Tiffany M. Davis

One of the hardest things for an author to sustain is book buzz. I’m talking about after all of the pre-release and release sizzle has died down, and the slight bump in interest that occurs after delivery of a monthly newsletter or other reader-oriented correspondence.

Ironically, my core demographic (35+ years of age) is one that is no stranger to patience. Most of us grew up in a time before email or smartphones, when computers ran on BASIC code (shoutouts to the original Apple and the Radio Shack Tandy 1000 computers), and meals (or even leftovers) were heated in an oven–you know, that big, cavernous part in the front and center of a stove. The closest things we had to quickie meals were cake mix, TV dinners, and JiffyPop popcorn (which was cooked on top of the stove). Microwaves didn’t become popular until many of us were in middle school; some branches of my family didn’t get one until my junior year of high school. Knowledge was garnered from books, not Google or Wikipedia, and we had to physically go to the library (shoutout to the Dewey Decimal System), for those of us not fortunate to have a set of the faux leather-bound Encyclopedia Brittanica in the home.

Plainly put, we mastered the art of patience. We didn’t have a choice. Ad a result, most of the general marketing tactics used to generate and boost sales don’t really work. Most can resist the urgency to BUY NOWNOWNOW, especially when there are more pressing concerns and expenses. We know the difference between a want and a need, and adjust our resources and expectations accordingly.

I’m alternately frustrated and amused, and I am in this gray zone right now. How do I keep the interest in my book(s) alive (present and future)? How do I market to a demographic that has been there, done that, and heard maybe not all, but a lot? A lot of my readers are parents; as such, they are used to hyperbole and (attempted) manipulation–both by their offspring, and by the environments in which their offspring navigate on a daily basis. This results in a BS detector that is finely tuned, at best, and functional at worst. Getting past such internal gatekeeping is like Jason trying to get past the Minotaur: difficult, though not impossible.

There are countless books, websites, newsletters, etc with marketing advice, gimmicks, etc. Unfortunately for me, they address broadstroke demographicd and generalized techniques. General ain’t gonna work on my core demographic. 🙂 I have to figure out something fresh that appeals to their sensibility without trying to come off like a used car salesman. If I could afford a marketing guru, I would probably hire one–but that’s a few books away, yet. Until them, I will continue to marinate upon it.

Thanks for stopping by.