No, these activities are not the same thing. According to Merriam-Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary,
Market means “to expose for sale in a market” (verb). Platform means “a raised flooring (such as a stage or dais) in a building on which speakers, theatrical performers, or other person show themselves to an audience” (noun)
In his book Platform, Get Noticed in a Noisy World, Michael Hyatt defines platform as “the means by which you connect with your existing and potential fans” (added emphasis mine).
In marketing you spend time on social networks, you develop a web page specifically for your book/product, and you probably do guest blog posts among the many other tasks in selling your book.
In building your platform, you connect with your fans via dialogs on social networks and comments on various blogs. You may even write a blog where you converse with your readers. You offer them answers to their questions and problems; you point them to blogs/sites that may do the same. You share who you are and what’s important to you and allow your fans to get to know the real you. In building your platform, you are developing relationships.
You do this sincerely because if you don’t, your followers will detect you really don’t care about them. They will not only unlike/unfollow you, they’ll also bite back via negative posts on social networks.
The trust of your fans is like gold in Ft. Knox, and once it’s lost, it’s very difficult to earn back. (tweet this)
You may frequent many of the same places as you market your book and build your platform, but the end goal of each is very different. Marketing is about selling. Building a platform is about relationship. (tweet this)
Great insight, Deb, on the difference between marketing and building a platform. Relationship is key, isn’t it?
Cheryl, I’m learning more and more how important relationship is to everything. It’s so easy to get caught up in the daily tasks to earn a living/reach goals/strive for success that we lose sight of eternity. In the end, it’s not how many books we wrote or how much money we accumulated, but relationship endures.