How To Take Responsibility For Your Book Marketing

Here’s the thing with book publicity:  In theory, anyone can do it, but most don’t and others who try, fail to do it well.  So what should one do to promote their books?

First, let’s go back to the notion that anyone can do book PR.  You don’t need a license or degree to practice public relations.  All that you need is a computer, phone, a tireless spirit, a can-do attitude, a tough interior that rejects rejection, and time.  You need to have certain skills:  great researcher, excellent communicator, nervy, curious, and self-starter.

There’s little cost involved.  You can look everything up online or buy a directory of the media (costs several thousands of dollars).  If you are pushy, confident, and skilled in the art of persuasion you will go far.

However, let’s probe this further.  Do you really have the time on your hands to do this?  Do you have all of the necessary skills?  Do you have a good sense of who the media are and what will appeal to them?

The media exposure you get will also depend on your level of connections to it.  That takes time to build.  Your success will also depend on your ability to describe your book and self in a way that’s timely and relevant, unbiased, and appealing to human nature.  Can you do that?   

I think the best equation for an effective book marketing campaign is to take a holistic approach:

• Do what you can do for yourself – don’t be lazy or ignorant.
• Pay others for their expertise – it saves you time and money.
• Diversify your approach:  speaking, media, ads, social media, direct marketing.

I spoke to a potential client recently who discovered the realization of how many specialists he would need to really launch his book.

·         Someone to post on social media as his surrogate, daily.

·         Someone to buy and create ads for his book

·         Another guy to create and maintain his website.

·         A pro to pitch him to the news media effectively.

·         An agent to secure speaking gigs

Few are proficient and affordable at all of these things.  The solution?

·         Do some things on your own, but skip some things. 

·         Hire pros for the things with the biggest potential pay-offs, but not everything.

·         Experiment and hope to get lucky.

You are responsible for your brand and marketing, but you don’t have to do it all yourself nor pay a staff to do everything.  Get in the game and take it in steps, building upon your successes.  Be in it for the long term and you should see progress.

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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 ©2019. 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.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America.