Hey there...

So yesterday I got a pretty interesting reaction to my email.

As is my tradition...

I'll respond to it here...

But I'll break down each part of the email and respond to them in sections.

#sipssuicidecoffee

Hello Mr. Bassey,

I hold you in high esteem. Though I'm only a recent follower of your contents online. I salute your level of expertise on community building, creating a solid online experience, and the many other related subjects that I continue to gain from. Thanks. 

But, I strongly object to today's mail. 

First off thanks for writing in.

I appreciate that. 

And I particularly love that you love the emails.

Second...

I think you completely skipped the premise of my email and went off on a tangent that has absolutely nothing to do with what I wrote.

The focus is: if you want to build a publishing empire online, don't start with a book.

So let's just clarify that BUILDING A PUBLISHING EMPIRE is what the email was about and not whether we should sacrifice quality for money. 

  "It's not actually about the 'book'...", you said.

I think this is what triggered you.

And I get it.

But rather than take one thing out of context and dwell on that...

Read it in context...

Here's the whole thing:

If you've had dreams about becoming the next global best selling author in your space...

Let me share a quote with you that should help put things in perspective:

Someone once asked me how much I made from my first 'Guerrilla Marketing' book. The answer I gave was $10million. The book itself only paid me about $35,000 in royalties, but the speaking engagements, spinoff books, newsletters, columns, bootcamps, consulting, and wide open doors resulted in the remaining $9,965,000.

-Jay Conrad Levinson

(Founder of the bestselling Guerilla Marketing series of books and products)

Read that again...

Ssssssllllllllooooooowwwwwwllllllllyyyyyyy....

You see...

It's actually not about the book...

It's about the business model...

And for the most part...

These guys understand that the model is: Build a media company.

The biggest well meaning bad advice out there today is your publishing empire has to start with a book.

It doesn't.

There was a premise for what I said...

And for emphasis...

I said: "global bestselling author" not global best author.

If you want the best chance of making the most from your publishing empire....DON"T START WITH A BOOK. 

What you basically did was take a small part of my email and twist it out of context.

Next: 

"Is it much more about the money to be gained from the book or the possibility of a message that could be passed down to generations and cause a shift? Just like the Bible?" I would imagine the Bible didn't record a major financial breakthrough upon the first few years of its release. 

If it's a publishing empire you want to build: YES! It's more about the money than it is about the message.

Especially if you want the message to spread.

That's the simple truth and reality.

BUT...

If all you're concerned about is pushing out a message without any concern for the money...

By all means do so.

Comparing the publication of the bible to what I'm talking about is like comparing apples and oranges...

The major versions of the bible ever published were never published for profit and their distribution was funded by people who believed in their spread.

So we're not even talking about the same thing.

Another question you asked:

You also mentioned here: 

"The real magic formula for building a lucrative and thriving publishing empire online is to do everything EXCEPT WRITE A BOOK AT THE BEGINNING."

Really? 

Is this message for people who just want to make some money, or people who dearly have a message to share?

Yes Really.

Again the emphasis is: Building a LUCRATIVE and THRIVING PUBLISHING EMPIRE ONLINE 

If you're not interested in building that, then by all means do whatever you want.

If however you have a message to share and also want to make money online with it...then yes the quote you highlighted above is the way to go.

If you have a message to share and are not interested in the money and you have funding...by all means discount what I've shared.

Next:

If this message is for people who dearly have a message to share, do you suppose this is good enough motivation? How then will Nigeria, or Africa at large, produce her first classics that will transcend time and will still prove useful to generation unborn, like Think and Grow Rich? You are not much of a book fan, are you?  

Like I said earlier...

If all they want to do is share a message...

And they have the funding...

They're free to do whatever they want.

As for this being good enough motivation...

Hehehehehe...

If telling them to lay the foundation for increasing the successful distribution of their book isn't motivation enough...

I honestly don't know what is.

How will Nigeria produce her first classics?

Dude please!

A strictly personal development non fiction book wasn't even considered in africa until recently...

Our culture is steeped in folk lore and stories...

And within those stories are multiple life lessons...

Classics you say...

I think we have our own fair share.

What I shared today makes it possible for even more authors to step up into global distribution as major players rather than pawns.

And as for me not being a fan of books...?

That's just rude!!!

Next..

Your mails, for instance, are brilliant online newsletters I don't miss given the bucketloads of lessons I get from those. Now, if those articles were below-par, would I want to keep on READING?  

Thank you.

Glad you enjoyed them.

That said...

There was nowhere in my email I said that you should push substandard work. 

Next:

There is a balance to both sides of the coin of course. One ought to produce a book that will make him freaking awesome monies. But, the book also must be worth reading. And rereading. And rereading. For a thousand years more. 

And thought-leaders of your esteem have the incredible opportunity to not only propel followers to make honkin' dollars with their books, but also make massive meaning, and perhaps impact, with their books too.

Err....duh?

It goes without saying.

And anyone who decides to put out shabby work to make a quick naira...

That's on them...not me.

I am not responsible for what anyone chooses to do or not do.

That said...

I am responsible for my communication.

And if it brought any misunderstanding...

LET ME BE CLEAR.

If you want to build a thriving publishing empire online...

UNDERSTAND THAT IT HAS LESS TO DO WITH YOU MESSAGE AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH YOUR BUSINESS MODEL.

If you just want to spread a message...

Without any thought to how you're going to fund the distribution of that message...

UNDERSTAND that you're hoping on LUCK..

And luck isn't a guaranteed formula for success.

Finally...  

You ended with this:

My sincere opinion, sir.  

I appreciate that.

And I hope you also appreciate that this is my opinion too.

===================

That's it for today people!

Meanwhile...

The twenty kay option for getting the August Brand Acceleration Workshop is over and done.

You can still get in though for tharty tasand till next sunday.

Till tomorrow

Play a bigger game.

Victor

CTM