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It’s a Wonderful Life is quite possibly the most well-known and well-loved of all Christmas movies. BUT it wasn’t such a hit when it first released back in 1947. Though not a total flop, critics and audiences alike didn’t immediately embrace it. And yet today, even people who don’t love it (i.e. crazy people!) have probably seen at least portions of it. So how did a movie that wasn’t initially recognized as a hit become the mega Christmas favorite it is today?

Well, it started with a case of copyright confusion. (Stick with me. I promise there are book marketing implications at work here!) Someone somewhere forgot to renew the copyright for It’s a Wonderful Life back in the early 70s. Thus, the movie entered public domain and started airing constantly on TV during the holiday season. In the next 20-some years, the movie exploded in popularity.

This blog series is all about marketing. But is it ever okay to take a mini marketing hiatus?

You bet.

In fact, sometimes it’s more than okay. Sometimes it’s just plain smart.

When should you take a marketing break?

1) When you’re spending more time marketing than writing.

This is always a no-no. You’ll hear experts give all ranges of ratios and percentages about how much time you should spend marketing versus writing. And feel free to go with the ratio of your choice. But I don’t think you’ll ever hear someone tell you to spend MORE time marketing than actually writing. (That is, unless you’re in that 2- to 3-month window around a book release. In which case, just ignore this. 🙂 )

If you’re spending way, way more time marketing than writing, your writing may be suffering. So take a break. Whether for a couple days or a couple weeks, you need to reevaluate how you’re spending your time and come up with a plan to make sure marketing isn’t overshadowing your writing. After all, without good writing, you don’t have anything to market.

What makes almost any task a little easier?

Help! 🙂

That’s why combining forces with other authors or industry peeps is such a good idea when you’re working to market your books. We all have different spheres of influences, networks and contacts, friends and fans on social media. Cross-promotion and joint marketing efforts make SO much sense.

Here are a few ways I’ve teamed up with others recently:

1) I found release buddies. I checked out a few authors who had books coming out around the same time as mine. We tossed around a variety of ideas for joint giveaways, blog appearances, videos and more.

2) I’m in an author group that just this week began talking about ways to promote our books when we’re in between releases. We’re chatting about finding some way to work together to cross-promote in not-as-busy seasons.

3) Three friends and I formed a small marketing team and SO many of the ideas for my release promotions came from their brainstorming!

4) Two other authors and I all have books in the same genre releasing from the same publisher next spring. We’ve already been emailing ideas about blogs, vlogs and more as we prepare to cross-promote in the coming months.

But what if I’m not published yet?