What
should authors do when their e-blasts to the news media seemingly go nowhere,
when they don’t even get a lot of rejection but they do get a ton of silence.
They may even wonder if the email made it past spam filters or gatekeepers. Did
the media even see what you sent?
You
have three options:
·
Quit.
·
Try
again.
·
Hire
a pro.
Ok,
maybe there is a fourth option: break your computer?
The
first choice is not a real option, unless you don’t believe in yourself and
feel like being a loser is your destiny.
The third
option is a consideration, if you have the resources and believe a pro can do
it better.
The
second choice is a no-brainer. Of course you try again. And again.
And again.
Certainly,
there are any number of reasons why you didn’t receive a response, ranging from short-staffed
media that didn’t get to it, to spam filters that blocked you because of
attachments, certain, words in your email's, or your history as a spammer, to
your emails subject line was not captivating
enough to warrant a full reading of your email. That’s okay -- you can fix any and all of these things.
Not
only can you send out a new email -- attachment free – with a better subject line
and the exclusion of spam-catching words – you can change who you send it to. You
can also go beyond email and contact the media via:
·
Phone
·
Snail Mail
·
In-Person
·
Social
Media
Sometimes
it seems like no one is listening to you, and if they are, you feel rejected.
Pursuing the media is like pursuing your high school crush. Intimidation,
insecurity, and rejection fill your mind. Relax. Move on and keep trying.
I can
guarantee this: If you have a great
story idea, say it succinctly and persevere. Someone in the media will respond
favorably. Maybe even a few someones. Once you start to get some traction,
your confidence builds, and the media starts to see you differently. Media
begets media, just as fear and defeat breed fear and defeat.
Remember
you can track the media down in all kinds of ways. For instance, you can call
someone at a media outlet, like the person who covers sports, and tell them you
were accidentally transferred to them, and then ask that person to send you to
whom you are trying to reach. The person is likely to take a call when a colleague
phones them. See, a trick.
With
email, the first thing you should do is make sure you have the right email
address. Next, make sure it’s for a specific person and not a general mailbox for a
media outlet or a section of it. Third, make sure you aren’t getting blocked.
You should use Mail Chimp or Constant Contact or other email companies. They
have a better success rate of getting through than using your own email.
Another
thing to consider is that it takes multiple queries in multiple formats to
reach someone, especially an important person at a bigger media outlet. Keep
pushing. Diversify your approach and
message.
But
if you feel like throwing in the towel, because you are not cut out to play the
book marketing game, I urge you to at least hire a book publicist or marketer
to do things on your behalf. They could have the magic touch. Or they could
fail almost as badly.
It
depends on how smart, lucky and connected they are. It also depends on your
book and message. If you have a dud on your hands, even being best friends with
Oprah won’t help you!
The
media can be picky, cranky, busy, dumb, biased, or simply not friendly. Don’t
worry about any of that. Each day, keep hacking away. If you believe in yourself, hopefully someone
else will too.
DON”T
MISS THESE!!!
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