Does Marketing Make You Feel Guilty?

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Likewise, if you write a book and no one reads it, does it make you an author? I would argue no, because the whole point of writing a book is to share it with others. Otherwise, you’re just writing a diary.

There is a proverb in the Bible that says, “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.” If your book helps people “see the light,” then what sense does it make to avoid marketing? Authors should feel excited to let their value shine.

If you reach out to help someone, you usually don’t feel guilty about it. Instead, you feel happy to assist someone in need. Likewise, marketing should be viewed as a liberating endeavor, not an oppressive burden. I encourage you to adopt the following attitude: “I have fantastic value that can help people mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. So, I’d be selfish to keep it to myself.”

When you take time to write a blog, speak publicly, post on Facebook, offer free resources, or conduct radio and TV interviews, you are drawing people to the light of your book. If you find those activities tedious and difficult, then you may have forgotten your value or the fact that people deeply need it.