Tuesday, August 20, 2019
The temptation among aspiring authors to embellish their marketing literature with grandiose claims is widespread. I’ve observed that newbies whose credentials are still developing sometimes are prone to make grandiose claims on self-published books such as, “The world’s leading …” “One of the most popular…” or “The #1 book on…”
Use of absolute terminology such as best, first, most, most outstanding, and greatest are difficult to prove and generally are fallacious. Put yourself in the shoes of others. If you speak professionally, is a bureau going to take a risk by submitting your material, strewn with superlatives, to a meeting planner who has perhaps seen and heard it all? Even with meeting planners who are relatively new in the position, the flags go up the moment they receive literature adorned with grandiose claims.
What about when you’re not employing absolute terms such as first or best, but your descriptive literature nevertheless comes off as grandiose? Consider the following:
* One of the fastest rising stars in the industry…
* Among the world’s leading authorities on…
* Outstanding content…
* One of the most sought after authors…
Problems abound with this type of terminology as well because, on its face, the information is unsubstantiated. If you can succinctly answer the fundamental question, “according to whom,” then you might have something. Did an industry magazine refer to you in such a way? Do you hold a confirming trademark? Does a professional association, in print, regard you as their industry guru? Has your book actually appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list (and not as a one-day Amazon phenomenon that you orchestrated)?
Jeff Davidson is “The Work-Life Balance Expert®” and the premier thought leader on work-life balance, harmony, and integration issues. Jeff speaks to organizations worldwide that seek to enhance their overall productivity by improving the work-life balance of their people. He wrote Breathing Space, Simpler Living, Perfect Timing, and Everyday Project Management. Visit www.BreathingSpace.com or call 919-932-1996 for more information on Jeff’s keynote speeches and seminars, including:
* Managing the Pace with Grace®
* Achieving Work-Life Balance™
* Managing Information and Communication Overload®
AuthorYOU is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to the author who wants to be seriously successful. Ongoing education programs delivered face-to-face and online, the weekly Book Publishing Tips ezine, webinars, member-only events, monthly live programs, and the mini one-day Extravaganzas are tools designed for authors pre, during and post publishing of their books. Become a VIP AuthorYOU member at AuthorYOU.org.
Latest posts by Judith Briles (see all)
AuthorYOU is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to the author who wants to be seriously successful. Ongoing education programs delivered face-to-face and online, the weekly Book Publishing Tips ezine, webinars, member-only events, monthly live programs, and the mini one-day Extravaganzas are tools designed for authors pre, during and post publishing of their books. Become a VIP AuthorYOU member at AuthorYOU.org.
Latest posts by Judith Briles (see all)