Random Acts of Marketing

Noise

There is so much noise.  Everywhere.  We are bombarded with it.  

...emails, tweets, texts, follows, likes, pins, pokes, junk mail, adverts, 

popups, banners, blogs, spam...

Argh!

How can you possibly be heard in all this noise?

You can't.  At least, not by everyone.  The best you can do is to get noticed by those in your immediate vicinity.

Here are my Top 7 Tips to get noticed in the crowd and be heard above the din:

1 - Be interesting

2 - Be informative

3 - Be quirky

4 - Be different
 
5 - Give something back

6 - Everyone loves a freebie

7 - Listen and respond

There are some scary stats out there.  

My book is The Bronze Box (http://amzn.to/19MWQkh) and it is just one of millions of new titles being published... 17 books are published every minute of every day in the US alone!

Even as I write this, I am acutely aware that there are millions of other blog posts being published all over the world and this one will disappear into a melee of information.

But marketing doesn't have to be boring or uninspiring.  
Use it as an excuse to be creative.

In an attempt to be noticed, I'm engaged in some random acts of marketing. 

I'm making little boxes (number 3 & 4).  
Inside my boxes are a sweet (number 6) and information about the book (numbers 1 & 2).  

But whenever you are sending out a message the only way that you know it has been received is to get some feedback.

So inside the boxes I am also including a note asking people to tweet me (@TomCatDesigns) if they find the box and tell me where they found it.  

This is useful as I'll know where people are finding out about me, plus it's fun and an excuse to engage in a conversation with a potential customer/fan (number 7).

Now all I need to do is use some guerrilla tactics and release my little boxes into the world.

 
 

The Pinterest Rabbit Hole - A lost weekend and a head full of inspiration

Something both terrible and magical happened to me this week.  

I discovered Pinterest  

Here I am: http://www.pinterest.com/amymorse184/boards

It all started with a bit of fun - looking at fantasy homes and swimming pools, and now it's getting serious - 19 boards and counting...

A lost weekend and a head full of inspiration is the net result.

I'm trying to control my Pinterest habit, but even as I write this, to paste in the link I had to login and then I had to twitch the curtains and 'pin' a few more lovely things.

Here are 5 tips, as a Pinterest novice, to make it work for you and prevent it from becoming a procrastination tool:

1 - Think carefully about how to title your boards.  Categorise your pins in an intuitive way so that you can find things again

2 - Download a widget for your toolbar, so that whenever you are browsing you can quickly capture and pin things 



3 -  It's a great research tool - If you are conducting some research for a project (IE: writing a book) set up a board for the project and pin all the links you browse so they are easy to find and reference in the future

4 - Pin regularly if you want people to find your pins, re-pin you and follow you

5 - Why reinvent the wheel.  This fabulous person has a board to follow on Pinterest Tips
(http://www.pinterest.com/kanter/pinterest-tips-and-tricks/)

Finally, it seems fitting to post a re-worked book art piece I did for my Project Book 365 (https://www.facebook.com/ProjectBook365) from Alice in Wonderland

Happy Pinning!