Doug Barger

I honestly don't remember the first story I ever read. I'm sure most authors probably do. My mother was an elementary school teacher and so she and my father made sure I could read long before I started school.

It's funny. Even though I don't remember the first story I ever read, I do remember what it was like as a toddler before I learned to read. I remember watching my parents and listening to them perform what seemed like this magical art of "reading" and it fascinated me.

When I just shared with you how my mom was a teacher, and that my dad and her both made sure I could read before I was old enough to start school, you may have thought it sounded like they were the ones who were really encouraging me to start reading early.

And you're right. They really did encourage me.

But it was really more the other way around. They weren't the ones who forced me to learn or pressured me into wanting to read.

In fact, when I look back at that time now, I laugh a little, because I have this image of me, a little kid Doug, practically demanding my parents reveal their secrets of reading; and I didn't let up until I was convinced they had spilled the beans on every last secret they knew about how to do it.

(They were probably glad I picked it up so quickly, because once I learned, I could disappear with a book and entertain myself for hours, lost deep in the world the book led me to discover once inside its pages. A good book was the best babysitter they ever hired.)

I approach cover design the same way I love all my enemies...from a distance.

But I'm only partly kidding with you there. I learned long ago that although I do enjoy tinkering with some images in photoshop, gimp, illustrator and other softwares from time to time, I really like paying someone else to do this for me instead.

I think if I were to do it myself, I'd obsess over it with perfectionism and never get the thing done.

When I have others do it, unless it is just totally a disaster, and as long as all my main objectives are covered, I usually just roll with whatever they deliver
based on my vision.

I actually have different covers designed for different formats.

The kindle version of my book cover will sometimes be different than the cover used for the paperback.

One of the reasons I do this is to help highlight the fact that those are two different products.

I feel like someone who has the kindle version, but doesn't yet own the paperback you can actually feel in your hands and curl up in your bed with it to read, probably wants to own the paperback or hardcover version of the book so that they have the product in their actual physical possession.

I remember ordering a few copies of the paperback version to be printed on demand from my fulfillment company and really getting a lot of good use and value from having the actual books in my possession.

One of the books, I gave to my dad and wrote him a special message on the inside cover. I think he enjoyed getting it as a gift and because I personalized it with the special handwritten note.

Another copy, I gave to my best friend who actually ended up insisting on paying me for it until he finally broke me down and I accepted the money.

He is a well known pastor in a city near where I live and he went out and showed me in his car where he keeps a copy.

He told me people notice it all the time if they ride with him and they all want to pick it up and start reading it when they look at it. He tells them that's a book that was written by his best friend and it makes for a great conversation piece.

One thing I like to encourage all my readers to do is to pick up an extra copy so you can do what I did with my dad and write a special handwritten note on the inside cover.

The power of a handwritten note combined with a gift is simply mind blowing.

Especially when you combine it with the message and contents of Entrepreneurship Success Secrets.

When you give it as a gift to someone and write an encouraging note on the inside cover, who knows what that will do to encourage the person you give it to?

See, the thing is, there are so many possibilities that can come from that one simple act.

Suppose you gift one of the extra copies you bought to a young person who is interested in going into business for themselves with a handwritten note of encouragement on the inside cover.

Tell them you want them to have this book and act on it because you know they possess special God-given talents that can help change the world for the better with the value they have to offer and that you believe they will be very successful.

I can guarantee you one thing. They will definitely remember it. And not only will they not ever forget that intentional act of kindness, but they will view it as you making an investment into their success, their future and their life.

That's something you want people to associate with you. And they will.

I want you to try this for yourself and see the ripples it creates for you.

Once you do, the people you gift a copy of Entrepreneurship Success Secrets to, will from that point on, associate you with all the great things that are possible in life and look at you with gratitude and as someone special.

It's one great way to separate yourself from all the people they know. And you'll be glad you did.