Is blogging just a public way of moaning?

I ask this because I fear that is what my last blog read like when I revisited it. Since then there has been a couple of developments.

The first is that the strapline Purveyor of sound information is to be replaced by Provider of sound information. This was on the suggestion of Benedicte, the wonderful French voice. She felt that purveyor is too old-fashioned. And I think she is right. Much as I have a fondness for that word, provider is probably much more in tune with today.

The second is that I had a great conversation with a very nice lady in Spain. I fear I was bemoaning my lack of success with penetrating the major UK book chains ('as usual' I can hear echoing through the ether). So we started talking about marketing and how important it is.

I don't know what it is about marketing, may be the word itself, conjures up something one thinks 'beneath oneself' (that great old British prejudice), but it is the one area I have never appreciated how important it actually is. Sadly, probably more important than the stuff I do.

Anyway, the nice lady in Spain told me a story about a successful art entrepreneur. When asked what he attributed his success to, replied '80% marketing, 20% art'. I am sure many of you out there realised this, but it was quite a revelation to me. And quite humbling, really. You can have the best product in the world, but if no one knows about it, then you've just wasted energy, time and money producing it.

So you know where I will be devoting my energies from now on. And many apologies to all those marketers in former jobs whom I didn't fully appreciate.