Book and Baby

The process of authoring a book, publishing it and then marketing it through online channels and bookstores is a thrilling one for the writer and can metaphorically be likened to parenthood. Having done both, with a six year gap in between, I can explain why:

1. The Planning Stage
   When you first come with the idea to write a book it is no different than when starting having this discussion with your spouse about having a baby.
2. The Let’s Do It Stage
   This is when you start writing the first sentences and making do without any contraceptives. As you start filling in the pages, it becomes more laborious and the longer it gets to see where the book is heading to the more uncertain you are about the outcome.
3. The What If I Can’t Do It Stage
   This is when your wife’s menstrual cycle keeps repeating itself like clockwork leading you to tear many pages and start all over again
4. The ‘Oh My God We Did It Stage!’
   This is when you eventually finish the book but you are still not even sure about its title yet. Is it a boy or a girl?
5. The Looking For The Best Doctor Stage
   This is when you start looking for the best publisher to take your book where you are sure it deserves to be.
6. The Frequent Visits To The Clinic Stage
   This is the editing stage – it’s invasive and frustrating but necessary
7. The Labour Day Stage
   This is the day when the book goes to print – Hurray! As you touch it and smell it you feel an overwhelmingly unsurpassed affection for the end product the minute you cast your eyes upon it http://bit.ly/1tpZPPV
8. The Family Visit to Hospital Stage
   This is when everyone turns up to see the newborn and you are standing there proudly exhibiting it to groups of eager well-wishers. Everyone has a good word to say http://bit.ly/1w525v1 and you are simply hovering above cloud nine
9. The First Nappy Change and Constant Crying Stage
   This is when you are not sure what to do next. Who said distributing a book or raising a baby is easy?
10. The First Day At Nursery Stage
    Having been able to stand on its own two feet the book is now ready to make its debut to the bookstores or on http://amzn.to/OxN3f7
     

Team Marketing

As an ex-sports journalist and with FIFA World Cup 2014 behind us I take on the challenge to name my Team Marketing’s 11 players and their formation for the World Cups in Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022. But in order to do that I go back to my starting 11 from four years ago, when the previous world cup took place in South Africa.  Back then my first choice of players looked like this:

1. PR – Goalkeeper: The most important position for any team with an ambition to keep a clean sheet. Avoiding defeat should always be the top priority for the coach of Team Marketing and a good goalie would go a long way to protect the reputation of his team and the coach’s credentials. To win you must concede less than you score and as is the case ‘PR offers more for less’.

2. Digital – Right Back: He is fit, flexible and focused in going the extra mile, however the coach of Team Marketing still didn’t know how to extract optimal value out of him. As an advocate of the adage that a good offense is a strong defence the coach prefers to keep one of his star players at the back till he decides what to do with him.

 3. Sampling – Left Back: He has been around for a while but seems to have lost a bit of his lustre, looks tired and out of ideas. Needs to find his lost mojo and fitness otherwise his position in the starting line-up is at stake. He reacts good to the manager’s instructions but fails to take any initiative during the match.

 4. Research – Centre Back: He asks a lot of questions to anyone near him as he uses his inquisitive skills to analyse the strengths of the opponent before he tackles any challenge thrown at him. He is one of the most useful members of the team and has the ability to rise above his defensive duties when required.

 5. Media Planning – Sweeper: He is calm and full of confidence, he can see the whole game from a position of strength when his team is attacking and his perspective helps him set the tone and orchestrate his team mates’ movements on the pitch.

 6. Branding – Central Midfielder: With a blank canvas to cover, he does a lot of planning which rarely manifests itself, but its laborious approach and hard work is an essential backbone ingredient at the hands of a good Marketing coach who advocates the 4-3-3 formation.

 7.    Social – Right Wing: He is the Ronaldo of Team Marketing. He is young, fast-paced, sexy, with a versatile repertoire and millions of followers worldwide; he is also incredibly arrogant believing that he is the best of the rest of his team mates and a tad immature especially when the connection is slow.

 8.    Events – Midfielder: He is glamorous and eccentric, a heart throb and a favourite with the female fans but his performance is totally dependent on his pay check. On his good day he lifts the spirits of the whole team causing headaches to the opponents. On his bad day, his only contribution is a nasty day-after hangover.

 9.    Media Buying – Central Attacker: He is the team’s striker, its most prolific scorer, when he sees an opportunity he takes it and he never misses a chance which would advance the interests of his team. In short, he is a must-have for any team who can afford him as players of his calibre are notoriously expensive.

10.     Creative – Playmaker: He is the flashy, full of flair playmaker, enormously talented and great to watch for his gift to excite the crowds who applaud most of his moves. Irrespective of his performance on the night of the game, he commands respect and the manager is always convinced that he deserves a place in the starting line-up.

 11. Direct Marketing – Left Wing: Working tirelessly through the line his advances are easily defended making him the least effective of the manager’s attacking staff. Usually out of ideas from early on in any campaign, he tries hard to impress but the little value he brings to the team mostly goes unnoticed. He is usually the first to come off when the coach decides it’s time to adjust tactics.

To find out my team’s player selection for Qatar 2022 visit http://amzn.to/OxN3f7