We’ve been busy marketing All Ways A Woman and no one ever said marketing was easy. If you ever watch the TV show Shark Tank, shark Mark Cuban always asks the entrepreneurs who want the sharks to invest if they have gone out and knocked on doors or hit the pavement so to speak to market their product. Well, Mr. Cuban, we have.

Coming up is a Reading and Conversation at a local gallery. My associate Lynn made a “cold call” and talked to the gallery manager. After a few back and forth telephone calls, voila!, we had a date. We’ve sent this invitation:

Carol and Lynn
cordially invite you and a friend to a
Reading and Conversation
with their book

Thursday, April 20, 6 pm
at
Cambria Gallery
73520 El Paseo, Palm Desert

 Give a keepsake book for the special women in your life for
Mother’s Day, Graduation, Birthday, Anniversary 

 Wine and Lite Bites catered by Il Corso Restaurant
We look forward to seeing you!

***

As a result of a Reading and Conversation we did at the La Quinta Museum on March 8 (also originating from a cold call), we were able to place All Ways A Woman in the museum store.

Bright pink stands out on the shelf.

***

One of the fun things we did was to send a book and letter to noteworthy women such as the past and present First Ladies. This is the letter:

We, author Carol Mann and artist Lynn Centeno, have created the enclosed book All Ways A Woman as a tribute to and celebration of women. Through original poetry and art we tell the story of a woman’s journey … her thoughts, her loves, and her many roles in life.

All Ways A Woman is for the woman who, in a quiet moment, reflects on her life and who knows she is in all ways a woman, always. This is her story, her poetry, her art, her inspiration.

In the introduction, we invite the reader to …

Come
walk with us
wonder
explore

For together
we grow
we discover
we become

The final piece, “The Gift of the Gathering,” honors our lives as women, the universal bonds we share, and the strength and support we give each other.

We send you this book in recognition of the richness of the life you live daily and the inspiration you give women as they make their own life stories. We hope you enjoy.

One of the thoughtful responses we received is from former first lady Barbara Bush:

A lovely note …

***

These are just some of the things we’ve been doing. On my desk right now is a list of calls I’m working on as follow-ups to some cold calls we made to several local shops and hotels. My associate Lynn has the same. Our next step is to line up presentations with local groups who are now planning their programs for the coming year.

Do we get discouraged or annoyed sometimes? You betcha. Have we run into some “interesting” situations? You betcha. But authors know marketing takes energy, time, and creativity. We just keep working our ideas, connections, and cold calls.

So, fellow authors, we wish you success with your book in your own marketing adventure! Work your ideas. Share your successes. Share your frustrations. We hear ya!

Keep making those calls!