Ideas on how to promote your book.

TEN PUBLIC RELATION TIPS 

1. You must get your message to the news media via a PR campaign. Advertising is cost-prohibitive and not as effective.
2. Timing is the key – get the word out early and often. Tell everyone you meet or know about your book.
3. Set a budget aside to invest in PR. It will pay off with book sales, prestige and positioning for future book deals.
4. Start with radio. It’s the least expensive, but a very effective means to promote your work.
5. Don’t expect national TV. Not until you do some local media or gather press clippings.
6. Book reviews are not always the best way to go. Broad coverage off the book page is better. Book reviews are simply much harder to come by and are less effective.
7. Be prepared to summarize the highlights of your book in 15 seconds. That’s how long you have to convince someone your book is worth looking at.
8. Bring in a professional to promote you. Just as doctors don’t treat themselves and lawyers would never represent themselves.
9. Look at getting PR for your book as a way to build up your name recognition. People like to read or buy from someone they have heard of.
10. Take action. Do book signings, tour colleges, create book clubs and take a grass roots approach.

FIVE WAYS TO GET POWERFUL PUBLICITY 

1. The first way to get media coverage is to tie your book’s message to the things that are making news.
2. The second way is to anticipate the news. Check your calendar and look to see what holidays are coming up.

– Memorial Day means: War Security International relations Death, History, etc.

– Father’s Day means: Dads Grandfathers, Parenting, Family, etc.

– Can you speak on those topics?

– Also, think of how your message ties into a season, or an honorary day, week or month.

3. The third way is to actually make news with the results of your research, surveys, interviews with important people, or the uncovering of hidden facts. Even if your book lacks original earth-shattering news, perhaps you can create a poll of 500 people on your subject and then report those results.
4. The fourth way is to give out news we can use. If you can shed light on the newest treatments for a disease or effective parenting strategies or tell us the three smartest ways to save for retirement, people will listen.
5. The fifth and final way is to raise an issue or ask a question. For instance, declare something interesting or controversial. Should pets be allowed to sue for health care? Should we eliminate the presidency and instead have three co-presidents? Should there be a legal limit on how much someone can weigh? Should people who have cosmetic surgery be forced to disclose this to the people they date? What Words Do You Use to describe your book?

COMING UP WITH A 15 SECOND BOOK SUMMARY 

The 15 second summary of you and your book is crucial to getting it sold, promoted, read, and recommended. If you have difficulty describing what you have to offer, how will others know what to make of the book?

1. First, think of the summary as a selling tool. It’s not a defensive exercise where you merely state what’s in the book, but rather it’s your chance to shine and seize the opportunity to say what you want, in a convincing tone, so that whomever you’re talking to will find value in what you have to offer.
2. Second, think about what is in the book and then convert that into pro-active statements. For instance, for a book about losing weight that contains exercises, food lists, and recipes, you can say: “My book will give you all of the tools needed to lose weight, including 89 easy-to-do exercises, a 712 item list of foods to eat, 416 foods to avoid, and 76 scrumptious recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert.”
3. Third, summarize the process. Tell people how they do this with a sentence or two. Compare it to things they’re familiar with and help them develop a picture. For instance, using the diet book example, “Most diets exclude too many things or they over emphasize one item, like Atkins, but this diet calls for 3-4 days of moderate exercise and the eating of any foods that you desire — up to a certain caloric value, somewhat like Weight Watchers, but without the meetings.”
4. Fourth, people like to know who wrote the book. Credentials are important. So weave that into your description: “As a Ph.D, in nutrition…” or “As a nutritionist who has helped thousands of obese…” or “Having lost 142 pounds on this diet, I…”
5. Fifth, describe everything in terms of benefits. “You’re not just losing weight; you’re gaining a new body and the benefits that come with it.” Tell people how they can fit into that attractive outfit they bought two years  ago, go to the beach with confidence, get into shape for romance, drop those ten pounds before their 40th birthday party, etc. Lastly, whatever you say in describing your book, be positive. Smile and give off a confident, inviting look. People must feel they need, like, and trust you before they’ll buy from you.

BOOK PUBLICITY 

What is Book Publicity? Simply put, Book Publicity is generating exposure for your book through any non-advertising means. And Planned Television Arts is one of the leading Book Publicity companies in the world.

Book Publicity can include any of the following:

MEDIA INTERVIEWS 

Media interviews are an excellent source of book publicity. These interviews can take place on: Local or national television, Radio, Newspapers, Magazines or Industry journals;

BOOK REVIEWS 

Whether in print publications, or online, a good book review is a definite source of book publicity. Also, contrary to popular belief, it isn’t always best to be featured in a major newspaper. Sometimes, your review will get you more book sales if it appears in a niche publication.

BOOK EXCERPTS 

Book publicists often work to place excerpts of your book in different media. A taste of your writing is often enough to convince many readers to pick up your book.

PODCASTS AND BLOGS 

In today’s Internet world, everyone has a voice. The sheer amount of Blogs and Podcasts is great for your book publicity! Your book publicist will research the right Blogs and Podcasts and try to place you, or your work, on them.

WORD-OF-MOUTH 

One of the best ways to get book publicity is to get people talking! Your book publicist will work to get a buzz around your book, inspiring people to tell others to pick it up. Nothing sells a book better than a personal recommendation.

NEWSLETTERS 

Both online, and offline, newsletters are an excellent way to achieve book publicity. Your book publicist will try to get you into the right newsletters that go out to the right audiences.

PUBLIC APPEARANCES, SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, BOOK SIGNINGS, AND ROAD TOURS

Your book publicist may determine that you need to go out to help sell your books. You may be advised to attend conferences, speak to audiences, sign books, or go on the road to book stores.