You're the Master
An Author's Journey to Their Harvest
Process for the Harvest
Believe it or not, we as authors have a lot in common with farmer’s. Because so few of us live in the country side, we do not understand what a farmer goes through before they get their harvest. We know that the stages of harvest begin with planning the garden, then planting the seeds, then nurturing and protecting the fragile seedlings, and then finally harvesting. What we fail to realize, is that during the planning, planting, and nurturing phases there is nothing to eat. Any food that the farmer has is from a previous harvest. With a new farmer, there isn’t a previous harvest. He’s just starting out and he is dependent on other people to be able to eat. As authors, we need to realize that during our planning, planting, and nurturing phases we will not have a bounty. However, this is not a reason to become discouraged.
Psychology in Marketing
As authors who are now marketing our own books, we spend a large quantity of time trying to dissect the customer experience. Maybe we attempt to define the exact moment where a customer decides to make their purchase.
While many aspects of this decision-making process stem from a very tangible side, there is an emotional and psychological component as well. Emotions do play an enormous part in how buyers act and react. To do this, we need to instill a personal connection between the buyer and the brand that goes way beyond the transaction itself.
Emotions are Involved
How would we do this? Brands that evoke emotion are creating a deep personal connection with their customers. Trust is the root of this connection. There is a point where we want to purchase without the tedious research. Once we establish a relationship with a certain brand and trust that whatever they produce is what we want then we’ll purchase quickly. For example, we might want to shop from locally-owned or organic suppliers. Or vendors that are aligned with causes that we support.
Customer’s Accept Familiarity
There’s no better way to explain the psychology behind marketing than by starting with familiarity. We’re drawn to brands and products that feel familiar and remind us of a simpler, perhaps, happier times in our lives. A great example of this would be Legos. They are an admired brand whose fundamental product and design has remained unchanged in the 80 years since it was established. As authors, we can make our readers become familiar with us by posting videos of us being ourselves talking about our books. Or by giving them short free eBooks. This is where the planting and nurturing comes into play.
Feel Good Marketing
Feel good marketing takes a different approach. It can range from many things. Let’s start with smiling and laughing. Both of those things make us feel good. If they read a post of yours and it makes them smile because it’s enlightening or funny it makes them feel good. It can be a comical strip or something as simple as a funny picture of a kitten. As we know, different things make people feel good. For thrill-seekers, they may look at your website and see creepy photos or read a paragraph that sends chills down their spine. If they’re looking for a great thriller this is going to make them feel good. If a Christian is looking for an inspirational book and the title on your website is “Faith Makes Us Stronger.” This is definitely going to make them feel good.
Coming Out On Top
There’s nothing more memorable than an emotional reaction to a brand. Start touching your customer’s minds by tapping into the psychological laws that govern their behavior. Continue doing this and become familiar. Authors that leverage and learn from their reader’s behaviors and emotions will be the ones with the bountiful harvest. Loyalty is the goal and brands that invest in cultivating an emotional relationship with their customers will come out on top.
Do not become discouraged when you’re waiting for your harvest. With hard work and dedication, it will come in time. The main thing to remember is to be yourself. Become close with your readers and show them you have what they want. I am a new farmer and I must keep planting and nurturing until I have my bounty.
Sincerely,
Shawntell Roberson