You can have the greatest idea in the world, but if you can’t convince anybody else, it doesn’t matter.
That was my main message to about 400 authors and aspiring authors who gathered in San Diego on September 26, 2010, to attend the 21st Century Book Marketing Conference. Arianna Huffington and Harvey Mackay were the other keynote speakers who offered their advice about marketing, selling and promoting books.
I spoke for forty-five minutes an delivered several principles that I thought would help authors in the audience sell their ideas more effectively. When I checked the Twitter backchannel after the presentation, I noticed that these tips in particular seemed to resonate most with the audience.
Create Twitter Friendly Headlines. The human mind craves meaning before detail. Don’t bombard the brain with details. Big Picture first. Authors —should develop a concise, one sentence summary of their idea. If you cannot describe it within the 140-character limit of a Twitter post, go back to the drawing board.
Stick to the Rule of 3. Once you deliver the big picture, it’s time to fill in the detail, but not too much detail. You see, we process information best in groups of three. Ask yourself, what are the three reasons why someone should read my book (or do business with my company). Not fifteen points…just three. It’s easier to process and remember.
Don’t let the bozos get you down. Most people will never write a book so they will never “get” you. They don’t share vision or your passion. Don’t let skeptics derail your dream. Believe in yourself, your vision and your idea.