I recently watched the movie The Founder. This movie tells story of how the fast-food chain McDonald’s grew to be an impressive success. While the man who grew the restaurant chain to be an American sensation—Ray Kroc—was not an outstanding example of Christian character, we can still take a lesson from his life.

In the movie, Ray listens to a motivational album in his hotel room. The album recites something that Calvin Coolidge is known for saying:

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

Later in his life, Ray attributes his Persistence as the largest contributing factor of McDonald’s success.

This notion of persistence is not new. After all, Jesus spoke about the success of persistence in his parables. One parable Jesus tells about the benefits of persistence is recorded in the Book of Luke. In this parable about the Persistent Friend, Jesus says, “I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.”

Jesus follows this up by saying, “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (Luke 11:9-10).

I think many independent authors give up too easily. They forget that it requires persistence to have doors opened.

Rick Frishman, one of the authors of Guerrilla Marketing for Writers, has what he calls the “Rule of Seven”. Rick has found that it takes an average of seven contacts to acquire bookings for an author. This might be a booking for an author signing event, an author speaking event, or a radio or television interview.

Rick says that the most important part of promotion is follow up. Without it, you can take away the pro and just have motion.

Persistence is required for successful book promotion. Keep the Rule of Seven in mind when you seek promotional opportunities. Remember that you have to ask more than once, and that pleasant, persistent follow up is required for success.

Persistence pays off. So, I encourage you to keep knocking; keep asking.

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Tagged: book marketing, Book Promotion, motivation for authors, persistence, promoting a Christian book, promoting a self-published book, rule of seven