Book Marketing In The Fast Lane

 

The other night I was driving into the city from the suburbs, on my way to meet my sister at a comedy club, and of course I inevitably ran into a wall of traffic. Early Saturday evening. NYC. Not at all shocking, just frustrating.  It occurs to me that the crowded roads resemble the book marketing highway that authors are asked to navigate.

The highway for writers today consists of a lot of speed bumps, closed lanes, expensive fines, and spectacular crashes. It takes skill, knowledge, patience, flexibility, a good GPS, and knowing when to put on the brakes to survive the rocky roads of book marketing.

Yes, the book lanes are jam packed — too many books are trying to get somewhere at once.

What should you do?

* Know whether to slow down or speed up when you see a yellow light.

* Follow the signs to observe smart safety and avoid legal ramifications, but be ready to break a few rules. U-turns in key spots, forgetting to signal, crossing solid white lines, not paying the parking meter, or speeding — we all do these things, hopefully safely.

* Take alternate routes to get to where you want to go. There is more than one way to market your book. Try a bunch of them.

* Know when to be assertive — and defensive. Realize when you have good opportunities that you can create, but also know to avoid certain marketing offers or strategies that are not right for you.

* Expect tough conditions or for weather to impact traffic — and for changing market conditions to shape your efforts.

* Try to avoid crowded roads of competitors, but they will be out there with you.

* Managing the roads at seven miles per hour is just as important as when you can go 50 mph — see opportunities and obstacles everywhere.

* Sometimes driving is not the wise move. Perhaps you drank too much or are tired. Sometimes you need a break from marketing your book. Get some rest and a fresh start tomorrow.

* Be ready to switch cars. Maybe your 11-year-old compact car needs to be turned in for an upgrade. Same with your book marketing. Hire professionals who can help you, and if they stall out, hire someone else.

Driving is not a race; it is a marathon. You need to get somewhere in time in one piece. Book marketing is also not a sprint. Each day, in your own way, always be moving but don’t expect to reach your final destination too quickly.

Ok, enough of my car metaphors. Just release the emergency break and begin your journey. You may get lost, come into traffic, or get into an accident. That is okay, just keep moving and drive yourself to your book marketing destiny. 

Need PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with 3.6 million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.7 million pageviews. With 4,900+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.