 Hi everybody, I'm Junie Schuster and I'm with the series Who Do You Know? And I am so excited to have Lois here today because I met her on LinkedIn and through the polka dots, powerhouse women. Now let me explain a little bit about that organization. It is extraordinary women, professional women, who belong to this networking group. So on today's program, we have Lois who is going to talk about her books that she's written and also her marketing plan because I think that's so important for people to understand that you've got to have a marketing plan in order to do your business. So welcome Lois, it's so great to have you here. It is a pleasure, it's a joy to be here and thank you for inviting me. Thank you for coming on. Well, tell us some of your background and how you got into writing these books. Sure. I started my career as a fourth and fifth grade teacher. I ultimately went to Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, it's the state school, and received my doctorate in educational leadership. I ultimately went up the ranks and became a superintendent of schools in a K-12 school district, retired from that position, and my husband and I moved to Florida. Now these books that you've written, did you get into that after you moved to Florida and why did you choose to go that route? Throughout my career, I always felt that we didn't spend enough time on core values. No honesty, respect, respecting others' space, taking responsibility for your action, being kind, being cooperative, learning self-reflection, learning to share, learning to be a good sport. These are skills that we need to teach children as early as possible so that they'll be successful as adults. And I just felt that because of state testing and the focus in education today on the tests that teachers and even parents and grandparents just weren't spending the time. So I always wanted to write a book. While I was working, I really didn't have the time. And once I retired, I wanted to write it, and I thought about it and thought about it, and I couldn't wrap my head around it. You know, it's not easy writing a book and coming up with a book. I cannot imagine. No. And it's so interesting because one day the entire family was out to dinner, and one of the little ones took his milk and with his straw started tossing the milk around the table. He's adorable. The action was not adorable. His older cousin turned to him and said, Hey, don't be that kid. And a book was born. Oh, that's adorable. We were all laughing about when he said it and I said, Where did you get that expression? He said, I don't know. Came out of my mouth. When I got home, I googled it and couldn't find don't be that kid. And a book was born. I'll show you the first book. My first book. What's that? That kid in school. Since it's don't be that kid. All the characters are goats. They're all goats. And each scene. Clever. Thank you. Originally it was going to be human beings, but I realized children love animals. If you want to talk about behavior with a child, it's a good idea not to focus on that child's behavior at the moment, but rather talk about someone else's behavior. So talking about our little goats behavior throughout the book helps parents and grandparents and educators, then transition to the child. Very easily. It's an easy transition. So each scene of the book is separated into a different character trade. I chose chose 16 character traits that I think are important. And each scene depicts. Let me give you an example. Oh, wow. About including others. Not being included is a very big issue in schools today. They feel left out. So here they're on the playground. Our kid is not letting another kid play basketball. How does he feel? What's their responsibility to him because they have a responsibility to include him. And why is our kid doing it. Every scene depicts another issue. And you read the scene and they're fun scenes, but then you talk about the scene. And you have a conversation with a child about the scene and because you're talking about a goat, children will be very free to your opinion. So I wrote that book. And while writing it, I wrote a teacher's guide. The books, my books are hardcover. And then I wrote a paperback resource guide that begins with establishing expectations. Because all anyone ever wants to know is what do you want from me. I mean, how can I succeed. So, children are no different. We want to tell them what we expect. And then every single scene of the book has activities separated into grades k123 and 45. So my books are preschool to grade five age children. And then people ask me to do a home version. So I wrote, don't be that kid at home. So now our little goat is misbehaving at home. A typical scene. He's playing a board game. He's losing. He throws the game up. Kids do that every day they like to win. We need to teach kids how to be good sports. So they're fun books with a purpose. I love it. In both books, in the don't be that kid at school book. He wakes up in the morning and looks in the mirror. In the don't be that kid at home book. He's in a time out and looks in the mirror. Who am I. What kind of a kid do I want to be moving forward. How do I have to change my behavior. And then I have a collage. Oh, wow. All the scenes with him behaving find the scene in the collage go back in the book. How does he have to change. So my books are not books you read them put away their books you read have fun with conversation with children. Even if children are well your children are well behaved. They know children who aren't. And it helps them learn how to deal with those kids. Oh, and it's so much easier than pointing the finger at them because they get pointed the finger by friends at school or neighbors that sort of stuff. You're really taking it away from the child and you're putting it on the goat, the little goat or little kid. Yeah. So much sense. Yeah, I love it. Yeah, that just makes so much sense. Thank you. Thank you. Yes. So the books are for educators and parents and grandparents and they're all over the country they're all over the world. So I think, and I've achieved that through marketing. I love it. Well, let's carry on through marketing because I think when you told me about your marketing plan, I just thought, that's genius. And we need to share it because I love to get people who come on to the who do you know show and listen to these interviews and have them realize they can do a business. But what's important is they've got to have a marketing plan. And yours is outstanding. Tell us what you did. Well, I'll tell you I spent a lot of time on it while I was writing don't be that kid at school. I knew I had to create a marketing plan to go with it. I think in what there is no different than any other business. It's not automatic. People are not going to gravitate to you. You. No one has the passion for your business the way you do. So, to market and, and go out there. And it does take time. And if you're contemplating going into your own business. You're not going to make the decision that you're going to put on put the time in or you're not going to be successful because it's just people don't come out of thin air. It's up, it's up to you. So what I did was, I created a very strategic marketing plan and what I mean by that is, I thought about every single client, every single person who could possibly be interested in my books. And I think for a children's book that meant schools, but so you say public schools, but then you take it further, and you say, not just public schools, but charter schools, religious schools, people who home school, do you see how I'm taking a small concept, and I'm expanding upon that concept. You go into libraries, and, and you meet with the person in the library who buys the books is a person in every library throughout the country who is the person who buys books, and you, you have to have a little nerve to make a cold call. If you send an email, it will rarely will someone respond they get hundreds and hundreds of emails a day you're one of many. I like to establish relationship I like to talk to somebody I'm a chatterbox I like to talk. So, I pick up the phone I call, I make an appointment, come and see me you're always interested in books. And then I go I show my book. In my, in my county there are seven libraries in my county. So by just going and making that call and meeting with the person who purchases the books. Now my books are in seven libraries. So I extend it. And I say, who do I need to speak to, to do a reading to have a reading and an activity at the library. So, then that person usually at that point on the phone, and we schedule a time for me to read, do a little activity, and then sell my books. Because I want, so you take the concept, and you constantly are expanding it. Now I want to market. So I do things like this is a golf shirt, and it has don't be that kid on it so when I go and I do a reading or if I'm doing this interview. I've got my shirt on. It's well worth it. Because you're marketing yourself you're marketing your book. Now you. So you keep going. I am never afraid to be turned down. I don't take it personally. So, I researched every children's boutique or gifts store within an hour from where I live. I walked in there with my books as to speak to the manager. Out of maybe 50 10 said we'd love to have your books. So first, the books are in the store. Once they're in the store. I call a month later. Let's do a reading. So, again, whatever your business is, I looked at every single organization in Florida that deals with children. And then I contacted the director of that organization to either have a meeting or talk over the phone about the books, because I have a website. And if you're going into business you have to have a website because you're going to drive everybody to the website. I'm selling a product you might be selling a service. So on your website if you're selling a service you're going to want more information you know let them click this to get more information with me it's click buy now to get to Amazon or Barnes and noble.com. And if they want me to sign a book they can contact me as a way to do that as well. So that. So now I'm in organizations. So, I go, I speak to the rotor. I speak to the else. I speak to all these places. And I give a presentation, and I sell the books. So, right there on the spot, right there on the spot. I created a seminar called the making of the next best seller. And I wrote a one page proposal, and brought it to people in universities and colleges, who are the directors of life on learning for adults for adults to go to, because many adults don't know the book. And it's a three hour presentation I take you from the thought of doing your book, all the way up to the legal and business implications. And when they leave the seminar, they know exactly what they have to do. And then I sell the books to see that there's a theme here. Oh my goodness, what a theme. It's a game here, right. Now, through these things. I've had principles I had a principle two and a half years ago say to me, Lois would you ever be willing to come in and do behavior assemblies with our students. I created the behavior assembly. I go into schools now with it. And I get paid as a consultant. Now that was never the thought I was there to sell books. Right. Now I'm doing this. It's great. And another principle asked me if I would be willing to do a young author program, teaching children how to be authors. I now do that in schools. So, it, it, you have to be open minded and you constantly expanded. Right. I vote, vote. Listen, it's obvious a children's book educators, parents, grandparents, but you in a business plan in a marketing plan you want to expand. So I wrote, don't be that kid at home. I said to myself, who is a target to buy this book. And I thought about it and I came up with realtors, mortgage brokers, and title company brokers, because at closing. They'll give their client either a basket or champagne or something like that. How cool is it to give their child a fun, don't be that kid at home. I thought that was so clever, Lois. You have to think out of the box. So I sell, don't be that kid at home in bulk 2025 at a clip to realtors and mortgage people. And what they do is, in the beginning of the book, there's a spot right here to put their business card. Every time the book is read, they think of you and you thought of their child. They're going to remember you. Oh, that's huge. When you're creating a business plan, you're thinking about who wants my services. Who can I help with my product, whatever it is. And then you take your initial thought and expand and expand. And I have a mind. And it's this thick. And every time I meet with a potential person to purchase my book, I put their information and what happens so that I can constantly go back to it and see. So you join networking groups. You mentioned polka dot powerhouse perfect example. There are others who are. There is a networking group a day. Excuse me that you can go on some costs of money. Some don't, you have to evaluate especially when you're an entrepreneur and you're just starting out how much money you want to spend on marketing. What, what do you want to spend what can you afford. And then you go from there. If you decide that you can spend X amount of dollars on networking. Well, that's what you spend. But there are networking groups that don't cost anything. You just go to a breakfast, pay for the breakfast, just go to a luncheon. And remember, those are expenses that you're taking off. So when you go to a luncheon, that's a networking luncheon, you get a receipt. And you're going to gather them and you're going to give them to your accountant at the end of the year and it goes goes on to simply food. I mean so ready. And the mileage to get there. You're going to find out what the mileage is. I don't know what it is yet for 22. I'll look it up your Google and find out. And every time you go someplace, I keep a mileage record, every expense, because you need to take it off. And get compensated for the tax benefits of owning your own business are huge and a lot of times people don't think about that stuff so I'm really glad that you point that out Lois. So, yeah, you're buying things, you're buying, you know, you go to staples and you buy supplies, keep the receipts, I keep every single receipt. You need to be a little bit of a detailed person and I am you can't be a superintendent of schools unless you're a detailed person. That's true. I'm not that I don't use a computer to do it. I hand write everything and then type it up at the end of the year. Now it takes me two days to get it all together. Yeah, the computer just go on the computer and do a spreadsheet and every time you come home and just go right on the spreadsheet. It's so easy. It's not even hard to do. You will be amazed at how much money you're spending on your business that you don't even realize. You put all those receipts into a shoebox at least an accountant that you deal with can go through them and say, Oh, okay, you can write this off and this off. Well, first of all, you have a domain name for your website. You may have multiple ones. That's a cost for your business. I pay a monthly fee from my website. It's managed by someone. Well, I write that right off. So these are things that you literally are writing off. And they're legal and then you're supposed to write them off. And I am sure that anyone who has an accountant has told them to to keep the correct you should get your account is worth solves. Yeah, so you just keep that now for me. If you're a product, you have to keep a record of infant or because you have to state for your tax income taxes, what you have left at the end of the year. And you really should try and keep a low infant or that's the goal, if you can. So in December, don't start ordering a bunch of stuff because you're going to be stuck with it. Yeah, that's not so smart. So those are the kinds of kinds of things. So there's a business model to go with it as well. I love it. I love it. These are terrific points for people to consider and think about it. There are so many people who are coaches. And some people are broad based coaches and others are very particular on the finance coach. I'm a transition coach. You know, I am a divorce coach. Yeah. Oh yeah. Where are these people coming from who are going to be your clients. You have to say to yourself, where am I getting these clients from. And then you, no one else but you have to go about your business getting them. That may mean picking up the phone and calling the women's club in your area. I'm just asking to speak to whoever it is who does the speakers, who's the event person for the women's club, and then saying to them, I'd love to meet with you, they need to see you, they can do it through zoom. But the important thing is, you have to have a plan. You cannot go to any of these phone calls or meetings unless you have a plan. People don't want to read 10 pages. They want to read a page. You need to get what you plan on doing in one consolidated page. We'll hand it to them. They'll love it. And then they say that's great. We have an opening April 15. Fine. And by going and giving that presentation, people are learning who you are, what you are about, what you have to offer. And that's a way to get clients. Networking is a great way. But there are so many coaches out there that you have to have a niche. You have to really hustle and find a way to get people to come to you. Just going on LinkedIn and Instagram and Facebook. You may get an odd person. I mean, all of a sudden they came across you. But it's not going to happen. Right. A blog. Think about doing a monthly blog and sending it out. People will want to read the next one and the next one and the next one. Sure. That's terrific. Yeah. I'm going to be doing four webinars for a college professor in Heidelberg, Germany. Oh, how fun. Just unbelievable. And then I started selling books in Germany. Get off. I mean, it's just crazy. It's so crazy. So, and that's it begets you're I mean it just, and through that person. It introduced me to a magazine editor in Belgium. And they did an entire spread army in this magazine in Belgium. I started selling books in Belgium. It's amazing how things open for you. You know, the more you get out there. And I think that's a point to get across is, you have to open yourself up to talking about what you're doing. And then you never know the people you're going to run into or meet and who knows who. So it just continues to open up more doors, the more you get into it. And customers that you didn't know that you had all of a sudden start to change and appear and listen to you, the trips you're taking, the write ups you get. It's unbelievable what's happening. Really. And again, a perfect example is polka dot powerhouse polka dot powerhouse is a start out as a national networking group and I joined because I wanted to get my books out nationally and through polka dot there in every state, including Alaska and Hawaii. And then they branched out to Canada. And then they branched out to the United Kingdom. Now you're going to think this is a little crazy, but they have about 3000 members. I have done a one on one, either through zoom or a telephone call with over 1800 polka dot members. That's amazing. Wow. Amazing. Part of my goal when I meet with them. And I think this is important. I want to help them. It is, I'm a very soft sell, you either want to buy my books or you don't seriously mean, I'm not going to make myself crazy about stuff like that. Right. So you take the emotion out of it. No question about yeah. 90% of the time, I am able to refer someone that I am talking to to another person that they can do business with the one way or another. And how can I do that. Again, I keep a binder of every single connect I put the person's name, where they live, their phone number, their email, their business and what we talked about. So, oh my goodness. Lois, how do you go back? How do you remember. So you have to remember some way of what what they did and we're in that notebook. That person to have a very good memory. But if you want to do that, you could set, you could separate it into businesses. And your binder could be you could have all the people that were coaches, all the people that were Mary Kay, all the people that were health, all the people, you could do it that way. I didn't, I didn't have to do it that way. But if I needed to, I would have separated my binder into categories. I'll give you a perfect example. I had a connect with a ruler in San Francisco, and we just had a great time she wasn't going to buy any books. That's fine with me. Eight months later, I had a connect with someone in Southern California, who wanted to buy an investment property in the San Francisco area. I have someone to introduce you to. I introduced them. They have just finished their second investment property deal. Eight months later, my goodness, that is a good memory. Very good. Yeah. And I'm, I'm focused on it. I want to help other people succeed in business. It's not just about me and my business. It's about helping you. And what happens is, as you're helping others, they remember you as well. That's so true, Lois. Thank you. They do. So it's important to not come on strong to let a connect, let a zoom take its course and meet people. And you have to make a decision that you're going to meet X amount of people a day. I did the majority of mine during COVID. I was home. Why not? What else are you going to do with your day? I mean, really. And you and I had a connect and now I'm doing this with you. I mean, that's everyone who's listening. You have, you have to put yourself out there. And you have to be sincere and truly want to help others. And then you'll see your business will increase automatically. I love it. That is so true. And people who have a passion for what they do. Most of the time that is in the back of their mind. They want to get into business so that they can help others. Sure. No, definitely. And you can hire someone to market your service or your or your whatever it is you're selling. But no one's better than you. No one is better. Because they don't have the passion. Well, they really don't know it. Yeah. They don't believe that's what that's what it takes to get that passion is, I think that's part of the buildup of why you have that passion because you spend so much time, your brain is constantly working 24 hours of the day thinking about how can I as such as yourself, how can I market this, who can benefit from this, that sort of thing. Sure. You know, when you're a book author you're not going to make a lot of money on the book. You're not going to be able to have only that as your source of income because Amazon takes 40% and the publishing house takes 40% and you're left with actually after shipping and stuff you're left with probably about 1617%. That's no money. Yeah. You, you have to figure all of that stuff out. I have people say to me I want to write a quit my job and write a book I go whoa whoa whoa. I think you better do a bigger business plan honey. Yeah, and people who want to get out of corporate and start their own business. You have to do a lot of preliminary work. True. Or you leave corporate. Just leave it and miraculously have that. It's so true. Oh my goodness. Work, you know, while you're working in corporate, start thinking about how you want to use those skills that you're using every day there. And start your own business and start the plan. And, and then when you're ready. I mean, you have to have the website before you start you can't start a business. That costs money. You have to lay out some money. If you're going to want to start a business. And you have to figure out how much money you can, you can spend. Right. And, and, and then do it. But you can't just say I'm hanging out a shingle tomorrow. People are going to be running over to me. And you have to be willing to pivot. You can't just start in one direction. Yeah, you say to yourself. Hmm, this isn't working so well and what I'm hearing constantly from prospects is they don't need this. They need that. Can I now include that in my business. Oh my goodness. Yeah. That pivot is another thing that I mentioned to people who want to be an entrepreneur that you have to be flexible. You've, as you said, you've got to hear what your customers really want. Yes, if not you just in the state of oblivion saying, what's wrong. What's happening and don't be afraid to say to someone. And if, if they didn't hire you. Don't be afraid to say, I want to constantly improve. Are you willing to tell me why. Excellent advice. So strong. When I didn't. When I always interviewed the final three candidates for any job position in my school district. And I was always impressed when someone who didn't get the job in the interview when I would call to say, you didn't get it, I would tell them why and they would say how can I improve. How can I improve my interview. Can you tell me why, why I didn't get that job. That is one smart person and they're going to get the next job. And you would help them out with input. Absolutely. Absolutely. Sure, especially if it was an administrative position if I didn't hire you as a principal. I always would say to the final finalists who didn't get hired. Are you interested in knowing why. Always send that to them. Yeah, because they need to know why. Right. Why didn't they get this job. Sometimes it's simple sometimes it's complex. But you can't always get every job. You send out a proposal. And you don't get it. There's nothing wrong with calling the person that you sent the proposal to to say, I appreciate that we didn't get it. But I want to improve and I want to make sure I get the next one. Can you give me anything specific that I need to work on. This is all valuable information. Not only for entrepreneurs, but people who want to position in the profession. Whether it's for schools or whatever job it is that you want. You want to get a promotion. And you keep applying. And you're just not getting it. Yeah, sometimes you don't even get the interview. You should find out why. Why. What do I need to work on? There is a reason you're not getting this. You need to find out. We're just going to keep applying. I could have you on for hours you have so much valuable information. I would love it if people would comment and ask questions and love this video. This is so super all the information that you've got us. Are there any last minute words that you can think of to close this up. You said pretty much everything, but I'm sure, I'm sure you have some additional verbiage that you can share with our viewers. Every single person who was listening to this video. You have it in your power to be successful. It is up to you. You need to plan it out. And then see it to fruition. It's all up to you. Thank you. And how do people get in touch with you? All they have to do, they can go on my website, which is simply don't be that kid.net. No apostrophe and don't. And there's a contact. You can click that. Or you know what, you can email me at Lois. Don't be that kid.net. You have questions you want to talk to me about anything. I am at your disposal. It'll be my pleasure. Love it. Thank you so much for your time today. We really appreciate it. Well, thank you for having me. I really enjoyed it.