Adult Business vs. The "Real World" of Business

I was going to start out this entry by just posting a link to Gracie's blog entry soliciting emails to prove to someone she is corresponding with that adult industry professionals are, for lack of a better term, professional when it comes to interest in promoting their blogs/businesses. (Bare with me if that whole sentence sounded long-winded. I'm always like that.) After reading the comments she has received over the last couple of days, I've changed my mind. Actually, I'm taking her advice. Instead of just posting a link, I'm going to blog on my opinion of the subject at hand, even though this is not an adult industry blog, and as an erotica writer, I'm not technically in the industry itself. (I know that's debatable.) But I do have an interest in the way others perceive those who are involved in the adult industry. Besides that, my blog has missed me. I can tell.

I can't even tell you how many times I've gotten on my high horse (or rather fancy leather studded, hand embroidered soap box) about people who look down on adult industry workers. Whether they be "actresses" or writers, I don't think someone's occupation (short of paid baby killer) is a reason to treat them as if their views/interests are inferior.

Maybe I'm overstating this. It's quite possible that Mr. Israel is simply not interested in doing an interview with Gracie because he doesn't wish to waste precious minutes for what he perceives is a small percent of the potential market for his book. Doing promotions for IBA, I can understand the idea of wanting to make the most of available promotions time and not wishing to pitch to an audience that may never buy my product. But why is there the assumption that adult industry professionals would not be interested in reading about/buying this book?

To quote a popular actor from a so-so movie, "Assumptions are the mother of all fuckups."

Blunt, but true. Why the assumption? Let's ignore the obvious flaws in this reason. I mean, the review for the book was posted on an adult industry marketing blog. Okay, the blog has been around since January, but obviously, as Mr. Israel has read a couple of posts on this blog, he knows that Gracie is not a newcomer to her particular field. Meaning: not only is her marketing experience valuable, any exposure she could give to his book should be taken as good exposure, correct?

Someone has suggested that he may not have wanted his book associated with someone in "the industry", but he didn't have an issue with her writing a glowing review of the book and linking to his blog. Obviously he has noticed some interest from people coming from her blog to his or he wouldn't have bothered contacting her. As in--duh!--she reached a few people in his target market. Later, she wished to do a follow-up on the review with an interview and was told "...I think I'll pass on the interview. I've been reducing the interviews I do anyway as I get into writing my new book. But more than that, I just don't see much potential business for me with your target audience."

I don't know if I can be objective about it because I read Gracie's marketing blog regularly and try to take her advice when I can. But, as a self-published author, I think any potential exposure to an audience is good unless the blog/site offering the interview is blatantly offensive. There are no nude photos, links to outrageous sites (yet LOL) or spam posts/ads covering the pages. The readership is growing and the blog is clearly marketed towards professionals using their blogs to market their businesses, the underlying subject of the book in question. How is that not the ideal set-up? Even if it's not one of the most popular blogs on the net, exposure from one professional to another should be accepted as such. He wasn't so offended by her target audience and content that he didn't explore her blog himself. Perhaps he found her years of experience lacking and was too polite to tell her so? Somehow, I don't think this is the case.

Anyway kids, can you do me this favor? If you're involved in the adult industry in any capacity and use your blog to market yourself, and/or you've read Naked Conversations, please read Gracie's blog entry about this particular issue and do as she says! Meaning: let Shel Israel and Robert Scoble know that not only do you know how to read, you can and do conduct yourselves like professionals. You use promotional tips and strategies just like any other legitimate business and don't appreciate being told you're simply not in the market to use the strategies discussed in their book. Oh, and you want them to be interviewed by Gracie because it will get their book in the hands of the right people.