I dedicated an entire season to the ideas of cults and propaganda, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that one of my go-to books is Edward Bernays’ Propaganda.
The influence of Propaganda
Bernays’ work may be some of the most influential of the past century, and it concerns the medium of mass media’s message.
His techniques and theories have shaped the way corporations and governments influence public opinion and behavior, making his work a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the mechanics of persuasion in our society.
Bernays’ insights into the manipulation of the masses have proved invaluable, not only for advertisers and politicians but also for anyone looking to understand how public opinion can be swayed and directed.
Applying Bernays’ principles
Utilizing Bernays’ principles, you can effectively shape public opinion and behavior. For instance, understanding your audience is crucial. Just as Bernays emphasized the importance of mass psychology, as a book marketer, you should understand your target demographic’s interests, values, and behaviors to anchor your books as the obvious choice.
Compelling narratives and themes have always been potent tools for capturing an audience’s attention, just like the powerful narratives often used in propaganda. By crafting a compelling story around your book, you can engage your audience on an emotional level, fostering a deeper connection with your work. What is your marketing story?
Bernays often spoke of alliances to promote causes and influence public opinion. He talked about how you could take disparate groups that, on the surface, may look to be in opposition, yet with the right messaging around their core beliefs, they could be persuaded to see a common cause that outweighed any conflict. This is the extreme case. More often than not, groups have common causes.
Common causes in the publishing world
In the case of Author Nation, the common cause is the keystone relationship between the Reader and Writer.
All value in the publishing industry is derived from that interaction. Rather than putting a retailer first, we put that connection first. Regardless of where you are in your career, what genre you write, your religion, or your political beliefs, you need more readers if you’re an author.
Every retailer adds complexity to the customer relationship, especially when an exceptional retail experience isn’t their primary focus. A true alignment is difficult to achieve. Moreover, people are often commodified. Our attention is sold, and it’s not uncommon for individuals to be reduced to an email address with an associated lifetime value. Who would appreciate such treatment?
And now, you’re reading an article about a book on mastering the masses’ attention. I suggest you use Bernays’ teachings to reach your large audience and deliver a message about individuality.
Let’s face it. We all think we are independent thinkers, but the results are in: We’re not. We are subject to our own habits and biases, along with a strong need to belong to a group. This is why we are so susceptible to propaganda. So how am I using it? I’m looking to build two interconnected communities focused on stories: those entertained by stories and those who seek to earn a living by creating them. Author Nation is a physical manifestation of the reader-writer relationship. Those who align with these ideas will naturally congregate, and those who don’t will not.
Why?
Because I believe there needs to be an active movement away from the medium of attention commodification. To me, this is the sustainable path. There are already too many authors I’ve known who doubled down on the quick money model and couldn’t sustain it. What collapsed was the audience’s interest in the content.
I believe that we seek connection and community. You’ll see how we are focusing on pain points and friction reduction to help readers and writers create more value together.
Bernays reminds us to be persistent and consistent in messaging. Keeping the message in the public eye through repeated exposure and consistent messaging across multiple platforms can help shape public opinion, increase adoption, and turn the masses into the messenger.
This is even more true when there are more ways to message and more competition for attention. I’ve learned that consistent, deliberate messaging tied to core social needs and emotions compounds over time.
When you begin, it can feel like you are alone in the wilderness, but with time and compounding, you will see your community compound. You’ll know it’s working when you hear others repeating your words and ideas in the open market. When group think about your product is seen as fandom and word-of-mouth advertising.