As a board member of my local temple, I was invited to join a committee to explore our mission, vision, and logo. The goal is to craft and define, in words and images, our best features and attributes, with the hope that by doing so, we can increase our membership engagement and membership size. The process is making me think about how authors approach their marketing. I wonder: Do authors need mission and vision statements?
A mission statement summarizes your purpose for existing. As an author, why do you write books, and why did you choose to write these specific books? Perhaps by answering it, you will find that you truly are driven to succeed and that you do, indeed, have a mission worthy of pursuit.
A vision statement is more about your goals and hopes – and how you hope to support and achieve your mission. Essentially, how will you get more readers and book sales – and what do you foresee doing that will jumpstart and boost your book’s success?
The mission and vision are closely connected to one another, and at times, see tied up as one thing. Your mission declares your essence and reason for being, while your vision is aspirational and explores how to carry out your mission.
So, dear author, what are your mission and vision statements?
·
To
help you figure this out, ask yourself some questions, including:
·
Why
exactly did I choose to write these books?
·
How
is my book unique or different from others?
·
Is
it better than some books, many books, or most books?
·
Who
actually needs or wants my book? Why?
· Is there a desired benefit that my book offers readers?
For your mission, think about what you hope to accomplish with your book – and what the book can accomplish for others. Will it inspire and motivate others? Will it educate and teach people something? Will it entertain and delight others? Is it offering an escape? Could your book enlighten others? Could your book influence change and action?
Your goal is to carve out your niche, your piece of real estate that you can claim as your own. But, as we know, many books are similar to one another within a given genre. Just as many companies, non-profits, or houses of worship compete with one another for customers, donors, and members, so do authors for readers. Which words or phrases will you use to express your ideas, personality, and views? How will you position your book in a world drowning in books and other competing forms of content, information, and entertainment?
Your obligation here is to find a way to describe your author brand – your writing style, your book’s message, your background, and your public voice or persona – in a way that does not sound like any other author. Sounding good enough or as good as anyone, is not good enough. It is tricky. You may have a subpar or ordinary book and your brand can sound great. Similarly, you can have a great book but your brand presents itself as no better than pedestrian. The key is to be authentic, speak from the heart, highlight your strengths, be silent on your weaknesses, and always exude confidence, strength, and positivity in anything you say, write, or do.
Know why your book must exist,
what you truly have to offer others, and how you can show why your book is
deserving of their attention. Then find the right words to say it. Remember,
you need a vision to implement your mission, and every author is on a mission
of some kind.
Do You Need Book Marketing 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
4.5 million pageviews. With 5,300+ posts over the past 14 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/
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