Monday, October 30, 2017

Should Authors Go Big – Or For The Sure Thing?



As an author promoting a book and marketing your brand, how do you answer the question:  Should I put my time, resources, and efforts to covering the basics or going for the long-shot?

The good news is the answer doesn’t need to reflect one or the other; you can do both.  Consider it a one-two punch, where you first go after what’s achievable and what needs to be tackled, and then pursue the big idea, the home run.  Perhaps you can do them simultaneously.  But I don’t recommend dropping all of the core things one can – and should – do to promote a book in hopes of just leaping to the top with one big, bold, winner-take-all campaign.

Why?

Because the odds are against you of hitting it big, settle on securing media coverage and attention for your message that makes sense.  Why miss out on things simply because you are going after an unbelievable, lofty goal?

But, I’m not saying don’t try to go big.  Just do it as long as you’re tending to the things that need your attention.  Otherwise, you could be left with failure and loss across the board – no big wins and no base hits.

Once you are in a position to go big and dream, what will you do to turn your wish list into something real?

What does going big look like?  Visualize it.  See which media outlets you would pursue and how you would pitch them.  Think of how you’d creatively appeal to them and go the extra mile to make a positive impression.

Push for more.  Go for being the lead interview, front-page story, or featured guest.  Think big.  Act big.  Talk big.  Expect to have huge success – now just fill in the details.

To go for the big media hit may require time, funds, strategy, luck, timing, and lots of help.  You’ll need to get others to lobby the media for you – not just a PR firm but other influencers who can speak to the media on your behalf.  You need high-profile advocates to present you as a worthy subject for coverage.  It’s similar to needing references when on a job interview.  In this case, you want a big media outlet to receive testimonials, praise, and pressure from other leading experts, celebrities, major groups, or social media stars. 

To help the media see you as a big story, give them a big story.  Provide supportive documents, access to key people, stunning visuals, and incentives for them to cover you.  Help them see the appeal and importance of your story – and inspire them to warm up to you as the best person to tell the story.

Speak up, take a chance, invest your assets into this, and act as if you are big.  It may just work.

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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2017©. Born and raised in Brooklyn, now resides in Westchester. Named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs

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