‘Lucky’ is an anti-compliment I’ve come to despise: people constantly avenge their perceived lack of good fortune by deriding mine with the banal, “You just lucky.” While my pastor coached me to smile and respond, “Yes, I am blessed,” people continued to hurl it like a curse. Now I just smile and say “Thanks.” No one wants to validate my concerted effort and work to earn my good fortune nor my talents as gifted by God.

So, I’ll ascribe to 7 as a lucky number because it’s the day of my birth – and because there are 7 days/week during which you can market 😉

Count the ingredients and layers of this sandwich (remember I’m using the positive-negative-positive comment approach I used during my career). Think of marketing as a multi-level, ongoing activity in which you engage.

DO  Facebook ads. These are relatively inexpensive and you can set the time parameters. Remember that “pictures say 1000 words” and get your Fb friends to Like and Share, to expand your audience. Be a team player and return the favor for them. Facebook will like you for it 😉

DON’T prepare media kits and press releases… what newspapers? Unless you have contacts and connections, say, with the Huffington Post or the OC Register or – bless you, my child, the NY Times – this audience has shriveled into near-extinction. There are several radio shows in our highly-populace area, but there’s little way to measure their impact since you interact with a host and not the audience. Consider yourself lucky (!) if you have such an opportunity and take it, though. It’s fun!

DO attempt to get your print book shelved in your local library and bookstore. Consider giving an interesting topic in their social room, perhaps to the book clubs that convene there on a regular basis. PJ Boox is an indies-only bookstore in Ft. Myers, Florida. Since it’s a retiree nest where my target audience of Boomers likely reside, I paid the fee and sent books. We couldn’t resist due to our shared name 😉