Game of Marketing

So, I have a confession to make. I’m a gamer. Not an avid gamer, mind you. But I do enjoy playing puzzle related games whenever I’m stuck on a section in my writing. And I’ve noticed a lot of comparisons between book marketing and gaming.

I have this one mystery/paranormal game that is so much fun to play, but like life, it won’t hold your hand. You have to figure out what you’re supposed to do in each section by yourself. Sometimes I mess up and have to start at the beginning of my last autosave. Other times, I realize I forgot that I didn’t look for my last clue. But at the end of each puzzle scene, I get a hint as to where I’m supposed to go next.

That’s how I see book marketing. You start out with the “tutorial” trying to get a feel for your new surroundings. You research everything you can about the market you’re trying to reach. Then when you feel confident, you go on to your first “puzzle”; advertising through various forms of social media. And by taking that next step, solving something so simple, you get a clue as to how you can move on to another bigger puzzle. That may come in the form of blogs, author websites, bookstores, libraries, schools, you name it. Each puzzle; each step takes you to something bigger and by the time you are half-way through the “Game of Marketing” you can look back and see where you’ve come and the picture of your future becomes just a little clearer.