Marketing is not selling

Since I pounded and expounded my sales philosophy at IndieReader yesterday, I won't rehash here too much, but there's some good energy going around about "positive marketing" or "idea marketing." Al Boudreau has a clear post on The Mystery of Marketing. He also references the generous LM Stull.

My skull is incredibly thick so any idea that finally penetrates from the outside instead of clanging around from within must be a good one. If you take the words "Buy my book" out of your marketing, you immediately become a better marketer. I couldn't even do it when I was sitting at tables in bookstores, and while I probably have been a little overzealous from time to time in proliferating my new books, I hope I've evolved to a more generous and compassionate model.

A constant barrage of "Buy my book" will isolate you, and then you can't do anyone any good, much less yourself. You get unfriended and unfollowed, and then where are you? Screaming "Buy my book" in the desert.

My daughter likes #4 for Liquid Fear, and I wonder if I am afraid to go there. I will have to think on it, because it feels a little like overreaching. Instead, I am shifting some energy into sharing The Skull Ring, because I think it hasn't reached its full audience yet, plus I've revised a lot of my covers to make my mystery/thrillers a more cohesive brand and separate from my supernatural thrillers and short stories. And I am not screaming "Buy my book." I'd rather you feed your family, or buy some seeds, or donate to your favorite local charity. That's what I do when you buy my book.

Thank you, universe, and thank you, friends. Let me know if I can help you, because you have been so incredibly good to me.
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