Excerpts:
All of business ultimately comes down to one thing: creating relationships. If you don't understand this basic principle, you will ultimately fail as a business person.
Ask. That’s where the magic and the power is—in doing that which you know you need to do. No matter what the obstacles. No matter what your trepidation. No matter how impossible it might seem. Nothing happens unless you do it. No media or market can respond to you until you ask for a response. No sales, no TV interviews, no major reviews, nothing—until you ask. Ask today.
Bookstores don’t buy books (they simply rent them). It’s readers who buy books. So ask the real buyers to buy your book. Promote to them.
Don't sell yourself short. No one will value you. Set a fair price for you, your book, your services, whatever it is that you have to offer. Most of us set way too low a price. Put it a little higher than you would normally be inclined to do. The worst that can happen is someone will come along and steal it.
If something really needs to be done and you don't enjoy doing it, find someone else who does enjoy doing that and hire them.
Several years ago, I realized that when I talked about creating relationships, I was really talking about making friends. Because that is what every good marketer really does: They make friends. When you begin to think of marketing in this way, everything about marketing becomes more fun. Suddenly there is no foreignness, no fear, no feelings of inadequacy. We can all make friends. It's a talent we've had since we were little children. Use it.
No good ever comes from greed. Publishing and writing are all about sharing. If you're not willing to share, you're in the wrong business.
If you really had any true passion for your idea, nothing would stop you. You wouldn't wait for someone else to champion your idea. You would do it. You would climb the highest mountain if need be, so people would know about your idea. Or you would parachute into Windsor Palace. Or you would stand in front of a speeding truck. You would die for your idea.
Love is the driving force for all marketing. Or it should be. Without love, it's all just politics, not business.
Your attitude is the one thing in your life you have full control over. You can change it in an instant. Now. Not tomorrow. Not next year. But today. This instant. Now. What are you waiting for?
If you want to sell more books, there is one basic principle that is essential: Do something every day for every book you love. Call someone. Write a letter. Create Internet links. Update your web site. Write a related blog. Give a talk. Dance a jig.
John Kremer is the author of 1001 Ways to Market Your Books as well as webmaster at http://www.bookmarket.com.
