Marketing 101

This is so not my thing.

In my previous life (before academia took it over) I ran a business entirely dependent on word-of-mouth to keep it going. The only form of advertising I ever did was to work on a house for a local "Street of Dreams" project at the start of my career and get business cards printed to leave on-site.

Word-of-mouth worked pretty well for me for twenty years!

Although I’d love to just stand on a street corner and shout to the world, “Read my book! I really want you to,” (while raining business cards from the nearest tall building) that is just not me. I’ve done readings, and have another planned at a graduate conference in Portland in just a bit over two weeks. I can talk about the book itself until my audience (of one) is screaming—inside their head—for me to stop. But get out there in public and call for attention to it? It just makes me cringe. (After all, what will I do if someone hates it?)

But if I want people to read my book—and I do—marketing is apparently a “must do” on my part. I have to get my book’s name and face out there where someone (not related to or currently friended by me) can see it. I have to create a “brand.” (Can I tell you now how much I hate that term?)

So…last night I created an author’s page on Amazon.

It was kind of fun, I have to admit. Writing a bio—in third person (how pretentious is that?), posting photographs of myself and my trip to Iowa last summer, and linking the page to my blog and Twitter feed.

(My Twitter feed is a bit pathetic. Clearly I’m going to have to do something about that.)

But if you’re curious, take a look at my Amazon page and let me know what you think. If you have any suggestions, I’m all ears—really!