Do you want to watch a scary movie this Halloween season?  Watch The Social Dilemma on Netflix.

I’m out there telling people to watch it and my teenage daughter is telling me to stop it because I’ve been on her case since I saw it.  For ninety minutes you get to hear “interviews with tech experts, including many former employees of Silicon Valley giants, and PSA-style dramatic scenarios.”(CNBC)  From giant media rooms with rows and rows of servers crunching algorithms and storing information, to the spread of misinformation, to the addiction people have to their phones, the film does not hold back.   The experts claim that the experiment has gone wrong and even the people who started it do not know how to stop it.  Or, they just don’t want to.

Here is why I’m bugging my teenager about her phone.  In the film, a teenage boy is clearly stuck to his phone.  Behind the scenes are three “AI” guys who use different tactics to get the teen’s attention.  Some of the things they do stretch the truth, like sending alerts from people that the kid interacts with unbeknownst to the sender.  I disabled Facebook alerts on my personal account because it seemed like they were coming in every hour, and I just do not have the time to keep track of other people’s lives 24/7.

What are the symptoms of a social dilemma?

1. “Phoneicitis”: Where you are and who you are with can’t match the exciting world of your phone.  Have you ever gone out to eat at a nice restaurant (before CoVid perhaps) and seen a family all on their phones?  Or a couple, both on their phones?  That’s romantic.
2. “Toomanycoincidencists”: Your life is starting to seem like a series of topics where everything you see and hear is related to a comment you made or a purchase.  I’ve had the experience of talking about something in my house and then seen things pop up on my phone related to what I was talking about.  I even get spam calls phone from locations I’ve mentioned in passing. Did you know flat-screen TVs can “hear you”?  Alexa isn’t the only one listening.
3. Time warps: You sit down to read a message on Facebook and an hour later you realize you don’t know where you are.
4. Jump scares: You notice your phone lights up and you jump or start because you haven’t had a moment’s peace and you are exhausted.

How did our social dilemma evolve?

As creepy as this sounds, many of us take it as a necessary evil of being a part of modern society.  Televisions were modern once.  Back then it was exciting for advertisers.  They could finally reach a national audience all at once.  So the internet and digital marketing are just the next steps, right?

The answer is one of those “yes” and “no” propositions.  The difference is that we have evolved along with the technology.  So a programmer who understands how to employ algorithms can do so and then a company can match its marketing strategies to the way the algorithms work.  Computers can review the data, cycle it, add to it, recycle it, learn something new, shift to fit the new information, try again, and so on.  It is amazing to think that people have created mechanical brains that can reason.  I believe the only things machines do not have are our emotions, but hey, that’s coming too right?  (Read AI: What it is and how it really works)

 Simple solutions

Is there a social dilemma, like a war between good and evil?  Absolutely.  I mean, the end result of the investigations over the past four years has confirmed that a foreign government (Russia?) interfered with our election process.   But we also need to take responsibility for our own actions by:

1. Educating ourselves and listening to a wide range of voices to come to our own conclusions about what is true or false
2. Not clicking on every link.  You wouldn’t want to invite a virus into your computer’s hard drive, so consider what you are seeing and clicking online so a virus doesn’t get you.
3. Setting a timer when you start scrolling so you can keep tabs on how conscious you are of what you are doing
4. Check the settings on all of your accounts and adjust them for privacy and not clicking “order now” without looking at what boxes are checked automatically.  Maybe you do not want to be on that newsletter email list.

Many of these were suggested as parental controls for my kids’ devices.  Now I’m thinking we all need some boundaries.

 

What does book marketing in the 2020s pandemic, election season look like? Many authors and publishers, big and small, are struggling right now and every time we think we have beaten whac-a-mole, another critter pops up after the buzzer rings.  In the CMPR newsletter this month I promised a blog article on ways to make progress in book marketing this very different kind of season.  I am going to present these suggestions based on my disaster experience and marketing in the industry first.  Then, if you read on you can find out where these ideas are coming from.  In essence, I am saving the publishing lesson for last.  If it is of interest read on, or just collect the to-do list.  It is totally up to you.

How to Market Your Book in a Pandemic, Election Season

I have been sharing my thoughts and opinions on this season since the spring.  We all knew it was coming, and we all know that livelihoods depend on the strength of fall sales.  I can not speak to how the big five will handle these challenges as they have access to resources most indies do not.  Also, by virtue of their size, these businesses do not have the same flexibility to pivot and adjust.  The good news is, if you are an indie, publisher or author, as of right now September 14, 2020, these are my suggestions based on my experience with disasters and knowledge of marketing in the industry.

1. Do not “launch” your book.  You can launch a boat, but you really can not launch a book, especially in this market.  It is important to take the long view and implement publicity and marketing strategies over a period of six months from the time your book is available for sale.  It is nice to have the fanfare associated with a big pub date party and a list of interviews a page long, but that is not the reality today.
2. Do not try to market your book like you think you are supposed to.  This is a tough one, but it is important.  Every book may have a category it falls into, but it is also one-of-a-kind, based on the writer.  When you think about how to get the word out, think about ten people you know who would love to read it.  Then find out where they are in the digital landscape, what they do, how they consume, media, etc.  Then go and get ’em.
3. Make your book available on different platforms individually.  You need to have the book listed with Ingram in order to have credibility and availability for bookstores and libraries.  In addition, upload your title directly on KDP (Amazon).  The upload, if executed after your set up your Ingram title should supersede it.  This will provide larger royalties to you if you use standard discount amounts (55% on Ingram/40% on Amazon).  Also check out Lulu.com which offers sales direct to consumers in POD form as well as Book Baby, both good quality, reputable resources.
4. Use a pdf of your book for reviewers and media, but also have some printed copies available.  So many people are not working in their offices, but that does not always mean they prefer to read pdfs versus print books.  Have a few hard copies on hand.  I recommend 25 – 35 just in case.
5. Research all online media opportunities that cover your topics.  The mainstream media is saturated for many topics, especially fiction, but if you spend the time researching and curating a contact list across social media, blogs, and podcasts, you will find ways to spread the word.  The more searchable your book is, the better off you are for selling as well as additional media interest.
6. Call your local bookstores for a virtual event.  Check-in with the booksellers in your area to see if they would like to have a virtual visit with you where they sell autographed copies or some other promotional goodie.
7. When possible tie-in your subject to today’s news stories.  If you have a book that can be tied to any of the major news topics today or something niche-oriented that has it’s own dedicated media outlets, pitch it.  Some publications have actually said they are only covering fun stories or CoVid–paradox or not.

Fall 2020s Perfect Storm for Book Publishing

The publishing industry is an old one filled with artistic souls, attention seekers, and regular business people who are always looking at the bottom line.  Add to the mix the world of digital and ebooks and the next thing you know publishers are certain that print books will be long gone by the year 20 something.  Guess what? Readers got tired of their devices, or they decided some books were better in person than on a screen.  So in recent years, print book sales have hit an upswing, while the ebook revolution has calmed down.  During the pandemic, election season, print book sales have increased even more.

Paper and Printing

But who could have predicted a supply chain catastrophe like the one we are having?  Not only is paper in short supply, but there are only two major printers in the U.S.  Reduced staff and other factors are slowing down the printing process, so there is no option to get your books expedited.  If you are lucky you will get them in a couple of weeks.  Stores are getting 1/2 orders instead of wholes while the printers try to satisfy demand in some egalitarian way.

Media Relations?

Now enter book marketing in the 2020s pandemic, election season.  We know that elections take over the news cycle which makes it hard to get a word in edgewise.  This fall we have a pandemic election which means the airwaves have CoVid 19 and politics to cover.  AND there are the protests, certainly bringing attention to an important issue, but not great for media coverage for books.  It’s the trifecta of media relations challenges.

Traditional and Indie Collide

And so, traditional publishers have tried to pivot during these times by changing their publication schedules.  So many big books planned for April, May, June, and July were postponed to Fall 2020.  And to protect themselves, these companies worked out a plan with the POD guys, so that they could get books printed quickly in the event of a shortfall.  As a result, the traditional book world has collided with the indie book world that has built its successes on POD technology.

Now the little guy is finding that Amazon has a two, three, or four-week delivery date for his title(s).  Ordering a number of hardcovers or paperbacks can take up to a month or more.   But do not think that traditional publishers are having an easy time of it either.  When some titles were rescheduled for Fall 2020, others had to be pushed to 2021.  Losing some of the big books will no doubt be a hit on the bottom line this year.

I have written many blogs over the years on branding, personal brand, messaging, and best practices for social media.   However, as good as I am at giving advice and instruction to others, I am not as good at applying it to myself.  This summer I took a deep dive into social media and personal branding to see what I could do for my business(es).  This is what I learned.

1. We are in a marathon, not a sprint.  I have been saying this for years and yet people come to me and want to build their fans and followers by the hundreds every month.  It just does not work that way, especially when you are building organically.

2.“Snackable” content is not useful.  Although there are companies out there selling cheap social media services based on uniform, but consistent posting, generic content is not effective.  There are too many people on social these days for any of us to blend in.

3. You need a plan.  Without a strategy and a plan, your social media efforts will not get great results.  You might gain some traction here and there, but it will not last and you will not grow your brand.  And when you are developing your plan you need to spend the time to find…

4. Your target audience.  It is of primary importance that you have a clear picture of your targets and where they are.  One of the things I found for myself is that the people I want to reach are accomplished professionals.  While it is fun to post animal pictures on Instagram and Facebook, that content on those platforms is not going to help me reach my goals.  More focused information and insights on LinkedIn and Twitter are better options for my business.

5. The vast capabilities of the platforms.  Before I started hiring people to do social, I did it on my own.  The leaps and bounds that these platforms have taken since then are awesome.  It literally seems like if you dream it, you can do it.  Video, graphics, live tv, ads, templates, analysis—there are so many tools that can help you put together a great campaign.

6. Fear is not your friend.  Entering the social media space requires a certain amount of risk-taking, especially if you are promoting your personal brand.  Do you like talking about yourself?  Putting yourself out there?  Tooting your own horn?  Well, get used to it, because that is what you will have to do.  I love promoting other people and products.  It is much tougher to do it for myself.

7. Eventually, we all need to pay for ads.  I have been tracking my posts as well as those of some of my competitors.  The engagement for business-related content seems to be consistent for most of us and it is not very impressive.  My analysis suggests that it is the number of impressions we are getting or the reach of our content, that is lacking.  As I said, it is very crowded out there and you need great content, but you also need to have the opportunity to be heard.  Paid ads will get you greater exposure.

8. It takes a lot of time.  The number of hours it takes to curate content, develop strategies, plan your calendar, schedule posts, monitor your results, shift strategies, develop new plans, and repeat, is significant.  I really underestimated what it takes to do a thorough job, and I know there is still more to do.  Unless your brand and business are dependent upon the success of social media marketing, you may choose to scale your work accordingly.

Here are some resources where you can learn more on your own: Hootsuite, Hubspot, Canva