Interview with Gail B. Goodman

Author of Modern Appointment Setting

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

I was born and raised in NY City, lived in Westchester county for a long time. Four years ago, my husband and I moved to Tennessee – to a glorious horse farm 40 miles south of Nashville.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

Although I was born in NYC, and appreciated what it had to offer, I had loved “the country” my whole life. I had wished to be a farm child, being outdoors with animals and I got to enjoy that life each summer when I went to camp in Pennsylvania. That is where I learned how to ride and got to fulfill my love of horses. As an adult, I continued to move further and further from the city life. In 2004, my husband and I bought a 4 acre property in Bedford, NY, which is known for its horse farms and extensive riding trails. We always knew our goal was to retire somewhere other than New York and upon the recommendation of some Tennessee clients, I looked at properties outside of Nashville. We loved our Bedford horse farm, which allowed us to see the horses all the time and take care of them in a different way than at a commercial barn. But now we have 50 acres and my husband, officially retired from his hospital administrative job, runs our boarding farm. We have a total of 27 animals here – 18 horses (four belong to us), two miniature donkeys, 3 parrots and 4 cats. It took a long time to become a “farm girl” but the right time presented itself when it did.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

I have been a business trainer and consultant for over thirty years. I primarily train financial advisors and managers on how to prospect for, and set, initial appointments with new clients. Most of those 30 years, I provided a “script book”, but with the constant changes in our culture, now was the right time to add the narrative around prospecting. I was nicknamed “The Phone Teacher” a long time ago, and the phone had been a primary way to create business for a long time. But within the past 5 years or so, Americans have stopped picking up their phones unless you are a contact. That changed prospecting dramatically. It also changed my seminars. I felt it was the right time to explain the changes that were happening, and how to cope with them. A lone script would not be enough. With the advent of on-demand publishing, I can update any portion of my book and have it immediately available. So the very thing that has caused all salespeople to re-think their marketing and phoning – i.e. technology – made me feel comfortable putting my ideas in a book.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

My book is for direct sale people who need to schedule a face-to-face appointment with the consumer or a business person. If you are getting frustrated using the phone to set appointments, you need to read my book. I describe marketing and prospecting techniques that, in our current climate, get you better results. Even if you’ve been in direct sales for a long time, you know that things have changed. How to cope with these changes is what you’ll find in my book.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

Direct sales people who need a face-to-face appointment. Those who have spent a lot of their career on the phone and are finding it doesn’t work like it used to will need to read the updated version of “how to prospect”.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

That proof-reading your own work over and over is very hard. I know my brain will “expect” the right words, spelling and punctuation, but you’re looking for mistakes.

The other unexpected thing was how easy it was to get the words out once I organized the format of the book. Thirty years of training people just came pouring out once I created the “chapters” for my thoughts.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

It’s harder to write a book than it is to teach a seminar, so be patient with yourself when you attempt your first book.

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

Anyone who is frustrated by phoning prospects needs to read my book. I have no idea “how many” people that is, but there are probably lots of them.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

Finding artwork for my book cover. I teach something that is not visual – it’s auditory – so getting a book cover for this topic was strange. I used 99Designs to help me and so many submissions were so “off” I got frustrated. But when the right one appeared, it was like magic. And it was closer to number 99 than number 1.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

I am articulate. I am a wordsmith. I edit other people’s words for a living and I’m critical of my own so the writing part was not hard. Luckily, I met someone at a Chamber meeting two years before I started my book and he’s an online publisher. Once I had the book in Word format, he did the rest!

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

The marketing of my book is a weakness. I am hoping to work on now that it’s published and out there.

When do you think you will write your next book?

I’m not sure. This one has been a long journey, but my publisher already gave me the idea for my next book. In discussing Modern Appointment Setting, I touched on one aspect of our cultural change (i.e. excessive texting replaces human communication) and he jumped in and said “Now THAT’S the book you need to write next!” so I probably will. Just not yet.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

As I mentioned above, I used a professional editor/publisher who did everything for me but write the book and get the cover artwork.