Gold Marketing and First-class Seats

Today:
*** Gold Marketing and First-class Seats
*** Photo Tip Cards Sold Across the Globe
*** Practical Writing Prompt of the Week: Articles with Numbers
*** Reader Feedback: Published in a “Featured Publication”

Dear Reader,

It’s 1:00 a.m. and I can’t sleep.

I’m leaving later today for Paris where, in one week’s time, I get to do two great things:

First, get married (to the most perfect man I know)! Hey, I heard that! No call for cynicism. I’m supposed to be effusive… I’m getting married.

Second, wedding accomplished, I’m hosting our biggest, most unique event ever — our simultaneous travel writing and photography workshops.

Attendees and instructors are flying in from all over the world — Andorra, Australia, Belgium, Cyprus, Japan, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, and all across the U.S. (Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, and Virginia).

But oddly, that’s not what has me up tonight. I can’t sleep because I’m thinking about “Gold Marketing.”

Just this afternoon, I signed off on a new program we’ve had in the works for months now. “Gold Marketing” is what we’ve been calling it around the office.

It’s designed to show you the smartest, most effective, and easiest ways to market your photos. It includes audio interviews with experts, printed guides to help you make more money in less time (and with less work), and software programs that help you print your own photo labels, letterhead, business cards, etc.

I’m so excited about this program — so convinced that it lays out a foolproof blueprint for success and that people are going to love it — that we’re giving it a 10-year guarantee.

But I’m getting ahead of myself here — you can’t even buy this thing yet. We’ll have it in stock soon, though… so be on the lookout. If you’re ready to turn a photo hobby into a real money-making endeavor, this’ll be the smartest investment you make all year. No question about it.

Speaking of photos, our Photo Tip Cards have become world-renowned. Readers have been calling in from the far corners of the globe to get their hands on them.  I hope we don’t run out, because they were a bugger to print — 12 laminated cards with front-and-back advice on taking better pictures in every situation — rain, sunset, sports, etc. 

On that note, I’m off to try to get some shut-eye. I’ve got to get on that plane in a few hours — coach-class ticket in hand — so no guarantee I’ll be getting any on the flights.  That said, I have high hopes for a bump-up. My coach-class purchase was actually a purposeful one.

You see, last year we published a guide on how to get a first class seat on most every flight you take and it included seven strategies for upgrading to first class.

Tomorrow, I’m testing out an eighth.

If it works, I’ll be well rested by the time I arrive in Paris. If it doesn’t, well, I won’t be adding it to our guide.

Until next week…

— Lori
Lori Appling
Director, Great Escape Publishing

[Editor’s Note: Learn more about opportunities to profit from your travels (and even from your own home) in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel.]

PRACTICAL WRITING PROMPT OF THE WEEK:

This month’s Budget Travel Magazine should remind you that editors like numbers…
** GET WET! Top 10 U.S. Water Parks
** Six Cool Attractions Opening This Year
** Six Stores to Play In
** Top 5 Tips for Female Travelers

Jennifer Stevens, freelance travel writer, wrote an article for us about this not too long ago.  Refresh your memory here: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/?p=118.

And then think this weekend about how you can write a story about your hometown that includes numbers. When you’re done, send it to the Travel Post Monthly, where the editors are looking for exactly this sort of article… and more. You’ll find the guidelines here:
http://www.itwpa.com/writers_guidelines/

READER FEEDBACK:

Hello Lori,

Success with one of your mentioned publications, and a tip!

I’m a well-established writer, and edit Canada’s national gay/lesbian travel magazine (I’m always looking for good, qualified writers!). I was quite skeptical a while back when you mentioned a “paying” website, Common Ties, but I took a look.

Within days I’ve been published by them, and payment is promised (you can see their payment terms on their website).

But here’s the interesting bit: my travel story was purchased for a completely different topic. Yes, I’m submitting travel stories for the travel-focused edition of Common Ties, but when I saw they were also soliciting for a gay/lesbian-focused edition, it was a jackpot moment. I happened to have several unpublished, gay, travel-focused pieces sitting around…and had never found the right outlet for them.

My point is this: we can’t all write travel for Conde Nast Traveler or Hemispheres, there just aren’t enough pages. But there are other outlets for travel-focused pieces, often with a specific demographic or slant, that may buy good work.

Thanks for the phone conference back in January. Very helpful. I couldn’t listen live, so downloaded it and listened on a flight from Inuvik (above the Arctic Circle) to Yellowknife, NWT, Canada. Ah, the life of a travel writer doesn’t get more glam than that (yeah, right, it was in the deep-freeze of January and I was interviewing oil workers).

I’m hopeful that your Portland event comes together; it’s quite likely I’ll attend. Also, keep me in mind if you ever want to bring a niche-editor into the discussion mix, either at conferences or via phone.

Cheers,
Randall Shirley, Travel Journalist
Vancouver, B.C.

For more reader success stories, visit:
The Travel Writer’s Life: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/member_success_stories/
The Photographer’s Life: http://www.thephotographerslife.com/success_stories/
Our Wall of Fame: http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/wall_of_fame/