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Introverted Writers:
Marketing Is Not a Dirty Word
by Marcia Yudkin
Do
you regard writing as heaven and
getting your work known as hell?
If
so, I'm guessing that you're an
introvert. Introverts love being
alone, neck-deep in work projects
they have initiated. Solitary
passions feed their soul most, and
they become cranky if they don't get
enough quality time to themselves.
Introverts usually shy away from
selling and calling attention to
themselves. They dread or despise
small talk with strangers. In a
large group, they look for ways to
escape or to create an oasis of
comfort with just one or two others.
If
you recognize your personality in
the previous paragraphs, you
probably look upon marketing your
work as something alien, exhausting
and hard. Well, cheer up. If you
approach marketing in a "no rules"
spirit, it can feel as comfortable
as cooking a meal with friends,
singing in the shower or exploring
trails that don't seem to have been
trod in years.
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You
see, society teaches us that
promoting yourself is a kind of
performing, it is done in public and
those with the gift of gab do it
best. However, each of those
statements is untrue. Let's take
them in reverse order.
In
the early 1990s, I teamed up to
offer business writing seminars with
a friend who could fearlessly
schmooze with anyone, on the phone
or in person. The idea was that she
would land clients and I would serve
as the back-office person, in charge
of details. We would both deliver
the seminars. |
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After a year or
two, though, when I analyzed who was actually
responsible for bringing business in the door, I
discovered that I was far more effective than
she was. My quiet skills of precise writing,
creative positioning and connecting with
participants in the small adult education
classes I regularly taught far outperformed her
ability to mouth off like a salesperson.
Promotion doesn't
necessarily take place in public. Putting
together a postcard, a press release or a
newsletter to send out, or a blog piece to post
is something you do in private. Talking to a
reporter on the phone, in your writing office or
even in a studio under spotlights isn't like
standing on a stage or amidst a crowd at a
party, either.
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Attract Business Quietly and In Tune With
Your Personality
Discover how to attract clients and
customers by highlighting instead of
masking your personality
and preferences. My report, "Marketing In Tune
With Your Personality" provides tailored
tips for the eight distinct types of
introverts, along with a success profile
of a real-life marketer for each type.
Get ready to change how you view
marketing!
Details. |
And last,
promoting yourself actually works best when you
stay true to your values, your attitudes and
your personality. Fans of your work won't want
you to pretend you're brazen when you're shy or
that you're a city sophisticate when you feel
most at home on your ranch in Big Sky country
(or vice versa).
So I encourage
you to reject the myth that marketing your work
requires you to put on a mask, to steel yourself
to play a role or to engage in unpleasant tasks.
Build an audience your way.
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Toss out the "shoulds" dictated by so-called
experts and instead, start by listing at least
three things related to getting the word out
about your work that you enjoy doing. For
example, you may love writing answers to
questions on writing forums. You may like
designing stuffed creatures who resemble your
novel's characters. You may find it exhilarating
to coach others who are beginners at their craft
compared to you. All these things are activities
that can become part of your unique marketing
plan. |
Personal Branding for Introverts
Course |
In addition,
stretch yourself and try some promotional
activity that's not on that list. You may be
shocked to see how readily you take to something
you mistakenly thought you couldn't handle. For
instance, I grew up thinking I was hopeless at
public speaking. But when it came to
commentaries I had written and then edited with
a skilled producer, I was able to deliver them
on National Public Radio. It turned out to be
one of the most fun things I've ever done. And
weirdly, even though those commentaries had
nothing to do with my primary business
activities at the time, they promoted me
effectively.
Again, pay no
attention to the "musts" in anyone else's
marketing system. Someone says you have to blog
to be successful? I don't blog. Someone says you
have to do a book tour? Noted recluse Thomas
Pynchon never does. Discover what works for you.
Your marketing mentor,
Marcia Yudkin
P.S. If you're an introvert and could use
intensive feedback and guidance on your
branding, web site, marketing strategy or a
publication project, come work with me
one-on-one one-on-one next spring on Maui.
Your
retreat is structured so you have ample time to
relax on the beach and tour the island, too -
and most likely, your whole trip is tax
deductible. Maui
private marketing retreat.
And be sure to
download the free Marketing
for Introverts Manifesto!
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