Publicity is by far one of the most effective marketing tools at your disposal, but how do you promote yourself to the media so that they will give your book the spotlight it needs?
Storytelling. That's right, because ultimately, stories are human interest stories and every reporter is looking for a good story. In fact the press refers to the articles they write as stories. Here are 4 things you need to give the press to help them tell your story:
1. Personality. "A book is faceless without the people who write it," says Joanne Cleaver, a business writer whose work has appeared in Home Office Computing. "In any story, you want the personality of the people to come through. You want to get a sense of who they are." Get endorsements though - of others telling how wonderful you are. :)
2. Facts & Figures. Reporters love facts and figures; they anchor a story in reality. Find the relevance for them. The trends - the importance - the shocking stats!
3. Anecdotes. As impressive as numbers can be, they are not the whole story. Real-life examples of how you solved problems bring your story to life. According to Cleaver, "Readers want to hear about real people, they respond to that. Your story says I've been there." Tell the stories behind the facts and embellish them with details that would make someone want to listen (This is where drama comes in handy).
4. Details that Reveal. Reporters have their antennae up for interesting details about the people behind the book. More and more, that's the approach that reporters are taking, so you need to be open and to share details. "No experience is a straight line. Your motivation and vision for your book is affected by who you are. Think about the attitudes that have played into your success or your experience, " says Cleaver.
finally............
Pitch the media with a "cover letter"....who you are and why your book would make a great story and WHY readers/listeners would be interested. That's why you give some stats. Don't sell, tell. Show benefits to the media (don't beg for PR - provide a real story)
www.PamPerryPRcoach.com
Posted By: Pam Perry
Tuesday, December 30th 2008 at 8:02PM
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