MASSIVE MARKETING MESSAGE FAIL... TO LEARN FROM

I SCREWED UP MY OWN BOOK WITH A TERRIBLE TITLE

Sometimes we are too close to what we do and cannot see the forest for all the damned trees in the way.

This is my story… heh.

My book (which is pretty good) had what I realize now is most likely the worst book title EVER, and it has cost me dearly in sales.

Here’s the title (no longer available on Amazon… with no change in sales numbers. Heh.)

“What I’ve Learned So Far”

1. It made no sense to anyone but me and a handful of people.
2. It didn’t have any context to what it was about.
3. It was “me” focused instead of the end user.
4. Nobody really cared about what I had learned because it didn’t impact them.
5. Nobody really cared about what I had learned because they had no clue who I was.

It is really possible that I titled my book with the worst possible title ever.

Better titles would include.

“My Photos Don’t Totally Suck”
“I Got Your Photos Right Here…”
“Is There Salt In Donuts?”
Any title with the terms F**K or Badass in it… Those are really hot right now.

Oh I know one…

“MASSIVE FAIL”

Awesome.

I needed context, information, and some way of telling people what the book would do for THEM. How it would help THEM learn stuff.

The stuff I learned can help them, but the title didn’t say anything even remotely associative to that possibility.

I.
Am an idiot.

So it is time to rewrite, re-edit and RETITLE this book.

(And if you have any ideas, let me know please.)

PHOTO: ANJALI FONG


Recent Journal Posts

WITH GREAT RESPONSIBILITY COMES GREAT POWER

WITH GREAT RESPONSIBILITY COMES GREAT POWER

The Power of Responsibility "With great power comes great responsibility"... known as the Peter Parker syndrome. Actually, it dates from around 1500 or so. And that statement has been a part of a lot of philosophies through the ages. However, I tend to reverse things...

read more
SPEAKING WITH THE ASMP MEMBERS, MAY 20, 2020

SPEAKING WITH THE ASMP MEMBERS, MAY 20, 2020

Keeping Focus and Moving Toward a Post-COVID19 World with Don Giannatti I am honored to be speaking to the membership of ASMP about my ideas on moving forward away from this "lockdown". My focus is on what has remained and what has changed and utilizing our vision to...

read more
CREATIVE RISK AND PUSHING THROUGH

CREATIVE RISK AND PUSHING THROUGH

CREATIVE RISK AND PUSHING THROUGH At no time I can remember has the need to be able to deal with creative risk been more important than now. These times are unprecedented and the need for taking a risk even more important than it usually is. Creatives always face risk...

read more