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One Size Does NOT Fit All When It Comes To Marketing Yourself!

Seriously, do you see those snuggy commercials?

As a matter of fact, someone gave me a snuggy as a joke for Christmas. . .and one size does not fit all. I began thinking about this concept and how it relates to marketing and promoting books.



I have heard that marketing and promoting is something very difficult to do. No matter what publication journey you are on, marketing and promoting is primarily up to you, the author. And I've got you covered! I’ve co-written a non-fiction book with author Melissa Bourbon Ramirez, The Tricked Out Toolbox~Promotional and Marketing Tools Every Writer Needs, (TOT) that will be available as a second edition in less than a month.

My vision for the book was to look like one of the Dummie's guides, chalked full of ideas, tried and true tools that worked for other authors, and testimonies from them. I am published with over 32,000 ebook sales in under six months, so I'd like to think I know a little something about marketing and promoting.

The first thing about marketing and promoting that you need to figure out is your PR PERSONALITY!
You do have a PR personality. Believe it or not.

Me....I'm very outgoing. I love being with other writers, readers, and just about anyone. This makes me an extrovert personality, which is an outgoing overtly expressive person! Me?!!! OVERTLY EXPRESSIVE???!!!!!

The other side of this personality is introvert. Which by MR. WEBSTER means a shy, reticent, and typically self-centered person.

In TOT, this is the first thing you should recognize before you can create your marketing and promo plan. After all, you do need a plan. You are your marketing and promoting department.
You need to know what marketing and promotion personality you have before you can start developing your plans. Why? Because your personality will drive the direction of your marketing and promotion efforts. It’s all about knowing your strengths and weaknesses…and working toward the former.

Personality Quiz:

Take this quick quiz to identify your personality strengths.
1.Do you consider yourself a people person with a lot of friends?
a.❏ Totally. The better question would be…who ISN’T my friend?
b.❏ Not really. I have a few friends, but I usually only talk to them one at a time.

2.Do you consider yourself an…
a.❏ extrovert.
b.❏ introvert.

3.What room in your house do you like to spend more time?
a.❏ I love spending time in my bedroom because it’s my space and it’s quiet.
b.❏ In the living room, of course, because that’s where the action is.

4.Are you loud or quiet?
a.❏ Totally loud, baby!
b.❏ Definitely more quiet.

5.You’ve had a long day. To wind down, you prefer to:
a.❏ hang around at home, listen to music, and just have quiet time.
b.❏ get my peeps and hit the town.

6.How does the idea of talking to readers at a book signing make you feel?
a.❏ Scared out of my mind.
b.❏ Excited! Can’t wait to get around all those people.

7.There’s a conference coming up and they need speakers. What do you do?
a.❏ Dodge the incoming phone calls from the conference coordinator.
b.❏ Jump at the chance. Who cares if I have nothing to say? I can bluff my way through.

8.In school, there were collaborative learning groups. How did you feel about them?
a.❏ I would much rather work on my own.
b.❏ Groups are AWESOME!

9.Your local writing chapter has board positions to fill. What do you do?
a.❏ Decline the offer. I don’t like speaking in front of groups.
b.❏ Jump in and volunteer to be president.

10.If you’re invited to join a critique group, what do you say?
a.❏ “I’d rather just critique one on one.”
b.❏ “I’d love to. How many pages can I bring?”

So how’d you score?

More As than Bs? You’re in introvert.
More Bs than As? Extrovert alert!

File this away as you pick tools to stuff in your toolbox. You don’t want to set yourself up for failure by choosing tools you won’t be comfortable using.

What are some of the marketing and promoting tools for each personality? Let's look at a few:
Extrovert:                                                                                


  • book signings                                                                          
  • conferences                                                                            
  • teaching in person classes                                                     
  • join local writers groups/critique group(WLC)                       
  • social networking                                                                   
  • Kindle boards                                                                        

  Introvert:

  • blogging
  • teaching on line classes (savvy author)
  • join writing groups on line
  • social networking 
  • holding contests
  • Kindle boards

These are just a few suggestions to get you thinking about things you like to do and don't like to do. This is your career. Pick things that you like to do, not the things you think you should do. If you do what you like, your success will follow.

Maybe you like to do something that are a mix of both personalities. That would be the perfect blend. But most of us are one or the other.

Which one are you? What are some things you like to do or think you'll like to do to promote your book?
Next week we are going to talk about when you need to start marketing and promoting your career.

29 comments:

  1. First of all, it's wonderful when someone offers marketing advice who actually knows what they're talking about! Too many writers set themselves up as marketing gurus when they only sell a few books a month.

    Secondly, in this instance, it's better to learn by example than by experience! I learned the hard way that book signings and in person appearances were way out of my comfort zone.

    I'm looking forward to your upcoming blogs and the release of The Tricked Out Toolbox.

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  2. Nice breakdown Tonya. Based on your quiz I think I'm primarily an introvert. Although I do love to hang with my friends and have fun. And I would totally do a reading and discussion with a very very very "small" book club. lol.

    32,000 ebook sales in under 6 months? OUTSTANDING!!! Congratulations and keep up the great work. :)

    P.S. If you don't mind me asking which of the extrovert tools worked best for you if you had to pick the two that have helped you most?

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  3. Looking at your Quiz I think I walk the line. I used to be an introvert. I know that much, but slowly but suely I've been working my way out of my shell. I'm definately not a complete extrovert though and I doubt I ever will be. :}

    :} Cathryn

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  4. I'm introvert, but I already knew that. lol. Loved your post, and your books seems just right up my street!

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  5. This post really put marketing in persprctive! I'm an introveet, but now I see things I can do that aren't quite as stressful as the extroverted activities:). Great ideas!

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  6. Tonya, I think there are a lot of authors out there that can use pointers on promotion. Today, most of it is done by the authors themselves, even if they're trad published. It helps to have guide to look at and gauge what you're doing and what you might need to work on or try. Especially, if you feel you're getting stale.

    I'm going to order these for my research library.

    Sia McKye OVER COFFEE

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  7. I think I fall somewhere in the middle on your quiz. I'd prefer to hole up, but can push myself out there(and have done so on many occasions)when it's needed. Which makes me realize I need to respond to a call for speakers at a local conference. LOL
    Great post and I'm really impressed with those sale numbers!
    Catherine Hershberger, writing as C.D. Hersh and Catherine Castle

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  8. I am a MAJOR introvert, which is kinda funny since I acted on stage for many years. The thought of holding a book signing gives me a panic attack, however!

    Looking forward to your tips. You're right. It seems like most books only address one way of doing things.

    Btw -- my nine-year-old son got a snuggy for Xmas and he lives in it. He absolutely loves all things soft and warm.

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  9. Excellent post, Tonya!
    According to every personality test I’ve ever taken, including Meyers-Briggs, I’m almost exactly in the middle of Introvert/Extrovert. I know, I’m an oddball. ;-) But I love what you’ve said about playing to your strengths when doing marketing and promotions. For me the cost of teaching a workshop would far outweigh the benefits. So, it’s good to know there are other options out there for us Extro-Innies. ;D

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  10. Hi, Diane. The Tricked Out Toolbox is tried and true marketing and promotion tool that have worked for all different authors. It has over 50 authors who have given great advice.
    But you really can't market your book until you know what you are comfortable doing.
    That is half the battle to marketing effectively.

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  11. Hi, Pamela. Thank you so much for stopping by. Two of the extrovert activities that have helped me:
    1) book signings. I LOVE to meet my readers. I love to give them gifts. I'd rather talk to them instead of sale books. I love building an authentic relationship with them.
    2) Teaching classes and connecting with other writers is also on my top! I feel like I'm helping at least one writer with my tips. I'm all about paying it forward without expecting anything back. It truly motivates me.

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  12. Cathryn! That is the best. To have the best of both worlds is really where you want to be. It's a great balance. Thank you for leaving a comment;)

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  13. Louise, thank you for stopping by! It's interesting b/c most writers think they really want to do book signings or talk to a crowd full of readers, but quickly realize they are out of their comfort zone, so knowing that you are introverted really is great. You can do some great marketing and promoting with the introvert personality.
    I bought your novel! I absolutely love that pink cover. The red really makes it pop! So excited to start reading it.

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  14. Maria, YOU are so sweet. I can see you doing some of the extrovert activities, but make sure you stay in your comfort zone. This will help you be more productive to market your novels. What do you do to market, especially now since your new novel is out?

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  15. Thank you, Sia. I would be honored to be in your research library. There are so many great tips from so many authors that are trad pubbed and self pubbed. It' true that most the time, unless you are the Kristen Hannah's of the world, that big publishers do expect the author to do all the promoting. Tricked Out Toolbox will help with that.

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  16. Hi, Catherine. Being a little of each is GREAT. Plus you can pull it together when you need to. I bet you are a wonderful speaker and I hope you are speaking at OVRWA!

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  17. Oh, Tiffany! Your son is right! I love my snuggy too!! They even make doggie ones~hahahahaa!
    Tricked Out Toolbox gives options throughout the book about how to do marketing and promotion no matter what your PR personality is. Even going to book stores and signing.

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  18. Lorie, that is the best. Really, you know me and sometimes I can be a little LOUD or over the top. I really do enjoy talking to the extro-innies. They tend to calm me.

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  19. I'm an introvert, but I can turn it on when I have to. I bought this when it first came out - tons of good ideas there! I'm curious what's new in the update, other than the cover and publisher. :) I'm planning to put some of those tools to use once I release my next book!

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  20. These are great tips! It makes sense to tailor marketing around personality--I'm an introvert btw. :)

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  21. I'm shy.
    Don't like talking on the phone.
    Don't really enjoy travel any more.
    Guess I'm stuck with blogs and electronic networking.

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  22. Ok, I will be another marketing tool for Tonya. Wait - let me rephrase that ... I will be a marketing ADVOCATE for Tonya!!! It's really a great book (I have the first edition) That quiz is just the tip of the iceberg. There's tons of great ideas in there for extroverts and introverts and people like me, who can't quite decide what they want to be yet.

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  23. Thanks so much, Jennette! The new stuff is about twitter and facebook, more web and blog information. Nothing I can't tell you here;))

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  24. Are you really, Coleen? I hope you can use some of the ideas to help you make the best decisions for your career.

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  25. Jeff, you are in luck!! The internet is where a lot of marketing and promoting is! You are right on track.

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  26. Oh, Diane! Thank you so much!! I'm so glad it has worked for you!

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  27. Great. I'm both but closer to introvert. Who knew?

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  28. Can't wait to buy "The Tricked Out Tool Box" as soon as it comes out. Now that I've finished the second draft of my second novel, I have some free time on my hands and I can definitely use some advice on marketing and promotion.

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  29. Took the quiz and got five and five but I guess I consider myself an introvert. Regardless, there is great advice here. Thanks.

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