How to Market with a Full-time Job, Avoid Ethics Violations

An entrepreneur in a small niche market can provide solutions with little cost. Because you have the right skills, you can do so much with little cost and risk. Here's what you need when writing a book, whether publishing  yourself or through other non-traditional alternatives.

1. A great book idea that needs to be developed

2. An identified customer base

3.  Method to inform and provide your target market with valuable resources

4. Ability to balance career, family and other commitments.

Now you have a burning desire to fulfill this dream on top of everything else? Well, it’s definitely possible.

As a professional, you have a code of ethics to live under. What you do will often affect your reputation. So, how can you possibly market to the people with whom you might already have a business relationship, paid for by your current boss?

First, get buy-in from your full-time job. This could be likely as long as one doesn’t use company resources or time. Ensuring this approval avoids the possible negative consequences. For example, suppose you are employed full-time as a mid-level safety supervisor. You also are very active in an Occupational Safety and Health Administration-related professional organization. You have discovered an incredible way to help people become better safety managers and increase safety awareness. You write a book, publish a newsletter and start a little side business.

If you follow the latest trends of marketing and sales techniques, you might do so at your professional detriment as you become a nuisance to fellow professionals. Instead of becoming a person of influence in the safety industry, you are considered an aggressive sales person and one to be avoided. Even worse, you get a reputation for doing so on "company time." So, how do you balance a professional reputation while building your personal business empire?

For those of you who already run your businesses, you can employ book-selling strategies that will get your book noticed without becoming a distraction. It's possible to provide a great book with a certain amount of anonymity mixed with a little niche popularity while, at the same time,  not gaining a reputation that could harm your other accomplishments. You do so by helping, by offering a valuable product that is not otherwise provided.

In niche publishing, your goal is not to become a celebrity, but an expert. Build upon the expertise by helping others, and the book sales will follow. I know this because I am possibly one of the worst face-to-face sales persons ever. I believe in my product, but because of conflicting life roles, I find it difficult to go through the requirements to make direct sales. I worry about seeing my bosses at conventions, seeing peers at professional luncheons, and being penalized for using company time to sell my product. That gives me only after work hours to sell.

You might feel the same. So, how do you create such an opportunity? Through a strong on-line presence that brings your potential customers to you. By doing so, your brand can become synonymous with your industry. Potential customers will see you as an industry expert with real solutions serving your niche. But if you do it wrong you be perceived as an opportunist. More articles are forthcoming.

See Get Rich in a Niche for help with writing, publication, sales and marketing plans that allow you to be yourself, protect your professional status and provide a great service.