The Pros and Cons of Hiring One-Stop Shops vs. Multiple Specialists for Book Publicity

There are many different services that publicity firms and individual publicity consultants offer to authors looking to promote their books. These services can include any combination of the following:

• Helping you identify your personal brand, your target audience, and your potential reach as an author

• Creating media kits (press releases, fact sheets, Q&As, etc.), distributing press releases on the newswire services, and creating sales pitches targeted to specific markets

• Working with you to fine-tune your website and create the best possible web promotion for your book

• Scheduling book signing and reading events

• Contacting local and national television and radio station producers to set up interviews

• Working with local and national print and online editors to obtain feature coverage

• Setting up speaking engagements at targeted venues

• Placing articles you’ve written in targeted print and online publications

• Helping you identify your strengths as a blogger, so you can capitalize on the blogging community

• Working with you to develop an integrated social media brand image on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and other social media sites

• Setting up blog tours and online author interview opportunities

• Providing guidance on the creation of promotional items (bookstore posters, bookmarks, postcards, tear sheets, business cards, etc.)

• Acting as a sounding board for ideas, helping to answer general questions, and providing guidance on promotional issues

Most publicists feel comfortable doing the majority of the items listed here. Some, however, may specialize in one or more these tasks – there are those, for example, who work only with authors and books in specific content areas; others specialize in scheduling feature interviews with national media; some mainly offer blog tours or set up social media pages, while others specialize in magazine article placement. 

What any publicist does specifically for a client will vary depending on the book’s subject matter, whether the book is fiction or nonfiction, the amount and types of publicity the author is looking for, the author’s platform, and the author’s budget.

So, what should authors consider before hiring a publicist? I suggest thinking about 1) the scope of promotional work you’re looking for, 2) the budget and timeframe for the work, and 3) whether or not you want to hire one publicist to handle everything, or use a number of specialists to handle different aspects of your publicity.

Which brings me to the main question: Which is better, the one-stop shop (hiring one publicist to handle all of the work), or farming out different parts of the publicity work to multiple consultants?

Here are the pros and cons (from a publicist’s point of view) for each option:

The Pros of the One-Stop Shop

-       You get one unified, focused perspective and source of guidance to work with (rather than possibly having to deal with conflicting information and points of view from numerous consultants)

-       You have one contact point for your publicity, which makes it easier for media, speaking venues, readers, etc., to reach you or your publicity contact

-       The person handling your publicity will be able to easily integrate all the aspects of the book’s promotion because s/he is the only one doing so

-       Your branding and all of the publicity information put out about you is consistent, because it comes from one place

-       You may be able to save time on your projects because just one person is handling all of them (rather than having to wait for different people to coordinate/adjust their schedules)

-       You may be able to save on costs by hiring one person whose rates, style, and availability fit your budget and needs

The Cons of the One-Stop Shop

-       The publicist you choose may not handle all of the types of publicity you want to use in your promotional campaign

-       The publicist may not be able to accommodate the timing you want for some of your promotional projects

-       You might want more perspective than just one person’s on your promotional campaign

The Pros of Hiring Multiple/Specialized Publicity Consultants or Firms

-       You can spread out the expertise you need depending on what each publicist/promotional expert offers

-       You can bounce ideas off of multiple experts to see what fits/suites you best

-       If all of your consultants are on the same page, you can use them as a kind of marketing team that works together to help you promote your book

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The Cons of Hiring Multiple/Specialized Publicity Consultants or Firms

-       You can get conflicting information and/or opinions from different PR consultants, which can result in confusion, misunderstandings, and/or discord in your working relationships

-       You can have problems establishing boundaries, especially if some or all of the consultants are used to doing the same thing

-       People looking to contact you or your publicist may have a hard time deciding how to best reach you if there are multiple individuals promoting your work at the same time

-       Your brand may be difficult to manage as a unified image if multiple people are presenting you to the public, or if your consultants aren’t all on the same page

-       You may find it time-consuming to juggle the intricacies of having all the consultants work together efficiently

-       You may be tempted to play one expert off another in the hopes of finding a champion when you don’t agree with one of your consultants, which can result in a breach of trust

-       Your projects may take more time if there are any scheduling conflicts or miscommunication/confusion/misunderstandings among the consultants.

-       It may cost more to hire multiple consultants or firms

There is no right or wrong answer as to whether you should hire just one person for all your publicity needs, or consider using a number of different people with expertise in certain areas. Personally, I prefer to handle all of my client’s publicity – doing so makes it easier to be responsive, provide guidance, and maintain a consistent promotional and brand image. But, I have, on many occasions, worked with other consultants on client projects, and I’ve enjoyed those interactions.

Whichever way you decide to go, it’s crucial to be up-front from the beginning about what you want the individuals you’re hiring to do (rather than spring it on the publicist or team after the work gets going). If more than one consultant or firm will be involved, it’s especially important to be clear on individual assignments, so that each consultant knows what his boundaries are and how his work fits in with that of the other consultants you’re using.  

Farewell to This Semester’s Grossmont College Students

My daughter, as many of you know, is a college softball player at Sacramento State. As a softball mom of many years, I can testify that there is nothing more entertaining than the girls' cheers during the games. I won’t repeat all of them (many involve singing and rhythmic hand-clapping, along with a few amusing nicknames), but there is one cheer, in particular, that has always struck me as interesting. It’s the one where a player calls out to another player, “I see you, (Other Player’s Name here).” The girls do this whether the player has done something meaningful or not; it appears to be a term of endearment, as well as encouragement, and has always struck me as being particularly powerful.

At first, I wasn’t sure what this cheer meant. Does it mean that the player calling out is watching all the great plays the other player performs? Or is it an acknowledgement of the other player’s value on the team, a way of stating recognition – in other words, if I say “I see you,” it means that I am acknowledging that you are important and that you are worthy of being here.

I’ve thought about this cheer as I’ve been getting ready to turn in grades for the classes I teach. As some of you know, in addition to working as a publicist, I also teach business and marketing classes at Grossmont College, one of the many local community colleges here in San Diego. I enjoy teaching for a number of reasons – it forces me to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in the world of PR and business, it allows me to give back by sharing with others what I’ve learned over the years, and it gets me out of the office a couple of afternoons a week, which is good for someone whose main job requires many hours of keeping her butt in the chair.

But one of the best aspects of college teaching is the awesome students I meet. This year’s batch is no exception. I taught two classes this semester – a Marketing class and an Introduction to Business course. Although I had a few students who decided to take both courses (gluttons for punishment, some might say), the two classes couldn’t have been more different.

My Marketing students were a boisterous, outgoing, and expressive lot. A few of them were downright opinionated, but in a good way – they had thoughts about the government, the world of business, and the education system in general (as well as their experience at Grossmont College in particular), and they enjoyed sharing those views, quite frequently. A few expressed observations about my teaching style (one fellow thought I gave too many reminders about assignments, tests, etc.), while others stayed after class to share struggles they were experiencing with their families, significant others, or the jobs they held. No matter what they chose to disclose, I enjoyed talking with them; their perspectives have enriched my own in ways they can’t imagine.

My Intro to Business students were different – quiet, thoughtful, and in some cases, analytical. Many of them were first-year students in college, and a few of them were trying to manage their own businesses while they took classes at Grossmont. These students had a softer, gentler approach to life than their Marketing colleagues. Many of the Intro to Business students rarely made a sound, and a good number of them spoke up in class only when called upon or when forced to interact in groups.

I love both types of students – the boisterous go-getters, who demand attention and repay those who give it to them with witty observations, humor, and a general joie de vivre that is a pleasure to be around, and the quiet ones, who defer to their peers in class, but always answer questions thoughtfully and with great insight when asked. Both of these classes were pleasures to teach this semester, and I will miss all of these students more than they will know.

So, to this semester’s Marketing students, I say bon voyage, and thank you for an entertaining and lively semester. I won’t forget you.

And to my Intro to Business students, I say thank you for teaching me that not all of the learners in this world are outgoing speakers. Some prefer to sit quietly and listen, and that is a great skill that many of us will never master. I see you, Business students.

The Fine Art of Persistence in Successful Book Publicity

An author asked me recently what I consider to be the most important characteristic to look for when hiring a publicist to promote a new book. I explained to her that while certain factors are crucial – being able to write a good press release, having lots of media contacts, knowing the ins and outs of a particular genre, and being honest, professional, and personable – I believe that the most important characteristic of a good publicist is persistence. For while industry savvy and a long list of connections are the general hallmarks of most experienced PR professionals, those who are really successful are the ones who have made it their business to keep asking for a yes until they hear one.

There is a fine line, of course, between being professionally persistent and being an annoying pest. Booksellers, reporters, and media producers are busy people, and many of them will not mince words if they’re in the midst of a deadline or are dealing with a rush of customers.

And timing is equally important. Call too often, and you can be branded as a stalker. But call too little, and chances are you might never have the opportunity to make your pitch.

What’s important to remember is that bookstore managers and media reps are looking for ways to draw an audience to their bookstore, publication, or news program. They know that their customers love to meet their favorite authors and, for media types, that their viewers want to hear all about what’s hot in the publishing world. But because booksellers and media pros are busy people, we publicists (and authors who do their own book promotion) have to learn to create good pitches and follow up until we have a chance to give them.

As in any business where you’re requesting or selling something, the secret to hearing a yes is to be persistent in a professional manner. And it doesn’t matter if you’re being persistent by telephone or in writing. I prefer to make my initial contacts by telephone. If I’m successful in reaching the person I’m calling, I’ll have my pitch organized beforehand, so I’m ready to pass along the information as succinctly and clearly as possible. If there is interest, I usually send pertinent information (press release, bio, author photo, and book cover art) by email immediately after I call. And I’ll follow up as much as necessary until I have a definitive answer.

Even if I get an immediate yes to my initial request for a signing or interview, email follow-up is crucial. I’ll contact the author to find out if the proposed appearance date and time will work, and then send a confirmation email to all concerned. I’ll also indicate if the author will be bringing material prior to the signing, or go over protocol and content prior to an interview. And I’ll set up a tickler in my calendar to make a follow-up call close to the appearance date (usually the week prior) to ensure that all the details, including event set-up, book orders, time limits, travel arrangements, driving directions, parking, etc., are covered.

If the person I’m trying to reach isn’t available when I make my initial call, I like to leave a brief message explaining who I am and why I’m calling. I then try to get an email address where I can send the relevant information and follow up again in a day or so.

If a person says she’d like to think about offering a signing/interview/media appearance, I try to give her a respectable amount of time – anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks – to do so before calling again. Sometimes, as in cases where authors are coming to the U.S. from overseas, the timing might be more urgent. I try to account for scheduling crunches by making my initial calls with as much lead time as possible, so that I have enough of a window in which to call back if a contact is difficult to reach, or to follow up if the arrangements are complicated or require some time to nail down.

There is a always going to be the occasional person who will rudely state that his store doesn’t do signings because they’re a waste of time, or the producer who will claim that your client and/or his book are just plain not interesting. But in over 20 years of working in marketing and publicity, I can honestly say that those individuals are the exception, rather than the rule. Most of the book sellers and media personnel you’ll deal with are professionals, and if you are honest and courteous, they’ll respond in kind.

As an example of how being professionally persistent can work, I once had one of my clients call to say that she was going to be in Washington D.C. in a week and could I please set up a couple of book signings for her. A week is generally not enough lead time to set up any type of event, but this particular author was up and coming, with more than one book in a popular genre, so I told her I’d do my best. I managed to set up a library signing, but had no luck with any booksellers. During the last call on my list, I spoke with a bookstore manager who passed on doing a signing, and then mentioned that one of the store’s book clubs would have been interested if my client were coming later in the month. I thanked the bookseller for her time and asked if I could email her some information about the author to pass along to the club anyway. The next morning, the bookseller called me back and said that she’d given the club members the info I’d sent, and they were so impressed with it that they’d decided to move their monthly meeting up a couple of weeks so they could host my client.

The moral of this story is that if you’re organized and professional in your approach, you can usually obtain the publicity you’re looking for. The bottom line is to be persistent, thorough, and respectful of the people you’re contacting. Consider how you prefer to be approached and, when in doubt, treat booksellers and the media accordingly. And, as Winston Churchill so wisely advised, “never, ever give up” until you get the yes you’re looking for.

It's All in the Pitch

Having just returned from a week at nationals with my daughter’s softball team, the subject of pitching is on my mind. Many would argue (especially parents of daughters who pitch), that there is no more important position on a team than that of pitcher. Without a true ace throwing curves, rises, fastballs, and change-ups, most teams don’t stand a chance of defeating their rivals.

The same can be said for those of us who pitch to the media and booksellers. Without someone on our team who can bring the right stuff, we don’t stand much chance of success in the hunt for publicity.

So, what’s the secret to good pitching? According to my husband, who coaches softball, ace pitchers are good at three things: velocity (being able to throw really hard), location (where the pitcher puts the ball in relation to the batter), and changing speeds (knowing how to spin the ball so that the batter swings at it). Ironically, the same three qualities are important to publicists:

Velocity - a solid pitch is one that has been researched and practiced, and sounds so good the person on the other end chases after it. Want the media to say yes to your call? Be prepared and throw hard; have your press release, bio and Q & A completed and know the material in each of them cold. Don’t waste time on pleasantries (“How are you doing today?” “Do you have a minute?”); instead, bring it – tell them who you are, why you’re calling, and what you’d like from them. Get your storyline down to one or two minutes and be able to elaborate if the person on the other end wants more information. Tout your awards and achievements, and don’t forget to sell yourself as well as your work.

Location – know the range of the publications/media/bookstores you’re pitching and make sure that their audiences will be interested in what you have to say. Choose venues where you know people (so you draw big crowds) and/or that will give you the most PR mileage. Locate the name of the right producer/manager/community relations rep before you call and be ready to show her how you and your book fits her bookstore/column/show.

Change-Ups – be sure to put the right spin on the subject matter you’re pitching and be flexible about availability, dates, and subject matter. Speak quickly and clearly when leaving voice mail messages, but slow down when leaving your telephone number or email address. If the person you’ve contacted can’t accommodate your request (no room for signings/schedule booked for the fall), switch speeds and ask for other options – would the store be willing to stock your book? Is there an opportunity for a spot in the spring? Ask if you can check back, and follow through if the answer is yes.

As my husband says, you've got to put the ball right where you want it to go, or you get lit up. Translated, that means that it's tough to win unless you've got some real pitching power on your team. But, find someone who's got the right combination of speed, location, and spin, and you can serve up some powerful publicity for your writing.

Play ball.