I Wish I’d Called You Sooner: Don’t Wait to Get Advice on Marketing a Book

It’s inevitable – I hang up the phone after receiving a call from another prospective client, and the last words I hear before we sign off are: “I wish I’d spoken with you sooner.”

I hear this same lament over and over again, mainly because a good number of the authors who call (and oftentimes it’s their first call to any publicist) didn’t complete some of the crucial steps that must take place before they release their books.

In many cases, it’s too late for me to help them – the authors have already done one or more of the following:

• waited over a year before trying to get publicity for a book already released

• didn’t develop a social media platform

• didn’t have their covers professionally designed

• didn’t have their books professionally edited

• signed publishing contracts without reading them

• allowed publishers to only issue their books in hard cover

• released their books late in the year

• didn’t workshop their manuscripts before publishing

• wrote a book in a genre that is overcrowded or difficult to sell

• wrote a book that doesn’t have a newsworthy angle or point of view.

When I mention that these situations that might make it difficult for me to help market their books, I inevitably receive the following arguments:

• but I didn’t know that a book should be marketed within the first 6-8 months after release

• but I’m computer-phobic and don’t know how to use social media

• but I’m a good artist, and my friends and family like my book covers

• but I was an English major and don’t need an editor –or– my publisher is going to edit my book (even though the publisher is most likely not a professional editor)

• but the publisher told me that s/he would do ________ (so I didn’t read the contract)

• but the publisher said that s/he would issue the book in soft cover after I sold an (unknown) amount of hard covers

• but I didn’t know that releasing a book in late winter would make it difficult to promote because of the holidays and/or that most venues will be already booked for the year

• but my cancer survival/parental issues/adoption story or memoir doesn’t have to be unique – everyone I know likes it

• but the fact that I wrote the book makes it newsworthy.

In many of these cases, the authors don’t like what I have to say and try to convince me that somehow I’m wrong about these important steps. Some of them try to tell me that because a few reviewers liked the book, they feel they can somehow bypass the rules. And some of them don’t listen at all – instead, they call to tell me how important their books are and, thus, whatever I have to say doesn’t really matter to them.

In the end, every author has the right to do whatever s/he wants with his or her book. But if authors (especially new authors) want to be successful at selling their books, they have to be willing to educate themselves about the selling process. And they must realize that marketing is different from what they learned (or, in many cases, didn’t take the time to learn) about creating a successful book.

What I end up suggesting to those who call me with these issues is the following:

• educate yourself about the book industry: know the statistics and requirements for your genre and be realistic about where your book might stand if your genre is difficult to sell

• educate yourself about the promotion process: take classes, attend workshops, go to conferences, read books on marketing, and talk with other authors who have successfully published and sold their books

• don’t wait to hire a publicist: make contact (preferably by email) at least 4-6 months before the book is released

• don’t be afraid of social media – learn how to set up and manage at least one or two sites (I recommend Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads) and place your blog posts on all of them, including your website (get help from a social media consultant if you truly find this process too daunting)

• plan to promote your book during the first 6-8 months immediately after the book is released

• don’t ever release a book that hasn’t been edited by a paid professional

• don’t ever design your own book cover

• don’t sign a publishing contract without reading it word-for-word and, if anything is unclear, discussing it with a publishing attorney

• don’t let a publisher talk you into only releasing your book in hard cover – hard covers are too expensive for readers and booksellers won’t stock them. Insist on softcover and ebook versions, or pass on the opportunity

• don’t release a book at the end of the year (any time after October is too late); instead, plan to release in either January or February, so you have the entire spring and summer to schedule events, make appearances, and promote

• don’t assume because you received one or two positive reviews that selling the book will be easy

• don’t assume that because you have an interest in your content/story that others will feel the same way you do.

Finally, my ultimate advice to all authors is to write the best book you possibly can. For most, this means workshopping the manuscript with a writing group and taking the feedback that is given to heart. I see too many books that should never have been published, not only because they have been improperly produced, but because the writing level is not where it should be to compete in today’s crowded market. Educate yourself about the promotion process as early as possible, and make sure your book is truly ready to be released into the world.

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.  

As the Publishing Industry Changes, So Does the Way We Promote Books

As a PR professional who’s been working in the book publicity business for a number of years, I’ve watched the industry go through some major changes. And as the industry has changed, so has the way we market books.

But what's different now? Well, for one thing, authors who self-publish their work must hire professionals, particularly cover designers, editors, and formatting specialists, to help ensure that what they put out is a quality product. Some authors choose to perform these tasks themselves, but doing so is risky. Unless they’re experts in all these arenas (which is rare), the end product may be viewed by readers as low quality, and sales may suffer.

Even our concept of platform has changed. Where in the past, platform was dictated by the size of the audience an author could bring to his work based on celebrity status, experience, or expertise, now it is heavily influenced by the number of books an author has published and the size of his online presence.

Authors are finding that certain genres, including erotica and fantasy, seem to have an easier time finding an audience, while others, like traditional and literary fiction, sometimes struggle. Manipulating pricing is crucial, as authors lower and raise price points to help move online sales rankings, and new methods of packaging books, including bundling and box sets, have become commonplace. Authors are learning that they must continue to write new books in order to be known, and consumer familiarity with technology is opening the door to concepts like interactive books, apps, and online access for readers.

As the industry has changed, so have the channels for distribution. Brick and mortar stores have been replaced by online brokers, making the Internet the primary book sales and event channel. Authors are replacing book signings with blog tours and partnering with other authors online to bundle their work and cross-promote.

Finding readers has become one of the biggest challenges, as the sheer numbers of authors, along with the noise that readers face, makes it difficult for authors to create an audience. Many authors have found themselves relying less on traditional media and more on social media and word-of-mouth promotion, as access to readers becomes more relationship-oriented.

If the industry is changing, does that mean that the way we promote books has changed, as well? Absolutely. As authors create more books, they realize that being able to build their own brand, connect with readers, and get the word out about their work is all-important, and sometimes more difficult, than ever.

And what are publicists doing now for their authors given the industry changes? Well, in my own practice, I’m seeing changes in the services I offer authors. In addition to writing press releases and getting them on the newswires, I’m helping my clients find bloggers who are willing to feature their books in the form of interviews or reviews on their blog sites. I’m doing a lot of work with online media outlets to create buzz and helping with branding and identity by pinpointing what is unique about an author’s work. I’m also helping my clients to reach their target audiences by identifying niche markets and working to create exposure opportunities, including submitting written articles to targeted print and online publications, booking presentations, and setting up appearances at select venues and events.

For some of my clients, especially those who feel that exposure via traditional media is less important, I’m working to help them to reach out to readers via review sites, blog sites, social media, and online reader sites. Even so, I still feel it’s important for authors to connect with their readers in as many ways as possible, and that includes face-to-face meetings at book signings, launch events, private readings, presentations, and other author appearances.

The bottom line is that even though the publishing environment has changed, there are now more promotional options than ever for authors who wish to connect with readers. And the more of these options that authors are willing to explore, the more likely it is that they will be successful in finding an audience for their work.

What are you doing to get the word out about your book?

6 Great Video Resources to Help You Market Your Books

In addition to my work as a book publicist, I also teach classes on business communications, marketing, and publicity at some of our local community colleges here in San Diego.

One of the best resources I've found for helping students understand marketing and publicity concepts is video. I show a lot of videos in my classes because a) there are so many good ones out there with great information, b) they're interesting and fun to watch c) my students love them (also, I think they give the students a break from hearing me speak in class).

Here are six of my favorite videos on marketing and promotion. The speakers in these videos offer strategies and tips that are good not only for students and business owners, but also for authors who are looking for ideas on how to promote themselves and their books.

1) 22 Brilliant Social Media Marketing Tips by Ryan Moore
This is a great overview of ways to use social media to sell products and ideas. I like the way Ryan presents his concepts in an easy and memorable format. An example of a great tip from this video: Give people what they want, by providing a simple answer to a simple question. Brilliant!

2) Ask Jay: 10 Tips Every Marketer Should Know by Jay Adelson and Nigel Dessau
I love entrepreneur Jay Adelson's video series on how to start a business, and I use many of his videos in both my Marketing and Intro to Business classes. Jay's advice is honest and useful, mainly because it's based on his own experience as a successful start-up business owner. In this video, Jay brings in his company's marketing guru, Nigel Dessau, to share advice on how to market products and services. My favorite tip from Nigel: Don't do it all at once. (One caveat: there are sponsor ads in Jay's videos, so be prepared to either sit through them or move your cursor forward when they appear.)

3) The Power of Words by Andrea Gardner
I use this poignant and moving video/fable in my Business Communications classes to illustrate how much more powerful our messages are when we use words that touch human emotions.

4) How Do You Get Free Publicity for Your Business? by Kiyla Fennell
I like the straightforward and accurate information business expert Kiyla Fennell shares in this six step video. The ideas she lists (like defining what you're an expert on and using customer testimonials), are simple, but effective.

5) Selling Your Idea, Not Just Your Product by Aaron Ross
This short video provides some good food for thought for authors. Customers (in an author's case, readers) want to learn from us, so Aaron asks us to focus on defining and sharing the ideas we're selling, rather than the product itself.

6) How to Create a Brand & Find Your Voice by Marie Forleo
Viewers love Marie's high-energy and entertaining videos on how to market and sell just about anything. In this video, she provides four strategies on how to be original in your promotional message, including challenging yourself to state one idea five different ways and telling your own stories.