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  • Most people are trendy, and fickle, combine those facts with great marketing and the book will sell. I remember being invited to a nice bar in North Palm Beach by a very successful real estate man, who was trying to get his staff to read "The Secret".  He was fitting the bar tab for anyone on his staff that had bought the book. As I walked around meeting everyone, most had bought the book to score points with the boss, others bought the book because everyone else did -- but very few read it.  I would also bet, that the people who didn't read the book, were the same people who bitched about a lack of money. The Philosophy behind the updated version of the Secret has been around since the beginning of time, but most people don't get it -- hence the Secret. But the producers put a spit-shine on it, hired Jack Canfield, and other notable self-help guru's, used the modern marketing technology of the internet, and bada-bing, bada-boom, it's a hit!

    The same thing happened with the "Power of now" by Eckert Tolle. He didn't invent that Philosophy, it also has been around since the beginning of time, Nike even used that term many years ago. My Grandmother used to say, " Don't put off until tomorrow, what you can do today -- so do it now!" My Grandma was a much better speaker than Eckert. But, it was trendy to have a guy with a funny accent that you couldn't understand, speaking on an old subject that anyone with a brain already knew. Then used the modern marketing technology of the internet and . . . another hit!

    There are many mediocre books and Authors, that have saavy marketing guru's who know how to put your book on the bestseller lists, I can give you a list of three or four, if you have the dough to pay for the service. Jack Canfield said, that marketing is the most important factor for the success of any book . . . and he's sold 500,000,000 million books.  

    • Good post, Rico. Saavy marketing gurus, publishers willing to step outside of the box, and writers who promote their vision....good combo.

        

  • I would hope so. Most new ideas, fads, and changes come from ideas that are different. People can get stuck in complacency and apathy, which creates a comfort zone from which no one cares to change. I see this everyday in my businesses - nutritional counseling, writing, and as a professor - and more today than ever, actually, and it seems to be getting worse. Most people need a push. People need new energy. Yes, I think that people need a brilliant and beautiful campaign for something different and refreshing. I think there are but a handful of people willing to stick their necks out and spend the time, money, and reputation to start something new these days. Once ideas like you are referring to DO get out, I think they succeed because society needs a change in many respects.

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