Marketing Madness (Or At Least, Neurosis)

Having finally finished my (overdue) manuscript, I’m trying to get back into marketing. It just so happens that one of the author loops I’m on was recently discussing this subject. I immediately noticed that since the last time I paid attention, book marketing seems to have gotten more complex. There are so many more options. More social media platforms. More places to advertise. More companies offering webinars on how to make use of all these options. More systems to measure your results. More companies offering websites for creating ads, podcasts and trailers. More ways to advertise. More book promotion sites. More companies offering marketing services. More ways to generate contacts for your mailing list for your newsletter. More ways to make your website interesting and to gather data from your website. More ways to host contests and giveaways. More ways to create surveys and interact with readers. More theories about branding, cross-promotion and career planning. More. More. More.

For someone who disliked marketing and promotion even back when it was straightforward and relatively easy, it’s enough to make me run off screaming. Indeed, if it was merely my career and my income, that’s probably what I would do. But my publisher has invested time, money and resources into my books, and because of that, I feel compelled to make an effort.

So, how to decide what to do? Some authors mention choosing something that you enjoy, or at least don’t find too arduous. I’m drawn to marketing tools that have a creative component: updating my website, FB posts that involve activities I enjoy (gardening and travel), doing a newsletter and blog posts. But many writers also mention that effective promotion needs to be on-going, and that’s where I get into trouble. I want to do it and be done, and that’s not how it works. Successful marketing is a process, a slow building of name recognition, making connections with readers, who connect you to other readers and so on. More of a marathon than a footrace.

Some people approach it as a task they devote “x” amount of time to each day. Break it into small, manageable chunks so it’s not so daunting. But that assumes your schedule is such that you can commit time to marketing every day. Otherwise you skip one day, and then another and before you know it, you’ve lost the plot.

Maybe I need to try the carrot approach. Reward myself when I accomplish a marketing task. Tell myself I can do something fun after I put in the time promoting my books. I know people who do this with writing. They reward themselves for the hours they spend working on their latest project. Words or pages produced. What reward would it take to motivate me?  

Guilt might be more effective. A stick rather than a carrot. Tell myself that if I don’t promote, I’m a bad person. An irresponsible, inconsiderate person. Yeah, that’s much better. I might be able to work with that.

Clearly, I have extreme issues when it comes to promotion. A mental block, as they used to say. I suppose a lot of it is how I was raised. To me, in promoting your book, you are promoting yourself, and in that there is an element of bragging. I was raised that bragging is rude, tacky and inappropriate. That vibe came not only from my parents and the adults I knew, but the kids I grew up with. You put yourself down to be polite. “Oh, that old thing,” when someone admired your clothing. “Oh, but this other thing is wrong with me, or I’m terrible at this.” when they admired some aspect of your appearance or something you did. “Oh, you’re so sweet,” if they gave you a compliment you couldn’t deflect.

Some people will say that it has to do with my being a female. I’m sure that is a component. But the men I grew up with weren’t terribly comfortable with compliments either. I’ve read that the Romans were appalled by the Celts because they thought they were ostentatious and vain and boastful. So, I think it goes back farther than you might think, and is cultural as well as gender-based.

And yet, I know lots of people I find charming and lovely who are good at promotion. What positive mindset do they have that I don’t? Is there a way to learn it? Maybe that’s what we need at the next conference. Some motivational guru who doesn’t tell us how to promote, but convinces authors like me that it’s OK to promote. But the longest sessions I’ve ever seen on the schedule at the conference were about four hours, and I’m sure it would take longer than that. We’re talking intensive therapy.

How do you get yourself to promote your books? Is it easy for you? If so, what’s your mindset? How do you get past the idea that you are “tooting your own horn”? Not to mention, the self-doubt and negative thoughts? How do you convince yourself that a) your book is worth promoting? and b) doing so is perfectly fine and appropriate?

I’d love to know.