Writers
are not natural entertainers, debaters, or news subjects, but they have to grow
into a persona that’s assertive and comfortable with the news media if they
hope to advance their writing career and book sales. So who can they learn from? How about the leading candidates for
president of the United States? If you
watched the marathon Republican debate on CNN this past week, you may have
noticed a dozen or more strategies employed to get people’s attention. Here are
some of the ways they – and you – can get voters/consumers to embrace your
message:
1.
Use
humor. Almost all of the candidates
looked to tell a joke to lighten things, except for the stoic-faced Carly
Fiorina.
2.
Quote
an expert, cite a statistic, or refer to something in the news to demonstrate a
relevant point.
3.
Shout
and speak quickly. All but the soft-spoken Ben Carson found a way to amp up
their speeches.
4.
Be
quick to attack, jab, or make a strong claim that incites others to
dialogue with you.
5.
Demonize
someone or something. All of the
candidates make Obama sound like he is the worst leader ever and conveniently
use him to villainize him for anything wrong in the world.
6.
Act
as if you are buddy-buddy with your competition. Trump looked to high-five and arm-slap
several candidates, including Bush and Carson.
7.
Let
people see the human, relatable side to you.
Many candidates used opening statements to talk about their families.
8.
Fight
for you screen time. Many candidates
demanded their 30 seconds to comment and respond on matters.
9.
Rely
on your words but remember that people listen to tone, watch body language, and
monitor one’s energy level. People want
to hear passion and vision.
10.
Make
note of your resume so people understand why they should be listening to
you. Don’t brag, but provide the
relevant facts about your credentials so that people can buy into your
credibility.
Of
course this doesn’t mean that politics and book promotion are one in the same,
but they’re not so far apart.
Politicians need votes, authors need book sales. Politicians need to inform, enlighten, and
inspire others. So do writers. They simplify
a platform of policy and ideas, writers seek to simplify a message about their
book. Both need the media to reach the mases and to target certain
demographics.
If
you want to sell books, learn from those seeking the Oval Office. Maybe you should write a book and run for
office.
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