Making Connections vs Selling Yourself

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Connections vs Selling

I know marketing can be overwhelming.

How do I know? Hmmmmmmm

Because people email me telling me! :)

"I'm scared."
"I don't know how."
"I just want to write."

I get it. It's hard to do marketing as a writer.

I know - you're a writer. You just want to write. You don't want to "sell yourself."

So then don't!

Building a network takes the selling out of your marketing.

This is the reason why you start NETWORKING waaaaaaaaaay before you need to sell anything. Way before you need anything.

Here is the bottom line.

You build your network way in advance of any book contract and you do it for the purpose of making genuine connections. To help people. To reach out and touch someone. (not literally of course - that would be illegal! :)

This way - over time - you build honest and authentic relationships over time. So when your book comes out or if you need something. You are no longer asking a stranger. You are asking your network.

That means you don't have to sell anything, you just have to ask for support. There is a difference.

Jill Lublin, one of the authors of Guerilla Publicity, advises her clients, “Start publicity way before you need it.”

According to Mashable.com article "Social Networking Matters", "Networking is not only about the ability to connect to people – it is also about the ability to use those connections. We call it a “two-way-street” – networking is not something you do by yourself, you always need your counterparty to be in there with you, to want to help you and assist your advancement. You only achieve this willingness by doing something in return, or even before you ever ask for anything. This is true networking – there are no shortcuts, you need to invest time and effort in order to reap the benefits of the connections you have made."

Put the system in place so when you need the word of mouth, when you need the publicity, when you need the buzz, it is organic because you have built relationships on trust. You did not build them because you needed something.

Do you have to do all social networking all?

Of course not.

But you must have a web presence and you must do at least one form of online networking.

Do you have to blog, tweet, FB, ning, lit chats, after party lit chats, email, interview blah blah blah?

No.

But you have to do something and it HAS to be online. Because that is where everyone is nowadays. Online. So to lose that opportunity just isn't business smart.

Pick one or two and do them really really well. Not half ass. But well.

The important thing is to do something that you are excited about. Have fun with it.

So here is my brilliant advice:

• If you don't know how, learn it
• If you do something crappy, do it better
• If you hate doing marketing, don't do it if you don't care about selling books
• If you think your publisher will do it for you, you're wrong and in la la land
• If you think you don't need marketing b/c your book is great all on its own, wake up
• If you don't have time, turn off the tv and make some
• If you have a question, ask me. :)

Do you have any questions about social networking??