I found this thread fascinating, because in my other life I do certain forms of marketing for nonprofits. With many of the same caveats.
The problem in applying product status to artforms is that audience responses are never 100% predictable to the latter. Market research at early stages of product development can actually backfire in the arts by 1) stifling the artist's creative instincts, 2) locking into the wrong trends too early, and 3) narrowing the potential audience. Great marketing tries to reach a balance. Yes, books and art can be 'product', but the most effective modern marketing seeks to grow audience awareness and participation in value-added conversations that can appear to be tangent to the actual product.
Also, audiences do not respond well to obvious desperation and empty boasting. You have to come across as reasonably confident in yourself and your work, to the point that whether the audience engages or not, you're still in love with the project. And while you can say 'I and my product are Awesome', you have to back that up with relevant and verifiable information.
The problem in applying product status to artforms is that audience responses are never 100% predictable to the latter. Market research at early stages of product development can actually backfire in the arts by 1) stifling the artist's creative instincts, 2) locking into the wrong trends too early, and 3) narrowing the potential audience. Great marketing tries to reach a balance. Yes, books and art can be 'product', but the most effective modern marketing seeks to grow audience awareness and participation in value-added conversations that can appear to be tangent to the actual product.
Also, audiences do not respond well to obvious desperation and empty boasting. You have to come across as reasonably confident in yourself and your work, to the point that whether the audience engages or not, you're still in love with the project. And while you can say 'I and my product are Awesome', you have to back that up with relevant and verifiable information.