What's The Key To Book Marketing Success?

The other night I came home and slumped in my kitchen chair, to recuperate from an intense 90-minute pickleball workout. I didn’t move much for a while, until I could muster the energy to go upstairs to take a shower. An hour later I was about to go out for dinner and could not find my rental car key (my car was in the shop). After a brief search, I gave in to my wife pleading to take her car so that we could head out.

Later that night, when we returned, the search resumed. I retraced my steps of everything that I did and started to thoroughly examine things. I recall I threw out some mail, so I went into the recycle bin looking for Buick’s logo to magically appear. Nothing.

I looked in the hamper where I had deposited my clothes, taking out every smelly thing we had worn over the last four days. Still nothing. I felt like a kid unwrapping Christmas presents and getting clothes instead of a cool toy.

My wife went outside with a lantern-shaped flashlight and could not see the keys to an Encore in the grass, where we hoped they had silently dropped. She entered the unlocked car and tried to start the car. If the keys fell on the car floor or seat, it would have started. Nothing.

We repeated the entire walk-through reenactment and again looked high and low everywhere. Nada.

We went to watch TV and vowed to try again in the morning with a fresh pair of eyes in the daylight.

I arose out of bed with a feeling of dread to repeat this useless search and also with cautious optimism that we simply had to find a key that could not just vanish. The thing is, we know it has to be somewhere in or around the house. That is for certain. And that certainty willed me to keep looking.

I started looking everywhere. Back outside. Nothing. In the car. Nothing. In my jacket. Nothing. In my clothes from yesterday. Nothing. Laundry spilled on the floor and combed through like a crime scene. Nothing. Recycle bin. Nothing. Every inch of the kitchen was touched and viewed. Thoroughly. Bu both of us. Nothing.

WTF? Am I getting a glimpse of Alzheimer’s?

Back upstairs. I looked on our bed, under the covers, and on side tables. I even checked the dogs’ toy box, thinking maybe they uncharacteristically grabbed the key and put it with their torn lamb doll and gnawed bones. Nothing.

I was down to my last chance. I got on the floor to search under my bed.

Holy shit. There it is! I felt like I won the lottery or found a cool prize in a treasure hunt.

By finding this key not only did I get to stop playing detective while wondering how much a lost key costs, I got to reaffirm my sanity and reminded myself of a powerful book marketing lesson: Never give up!

Ok, that was a long story for a mantra you have heard your whole life. But it is true.

Book marketing is like a magic trick. Just because you don’t fully understand it, you still know it is not real and that the illusion is achievable. Marketing is also like doing a thousand-piece puzzle — you know all of the pieces are there and that they have to fit together. You just need the patience and fortitude to move forward in the face of frustration, confusion, or obstacles.

This key search drove me nuts but I could not conclude that I was not capable of finding it because it had to be there. I was methodical, thorough, logical, and unwavering in my pursuit. I sought help as well. You must do the same with your book marketing.

There are no-talent morons with mediocre books out there that find book marketing success. Why not you?

Whatever you think you lack, think again. Try harder, for longer, and better. Do not give up. Get help. Try new things or new approaches to old things. Just don’t tell me you can’t. You can. Will you? 

Do You Need Book Marketing & PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over four million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors like you to promote your story, sell your book, and grow your 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

This award-winning blog has generated over four million pageviews. With 5,000+ 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.”  Copyright 2025.

 

For the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the director of publicity 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.

 

His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully).

 

He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, BookCAMP, 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. He served as a judge for the 2024 IBPA Book Awards.

 

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.

 

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.

 

You can connect with him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum/ or https://www.facebook.com/brian.feinblum