Happy Wednesday! Today, we are doing something a little different…another VLOG! I’d started vlogging earlier in the year and then The Spawn knocked out his front teeth, yay. Needless to say, I was a wee bit distracted. But I’m baaaaack, and hope you enjoy this change of pace.
Quick announcement: Speaking of phasers on “stun….”
Have trouble putting down and enforcing boundaries with yourself? With family? Always putting everyone else ahead of yourself? I am teaching a new class called Good Fences–The Writer’s Guide to Setting Boundaries and it is only $15 so I hope you will take advantage. This class is perfect for those who want to do Nanowrimo. I’ll help you learn the Art of the Loving NO.
***Class fee does not apply to meth-addicted howler monkey with a sidearm to guard your office door.
So what are your thoughts about “targeting” other people. I know we need to figure out who our potential readers might be, but to me? “Targeting” is part of what is making too many writers act worse than a Jehovah’s Witness genetically enhanced with DNA from a used car salesman. Do you agree? Have you been the target of targeting? Do you think I am over thinking this?
I love hearing from you!
To prove it and show my love, for the month of October, everyone who leaves a comment I will put your name in a hat. If you comment and link back to my blog on your blog, you get your name in the hat twice. If you leave a comment, and link back to my blog, and mention my book We Are Not Alone in your blog…you get your name in the hat THREE times. What do you win? The unvarnished truth from yours truly.
I will pick a winner once a month and it will be a critique of the first 20 pages of your novel, or your query letter, or your synopsis (5 pages or less).
And also, winners have a limited time to claim the prize, because what’s happening is there are actually quite a few people who never claim the critique, so I never know if the spam folder ate it or to look for it and then people miss out. I will also give my corporate e-mail to insure we connect and I will only have a week to return the 20 page edit.
At the end of October I will pick a winner for the monthly prize. Good luck!
I also hope you pick up copies of my best-selling books We Are Not Alone–The Writer’s Guide to Social Media and Are You There, Blog? It’s Me, Writer . And both are recommended by the hottest agents and biggest authors in the biz. My methods teach you how to make building your author platform FUN. Build a platform and still have time left to write great books.
Kristen Lamb's Blog 
#1 by Samuel Solomon on October 24, 2012 - 8:19 am
Seems like targeting is so impersonal. It’s much more fun to just enjoy people. Perhaps that should be our primary goal, book sales or not.
#2 by Author Kristen Lamb on October 24, 2012 - 8:20 am
Agreed.
#3 by Prudence MacLeod on October 24, 2012 - 9:14 am
I have to agree Kristen, I don’t target people I like. I prefer to think of my idea reader as just that, the ideal reader. The one person I write the story for.
#4 by K.B. Owen on October 24, 2012 - 9:37 am
Oh, sooo cute, Kristen! You got your point across, and I got my Lambo fix! YAY! 😀
#5 by Jenny Hansen on November 8, 2012 - 4:05 am
Lambo!! It’s nice that I’m not the only one out there who calls her THE LAMBO. 🙂
#6 by Kristie Jennings Kiessling on October 24, 2012 - 10:16 am
Targeting is not just for warships. It’s for TV networks and big corporations, too. But definitely not writers who want to build a relationship with readers. Well said, Kristen. Thank you for the reminder.
#7 by Diana Beebe on October 24, 2012 - 10:24 am
Great message! I wish more people would take that to heart before they Tweet spam to their followers.
#8 by magnoliasoul on October 24, 2012 - 10:36 am
hey there – i don’t think your over-thinking it at all. Its almost like we’re culturally indoctrinated to ‘target our demographic’ from school age, and if you’ve spent any time working in the media/marketing/sales or finance industries (i could add and add to that list) It becomes an inbreed part of your psyche – and a really difficult habit to break – that is, if you even notice that your doing it.
just throwing my two-penith in 🙂
oh -, am loving the vloging
#9 by magnoliasoul on October 24, 2012 - 10:37 am
*inbred* – sorry 🙂
#10 by corajramos on October 24, 2012 - 10:44 am
Vlogging is definitely your style. Keep up the teaching through the vlog!
#11 by amyshojai on October 24, 2012 - 11:07 am
Hey Kristen, what’s the deal now with being “fanned” on Huffington Post? I mean, these days I get notices that “so and so has fanned you” –is that the latest social networking time-suck or what? Yes, I wrote several blogs for the Huffster but the last one was over a year ago. And yes, I “followed” a couple of bloggers (authors I know and like). But now suddenly this out of the blue “fan-dom” stuff is creeping me out. *checking for red laser on body parts…*
#12 by malindalou on October 24, 2012 - 1:41 pm
I agree that there is a difference between targeting a person or group of people and building a relationship with members of your target audience (readership, customers, subscribers etc.). It seems subtle. In the best case scenario, it is. But getting targeted spam is definitely not cool and anything but subtle.
#13 by Barbara Forte Abate on October 24, 2012 - 1:45 pm
Targeting not only strikes me as plain ol’ Bad Manners, it makes me feel as if I need to immediately duck and cover!
#14 by Sonia G Medeiros on October 24, 2012 - 2:24 pm
Bwahahahahaha. You make that whole vlogging thing look so easy. I definitely agree that sticking with the community idea is the best. It’s the easiest for me because I suck at demographic type stuff. LOL. Even if I wasn’t challenged in that area, I’d still just rather get to know folks. You never know what someone else will bring into your life or how you can encourage someone.
#15 by Debra Eve on October 24, 2012 - 3:25 pm
Wow, interesting serendipity. Your post and another called “Ebook Marketing: How do you target your reading audience?” complete with gun graphic arrived in my box at the same time. Needless to say, one got my hackles up and the other made me smile 🙂
Because of the nature of my blog, marketing types are always telling me to target baby boomers, the universe’s next humongous demographic with money. They never understand why I shake my head. I’ll just point them here next time. Thanks so much, Kristen!
(Here’s the link to the other article, if you’re curious: http://hbspublications.blogspot.com/2012/09/ebook-marketing-how-do-you-target-your.html).
#16 by alicamckennajohnson on October 24, 2012 - 6:01 pm
I am missing a howler monkey!! That explains everything.
#17 by August McLaughlin on October 24, 2012 - 6:23 pm
The sound of the t-word makes me cringe. It reminds me of a sales job I had in a spa years ago. I was great at saving customers money, but not the spa. 😉 Targeting begets pressure, which isn’t comfy for anyone. Having fun, giving of ourselves and being authentic are SO much better. Thanks for teaching us that!
#18 by Flora Brown on October 24, 2012 - 9:02 pm
I’m sure I’ve been guilty of using the phrase “target market” in the past, but no more You’re right that it sounds creepy to use that shooting metaphor. I’m off to mend my words.
#19 by Jess Witkins on October 24, 2012 - 9:50 pm
Love the vlog! And your phrase about words having power! Even in the way we talk about writing and how we use it to connect. Not just the books.
I’m interested in your Good Fences class! I’m off to scope it out. You’ll be proud to know I’m taking the leap and applying for different jobs. Time has always been my big barrier. My 60 hour job is a soul suck in the creativity department and just staying awake after I get home. Hoping a new job and a new attitude will be the learning lessons I need to allow more time for my writing. here we go, interviews! The WANAs have been great while I’ve been cutting back to complete applications and cover letters.
#20 by jiltaroo on October 25, 2012 - 10:48 am
Oooh I love this idea! I have just recently started writing a memoir but have decided to blog it (to keep me motivated). Does the prize apply to a blog ie first few posts? Your “unvarnished truth” would be so helpful to me!
#21 by Tamara LeBlanc on October 25, 2012 - 2:54 pm
I love your vlogs…so cute!
Now this has nothing to do with writing, but I suppose I’ll vent anyway.
I feel targeted by TV networks. Does that count?
I’m a big TV watcher. I get alot of book ideas, plotting ideas, character ideas from the old boob tube, plus, I’m a history and science addict. So I have the DVR set recording two educational shows while I’m busy watching Supernatural or Castle.
What I don’t like is the ever larger station identification that sits in various corners of my flat screen, burning holes in the pixels. I understand they have to remind the viewer what station they’re tuned to. I get it. It’s a business. But jeesh, do they have to keep it up during the whole of every show? Must they also flash a long banner across the bottom of the entire screen about upcoming shows during a show I’m watching and then at the next commercial break advertise the exact show they just obscurred my show with…does that sentence even make sense?
It makes me crazy.
Alot like targeting in Social Media. It’s obnoxious.
I’m with ya, Kristen. Targeting sucks.
By the way, I enjoyed your video on Facebook. Let him do the dishes, you got the gun 🙂
Have a nice evening,
Tamara
#22 by Marcy Kennedy on October 25, 2012 - 3:12 pm
WANAs and WANAbees! I love that so much 😀
#23 by Julie Glover on October 25, 2012 - 9:06 pm
Absolutely awesome, Kristen! I totally agree. I really hate getting regular “buy my book!!” tweets and messages. I can almost imagine them looking at me through a scope and their cross hairs on my forehead. It. Is. Creepy. It becomes clear targeters only see others as potential book buyers, not other people. Thanks for teaching good manners.
#24 by Military Surplus on October 26, 2012 - 2:56 am
It’s totally right…
#25 by Char Newcomb on October 28, 2012 - 8:02 pm
Right on target… oh… I mean, great post, Kristen. The Force will be with you… Always.
#26 by Heather Harris (@heathelynharris) on October 29, 2012 - 4:08 pm
I think that you have some good pointers in your video. People don’t like being targeted, and you’re either a wannabe writer or a want to be writer. It could never be the same between the two people.
#27 by Daphne Shadows on November 5, 2012 - 1:27 pm
Ha! Love it! First vlog I’ve seen you do. 😀
#28 by army surplus store on April 29, 2013 - 6:52 am
When targeting other people you should make sure they have the same interests, so you will then have a higher take up rate.
#29 by army surplus on June 1, 2013 - 7:34 am
Haha, very funny!