Me? A Marketing Role Model? You Gotta Be Kidding!

Recently, on one of the many social blogs I’m a part of–can’t tell you how many because I can’t keep track of them all–someone commented on one of my tales that I was a role model for marketing.

That was surprising. I do a lot of marketing or promotion, but I certainly don’t feel like a role model of any kind. What I’d written about was some interesting things that had happened recently. While I was at the antique store doing an all day book appearance, a young woman reporter (a June graduate from high school) came to interview me for the newspaper. She was cute as she could be and asked me several questions, disappeared for awhile, then came back to ask me a few more. Monday morning her article was on the front page of the paper. It was about all the things that were going on in town that Saturday. The paragraphs about me were on the second page. She did a great job and I suspect she’d go far in the journalism business.

Monday, hubby and I played hooky and went to the movies. When we got home there was a message on the answering machine from another reporter (males this time) who wanted to know if I’d be interested in being interviewed for a feature on local writers. When I finally managed to reach him, we set a time when he’d call. He called on time, but said he’d have to call later as there’d been a huge pile-up on the main highway due to fog and he had to cover it.

That’s neither here nor there, my point was that I wondered if maybe I was finally getting some name-recognition even if it is localized.

One thing I’ve learned though, about events of any kind if you can be friendly, chat with folks like you know them (sometimes I do and just didn’t remember), answer all their questions, be sure to know where the bathroom is because that will be one of the questions, and after you’ve spent a little time talking to you, they most likely will purchase one of your books. Always ask the spelling of a name if they want it personalized–people do spell names all sorts of unusual ways–and if you think you know them but just don’t remember for sure, it’ll save some embarrassment.

When I’m having an event in a town, besides putting it on my email groups and anywhere else that lists events, I also mail or email invitations to people I know who live near the venue. That worked well for my event in the back room of the antique store. I also served cookies and hot cider, so that tended to make people sit down and visit for awhile.

I’ll be doing the same thing for two days at the Art Gallery in the next town, only this time I’ll be with a lot of artists selling their wares and crafts. And yes, I am bringing more cookies–as I think everyone else is doing. If nothing else, we’ll have a great time munching out.

Once I’m through with this, I’ll be able to relax and prepare for Christmas. (Oh yeah, that means finishing wrapping presents and preparing dinner for Christmas Eve and Day celebrations.)

And then there’s the New Year. My promotion for Kindred Spirits will be winding down, but folks, I’ll have a new Rocky Bluff P.D. crime novel coming from Oak Tree Press, NoSanctuary–and I need to start gearing up for that one. Oh my!

We’ll see just how much of a marketing role model I’m going to be then.

Take time out to enjoy the holidays with your friends and family.

Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com