Marketing on the Sly

I have been thinking this morning about all of the times I market without really planning for it and I guess you could say that because I'm open to sharing my work wherever I am, the subject of writing often comes up wherever I am.

Marketing can be daunting, and I'll be the first one to tell you that I often burn myself out before I've even gotten started. By marketing on the sly helps. It's a little like carrying pictures of your children to share with the friend you haven't seen in years. You have the pictures to show your friend, not because you planned it out, but because you always carry their pictures with you.

Marketing on the sly takes guts. It's not enough that you are ready to share your work, you must be eager to share your work.

No excuses.

That means if you're in line at the bank and get into a discussion with someone else in line; perhaps they ask what you do for a living because you've asked them, you pull out a postcard with all of the information they need to find out more about your book.

It also means that if you're at a conference and the person next to you appears excited about your new book, that you eagerly pull it from your purse and show it to them.

When you're at dinner (or any other place for that matter) and the subject of your writing career takes center stage, that you smile and share a little bit about your work. Do you consider your writing a career or merely a hobby? If your writing is your career, treat it as such when you speak to others.

Be open to ideas and opportunities that come your way. If you are talking to a fellow writer and they suggest you be a part of their writing conference (and you've never spoken at a writing conference before) say yes anyway. (You can figure out how to do the speaking part later).

Marketing on the sly is a bit like carrying those pictures of your children. You never know when the opportunity will come up to share your work with others, but you are always happy and ready to do so.