Are You a Book Marketing Liar?

I've been reading Seth's Godin's great book, "All Marketers Are Liars." The subtitle offers a more accurate description of the contents: "The Power of Telling Authentic Stories in a Low-Trust World."

The title could have been "All Effective Marketers Are Good Storytellers," but that doesn't sound nearly as sexy, now does it?

You've probably heard this before. Stories sell. Not only within well-crafted novels, but when it comes to promoting books (and products/services of all kinds) too.

But Godin puts a fresh spin on this concept when he talks about how every person (or consumer) comes to the table with a specific "worldview" -- a perspective that colors everything he or she looks at (or tunes out).

The thought nugget here is this: Consumers spend their money and attention on products (in our case, books) that are marketed with stories that reinforce the worldview they already have. Yes, it's classic "law of attraction," "like attracts like" stuff -- only it's the "story" that acts as the magnet.

Let's see how this applies to three popular book titles in the same category:

Title: American Medical Association Family Medical Guide

Worldview/Story: Doctors can and should be trusted. I will find the best advice from accredited professionals.

Title: Natural Cures "They" Do Not Want You to Know About

Worldview/Story: The medical conglomerates cannot be trusted. Money and politics obscure the truth. I can find better answers outside the establishment.

Title: YOU: The Owner's Manual

Worldview/Story: Health is important, but learning about it is tedious and boring. If I had an easy, fun way to absorb them, I might actually incorporate healthy choices into my life.

See the differences? What worldview does your book tap into? What story could you tell about your book that aligns with a story that certain book lovers are already telling themselves?

-Bob

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