Clever Book Marketing: “Be the Media” Author David Mathison’s Seeks to Squash Al Gore’s Record

As an author (SUGAR SHOCK!), I'm often awed and intrigued by the brilliant marketing moves of fellow authors.

To pay homage to my fellow Author-Preneurs (a word I coined to convey or entrepreneurial stance) — and to help these authors build a buzz — I plan to periodically feature the clever marketing gimmicks of savvy authors in a new feature here, on my Sugar Shock Blog.

Today, I invite you to learn about David Mathison, author of the hot-selling book, Be The Media, who has launched an outrageous campaign to beat former Vice President Al Gore's book sales record at a particular northern California bookstore.

Currently, Gore holds the record for book sales at an author event at the popular Book Passage bookstore in Corte Madera, California. But this Sunday, March 28, 2010, Mathison is setting his sights on breaking Gore's record. 

"If George Bush could beat him, so can I," declares a confident Mathison, who self-published Be The Media in 2009 to help teach the secrets of independent media to authors, musicians, filmmakers, bloggers, TV/radio hosts and vloggers so that they can inexpensively and widely distribute their message.

To create a buzz for just one book signing by seeking to rival a celebrity's turnout is brilliant book marketing in action. Because, let's face it, many authors dread or fret about book signings, because they never know how many fans will show up.

What's especially clever about Mathison's marketing ploy is that he's also encouraging fans based outside of California to help. He invites anyone — from around the world — to buy Be the Media right at his website. He even promises to personally autograph each book. And if you buy a bunch of copies of Be the Media (i.e., be a contributing donor), you can even win lunch with the author, take a photo with a life-size Al Gore, or discuss the invention of the Internet.

According to Mathison, "Diehard Be The Media activists and special guests will rally from noon to 4 pm outside the bookstore. From 4 to 5 pm, Mathison will deliver the same keynotes he gave in December 2009 and January 2010 to the United Nations."

As if that wasn't original enough, Mathison is now live streaming the pre-book-signing goings-on at his website, BeTheMedia.org, so supporters from across the globe can cheer him on and support his cause. The author even "promises to eat, drink, sleep, talk, and filibuster until he beats Gore." He even confidently proclaims: "Once Gore sees me closing in on the record," he says, "I'm sure he'll concede."

Mathison's book signing — and pre-book signing activities — will be held at Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Blvd. in Corte Madera, California. (415) 927-0960 or (800) 999-7909. For press info, email Andrzej Sienko at andrzej@BeTheMedia.com or call him at (646) 707-9145. Fellow authors, we can learn from this savvy book marketing. Good luck, David! 

While I'm on the subject of book marketing, I might as well share the most outrageous thing I've ever done.

Last year at BEA (Book Expo America) — where I ran into Mathison — I staged a zany, sandwich board publicity stunt in which I poked fun of my unmarried status to drum up publisher interest in my next book, which, at the time, was called the Better Habits Diet. (Instead, my next book — for which I will soon be seeking a publisher — is Break Free of Your Sugar Addiction in 5 Weeks.)

My fun-loving gimmick at BEA last year was intended to show to would-be publishers (the "suitors" I was seeking) that I have the chutzpah, promotional panache and marketing creativity that's needed in these trying times.

While my BEA marketing ploy drew lots of chuckles and some publisher interest, it didn't go over well with one publishing insider, who doubted my writing abilities (ouch!). She even blasted me in her blog post, which had the condescending title, "Authorpreneurs, my stinky foot."

Now that last year's tactic is a fun memory, you can now read a press release I wrote about it here.

And you can get a thoughts about last year's BEA from Shelf-Awareness.

Do you know of any Clever Book Marketing Gimmicks? Please let me know, and I'll consider featuring it on this blog. The topic of the author's book can cover anything from health and wellness to romance to business. I'll post whatever I deem to be worthy of mentioning.)