Margot Bloomstein launched new book, Trustworthy: How the Smartest Brands Beat Cynicism and Bridge the Trust Gap (Page Two), last week and there’s never been such a timely title for our troubled times. Cynicism has grown to gargantuan proportions in the past few years and too many people believe you can’t trust anyone or anything anymore. Brands — retail companies like Old Navy, tech firms like Mailchimp, federal agencies like the FBI, multimedia platforms like America’s Test Kitchen, news organizations like The New York Times, public health officials and local election boards — can and do  bridge the trust gap with voice, volume of detail, and vulnerability. Her book is relevant to every writer who wants their readers to trust what they have to say. With the release of her book on March 2, Margot scheduled two bookstore events and a private party on Zoom. Her local independent bookstore, The Silver Unicorn, hosted a conversation between Boston Globe reporter Lylah Alphonse and Margot on Tuesday evening. On Thursday evening, the Twin Cities enjoyed an entertaining event with Carolyn Porter, author of Marcel’s Letters, and Margot Bloomstein. The hour long event sponosored by Magers & Quinn Booksellers went by too quickly. Host Annie Metcalf agreed to record the “afterparty” discussion about the design of Margot’s book cover. You can watch it here and learn why she consulted a trapeze artist. The private launch party with family and friends who raised a toast to her book’s success was a virtual event on…

You can enter to win a free copy of Margot Bloomstein’s new book, Trustworthy: How the Smartest Brands Beat Cynicism and Bridge the Trust Gap, by leaving a comment on this blog post. Tell us what brand you trust and why. You’ll then be entered into a random drawing to be held on Saturday, May 8, 2021. One lucky winner will be sent a free copy of this terrific new release. To regain the trust of consumers and citizens, marketers talk about empathy and authenticity, transparency and accountability. But how do you get beyond those buzzwords? Margot Bloomstein offers an actionable framework focused on voice, volume, and vulnerability. Voice is the personality and style which should be consistent across time and channels. Volume is how much you communicate and knowing when enough is enough. Vulnerability is the risk you take in telling the truth, reaching to connect with your audience, prototyping in public, and taking responsibility for mistakes when they happen. Bloomstein shows with dozen of case studies how to employ concrete tactics to regain trust, respect, and customer loyalty. Airbnb, Zoom, the FBI, TED, the United Kingdom Government Digital Service, The New York Times, America’s Test Kitchen, local election commissions, and other organizations have all embraced strategies of content and design that transform their audiences into empowered decision-makers. Smart organizations teach their audiences to evaluate product options, engage in continuous self-education, and make more informed choices. She believes business can be a force for good. And she provides practical advice…

You may resist the idea that as an author you are a brand. It sounds so commercial, so corporate, so corny. But remember publishing is a business, and people buy books based on what they think about an author. Your brand becomes your reputation. “A brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room,” Jeff Bezos is credited with saying. How you present your books to the public and represent yourself as an author IS your brand. Even if you aren’t intentionally creating a brand, you’re still leaving people who currently follow you and your prospective readers with an impression of who you are. It’s in your best interest to become more intentional about branding yourself as an author. From your dust jacket to your social media efforts, your brand represents you and your book. Your brand helps you cultivate name recognition, but more importantly, it communicates to audiences whether or not you are trustworthy. It’s one thing to write from the perspective of an unreliable narrator in a work of fiction and an entirely different thing to be an unreliable author. Good strategy for the former, lethal for the latter. For more than a decade it’s been important to include an author head shot in your book proposal. The image you present of yourself is important to aquisitions editors because it’s important to readers. Your photo will be used in all publicity and marketing materials. If you’re the author of a children’s book, and…