Chip MacGregor


Latest posts from Chip MacGregor


  • December 12, 2011

    Step Four: Know Your Audience

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    If you were taking a class in marketing, this is the process you'd go through in order to create a marketing plan. So once you "know yourself," "know your strengths and weaknesses," and "know your goal," the fourth step you'll

  • December 10, 2011

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    Three quick notes on my weekend…

    First, I finished Sara Miles' book Take This Bread. Wow. What an AMAZING read. You won't agree with everything in her theology, but what a powerful, thoughtful book. This may be the best …

  • December 9, 2011

    Step Three: Know Your Goal

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    With all this marketing you're going to be doing for your book, what are you trying to achieve? What's the goal of your marketing plan? 
     
    My experience is that many authors have a vague goal… sort of a sense

  • December 8, 2011

    Step Two: Know Your Marketing Weaknesses

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    I was talking to an author a couple years ago who said she was going to hire a freelance publicist to help land her a bunch of radio interviews. Knowing she (1) hates talking in public, and (2) has

  • December 7, 2011

    A bit more on branding (and a special offer!)

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    One more thought on branding yourself as an author: A brand isn't just a slogan. I once met a beginning writer who had business cards printed with the words, "The Queen of Suspense." Unfortunately, she was unpublished, so from a …

  • December 6, 2011

    More on Step One: The Value of Branding

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    My brother has worked in the auto industry for years. He's a parts & service manager for a dealership, but he used to be a car salesman. One day he explained to me the importance of auto salesmen driving around

  • December 5, 2011

    Step One in Marketing Your Book

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    If you were to take a class in marketing, the first thing they'd tell you is that you have to KNOW YOUR PRODUCT. Since you're writing books, that means you have to know yourself and your manuscripts. What are

  • December 4, 2011

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    Okay, so it's the weekend, and we're taking a break from business so I can watch my beloved Oregon Ducks beat UCLA and get their ticket punched to the Rose Bowl. But I thought this would be a great time …

  • December 2, 2011

    So who does the marketing?

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    I had two people write to me last night, upset with yesterday's post. One of them asked, "Why are you slamming publishers?"


    Hey, I'm not. I love publishers — love working with them, love doing good books. My point isn't

  • December 1, 2011

    Where does the marketing money go?

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    Bob wrote to ask, "If publishers aren't going to spend much marketing my book, in what areas DO they allocate most of their marketing dollars?"

    They're going to provide review copies to some media outlets and reviewers. They're going to

  • November 30, 2011

    Aren't they supposed to market my book for me?

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    Dana wrote to ask, "How much of marketing a book is the publisher's department, and how much is the author's responsibility? It seems like publishers used to do more marketing."

     It's funny, but authors tend to think there was this

  • November 29, 2011

    When My Publisher Does Nothing

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    Continuing with questions about marketing, Dave wrote to ask, "What should you do if your publisher doesn't have adequate resources for marketing and promotion?"

    Um…okay, here's a suggestion to all authors and wannabe authors: Before inking that deal, ask some

  • November 28, 2011

    Thinking about Marketing Your Book

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    Once again, I'm inviting people to send in questions about writing and publishing, and we'll try to offer a bit of wisdom. Recently Bobbi wrote to me to tell me I've been too hard on marketing types in the past,

  • November 23, 2011

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    Want to do some good this holiday season? Click over to this fundraiser and help a mom of four beat stage four lymphoma by participating in the raffle! Tickets are only $5 each, and as you can see, there are …

  • November 22, 2011

    Hello, I Love Me, Won't I Tell Me My Name?

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    I don't know if it's possible to start out a blog and not say something about what the author has been doing. So… here it is: I've been writing a book. 

    No, I'm not kidding. It's called 40 Ways to

  • November 21, 2011

    Time to Start Writing

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    A year ago I decided to take some time away from from blogging. I was tired, becoming repetitive, and ready to take a break. So I took a year off. I've had a lot of people tell me, "You can't …

  • October 25, 2010

    All Good Things Must Come to an End

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    Think about this for a minute…

    4 years.

    Hundreds of posts. 

    250 average readers per day. 

    A half-million visitors. 

    Time to hang it up. 

    I've said what I have to say, and while there are still questions out there (including

  • October 22, 2010

    They say I'll be dancing again very soon …

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    Calvin and Hobbes Happy Dance Seriously.

    So many people have written to ask about me; wondering how my back is, specifically. Thanks. It makes me want to do the happy dance, knowing that people have been concerned, and especially to know that people have been …

  • October 21, 2010

    What's the latest news?

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    Random thoughts on proposals and writing as we end the week…

    I am teaching a one-day workshop in Richmond, Virginia, on Saturday, November 6, at the Sierra Hotel near Short Pump. If you're in the area, I'd love to have

  • October 12, 2010

    NEWSDAY TUESDAY …

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    Secret Cove, Maui BIG NEWS … Sandra is sitting upright again!

    Chip says it's age which caused my back to go out for no good reason last week. I say it's the onset of cold weather since I was reaching into my closet …