Authors Need Their Groundhog’s Day

Do you remember the Bill Murray-Andie MacDowell movie, Groundhog’s Day?  

In the 30-year-old film, you may recall that Murray’s character, a womanizing TV weatherman, has to figure out what to say to his colleague that will get her to fall in love with him. Until then, each day he is destined to relive the same day: Groundhog’s Day. Spoiler Alert: he does.  

Well, I think authors — and book publicists — go through the same process. Each day is like the last until you find a way to break through, to say or do the thing that will advance you to the next level. You forever seek your door-opener to getting published, being interviewed by the news media, or landing a great speaking opportunity. What is the secret code that will do this for you? 

·         Be confident. 

·         Be humorous.

·         Be blunt.

·         Offer something different, new, or interesting.

·         Demand — not beg for -- something. 

Lean on your wit, experiences, ideas, connections, or dreams — something, anything — to get others to really see you. Finally.  

As a long-time book promoter with a pretty good track record, I have a good chance of landing new author clients once I am in conversation with them. But I still need to seek out authors to enter into such conversations.  

Some authors are reluctant to talk to me, fearful I will talk them into overpaying for useless services. They wrongly assume I am unaffordable, that they can’t be helped, or that they don’t need help. I have been devising a variety of emails to prospective authors for most of my career, tweaking them to find the right path to pierce their defenses, and the other day I tried a different approach.  

The truth is, no one pitch wins everyone over, but if I play the odds, I can come up with an all-consuming email that wins over a significant number of people. The threshold is higher than you think, even though my first hurdle is not marriage; but just to get a date. I am not asking them to hire me; just to agree to talk to me for free.  

Let's look at one of my bolder pitches -- with my analysis in parentheses:   

Hi Michael (first name makes it personal):

I ambulance-chase authors (play into their assumptions rather than fight them) and when I see a good review (state a fact and why I am reaching out) of what sounds like a great book, (flattery works) I reach out to the writer.

I didn’t read your book.(authors want you to say you read it, but let's score points for not lying). Don’t hold it against me.

Let’s chat for a few minutes about book marketing and publicity.

So, who am I?

* Award-winning book publicist of thousands of authors — including some bestsellers — for three decades. (I am the real deal)

* Award-winning book marketing blogger with 3.6 million page views www.bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com . (sample my work)

* I love books and advocate for literacy, free speech, and people who write well (they should identify with these thjngs).

* Dog-owner, dad of two, Brooklyn-raised but domesticated, and love books that are about books (humanizing traits). 

Just google me (they will without me telling them to, but sounds like a bold dare) — you won’t find one bad word, not even from an ex-wife or the bully I punched in the face in fifth grade (humor on real-life stuff that is relatable).

What is your number? (close the deal). Happy to chat about your book marketing opportunities.

Best wishes,

Brian Feinblum 

You need to find your email voice that works for you and gets you closer to achieving your goals. Each day you hack away at it — it is your Groundhog’s Day. Now try to get to the day after Groundhog’s Day.

 

Need PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with 3.6 million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.6 million pageviews. With 4,800+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.