Reflecting On 6,400,000 Page Views -- Brian Feinblum's Book Marketing Buzz Blog Turns 15 Years Old!

 

Exactly 15 years ago to this day – and some 5,600 posts ago – I launched Book Marketing Buzz Blog.  I knew I had things to say, ideas to share, and experiences to convey, but I did not know I would still be penning new content today.  It just goes to show you that you never know where things will lead you to, but the first step is to try.  Take action.  

On May 13, 2011 I wrote about Donald Trump, then a billionaire real estate developer who was well known for his exploits on television’s The Apprentice.  I wrote about how I disliked him and thought him to be a buffoon but also to say I admired his publicity antics and his ability to amass free publicity.  Even now, in his second term as president, though I disagree with his bullying and extremist policies, I am completely smitten with his uncanny skill to pump his message out there.  

As a marketer, I can’t fault him.  As a human being and citizen, well, that’s another story. 

So, let’s learn from one of the best showmen around.  Authors can apply a Trumpian style to their book marketing by doing what he does: 

1.      Seek out the media – he can’t stop talking, knowing everything he says and does will be covered by the media.  

2.      Use social media – His Twitterstorms are legendary, posting prolifically at all hours of the day and night. 

3.      Stick to a script – He punches out a few key points and then repeats and restates them, not looking to say more than is needed to get his views across. 

4.      Be controversial – He confronts, bullies, teases, challenges, threatens – and that’s what becomes news. 

5.      He is high energy – The senior citizen has a lot of energy and uses a booming voice, hand gestures, and lots of intensity when speaking.  Even his tweets take on a physical form with his excessive capitalizations and exclamation points.  

6.      He speaks with conviction – He’s a real poker player who will lie to your face but do so with a compulsive self-righteousness. 

7.      He demeans challengers – Nicknames for political enemies and the media become catchy labels that people repeat. 

8.      Enmesh yourself with power and beauty – He likes photo opps in settings that usually make a statement.  If that doesn’t work, he has eye candy in wife Melania to stand by his side.  

9.      Act like an authority – Even when he is ignorant of an issue, he sounds like he knows what he’s talking about.  

10.  Pick a side – Don’t merely comment on something: take an extreme position.  

11.  Dress for success. – Put on a wig, a nice suit, and an expensive watch and you to will be taken seriously.  

12.  Paint yourself a victim. – Though he projects strength, vigor, and confidence, he often says he’s a victim of hoaxes, frauds, lies, political shenanigans, and schemers.  If you say you’re unjustly under attack, some will actually believe you.  

Authors don’t have to like Donald “The Chump” Trump, but they should admire and respect – with envy – how well he manages to get media coverage for decades, all while really having nothing good to say.  His Art of the Deal may be a best-seller, but what he really excels at is Art of the Media. 

Happy anniversary, Donnie – just don’t call me. 

My First 5 Blog Posts – 15 Years Ago

Donald Trump Branding Lessons

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/donald-trump-branding-lessons-for.html  

Publishing E-Pocalypse

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/publishing-e-pocalypse-look-at-your.html 

Book Marketing Strategies Found In A Casino

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/book-marketing-strategies-found-in.html 

Information Peddlers Challenge Book World

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/information-peddlers-are-making.html 

Coming Soon: Memoir of a Six-Year-Old

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/coming-soon-memoir-of-six-year-old.html

 

Do You Need Book Marketing Help?

Brian Feinblum 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 6,300,000 page views. With 5,700+ posts over the past 15 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 2026.

 

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) and (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/10-things-my-dog-taught-me-about-marketing-books). He was recently interviewed by the IBPA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0BhO9m8jbs

 

He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, three times at BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, five times at Morgan James Publishing Red Carpet, 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