Self-Promotion for the Creative Person: Get the Word Out about Who You Are and What You Do

Lee Silber's book "Self-Promotion for the Creative Person: Get The Word Out About Who You Are and What You Do," is honestly one of the most straightforward and realistic books on getting you and your business heard above the "din," in this crowded marketplace. I've read books from Sergio Zyman to Jay Conrad Levinson, and I feel Lee Silber's book ranks right up there. If you are a business owner or an entrprenuer, this book has hundreds of creative ideas to get your own word of mouth going and the "buzz" going about you and your work. Everyone knows that word of mouth is the key to new and continued business, but how do you generate it? How do you keep it going? What can you do to be different? How do you market what you do and have real success? All of these and many other questions are answered with very creative but sound business ideas. This is definitely a book to have in your personal and business library.

One of the major difficulties that creative persons as artists and musicians have is promoting themselves. In fact, I would have to go so far as to say that many of these individuals are clueless when it comes to marketing, networking, creating a niche image, selling, gaining publicity and the benefits of the Internet. They may even be bogged down by stringent guidelines or the "what will people thing and say" syndrome if they dare try something novel or creative to promote themselves.Author Lee Silber is an entrepreneur, graphic artist, drummer, and workshop leader, radio and talk show host. His most recent book, Self Promotion For The Creative Person, is a packed filled guide aimed primarily at the creative person who may be very talented as a musician or artist, however, seems to be lost in the shuffle when it comes to recognition.Silber divides his book into eleven topics that he examines thoroughly, namely: making yourself more marketable, right-brain marketing plan, hustling and persistence, i.e. taking no for an answer, creating a niche for yourself where you become memorable, getting across your message, networking with the right people, word of mouth marketing, selling yourself without comprising your beliefs and objectives, creating positive publicity about yourself and Internet marketing.Each chapter is prefaced with an appropriate quotation related to the topic at hand.If you look at the chapter entitled "Show Off (Get Your Ass Out There)," Silber quotes Martin Scorsese who said: "It's important who you meet-after all, if you meet forty or fifty people, the one person who will produce your first film might just be there."The author then goes on to elaborate what it is to show off and he delves into the sub-topics of how having a high profile helps, as you never know whom you will meet. In other words, treat every person as if your professional life depends on it.Other suggestions in the same chapter examine ideas as to going where the action is, proving yourself to skeptics, get out and meet people, don't turn down little gigs, attracting the media, developing a fan following, challenging yourself, and many more hundreds of ideas and suggestions.What is interesting about Silber's book is that it is filled with hundreds of very useful suggestions and ideas, all centered on creativity. After all, the book is addressed to creative individuals. Why should they not be able to leverage their creative talents in marketing and promoting themselves?Another useful feature of the book are the "action item" and the "ask a pro" short paragraphs that are sprinkled throughout. An example of an action item: "write the kind of review you have always wanted. Paste your product at the top of a best-seller list. (I pasted the name of this book at the top of the New York Times best-seller list).As for "ask a pro," Silber includes sage advice from such individuals as music writer, producer, and musician, Bart Mendoza, songwriter, Jason Blume, media relat

... what I was doing. All that time I worked with some of the top creative advertising people in Memphis who shared ideas with me as we worked for some pretty big clients like Holiday Inn. Somehow, when it came to promoting myself, especially the true art that I do because I love it, the song of my soul, I wasn't selling the work that meant the most to me. I was baffled and discouraged. I mean, that is why I got into this business in the first place. I have tried reading and applying all the rules, but none seemed to be a proper fit for my brain, my heart, my world. Then I read this book. This guy understands what it is like in here. Using visual, emotional images, and humor he gets the points across in an organized, interesting way. He innoculates the reader with hope. Everytime I read another section, my mind started leaping off from his ideas into my own. I felt like I was drinking a pot of coffee ... I got excited, like he was a cheerleader excited for me personally. He covers everything. This book approaches problems in a variety of ways, so it helps open up new categories , new ways of problem-solving. Practical,fun,and a gentle, but true mirror on the ways we sabotage ourselves. This book has changed the way I think. Wish I had read it years ago.

This exciting book, written for the creative person contains unique, creative, inexpensive ways to promote yourself and your products. It helps you define what you do and how it benefits the public. It tells you how to reach the biggest possible market with the least effort and expense. Author Lee Silber shows you how to stand out from the crowd, call attention to your work, use word-of-mouth advertising and get help from important people. He reminds writers that all publishers want media=savy authors so the more they learn the better their chances of publishing. And today most published authors, no matter who publishes them, have to promote their own work to be successful. SELF-PROMOTION FOR THE CREATIVE PERSON has creative ways to use the Internet to publicize yourself and your art. It shows how to make an effective Web site. There's a step by step description of how to network and how to handle interviews. Author Silber says all we need is a dream and the passion and discipline to keep working at it. He quotes William Faukner, "Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go." The author points out it isn't the most talented people who succeed but the most motivated." He helps you develop the attitude that you will make it no matter what. And he gives you all the tools you need. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to succeed at anything. Maryanne Raphael, Writer's World