He's Baaaack!

I was lamenting just the other day about the mysterious disappearance of Peyton Manning. This young man, the quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts for those of you who have been living under a rock for the last ten years or so, had suddenly disappeared from the airwaves sometime last February.

The last time I saw him was at the Super Bowl where his baby brother Eli was voted MVP of one of the more exciting, nail biting games in the last few decades.

But what had become of Peyton since then?

For the last five years or so he has endorsed everything from Sony media to macaroni and cheese to credit cards to water. About the only thing he hasn't endorsed is feminine hair removal systems, and I probably just missed that spot.

Then all of the sudden, he vanished without a trace.

Had he been sequestered by Tony Dungee to an island off the coast of Malta to focus on his throwing arm? Was he in a Turkish prison for some crime the NFL had kept under wraps? Had he been kidnapped by Tom Brady, Eli Manning, and all the other big name players who were being forced to go on food stamps because Peyton was getting all the endorsement dollars?

But no, dear reader, I am happy to report Peyton is alive and well and once again hawking products, at least for Sony and H.H.Gregg. I saw him on a commercial this morning as articulate and enthusiastic as the last time his adorable face graced my television screen.

I am so relieved as I'm sure are his mother and father.

I'm sure you're wondering why I've dedicated an entire post to Peyton Manning, who I love by the way. (He's the son I never had.)

If only we as writers could figure out how to market ourselves the way Peyton has. If our names were as familiar to the reading public as Peyton's cute little face is to the rest of the free world, we wouldn't have to worry about our books making the bestseller lists.

The question is HOW?

My first suggestion is to make your presence known online. It's cheap, readily available, and most readers have access to it. Secondly, get out there and do book signings and appearances, even when no one shows up but your mother and one of her friends from church. Even if no one comes to signings--and let's face it, they don't--you can usually get some media attention out of the deal.

No, you probably won't attract the throngs of adoring fans the way Peyton does. But do what you can. And if you get a chance today, drop Peyton a line and let him know how happy you are that he's once again gainfully employed.

Happy Marketing.