To ucdm, write and issue a press release that gives details of your book. Assuming this is of interest to their readers, the release may get published verbatim, or lightly edited.
Press releases follow a standard format, and adhering to this makes it more likely yours will be adopted. You can obtain suitable templates by searching online for “press release template”.
As many journalists rely on online pr sites for their material, being present on these sites makes it very likely that your release will be picked up.
The material you supply does need to be newsworthy, of course. Sales pitches masquerading as press releases are likely to be ignored.
If you are writing about a hot topic, just an announcement of the book may be sufficient. Otherwise you may need to be creative and present controversial views or refer to current hot topics for your release to be picked up.
Book Exhibitions
The advantage of these exhibitions is that those attending are typically interested in publishing or promoting your book. Don’t expect those attending to be your target market. These are recommenders, and your job is to find those recommenders that are relevant to your market and your book.
Try to obtain a list of exhibitors beforehand, and identify those organisations to talk to. Take a stock of business cards with you.
Media Interviews – Radio and TV
For books with wide appeal this can be a great way of getting your message out. It’s a good idea to get some media coaching so that you know what to expect, and are able to get your points across succinctly in what can be a very short interview!
On radio and TV, don’t expect to get more than three minutes at most. Your answers must be focused and to the point with no waffling.
At the very least write down the top seven points you want to get across. Prepare a sheet of sample questions and answers. The interviewer may not use these, but if they do, you have confidence that you can answer them.
Sometimes you’ll be asked a question you think is not really relevant. The art is to politely answer the question they should have asked. Watch politicians, as they do this all the time.
Influential Reviewers
Getting influential people in your industry to review your book positively can be a great boost to your book’s profile. Approach these people in plenty of time, and send them a copy of your book, asking what you want.
Getting to be able to reach these people of influence can be a project in itself which requires tenacity and creativity. Always be respectful of their time and only approach them if you think they might be interested in reviewing your book.
