Today, I talk about my foray in recording audiobooks and share some perspective on getting started on Poshmark. What do those two have in common? Find out! Bemovingforward.com.
Moving Forward is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.
Part 1: From podcasts to audiobooks
Right now, I’m in the middle of recording the audiobook for my friend’s book. I can’t tell you which one it is yet but I can share that this has been the next step forward for me as an author.
Recording an audiobook draws on a lot of the skills I’ve already developed but is stretching me in new ways. There are many technical requirements for recording audiobooks which I may cover in a future podcast. Further, you’re bound to the written word on a manuscript. As the “voice,” so to speak, you have to strike the balance between narration and giving the right tone, inflection and emotion to the passages.
So far, it’s been a challenge but also a lot of fun.
I’m not myself an audiobook consumer, preferring to stick with paperback and digital books. However, I know that more and more people are using audio as their preferred way to consume books. Thus, creating an audiobook version is the next logical step for any author who has published his or her first book.
I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, this is a great way to “walk, feed, and entertain,” both the content and the audience.
Part 2: Poshmark is much the same way
Although Poshmark may seem like a separate topic, the digital pet analogy is as relevant here as well.
Occasionally, I’ll visit some of the Poshmark forums, including the Facebook pages and on Twitter. One comment I sometimes see is from new Poshers who say they’ve just started but aren’t generating any sales.
As someone who struggled to figure out the online strategy piece for my dad’s retail business, I can tell you it’s not easy.
Finding the right platform was one of the challenges. As I covered last year, we tried everything from Amazon FBA to Shopify to eBay. We discovered Poshmark by accident and the user-friendly platform plus the robust features specific to selling clothes made it seem like the “perfect” platform.
We started creating listings in May 2018 and then… crickets.
It wasn’t until August that we landed our first sale.
As I cover on the Poshmark mini-series, I made a critical error when we started. I simply created listings and ignored them.
Like content, your Poshmark listings are very much like those digital pets. You have to nurture them like plants so they will grow, get noticed, and hopefully find their way to the buyer who wants or needs that item.
Share, share, share
One way to increase your visibility is to share your listings. Again, I go more in-depth on this on the mini-series so check it out. To keep your listings in the limelight, attend Poshmark parties and share them. To click that share button takes 1 second. As you grow your listings, you may not be able to share everything every day and that’s ok. As long as you’re attending to your listings on a regular basis, you will increase your likelihood of landing that sale. To this day, we still have listings that we created back in 2018 that are selling today, in addition to newer listings.
As a side benefit, you’ll find that regular sharing will also increase your listing’s SEO, not just on Poshmark but search engines like Google.
Interact and engage
When a potential customer puts an item you’ve listed into a bundle, that’s an opportunity. Reach out to the person and see if they have any questions. Make an offer. A bundle is basically a customer saying “hey, I’m interested in this.”
Also, answer questions. When someone asks a question about an item, use that as an opportunity to stand out. Answering a question with as much detail as possible will help create the trust between buyer and seller. If possible, answer with a photo since as the saying goes, they speak “a thousand words.”
Ship fast
Once you do get your first order, celebrate it and embrace it, then ship out as quickly as possible. Afterward, confirm it and let the buyer know, thanking him or her for her purchase. Honestly, this is the one thing that you can control which will make you stand out above so many other sellers. If it’s after hours, a Sunday, or a holiday, let the buyer know that you will send it out the very next business day or better yet, if you have access to a post office with an after-hours drop, take it there and drop it off. This is a simple way to go above and beyond and stand out.
As with books and content, your Poshmark listings need your attention and care to grow and flourish. The more you invest on a daily basis, the more you and they, will move forward.
Additional resources on Poshmark
What I’m reading / read
The Family Corleone by Edward Falco (***): a follow-up to Mario Puzo’s The Godfather that also serves as a prequel to the events from the novel and the first film. The book goes into the history of the Corleone family as Vito rises to power while raising his family. We see the backstories of Sonny, Tom Hagen, Michael and other supporting characters as the book attempts to build on the mythology and world established in the films. The book has some interesting and compelling storylines.
Books by John
Check out my Amazon author profile.
Support the Podcast
The Poshmark Guide for Individuals and Small Businesses -and- The Poshmark Journal for Individuals and Small Businesses are available on Amazon.
The Corporate Cliches Adult Coloring Book: makes the perfect stocking stuffer or white elephant gift.
Try out Audible (affiliate link).
Try out Amazon Prime (affiliate link).
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