Today’s post was made possible thanks to an anonymous commenter that requested I stop spamming reddit. Over the past year I have submitted links to different subreddits that I found topically matched a specific post. Today I accept that this was a error in judgement.
- First because very few users of crowd source sites actually read web pages, and I write for only a small subset of the readers (in addition to myself)
- Second because it’s a distraction from writing. Commenting and discussing posts on Reddit is like trying to sell Quantum Mechanics texts at a strip club (unless Richard Feynman was there)
I’ll still share my posts on twitter or other subscription based architectures. Folks can opt in or out on those anytime.
If marketing is a distraction, how do we find our authentic audience?
Seth Godin discusses leadership and tribes with Loic Lemeur:
Who are they?
An authentic audience is all the people who share a genuine appreciation for the content you make possible, and the message you convey. Kevin Kelly calls them “true fans”. Seth Godin loves the idea and is a huge fan of Kevin’s.
So who are your true fans?
- They’re the folks who visit your blog every day, and share it with all their friends. They also comment and add value to your site whenever they can
- They’re the people that buy their holiday gifts from a link on your site
- They passionately let you know when you divert from the course you first set out on
- They buy your art, use your web service, and help you make it better because they want to see you gloriously succeed
- They help you build legendary products, works of art, or services
Why We’re Hardwired to distrust self marketers
The accepted social filter is, “if this guy or girl is really fantastic, why isn’t someone else telling me about them”. It’s the classic chicken or the egg situation.
From when I first started writing up until this morning I was convinced new authors have to market themselves. But I have a new spin on the execution of marketing. Focus all your energies on creating something wonderful first. The best way to do this is to share your creation with only a tiny group of people. Start with one person who really loves what you do, then look for another. If you market yourself to only a single person at a time the interchange is much more personable.
