How to Use ‘Personality-Based’ Marketing to Market Your Books
A reprint and slight adaption with permission of How to Use “Personality-Based” Marketing to Build Your Business by Larina Kase (Originally posted: 10 Jul 2009)
As you may know, marketing is all about psychology.
Most people think of the psychology of their readers because we must direct our efforts towards our readers’ needs and wants. While this is certainly important and I teach these ideas as well, equally important is the psychology of YOU, the writer.
I discuss talent-based marketing and personality-based marketing to remind you to keep yourself in the equation. You will be the one creating and following through with your marketing strategy so it must reflect you enough to keep you motivated and focused.
When you understand and use strategies that are the right fit for your personality, you can do them with much less time, energy, money, and effort. That’s always the goal, right?
Two aspects of personality that I’ll discuss here are introversion/extroversion and sensation-seeking. I chose these two dimensions because they are some of the more heritable (or biologically-driven) personality traits.
Introverts tend to gain energy from introspection and time to reflect whereas extroverts refuel and recharge by time with others. While it’s best to have a mix of marketing activities, introverts may need more introspective activities such as writing, and extroverts may need more interactive activities.
I, for example, as an extrovert do great with joint venture projects in which my partners and I discuss marketing activities and analyze the results out loud. I’ve had a couple extreme-extrovert clients hire me just to listen so they can think out loud (of course I can’t help but add my 2 cents).
Sensation-seeking is how much you have a need for novelty and adventure. If you are high on this trait you need a mix of marketing activities so that you don’t get bored. You will do great with organizing high-exposure publicity stunts. If you’re low on this dimension, you will do well with a slow and steady wins the race approach.
Take some time to think about your personality and how it impacts your marketing. If you’ve taken the Myers Briggs Type Indicator test, consider those dimensions. Then revise your marketing plan so it best matches your personality. Watch your energy, persistence, action, and results soar!
About the Author: Larina Kase, PsyD, MBA is a business psychologist, marketing coach, and New York Times bestselling author who helps professionals market their products and services. Get her popular monthly publication Stand Out! Marketing That Grabs Attention and Gets Results at http://www.thepsychologyofmarketing.com/.
I hadn’t thought about myself as “sensation seeking”. However, since I tend to get bored easily, I guess in this instance it would apply.
I am at times an introvert and others an extrovert. I do need that time by myself to write, sometimes just my feelings about a given situation. Other times I need to be with people to be motivated. Sometimes I think I would like to live by myself, but then I probably would get bored and seek out others. Living with other people gives me a chance to see someone else’s point of view.
So am I an introvert, an extrovert, and sensation-seeking? You bet!
Sherri, You are highly flexible, and probably can call on different parts of yourself to write when you need and want to. How wonderful to have such flexibility!