Hi guys,

Hope everyone had a fun close of '07, and thanks to everyone who has picked up the book thus far! It was a really fun project (yeah, and a ton of work), but really worth the time. And hey, thanks also for all your glowing emails, comments, and reviews!

Thought it'd be interesting to share some "behind-the-scenes" of Glory Days with you guys, and if you like this blog, maybe I'll do a couple more. (This one is marketing-centric, but if ya' wanna hear about the actual publishing and distribution process, let me know!)

Okay, this may be ridiculously obvious, but needs to be established: The first step in moving any product is creating awareness. I mean, how would you expect anyone to purchase / seek out your product, if they don't even know about it? For Glory Days at Delaware, it's all about somehow getting the word to anyone who graduated UD post mid-'80s, as well as current students.

Without a doubt, the best single ad buy I could do to reach all alumni eyes in one shot, would be for me to purchase an ad in The UD Messenger. Most of you know what it is, but for you current kids: it's the full-color quarterly alumni magazine, with a distribution of at least 85,000 and I understand it's going even wider in 2008.

Let's get right down to it: I would buy a quarter or even half page ad in The Messenger, but they've refused my advertising!

But the thing is, in no way was I shocked or suprised...I NEVER thought they'd go for it. And I pretty much understand the school's position; after all, they've put a lot of time, money, and resources in the past 5 or 10 years into fighting off UD's "party school" reputation...

...Glory Days at Delaware has a chapter entitled, "Drunk and Drunker." And that's just 1 of 70 chapters...again, you're welcome.

Going into this thing (compiling the book, that is), I took the position that Glory Days would in no way be "scrubbed down" and play it safe just to secure Messenger advertising down the road. I mean, really, what was I supposed to do? Continually check with UD's administration during the editing process? "Is this okay to leave in, and you'd still sell me advertising? What about this?" The administration then essentially becomes the editor of the book. (I will say, though, that I was careful with anything potentially libelous...legalities, you understand.)

Anyway, if I had watered down the book, it would've become something very different (i.e. lame) than what Glory Days is. I set out to adapt and expand from this MySpace page, and maintain the tone you guys have responded to: It's how we REALLY remember our college years...the book emulates Homecoming conversations over a pitcher of beer with your old college buddies. Yes, that means occasionally using the words "shit" and "fuck" and some stories (okay, a lot) about drinking, puking, and passing out. But all in good college fun. I wouldn't have it any other way.

SO, the challenge was -- and still is -- getting the word out. Fortunately, the second best UD alumni reach may in fact be this MySpace page, along with MugNight.com, the Facebook page and group. And, yeah, the great local Press has been clutch...

...but of course, the most powerful of all advertising: word-of-mouth. Thanks to everybody who has told friends about the book, bought it as a holiday gift, and all of that! I can use all the help I can get, to continually spread the word, from the willing.

If any of you have ideas of how I can (inexpensively) reach the UD alumni masses, please let me know! Talk Delaware and Go Dewey are two sites where you'll see ads for the book, but with so many alumni outside of DE (but mainly concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic), trying to get to everybody is a task-and-a-half...hey, maybe I should buy an ad in The UD Messenger. Oh, wait.

- Digger