We live in a day and age where traveling tied to book promotion isn’t absolutely essential anymore. A great deal can be done from the comfort of our own offices and homes. However, there really is nothing like getting in front of real human beings and sharing your book’s message for taking everything to the next level. That means travel.
It could be a book tour of some sort. There are those who say book tours no longer work, and if bookstore events are the only reason for traveling, then I would have to agree.
The good news is that you can set up any kind of tour you like and include speaking engagements at various venues, including libraries, museums, stores (bookstores or otherwise), and other venues that make sense given your topic, e.g., an author who tours the world on his bicycle has a sponsorship with a bike shop and speaks in their stores around the country.
You can also work in time to visit family and friends, or even set up household events, similar to Arbonne parties or May Kay. (I had a client do this very successfully with her target market of moms. One note though: If you want media attention for what you’re doing, you need to have a public event to invite people to and to make it newsworthy.)
There are a few downsides to traveling, one of which is the possibility of getting sick. Let’s face it. Airports and other public places have people, and where there are lots of people there are germs. You can easily come into contact with someone else who is ill and if your immune system is down, any ole little virus can take hold, like the common cold. Not serious, unless you’re planning to fly. Then it can become quite serious.
I had an experience on my trip to London recently that fits this scenario. There’s nothing like flying into Heathrow to find yourself in the company of people from all over the world.
I was there to do some speaking, and was rolling in some vacation days too, so I could tour Great Britain.
Three days before I was to return home, I started feeling it. That little tickle in the back of my throat. You know the one…you deny it for awhile, but eventually you have to confess that you know it is the start of a cold.
Have you ever been in a position where you had to fly and knew a cold was coming on? I don’t know if you’ve flown with a cold before, but I did it one time years ago and swore I never would again. It was one of the most painful experiences I had ever had. It’s scary too, wondering if your eardrums are going to burst during the flight.
So imagine my nervousness when I realized I had a cold coming on with a flight approaching in just a few days, and a scheduled appointment I simply could not miss. I did lots of research, took advice from various sources and am delighted to report I had one of the most pleasant flights I’ve ever had. (And that’s saying something considering it was a 10-hour flight.)
I discovered something call Earplanes which totally saved me. (No, I don’t have stock with them and they aren’t asking me to do a review. This one is straight from the heart because I know I am not the only one who has faced this, or will face it in the future.)
I drank lots of water. Took a decongestant one hour before takeoff, and put the EarPlane plugs in as soon as I got settled in my seat, and braced myself.
I was beyond amazed. No pain at all during take off or during the lengthy descent. My ears adjusted to the cabin pressure, more slowly than usual, but fairly quickly. To say I was elated is putting it mildly.
Of course, traveling with a cold is not a good idea. Postpone if you can. But if you can’t, then I highly recommend this strategy.
Just about all of us travel from time-to-time, some of us a lot more than others, particularly authors, speakers, consultants, and business owners who give presentations all around the world. If this message helps just one person, I am delighted. Happy flying!
To your success!
Joanne
P.S. As I’ve been sharing recently, if you know someone who would benefit from the information contained in our Savvy Sunday News send them this link. If they sign up, both – that person and you – will each be entered in a drawing to win a complimentary book and media strategy session with me. It will be fun and very productive for both of you!
P.P.S. Happy Father’s Day to all dads everywhere!!!
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