Here’s
my media coaching advice for authors:
1.
Be a tease.
You may have a
great story to tell, lots of advice to share, and some really strong opinions
that you want to shout. Hold back. Your goal is not to say everything, only
something that will tease and get people’s attention. You don’t need to get married – just asked
out on a date. Tease, but don’t reveal
all!
2.
Show a
personality.
People gravitate
to a personality. Show them humor,
emotion, intelligence, ideas – whatever it takes for people to sense you are
qualified to be an expert, that you say something useful, and share it in an
interesting way. You become a character
with a persona – put on the uniform and become a superhero author!
3.
Remember to have
them take an action step.
You can talk and
write all you want. Your goal is to get
people to take an action step, which usually is to get to your website or to
buy the book. Say whatever is needed to
encourage an action step. Give something
away for free that people need to download at your site. Once there they see what you’re all about and
can order the book or connect with you.
4.
Know your 5-6 key
points to be made in every interview.
It doesn’t matter
what you are asked, only what you say. Your points don’t have to be the most
important things about the book but things that will help people gravitate to
you and feel you relate to them, that you offer what they need, that you are
interesting. Part of your point is to
say the name of your book a few times, mention your website with a resource for
people to download, and to reference your qualifications – but don’t read off a
resume.
5.
Know your
audience.
Be aware of the
readers/listeners/viewers that you are speaking to. What are their
needs/desires/demographics? Be aware of sensitivities and think about what you
should purposely say or avoid based on what you know of them.
6.
Have fun.
You might be
nervous – it’s natural. But in the end,
it’s a conversation that you are having and you just need to be you, relax, and
enjoy the process. This is your opportunity
to be on the offensive and get your message out. Good, bad or mediocre, whatever happens,
there’s another interview opportunity that will come, so don’t put too much
pressure on yourself in any one interview.
7.
Give context.
Remember, people
don’t know anything about you or your book.
Find a way to quickly summarize who you are and what your book is
about. Don’t assume the audience or
media knows anything. Set the context
and provide a foundation - and then go into certain key areas that you want to
emphasize.
I
can give you dozens of tips, strategies, and insights on how to do media
interviews. But the main thing to
remember is that you have something useful or interesting to say and that you
are there to share, help, and be a conduit for information. You are speaking to the media to make the
world better and to fill a void. Book
sales, fame, and website clicks will naturally follow if others feel you
resonated with them. So don’t obsess on
that stuff – just think of how you can make a positive impact in sharing a
story, an idea, a fact, or a feeling.
DON”T
MISS THESE!!!
How authors get their book marketing mojo – and avoid
failure
Authors cannot succeed
without the right attitude
So what is needed to be a
champion book marketer?
Should You Promote Your
Book By Yourself?
The Book Marketing Strategies Of Best-Sellers
How authors can sell more books
No. 1 Book Publicity Resource: 2019 Toolkit For Authors
-- FREE
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.
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