‘You might like to start looking here for a webcam: http://shop.skype.com/intl/en-au/webcams/ I imagine there will be somewhere selling the same items for less, but at least you can have a degree of confidence if Skype recommends them.’

Bonza! Just what I needed. Many thanks.

Now to another Stephen. Stephen Hamilton took the time to write me an email full of fab ideas. I thought his views might also benefit others in our community, so gained his permission to reproduce his email (and my response) below. Thanks Stephen H!

Hi Paul,

I was just thinking about your questions on the mybrc blog regarding the pricing for your e-book. And I had an idea I thought was worth sharing with you.

Price it much higher, perhaps $100-$180. (all pricing I suggest are merely suggestions, its the process I think might have legs)

Include 30 minutes of ‘face’ time (I’d suggest something like skype using the video call feature – its free and works well) to guide the client through the theme of the book (I’d suggest that it would be mandatory that the client has read the book at this point), answer any questions they had regarding the book and its message, and perhaps a little extra coaching to ensure they are on the right track.

Maintain your money-back guarantee (I know this will sound a little scary) for the entire amount. You can be sure this will hardly ever get used because: a) the fact the client has interacted with you personally and can bear firsthand witness to your expertise in this field, b) you make them a special offer made available only to people who purchased the book – something like for $180 the client can have a further 3 hours of exclusive access to you either for extra mentoring and training, or editing their copy. This extra commitment from them, and subsequent value they receive, would build trust.

If applicable, perhaps consider selling this as a kit, and include any useful spreadsheets, templates, or other tools the client would benefit from.

I hope this may be of some value to you. I’ve not spent a huge amount of time fleshing this idea out, as you may have already thought of something like this anyway. But I hope in some way it helps. If nothing else, I’m plugging for you, as are the other enthusiastic commenters on the mybrc blog.

Stephen Hamilton http://stephenhamilton.wordpress.com
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Dear Stephen,

Thank you for taking the time and effort to send me your ace ideas.

I’m not a big fan of face time, but I know I need to do it.
To this end, I’ve been asking around for the best webcam to buy.

I have got my head around the guarantee thing. As I mentioned on your blog, it can take time for me to accept good advice but I get there in the end.

I have a heap of top notch copywriting tools lying around that I could assemble into a kit. That’s yet another thing I’ve not thought of.

I’m so grateful for your support; it is a wonderful surprise.

Best regards, P.

And thanks Cobba…Yep! Another BIG FAT YUMMY noSh-it! Wood-Fired Pizza cook-up & wind tunnel test comin’ up this weekend. I’ve eaten about 14 Pizzas since my Mobile Oven arrived (about 1.7 weeks ago)…and am I even close to getting sick of ‘em?..NO WAY me ol’ Mucker! :- )

What can I say…I’m in Loooooovvvvve! Never thought I’d say that about a Pizza Oven… :- P

Cheers

Stephen G

But you are right about ‘exhausted from eating Pizza’ (very happily I might add )…actually, you might have included ‘BLUDDY GREAT’ in front of ‘Pizza’… :- )

It’s been another humongous week, and out of a deep-seated sense of fair-play, us ‘bucket-mouths’ are honor bound to allow you ’strategic lurkers’ some space to lay your Golden Eggs :- )

And a Golden Egg it is Winston…thanks :- )

Dear Paul…glad to see your feeling a bit better mate :- ).

Cheers

Stephen G

I reckon that the discussion is all neatly wrapped and tied up with string in this comment from Aldo Gucci*… “The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory.”

Somehow it seems to say it all doesn’t it?

(*The last surviving son of the founder of the elite Italian fashion house that bore his family name who died in Rome recently aged 84.)

I wasn’t intending on putting up yet another post by me, but this one just somehow seemed to hit the spot this morning.

Now that my friends are starting to send me ‘Small Business Owner’ Jokes (& my apologies if you’ve seen it, I hadn’t), doesn’t it raise questions like:

Is this an affirmation that my commitment is now taking root and I’m now being perceived as a bona fide small business person; or

Are they just being good friends by trying to keep my spirits high as they painfully watch me make my last gasping staggers by dint of shear will & desparation toward a world in which I have about a 5% chance of survival, but they respect that I’m having a go? : )

Hmmm??? But this one made me laugh…

“A man owned a small ranch near San Antonio. The Texas Labor Department got a tip that he was not paying proper wages to his help and sent an investigator out to interview him.

“I need a list of your employees and how much you pay them,” demanded
the investigator.

“Well,” replied the rancher, “there’s my ranch hand who’s been with me for 3 years. I pay him $1200 a week plus free room and board.

“The cook has been here for 18 months, and I pay her $1000 per week plus free room and board.

“Then there’s the half-wit. He works about 18 hours every day and does about 90% of all the work around here. He makes about $10 per week, pays his own room and board.

But, I buy him a bottle of bourbon every Saturday night, and he also sleeps with my wife occasionally.”

“That’s the guy I want to talk to … the half-wit,” says the investigator.

“That would be me,” replied the rancher.”

Cheers

Stephen G

Cheers

Stephen G

PS ‘Magma Carta’? ppfffsstt! Even late in the day, he’s still got it…nice one Dyoood :- )