I’m not one to do many things without thinking my actions through beforehand. But, we’ve all heard something similar: “You’re a writer. You have to market. Nobody is going to do it for you!” And, unfortunately, those are all true statements. So, like most everyone else, I bumbled through the motions, until I had the bare minimum completed. I established social media accounts. I created a website. Mischief managed! End of story!

Or is it? Honestly, it wasn’t until I paired myself with a marketing accountability partner that I realized just how little effort I was applying to the process. The biggest secret about marketing is that it remains a secret! What works for me may not work for someone else. It’s why everyone is so darn busy consistently trying new things. And it’s also why enrichment comes into play.

Enrichment, put simply, is improving the quality or value of something. And I discovered a number of ways I could enhance every single marketing outlet. I took the time to click through everything, on every site, learning and adding. I snuck a peek at the authors I love to see what buttons they were accessing and using to their advantage. There’s no harm in parroting what someone successful has done! A tweak here, a bio adjustment there, a pic update and even the addition (or posting consistency) of a blog and marketing presence starts to stand out in ways it didn’t before. When is the last time you took an objective look at your stuff? Maybe you should set aside the idea of something new this week and entertain the idea of enrichment. It just might pay off!

Okay. You’d have to live under a rock not to notice that there is almost nothing we did back in February 2020 that can be done the same way in August 2020. That goes for writers too!

For example….virtual everything!

It looks great on the advertising, right? BUT I’VE NEVER DONE VIRTUAL TEACHING! So, in pondering that fact, I realized there are probably a lot of you who are also standing at the bottom of the I’ve-never-done-that-mountain as well. Let’s encourage each other! We can do this! All we need are a few guidelines:

First, we have to go back to school – whether it be for Canva, Google, ZOOM, Instagram, Facebook or whatever. And honestly, we should remain open to learn what we can about ALL of it. How else will we know what works best for us? This is the time to snoop around and see what everybody else is doing!

Second, we are going to have to develop technological habits that include proper lighting, background, posture and knowledge about any equipment that creates a suitable representation of who we are as authors. Network, network, network. There will always be those ahead of us and those behind.

And finally, most importantly, we have to allow ourselves and others the grace of a learning curve. By the end of August, I will have done many things I’ve never done before. I’m absolutely sure I’ll make a few mistakes along the way. But, also, I’m (albeit clumsily at times) posturing for the change that has been thrust upon us. I’m attempting to reside inside the space of earnestness, humility and open mindedness. Is it time for you to do the same?