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

On the Power of Imagery

Fashion Photographer Nick Knight on the power of the photograph, and its global reach; "Having a phone and an Instagram account means that I can create images on my own. When I first started using it a couple of years ago, it reminded me of the 70s, when I first...

read more
Six Reasons Why You Should Hire a PROFESSIONAL Photographer

Six Reasons Why You Should Hire a PROFESSIONAL Photographer

Most people will go through life without ever having to hire a professional photographer. Unless we are talking about wedding photographers, or portrait photographers who photograph our kids for school, most folks just never have a need for a commercial photographer....

read more