Why I didn’t buy a book

Pick one thing

I visited a fascinating bookstore recently. A cavernous two-storey set of rooms filled with old and new books in every conceivable genre. It smelled of old pages and leather. Esoteric, hard-to-find titles shared shelves with the latest best sellers. Battered leather chairs were placed strategically so you could sit and flip through a book before you purchased it. They’d even made a display high on the wall where they’d strung paperbacks in a kind of mural. This was a celebration of books and reading.

I loved browsing the store. But I left empty handed. I didn’t buy a single book. Why? Because I felt too overwhelmed. There was too much choice, I didn’t know where to start.

Now, don’t misunderstand me. There’s nothing wrong with a lingering experience for the shopper. If you want people to revel in the love of books and get inspired, go for it. I genuinely loved roaming the store. However, if you want people to buy something, you need to help them do that.

Which is why I’m challenging you to PICK ONE THING. In your marketing. In your working rhythm. (And yes, in terms of genre too. I know, there are authors who straddle more than one genre apparently effortlessly, but I bet they honed their skill in one genre first.)

Now, I get it, we get scared of picking one thing. I often feel that fear myself. It looks a bit like this:

I might miss a potential reader.

This is particularly true of social media. We feel we have to be present on every platform. If I pick only one platform, surely I’m shooting myself in the foot because I’m ignoring all those other potential readers. Yes, you might not reach them, but you also might miss out on something if you try to do everything a little bit. If you focus on one platform intensively and intentionally, you will very likely find more value, reach the right people, develop real relationships and meaningful conversations, and learn more about your craft. You don’t have to pick the largest platform, you don’t have to pick the platform someone else says you should use. Pick the one you like the most because you need to be able to give it your all. You will probably have more success being intentional, frequent and consistent with one platform you like, than dipping into five platforms you don’t like very much. That tends to leave you feeling scattered and overwhelmed.

I might miss out on selling something else people want more.

Yeah, you might. But that’s why you do reader research to begin with – to find out what people most want so you can offer them the book from your stash which corresponds to their interests.

What if I pick the wrong thing?

I’ll be known for that first thing and I’ll never be able to back track. Not true. Firstly, people will thank you for being clear. Then, if it really doesn’t work, you are allowed to change your mind. You’re the CEO of your career.

How do I choose?

I’m overwhelmed by all the advice out there. One article says it’s all about social media, another blog post says newsletters are it for writers, while the podcast I heard last week said podcasts are having a renaissance. Don’t I need to do them all? It’s true, the advice is overwhelming and conflicting, and with the internet at the touch of our fingers, it’s all too easy to get confused. That’s why you have to spend some time planning and setting your own goal. Trust me, if you get the foundational, strategic elements of your marketing approach in place you’ll be able to make the right decisions for your writing whenever a new trend pops up

Why should we pick one thing?

The main reason I didn’t end up buying a book is because there was too much choice. I didn’t know where to start. What would have changed that for me? A guide, some direction.

It’s a sign post for your readers.

It’s OK if you have a body of work. It’s OK if you offer more than one service. But guide people to the place you most want them to go, through the navigation on your website, through what you choose to highlight on your home page, through the way you describe yourself.

People are more likely to take action.

This is where it comes back to your goal. Overall book-devouring experience? Then set up the leather armchairs and dim the lighting. Purchase of your favourite book? Then put the spotlight on that in your copy. Yes, they might not notice the other aisles, but if they like what they read, they’ll come back for more.

You’ll hone your craft.

If you pick one genre and stick to it, you’ll get better and better at writing something your readers can’t wait to read. I’m not here to say you can’t switch genre at some point, but every publisher out there will tell you it’s much easier to sell your second book if readers already know what to expect.

It’s the hard thing to do, I know. I’m talking from experience. This past week I’ve felt overwhelmed by all the things I ‘should’ do for my business. The result? Walking around in circles, chipping at something here and something there and not making a lot of progress. Compared to the previous month where I decided all that mattered was my email subscribers. That simple decision alone helped me to say yes and no to the right things, to set my schedule based on that priority, to make progress towards my goal.

So, I’m hitting the reset button and choosing one thing.

It’s the hard thing to do. But it’s the brave thing too.

What about you? What is your one thing?

Do you need help picking one thing in your marketing? Contact me for a one-on-one coaching session where we’ll sift through the noise and find the one, strategic thing you should focus on.