PUBLICITY

I just received an email from a client who is frustrated with the lack of results in her media campaign. I so understand how difficult it is but we must all understand that producers, editors, and hosts are inundated with "stuff" every day.

True, without stories, they have no audience. The trick is for media persons to decide which of the many daily submissions to use.

That is why your news release must be outstanding. "Author XYZ publishes new book titled ABC" just does NOT work!! Your news release also must be sent to a person, not a general mailbox. When No One is responsible for something, No One will respond.

Then you must follow up, follow up. Often your email is just deleted because there is no time to pay attention to it so make sure that the subject line of your email is VERY interesting. Send it out and then follow up, follow up.

If you are not getting a response, perhaps you need to send out a different news release with a different headline. Try, try again.

Don't forget to contact radio shows, especially talk-back radio if you have a topic that makes a good discussion or that a wide range of listeners can relate to and feel inspired to call the show.

Keep trying.

Denise

BACK COVERS

I recently received a sample of someone's back cover ideas so back covers seemed like a good topic for this blog.

The back cover is your silent sales force. It is the first thing that potential buyers look at after they are attracted to your front cover. People pick up a book, look at the cover and immediately flip the book over to read the back cover. That is your few second opportunity to hook the reader.

And what does the reader want to know - what's in it for me? They don't want to hear you talking about yourself. They want to know what they will gain by reading your book. Will you answer questions for them, will you solve some problems for them, will you make them feel better about something or will you entertain them?

You have to convince the reader that he or she cannot live without this book. The information that the book contains is very, very real, needy and relative for the reader. They need the answers that they will find in the book.

It is OK to add a small photo of yourself to the back cover because people do like to know what the author looks like, but primarily potential buyers want to fulfill a need.

An endorsement or two on the back cover because endorsements are third party recommendations. They lend credibility.

Most importantly, though, you need to sell the potential buyer on the benefits of the book.

I hope this information is helpful.

Cheers,

Denise

HOW TIME FLIES

Oh, my goodness, I can't believe that it has been so long since I blogged!! Not good and I won't make excuses. Today I heard an author being interviewed on television. When asked about his publishing contract, he mentioned that the publisher gave him two years to write the book. His reply to that was, "Oh, no, write the contract so that I have to write fifteen pages every two weeks and it will actually happen." I need someone like that to keep tabs on me, apparently.

But, it's a good idea when you are writing a book to make a schedule. The same goes for your publishing time line. Part of your business plan needs to include dates for the completion of projects and goals or life just gets in the way. So often I have just gone off to play with my grandchildren rather than sit down to write and yet when I do sit down to write, the words just flow. What is my problem?

I need some of you out there to be my cattle prods - give me a nudge. Go to our website at www.inktreemarketing.com, click Contact Us and send me an email. Write "Where is today's blog?" in the subject line and also let me know if you have any publishing questions that you would like addressed.

Denise