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