The beginning is a very good place to start, as Julie Andrews’ Maria tunefully taught us in The Sound of Music. But life doesn’t always work out that way. This article focuses on a book that started well north of the beginning, at least in terms of when it hit my desktop.
Author Donna Weber wrote Onboarding Matters to establish herself as the Customer Onboarding Expert, an industry thought leader, and to have the ultimate calling card. And she didn’t just want to throw a book “out there.” She wanted to have a book she would be proud of.
Of course, the writing started at the beginning. And when her manuscript was complete, Donna turned it over to a freelancer for design and layout. But as her launch date neared, she received a proof copy of the book and realized the design was dreadful. Pride in her book-to-be evaporated in a heartbeat.
Donna had put too much time and energy into the project to settle for good enough. So, when a colleague sent her my way, we teamed up to quickly overhaul her book. After hearing her lament that her “book doesn’t look like a book,” I got to work transforming the pages into a bookstore-quality layout.
By the time Onboarding Matters launched, Donna felt the book design was above and beyond what she envisioned and that she did, in fact, have a book she was proud to share with others.
She said, “Writing, publishing, and promoting Onboarding Matters has been more work than I could have ever imagined. And yet, the impact of my book continues to be beyond my wildest dreams. Colleagues now refer to me as the ‘Onboarding Guru.’ Having a well-received book has opened up new revenue streams through speaking and teaching, and I even won two book awards (so far).”
While Donna’s publishing journey had some detours, I helped her navigate the bumps to reach the finish line with her sanity intact and a book she loves. Although my role didn’t start at the very beginning (cue Maria singing “Do Re Mi”), our collaboration proved that professional expertise can save the day, even when it comes mid-plot.
We recently joined forces again to add an index to Onboarding Matters, further increasing the value her book brings to the business of creating customers for life.
The update has enabled Donna to continue enjoying tremendous success with her book. She’s thrilled with the positive impact it has had, not only on her business, but also on the customer growth and retention of the companies she serves.
And when she writes another book, Donna is excited to work together on that one too…ideally from the start next time.
