Jessica-Alba-in-SpanxOur thanks to publicist Lynda Bouchard for this guest post!

What can an author learn from a pair of SPANX®? A lot.

Time to stretch your author creative capital.

I was in a mall last week with my aunt and as we walked through the pantyhose department, I noticed that one brand stood out. SPANX®.

How Spanx got noticed and the unique marketing of this product is a brilliant lesson for all authors:

  • Fill a void. As an entrepreneur you want to stand out from everyone else who has a book. Spanx was CREATED to fill a void. Ask yourself what VOID your book can fill – where can it be presented, signed or stocked where it will be noticed.
  • Packaging matters. People DO judge a book by its cover. Spanx created a recognizable brand image that stands out. Simple and red. Keep it simple – it will be read.
  • Small is the new big. Spanx has become an internationally known product without ever spending a dime on advertising! They did it by reaching their core group of friends, family and people they worked with and the word spread like wildfire from there. You MUST have a great product (book) for this to happen. Who is your core audience? Get in front of people who know you.
  • Never stop evolving. Once your book is published consider spin-off items (t-shirts, hats, key chains….) that tie in with your book’s title or characters. Give the stuff away with your book at signings. Or online. Give your readers a reason to follow you. Create an online newsletter. Spanx is an example of never resting on your laurels. They are still creating new lines and new customers. They do it by thinking creatively. Go ahead, stretch your imagination.

(**Spanx, for you guys out there, is an undergarment that makes women look like Twiggy, only shapelier. Great news, they have a men’s line now – check it out, dudes!)

Bouchard- PUBLICITY PHOTO -1Lynda Bouchard is founder and Chief Inspiration Officer at BookingAuthorsInk, a boutique publicity firm dedicated to authors.