Friday, April 27, 2018

The Secret To Getting Breakthrough Book Publicity




I’ve been promoting authors and books since I came out of college in 1989.  That’s a lot of press releases, faxes, emails, calls and visits to the news media.  So you may wonder:  “What’s the secret to achieving great PR?”

First, you have to have a plan of action.  You can’t just wing it or first start to promote a book once it’s published.  To break through, you must craft a detailed PR plan – and stick to it.

Second, you need a strong hook to get people immediately interested in you.  Find a way to present yourself using the fewest amount of words while rallying around a very strong angle.

Third, it helps to line up your ducks.  No weak points.  Have a great title and sub-title.  Have a name endorser.  Make the cover splashy with snappy back cover copy.  Your credentials should unquestionably qualify you to write your book.

Fourth, the timing should be right.  Don’t release a business book in July or a weight-loss book in November.

Fifth, call in favors so that friends, family, and online connections can buy enough books in the right time frame, through the proper channels, to help get your book onto a best-seller list.

Sixth, don’t ignore singles, doubles, and low-hanging fruit.  All publicity matters and you need to build that media resume.

Seventh, think big.  Throw the bomb down the field.  Swing for the fences.  Take a risk and be willing to experiment and to invest in some crazy ideas.  To make a leap forward, you’ll need to throw all that you have against the wall and see what sticks.  Most pursuits will fail and fall short but you just need one big thing to succeed.

In order to score big you have to identify your targets. Which media outlets and which people at those outlets do you gun for?  What will the customized pitch look like?  What can you offer and what could you possibly say that would turn their head?  

It can’t just be that you are an expert with a new book.  It can’t just be that you can vaguely lend insight to news of the day.  It can’t just be that you know your stuff and they should want to talk to you.  No – you need to come across as having inside knowledge, pertinent information, a unique perspective, an amazing idea, a call for extreme action – with the personality to turn the interview into an interesting experience.

To execute a breakthrough PR campaign for your book you’ll need to exhaustively work at it, combining gumption with substance, creativity with news, and calling on connections while praying for a lucky break.  

It starts with a plan, lots of activity, and a leap to the big ball.  Act smart, but dream big.

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Brian Feinblum’s insightful views, provocative opinions, and interesting ideas expressed in this terrific blog are his alone and not that of his employer or anyone else. You can – and should -- follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels much more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2018. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. Also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.”

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