Tag: increasing awareness

Which Promotions Truly Increase Awareness?

I’ve found that some promo vehicles,
when they can’t prove
they increase sales,
default to claiming
they increase awareness.

Ahhh… NO.
That’s not how it works.

There are plenty of promo vehicles
that do neither.
They don’t increase sales
and they don’t promote helpful awareness,
awareness that will lead to
future sales.

I look at who
the promo vehicles
directly touches,
who they increase awareness with.

With a blog tour,
for example.
I study the list of blog hosts.
Does the blog host
have a healthy following
on social media?
Do other readers/writers know of her
and in a positive way?
Could this person’s knowledge of my existence
lead to sales to others
in the future?

If the owner of the promo vehicle
can’t point to at least one specific person
they’ve increased awareness with,
I walk away.

Awareness can be tracked.
It isn’t a marketing black hole.

You should be able
to uncover at least one person
the promo vehicle has touched.
If you can’t do that,
assume the promo isn’t effective
at promoting awareness.

Awareness Vs Sales

A newer writer posted that
she had participated in a blog tour
last week
and received no sales.
She felt it was a waste of money.

If immediate sales was her goal,
she is absolutely right.
It WAS a waste of money.
Blog tours tend to increase awareness,
not sales.

Those blog hosts are likely to be influentials.
These influentials now know
the newer writer exists.
When she publishes her next book.
these blog hosts are more likely
to read that book’s blurb.
They are more likely to buy the book.
If they like the book,
they are more likely
to tell others about it
…for free.

The blog tour isn’t about sales today.
They are about sales tomorrow.

Align your goals
with the purpose of the promo vehicle.
Some promo vehicles increase sales.
Some increase awareness.

If you want sales,
engage a promo vehicle
that increases sales.