The Four-Letter Word: Marketing
Many of you have heard me vent about marketing. In my house, I usually refer to it as the "other" four-letter 'f-word.' When someone recently asked me what exactly I dislike about it, responding with "everything" felt a bit too glib—even if it felt honest in the moment.
The truth is more nuanced. My Facebook activity is a massive part of my strategy, and I actually enjoy it. The live videos, in particular, are a highlight because they give me the chance to truly "talk" with my readers in real-time.
From the Deck to the Desk
My perspective is shaped by the world I come from: a blue-collar life defined by lobstering, carpentry, boatyards, and CNC machining. In the lobstering world, you are at the mercy of Mother Nature and whatever deity commands the salty depths. But even then, there was a direct correlation between effort and output. You could count on the results of your blood, sweat, and tears. Most of my life has been measured in overtime hours where compensation for my time was a guarantee.
Marketing books is the polar opposite. It often feels like shouting into a void where the "to-do" list never actually gets "to-done."
The Endless "To-Do"
My current rotation of tasks looks something like this:
Growing the reader email list
Chasing down those elusive reviews
Building the Facebook following
Maintaining a daily posting schedule
Going Live three times a week
Pitching libraries for Author Talks
Writing for the website blog
It can be incredibly discouraging to send out over 100 emails only to receive seven or eight responses. It’s a strange mental hurdle to know that 2,000 people visited my Facebook page this month, yet the sales figures don't always reflect that foot traffic. That is the void I yell into. It’s just the way the game is played.
Shifting Perspective
Writing posts like this helps me put things back into focus. Why waste time complaining about things I can't control? Instead, I’ll use it as a point of discussion and keep rowing.
I have to remind myself that there are many people who would love to be in my position. Even on the days when it feels like I’ve slowed to a crawl, I am still moving forward. I’m a lot further along now than I was when I started, and for a blue-collar guy in a digital world, that’s a win worth holding onto.
