Mike Smart's Blog - Posts Tagged "giveaway"
Selling is a skill that we should all hone
I am not a writer by profession. My background is in Sales & Marketing and Mergers and Acquisitions primarily in the Information Technology arena.
Having written some well received thrillers, which I did for fun, I have got to know many independent and well known authors. A new circle of friends.
What has become very clear is that many are great authors but lack some very basic sales skills. Selling is not trickery it's about understanding process; it is a basic skill that must be learnt if you want to maximise your chance of success.
I've written a book on the subject - "On A Sales Call", it will be released later this month. You can win a signed copy if you enter the goodreads "Giveaway".
Failing that you could always buy one.
Remember the value of your book is not measured in word count and the amount of paper consumed:
A man walks into a square in Montmartre, an artist asks him if he would like his portrait done. He agrees. Less than ten minutes later the tourist has a fabulous painting in his hands. “How much?” He asks.
“500 Euros Monsieur.”
“How much?” exclaimed the man “But it only took you a few minutes to paint it!”
“This is true, but it took me a lifetime to learn how…” Came the reply.
Having written some well received thrillers, which I did for fun, I have got to know many independent and well known authors. A new circle of friends.
What has become very clear is that many are great authors but lack some very basic sales skills. Selling is not trickery it's about understanding process; it is a basic skill that must be learnt if you want to maximise your chance of success.
I've written a book on the subject - "On A Sales Call", it will be released later this month. You can win a signed copy if you enter the goodreads "Giveaway".
Failing that you could always buy one.
Remember the value of your book is not measured in word count and the amount of paper consumed:
A man walks into a square in Montmartre, an artist asks him if he would like his portrait done. He agrees. Less than ten minutes later the tourist has a fabulous painting in his hands. “How much?” He asks.
“500 Euros Monsieur.”
“How much?” exclaimed the man “But it only took you a few minutes to paint it!”
“This is true, but it took me a lifetime to learn how…” Came the reply.
Ruthless Ambition - New Release
Review for Vol 5 in the Max Thatcher Book Series - 3 free signed copies up for grabs.
Review by Gina BorneRuthless Ambition by Mike Smart
Sometimes a long awaited thing is a terrible anti-climax, but not so with ‘Ruthless Ambition’, the latest in the Max Thatcher series, by Mike Smart. This new adventure has all the same familiar characters as the previous four books, which is great if you’re already a fan (and why wouldn’t you be?), but as ‘stand alone’ reads, they are equally engaging. Once again, Mr Smart delivers fast-paced action alongside truly current themes. Throughout the series there is something for everyone; politics, power, global issues, money, sex, violence, goodies, baddies, spies, relationships, families; the lot!
Ruthless Ambition explores how a fleeting childhood experience can lead someone to have truly skewed views about how to achieve success and power in later life at the total expense of others. The prose is detailed and exciting, without being ‘flowery’ and the author gets to the point way before you might be thinking of scanning or skipping a page. Surprising and unpredictable in its incredibly well -weaved plot, Ruthless Ambition has enough familiarity for the already initiated, to feel a real sense of empathy with Max and co. There is an increasing humanity to the main character, that is endearing, without allowing him to become weak. Max’s latest mission, to track down the victims of a kidnap, linked to the secret services and the highly illegitimate activities of a man with his heart set on domination of the still developing world, is gripping and tense, but also packed with asides and sub-plots that make it very real and earthy.
For the plane, the pool, the fireside, the half hour escape at the end of a busy day, I highly recommend the Thatcher series.
Review by Gina BorneRuthless Ambition by Mike Smart
Sometimes a long awaited thing is a terrible anti-climax, but not so with ‘Ruthless Ambition’, the latest in the Max Thatcher series, by Mike Smart. This new adventure has all the same familiar characters as the previous four books, which is great if you’re already a fan (and why wouldn’t you be?), but as ‘stand alone’ reads, they are equally engaging. Once again, Mr Smart delivers fast-paced action alongside truly current themes. Throughout the series there is something for everyone; politics, power, global issues, money, sex, violence, goodies, baddies, spies, relationships, families; the lot!
Ruthless Ambition explores how a fleeting childhood experience can lead someone to have truly skewed views about how to achieve success and power in later life at the total expense of others. The prose is detailed and exciting, without being ‘flowery’ and the author gets to the point way before you might be thinking of scanning or skipping a page. Surprising and unpredictable in its incredibly well -weaved plot, Ruthless Ambition has enough familiarity for the already initiated, to feel a real sense of empathy with Max and co. There is an increasing humanity to the main character, that is endearing, without allowing him to become weak. Max’s latest mission, to track down the victims of a kidnap, linked to the secret services and the highly illegitimate activities of a man with his heart set on domination of the still developing world, is gripping and tense, but also packed with asides and sub-plots that make it very real and earthy.
For the plane, the pool, the fireside, the half hour escape at the end of a busy day, I highly recommend the Thatcher series.
Gatekeeper makes top 10 on Amazon
Gatekeeper, the top class highly rated action packed thriller is available for free kindle download ranked #9 currently.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gatekeeper-Mi...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gatekeeper-Mi...
Have a great Christmas
All the best
Mike
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gatekeeper-Mi...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gatekeeper-Mi...
Have a great Christmas
All the best
Mike
