MidJourney: “surreal painting of an ai bot looking through a portal into a science fiction future”
If you’ve been following me for a while, you probably know that I’m AI curious, and think the new technologies that are developing are interesting (and the future of everything). I use ProWritingAid to help edit my work, I’m a big fan of email spam filters and search engines, and I’m fascinated by MidJourney. But most recently, I started playing around with Chat GPT.
First of all, it’s addicting. I remember when the first ChatBots came out, and they were fun for a few minutes, if only for the novelty of it. But they got boring, because they couldn’t maintain any kind of stream of thought, and often trailed off into nonsensical or non sequiturs that made the user confused and eventually lose interest.
But Chat GPT is not like that. Chat GPT can form what feels like coherent thoughts (though to be clear, AI techs are not actual intelligence. It’s just really complicated math.) that are easy to follow and understand. And it’s exciting to find out exactly what it’s going to say when you posit a question.
Because I’m a nerd, I started by asking it about things like indie author business models and marketing tips. And while I found most of the advice generic (but not wrong!), I started to customize my prompts. And when I asked it “What is the least common marketing method used by indie authors?” It responded with guerilla marketing. Like, what!?
I laughed pretty hard, but the thing is, it’s not wrong! That is a very uncommon marketing tactic lol.
It followed up with some guerilla marketing tips for indie authors:
One less common method that some indie authors have used successfully is guerrilla marketing.
Guerrilla marketing is a marketing strategy that uses unconventional and often unexpected tactics to promote a product or service. For indie authors, guerrilla marketing might involve:
1. Leaving copies of your book in unexpected places, like coffee shops, public transportation, or parks. You could include a note inviting the finder to read and pass on the book
2. Creating street art or graffiti that promotes your book in a creative and visually striking way. This could be done with stencils, posters, or even temporary chalk art.
3. Hosting flash mobs or public performances that are related to your book. This could involve a group of actors performing a scene from your book in a public space, or a group of dancers performing a routine that ties into your book's theme.
4.Creating a viral video that promotes your book in a unique and memorable way. This could involve a humorous skit, a song, or even a short film.
It's worth noting that guerrilla marketing can be risky, and some tactics may be illegal or could damage your reputation if done poorly. However, if done well and with care, guerrilla marketing can be a highly effective way to generate buzz and attract attention to your book.
Not only is “guerilla marketing” not commonly discussed in indie marketing circles, but I have never seen someone recommend “host a flash mob” or “graffiti” as a marketing tactic. Could it work? Maybe, if done well.
I followed up by asking if guerilla marketing is ethical, and it replied:
Some guerrilla marketing tactics, such as leaving copies of your book in public places, can be considered littering or illegal. Other tactics, such as defacing public property or disrupting public spaces, can be seen as disrespectful and unethical. It's important to always consider the impact of your actions on others and the environment, and to obtain any necessary permissions or permits.
In general, it's important to ensure that your guerrilla marketing tactics align with your personal values and the values of your target audience.
One thing I noticed when talking to chat gpt was a repetition of ideas, when asked differently phrased questions. If I asked it, “which guerilla marketing tactics would be the most effective for indie authors” (and similar but alternatively phrased questions), it would repeat the same answers as when posed the question, “what is the least common marketing technique for indie authors?”
But when I asked “what are some other guerilla marketing tactics, it came up with new stuff.
1. Reverse shoplifting: Instead of leaving your book in public places, you can "reverse shoplift" by placing your book in a bookstore or library where your target readership is likely to browse. This can help introduce your book to new readers and encourage them to purchase or borrow it.
2. Human billboards: You can hire people to wear t-shirts or other clothing featuring your book cover or a promotional message related to your book. These "human billboards" can walk around in public spaces, attend events, or go to places where your target audience is likely to congregate to create visibility for your book.
To be clear, these are not book marketing strategies I would typically recommend, as an actual human with actual non-machine learning capabilities. I think any author who wants to try them will mostly find they require a concerted amount of time and effort with little gain (unless you manage to go viral, which is as much luck as it is quality of performance).
But, I love the idea that Chat GPT might be able to help me reduce the mental load of coming up with marketing ideas constantly. That I could ask it to help me come up with fun ideas for a book launch party, or list book promotion sites to try, or generate topics to write about in my newsletters. That I could get ideas for how to think about my business model, or ask for advice on time management.
Of course, no AI is a magic bullet, but they are fun and interesting, and I’m excited to see both how the technology evolves, and what our societal response to it ultimately looks like.
And in case you were wondering, I wrote this blog post all by myself! Except for the quoted sections from Chat GPT.
I’ve always been excited about the future, though more specifically, about the future of space travel and the future of medicine. But now I’m excited about the future of this too.