Create COVID-Safe Spaces

I recently took a cruise.
A loved one and I
were two of very few people
on board
who masked.

(Yes, COVID ripped through the ship
and yes, many people disembarked
looking dreadfully ill.)

Early in the first day,
we approached
the maître d’
of the main restaurant
and requested a socially distanced table.

There were a few of these tables
in the restaurant.
They weren’t located
in great places.
They were tucked in corners
and against walls
and under super strong air vents.

The maître d’ had already
assigned these tables
to less ‘particular’ guests,
guests he figured
would be less likely to complain.

He DID find us
a socially distanced table
but it was a premium table
with a table left empty
beside it.

It would have been
much more efficient
and better for everyone
if he had simply saved
a couple socially distanced tables
for the COVID cautious.
I would have loved
the super strong air vents
other patrons found irritating.

COVID safe spaces
can be spaces
no other customers want.

You can make
BOTH sets of customers
happy
by providing them.

Your Audience Is Smaller Than You Believe

I was following a climate scientist.

He didn’t have a big audience.

The number of people
on this planet
who care enough about climate
to follow an expert
is small.

Then he fat shamed
a politician.

Many people,
including myself,
immediately unfollowed him.

His prospective audience
reduced again.

Because the number of people
who care that much
about the climate
AND
don’t perceive themselves
as being fat
is
TINY.

He likely believes
his reach
is broader than that.

It isn’t.

And your reach
likely isn’t as broad
as you believe it is
either.

Remember that
when you post offensive sh*t.

Name Dropping In Interviews

I am asked to do
a lot of interviews
over email
for my writing pen names.

There’s always a question
asking
what books I’m reading
or which writers I think are skilled
or what books I think are awesome
or something similar.

I mention at least three writers.

I mention a writer I admire.
The interviewer usually tags that writer.
That might attract that writer’s readers
and those readers might discover my books.

I mention a writer at my same level.
That’s nice to do
and that writer might return the favor
when they are interviewed.
They are also likely to share
the interview,
which makes everyone happy.

The third writer I mention is
a new writer.
This is a give back to the genre,
a way to build a legacy.
That new writer will likely
tell the world she was mentioned.
And again, it is a nice thing to do.

Name drop a variety of names
in interviews.
Spread the promotional love.

Say Your Name

I always answer the phone
with my name.
“Good morning.
This is X speaking.”

I do this
for a number of reasons.

I often share phone numbers
and it is arrogant of me
to assume
everyone will recognize my voice.

I’m terrible
at recognizing voices,
especially as I don’t prefer
to communicate by phone.
Saying my name
is my attempt to prompt people
to tell me
who THEY are.

Repeating my name
also increases the odds
people will remember it
and remember me.
It is a marketing tactic.

And in these pandemic times,
many people are…confused.
Always answering the phone
in a similar way
and using my name
as I do this
helps them remember
why they called me.

It makes the caller
more comfortable.

Consider answering the phone
using your name
and/or your company’s name.

Avoiding Drama

I was having
what I thought was
a good conversation
with a newer writer online.

Then,
all of a sudden,
she made the conversation
personal
and she was aggressive
about this.

I immediately deleted all my comments
and blocked her.

Why?

Because the latest tactic
for newer writers
to gain attention
is to accuse a more experienced writer
of targeting them
in some way.

F*ck that.
I refuse to engage.

And I doubt,
in the future,
I’ll share advice
with newer writers.

Do not engage
with drama seekers.

The drama will merely escalate.
And you will likely lose control
of the situation.

Walk away
and block.

Ask Why

A marketing expert
mocked a florist
for having a “No Photos” sign.

He believed the issue
was other florists
stealing her designs.

I suspect the issue
was every teenager in the neighborhood
filming TikTok videos
in the florist shop,
prohibiting anyone
from shopping there.

We all make assumptions
regarding other people’s motivations.
That’s human.

But, before we make
business decisions
based on these assumptions,
we should ask the person
what their TRUE reason
for doing something was.

Assumptions are often wrong.
Verify them
before you act.

Markets Talk To Each Other

I posted yesterday
about how Netflix
is still enforcing their bizarre
password sharing rules
in Canada
after having backed down
from doing so
in the US
due to backlash.

The thing is…
markets talk
to each other.

Canadians KNOW
Netflix
is treating them
differently
than American subscribers.

The Canadians
on my social media timelines
are pissed.
And rightly so.

In this super connected
social media dominated world,
we should assume
our different markets
will talk to each other.

Prepare for that.

Valentine’s Day Promotions

A publisher I know
doesn’t release romance novels
with Valentine’s Day themes
because
they don’t sell well.

Many ROMANCE readers
HATE Valentine’s Day.
They absolutely hate it.

If people who read
about love and romance
hate it,
you can bet
your first startup dollar
even more people
in the general population
hate it.

I don’t mention
Valentine’s Day
in my promotions.
I say things like
“Feel the love
and read” X
or
“Give the gift of love.”
or
something else love-themed.

The people who enjoy
Valentine’s Day
assume it is
a Valentine’s Day promotion.

The people who hate
Valentine’s Day
assume
I’m merely promoting
all types of love
and that’s rarely a bad thing.

Consider not mentioning
Valentine’s Day
in your
Valentine’s Day promotions.

Acknowledge Gifts And/Or Assistance

I gave gifts
to quite a few loved ones
over the holiday season.

I didn’t receive
a single thank you
or heck, any acknowledgment
at all.

Not one person mentioned
the gifts I’d given them.

Which made me wonder
if I should give gifts
next year.

People think the same way
if we don’t thank them
for their advice
or their help.

They believe
we don’t truly
want it or value it.

If you DO
want it or value it,
take thirty seconds
out of your day
and thank the person.

That’s all
you have to say –
“Thank you.”

Those two words
will vastly improve
your relationship
with that person.

Caring And Time Frames

Climate Change Experts
often talk about
how the world will be uninhabitable
by 2100.

2100 is 77 years from now.
Most of us will be dead.

Many of us are trying
to get through
this year, month, day, moment.

The average person doesn’t care
about long time frames.
They don’t care about issues
their kids will face.

As soon as we hear
a long time frame,
we stop listening.
The problem isn’t urgent
and it isn’t ours
to deal with.

Remember that
when promoting products/services/actions.

Focus on the immediate benefits.
Tell prospects
how it will change their lives
TODAY.