How much promo is too much? Is there really such a thing? In this economy where sales are sagging and it often seems like it’s every author for him or herself, can you ever get your name out there too much? When do you cross the line from simply promoting to downright badgering?
These were question that were running through my mind all weekend. As I sat on the couch, sick and home bound, I was astounded at how many promos popped up into my inbox and how a majority of them were from the same authors. Then I found myself doing what I’m sure most other people do—hitting the delete key without even reading the message.
Before I begin let me start by stating I have used promo services in the past to get the word out about my new releases. That being said I do try to pop onto some loops and interact with the readers. While there I don’t always promote my book either. Sometimes I just talk and have fun. That being said, let’s get back to my experiences this weekend.
On Saturday, I dragged my sick self to the shower and when I got back I found twenty-four emails—eighteen were from the same author. Not one of which was a social post, every single one was a plea to buy her book, look at her blog, in other words, “Me! Me! Me!”
Eighteen emails in the span of fifteen minutes and I have most of my loops on digest.
Too much? I am giving a resounding yes. I know that this is going to tick some people off, but I am sending a plea out to all the authors who flooding my inbox. “Slow down. A little less promo and a little more interaction. I want to know not just about your books, but about you too.”
By the end of Saturday I was up to over thirty emails from this author. Did I remember her name? You bet, but it was only so I could add her to my “Do not buy” list.
-Stephani
May 26th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
What a great post Stephani!
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For me, it’s when I’ve seen the same promotion with the same excerpt two weeks in a row from the same author. Promotion companies I ignore outright. For me they are akin to mass mailings cluttering up my snail mail box that go right from the box into the recycle bin, never to be opened. A huge waste of paper and postage. They are like the ads that fill up my spam folder. If I have a question or a comment I like to address it to the author him or herself. The promo person more likely than not cannot answer about an author’s mood when he or she wrote a particularly emotional scene — what they did to get into it, what they did to come out of it. Most of them are on no mail or special notices so they don’t have to deal with everyone else’s promotion. And, I personally think it’s tacky when a review sites promotes on other review sites groups. Put up the promotion — but when your site logo takes up more bandwidth than the author’s name, it’s beyond tacky.
I see something from a promotion company, I delete it. I see more than two messages from the same author with PROMO in the subject line, I delete it.
There was one author a few years ago who I thought was incredibly rude because she would diligently attend every author day for every other author - -which was nice and appeared supportive. But what she did was just rude — she’d comment to each of the other author’s post “That sounds great, in my book (this is now in a larger font in a bright color) BUY ME BUY ME BUY ME, I did this….had nothing to do with the other author’s book or comment, it would often be another genre and take the attention off the author who was the focus of the day. I didn’t buy her books, no matter how good they sounded on principle — imagine seeing someone else’s promotion - -that wasn’t really a promotion because after all, she WAS replying to the showcased author — in the middle of a day about you.
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On Saturday, I dragged my sick self to the shower and when I got back I found twenty-four emails—eighteen were from the same author. >>
NO Way!
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Way too much!
Thanks for speaking up Stephani!
May 27th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Stephani,
What a great post, hon. I totally agree with you. I have experienced the same things but you put it so nicely.
You’re so awesome!
xoxo
May 27th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Regan, I was shocked too and the posts just kept coming in from said author. I know we all have to promote our work, but I feel this person leaped over the line and was downright annoying. It’s sad really because they may be a great author but you have to know I wasn’t the only one ticked off enough to never buy their book.
May 27th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Thank you, AJ. I was trying to find a way to let authors know that while they may want to get their name out there, they should should still follow some cyber etiquette.