The
strategy to get publicity for your book may seem straightforward: craft a
timely and interesting pitch and send it to as many targeted people at the
major media outlets. Be persistent, creative and act with a sense of conviction
and urgency.
But
there’s more than that.
Real
strategy comes into play in the following way:
First,
timing is deeply important. Are you pitching yesterday’s news? Did you contact
a media outlet that has a lead time of three to four months only a few weeks before your
book is to publish? Did you reach out to the media at the right time of
day -- when they are around and not on deadline or in production?
Second,
do you have deeply customized and personalized pitches for the media? For instance,
do you shape your pitch so it seems relevant to the person you are connecting
with? Does it seem like it is only meant for them and not mass distributed? You
need to take the time to truly personalize a pitch that speaks to the needs of
that particular journalist or producer and media outlet.
Third,
have you considered the different methods and means available to you to make
contact with specific media outlets? Did you find multiple people to
approach -- and use multiple methods to connect with them: phone, email, fax, mail,
messenger, met at an event, social media?
Some
book publicity strategy is employed when you get into the PR campaign, see how
things unfold, and then plot a course for creation, expansion, or reaction. If
something is working, keep milking it. If something isn’t, make a change.
Sometimes strategy is obvious, but something personal, emotional, or psychological
is holding you back from executing proper strategy. You need to do what makes
sense and what seems proactive.
A
key part of strategy is to experiment and diversify your approach to book
publicity. Look to explore multiple ways and areas to get media coverage. Don’t
put all of your eggs in one basket (or book) on a single trend. Your strategy is
to be flexible, open to as many approaches, and in fact, pursue multiple paths to
a goal to see what works and what works best.
Strategy
comes in many forms. Sometimes you simply have to work long hours, hustle, work
under pressure, and get lucky. This strategy may not involve a genius idea or
targeted campaign -- it may simply be the obvious, the expected, the basics -- but to
do them really well.
If
you don’t apply a strategy or strategic form of mind to your book publicity
efforts, you will end up employing a strategy to fail. Have a plan, modify if
needed, and look for ways to excel in your areas of strength. Apply and
question your results and then take a smart, fresh approach to your book
publicity.
10 Ways To Effectively Approach Book Publicity
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