. And you can even sell it on your website. But like your sermons, if you don't have a way to drive traffic to your site - and a merchant or Paypal account to take credit card orders - you won't sell very many. However, if you want to give your book away, this is the best way to go.
Traditional printers can print your book for you as well. But you'll find that you have to order 5,000 books or more to get a good price per book (about $3.00 per book or less is a good price). That's a lot of books to sell. And you'll need $10,000 to $15,000 to pay for them.
The ideal printer to work with is a digital printer that can print fewer copies for much lower rates. Most people don't have any trouble selling 500-1,000 copies. So look for a printer that can print 500-1,000 copies for about $3.00 per book.
One of the biggest hurdles authors have in self-publishing their book - and then selling it - is the cover design. If they design it themselves, it usually doesn't look professional. Sure, it's inexpensive, but the book won't sell. No one wants to buy a book with a poorly designed cover. In fact, a poorly designed cover is one of the biggest reasons a self-published book won't sell.
So look for a printer who also has a professional design staff. It's worth the extra cost to pay for the design. It will really set you apart from the rest of the self-published books on the market.
One of the only printers around who can do all of this - and much more - is InstantPublisher.com. With this amazing printer, you can print 500 copies of a 200-page book, with a four-color cover design, and have it in your hands in less than 10 days for just over $3.00 per book (not including shipping or design costs).
So if you've got a book burning inside of you, there's never been a better time to write and publish it. It will greatly expand your ministry, allowing you to reach hundreds, maybe thousands of people outside of your church. It will give you credibility within your community like you've never experienced. You can have it published with very low cost and an incredible turnaround time. And, with such low costs, it can greatly increase your monthly income.
If you've ever dreamed of writing a book, it's time to get started. And to help you make it happen, InstantPublisher.com will send you a free book that will show you the incredible quality of their books and tell you everything you need to know to get your book published. Simply follow this link to get your free book and find out how easy it is to reach your dreams today!
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