Post #77 – Women’s Memoirs, Book Business – Kendra Bonnett and Matilda Butler
Have you ever thought about the difference between data, information and knowledge? It’s important and should give you something to consider when developing a platform for building interest in your memoir.
The tomatoes will soon need staking.
Data are the facts…just the raw, unadulterated, unmassaged numbers, dates, and results gathered in no particular order. They’re not tabulated or placed into a chart or any sort of organizing framework. There are no references, comparisons or useful analysis provided. If I told you that 6,000 people came to our Women’s Memoirs website last week, that would be data.
Now 6,000 people in a week sounds good…maybe. Let’s put this 6,000 into context. If I tell you that the month before we had 3,000 people visit Women’s Memoirs, you’d be able to say, “Wow, you just doubled your traffic. Whatever you’re doing, don’t change a thing. You’re doing very well.”
But if I told you that the previous month we had 10,000 visitors, you’d say, “What happened? Did you change something this month? Whatever you did, you better change it back.”
That’s the value of context. And it turns raw data into information. You can act on information. You can refine your marketing activities and make the adjustments necessary to continue your growth.
Best lettuce I've ever had.
Now with a year or more of information, you can begin to make some very intelligent and insightful decisions about how to market your book or business. That’s because you have knowledge. You can make projections. You can even help others know what works and what doesn’t.
Knowledge is many times more valuable than data. And the more insightful you can become, the more strategic you can be in building your business. You’ll waste less time trying things, heading down the wrong path or reaching dead ends. You’ll become more efficient in your marketing…or anything for that matter.
Growing a Garden on Knowledge
I would never have thought you could grow potatoes in buckets. These are Adirondack Reds.
July is really the beginning of summer here in Maine. We’re starting to get consistently hot days and pleasantly cool nights. And between rain showers, thunder storms and the hose, the garden is getting plenty of water. The results are extraordinary. I can almost see the garden growing before my eyes.
Each morning after breakfast, we go out and study the garden. We look for seed heads forming on the lettuce. Snip. Snip. And they’re gone. I didn’t know it, but if you keep the lettuce from going to seed, more of the energy goes to the leaves. That’s a bit of knowledge I picked up. It’s the same principle as trimming the sucker leaves off the tomato plants. You want the energy going into growing the plant tall and producing a lot of fruit.
Knowledge comes in so many forms. Think about your memoir subject in this manner. What knowledge do you have to share with your readers and followers?
As for progress: The tomatoes will soon need staking. We’ve already had salads from all the lettuce in the garden. There are small peppers on the pepper plants–sweet reds, jalapenos and habaneros. The basil, which I was afraid might die, is growing nicely. The mint, oregano and chives are spreading. And we now have potatoes growing in 5-gallon buckets. I’m getting hungry just thinking about this. With the knowledge I’m accruing, my thumb is getting greener by the day.
Watch for Our Memoir Writing Special Announcement
I was worried about the basil. Not any more.
Matilda’s on vacation this week. She and Bill are taking the grandchildren to Disneyland. When she’s back, not only will she be in need of a rest but we’ll be announcing a new product. And we’ll be making it available to you–our Women’s Memoirs family of friends, students and visitors to the site–at a special introductory price. So be sure to check back here on July 8th.
In the meantime, I hope you’re having a festive July Fourth weekend.
memoir writing
memoir
book marketing
book platform building
building a readership
