How Real Influence is Grown, Not Bought

Author marketing isn’t an event.

It’s a seed.

Coffee didn’t just happen in Japan.

It wasn’t a sudden craze.

It wasn’t a marketing stunt.

It was a long game.

A company wanted to introduce coffee to a country that didn’t have a taste for it.

In fact, going up against a tradition of tea was a terrible idea.

Instead of pushing ads, they did something else.

They invested millions into creating a cartoon—a story kids would love.

Then, they launched a candy bar tied to that cartoon.

That candy bar? It had a hint of coffee in it.

Those kids grew up associating coffee with something familiar, something nostalgic.

By the time coffee drinks hit the market, it wasn’t foreign anymore.

It felt right.

That’s how marketing works.

It’s not a single campaign.

It’s not a viral moment.

It’s a slow drip of influence until, one day, people feel like they made the decision.

It's sort of how I see my RAE-VAN Podcast show.

Every episode is a small dose of wisdom, insights, and adventure.

Some people will tune in out of curiosity.

Some will come back for more.

Others will want to be on the show.

Over time, a shift happens.

Trust builds.

Authority strengthens.

When I finally talk more about my next book, it won’t feel like marketing.

It’ll feel like the next logical step.

The same is true for authors.

A book isn’t something you launch.

It’s something you plant.

Your audience doesn’t just appear.

You cultivate it, one piece of content at a time.

By the time you sell, they’ve already decided they want in.

Marketing isn’t an event. It’s a long game.

And if you’re playing it right, people won’t even realize they’ve been on the journey with you the whole time.

So, what seed are you planting today?