- Home
- Marketing
- Public Relations
- Book Publicity - 10 Ways to Find the Best Publicist to Promote Your New Book
Book Publicity - 10 Ways to Find the Best Publicist to Promote Your New Book
- By Marsha Friedman
- Published June 6, 2008
- Public Relations
- Unrated
Marsha Friedman
For 20 years Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on public relations as CEO of EMSI. Go to http://www.publicitythatworks.com to claim your free "Power of Public Relations" video today!
View all articles by Marsha Friedman
It's hard to say it any better: Publicity is the voice of visibility." This is a terrific message to all of you authors out there. When it comes to getting the word out about your book in order to drive sales, nothing can beat a great public relations campaign.
But how do you find a publicist that best fits you and your book? Here are ten awesome tips to find the best publicist for your book.
1. Find a publicist that works in your genre. So, if your book is religious, find a firm that specializes in religious media as they'll have the strongest contacts and will know which shows and publications represent the best exposure for you. "Same goes for all of the other genres as well."
2. Find a publicist that will take the time to research your topic enough to understand how to communicate your message to the media. "You don't want a publicist that will rush through your topic and campaign to varying successes. Choose one who is interested enough to ask questions and really grasp what your message is."
3. Make sure that the publicist is a specialist in your choice of media. "Not every publicist is a master at every medium. Many publicists specialize in one medium and will refer business to other specialists when it's best for their client." So, if for example you've written a book on fashion or photography - the best exposure for your book would obviously be print or TV, as they're both visual mediums. In this case, you want a publicist who procures print and TV placements on an ongoing basis.
4. Ask for sample campaigns. This is a terrific way to see what sort of media exposure, and within what time frame, that they obtained for their authors.
/>
5. Along with reviewing sample campaigns, speak to past clients, too, if you have the slightest hesitation about engaging their services.But how do you find a publicist that best fits you and your book? Here are ten awesome tips to find the best publicist for your book.
1. Find a publicist that works in your genre. So, if your book is religious, find a firm that specializes in religious media as they'll have the strongest contacts and will know which shows and publications represent the best exposure for you. "Same goes for all of the other genres as well."
2. Find a publicist that will take the time to research your topic enough to understand how to communicate your message to the media. "You don't want a publicist that will rush through your topic and campaign to varying successes. Choose one who is interested enough to ask questions and really grasp what your message is."
3. Make sure that the publicist is a specialist in your choice of media. "Not every publicist is a master at every medium. Many publicists specialize in one medium and will refer business to other specialists when it's best for their client." So, if for example you've written a book on fashion or photography - the best exposure for your book would obviously be print or TV, as they're both visual mediums. In this case, you want a publicist who procures print and TV placements on an ongoing basis.
4. Ask for sample campaigns. This is a terrific way to see what sort of media exposure, and within what time frame, that they obtained for their authors.
6. Find a firm whose fees are in range with other firms. When choosing a publicity firm it is more about their results than their fancy metropolitan locale.
7. And speaking of fees - in the book industry you'll find many publicists who work on a performance or project basis. This is not at all common with PR firms in other industries -and an opportunity you want to take advantage of. So, steer clear of monthly retainer based firms."
8. Look past the hype. "The problem an author can run into is the sales person they speak with and build confidence in, is not always the person who will be handling their campaign. Don't be afraid to ask who will be handling your campaign, writing your press releases, scheduling your media. You need to see what their experience level is, the amount of time they were at the firm and anything else you want to know about them. After all the time, money and hard work you invested in writing your book, you want to make sure your campaign isn't being delegated to a rookie out of college."
9. In your search for the right publicity firm - don't just talk to local agencies. Especially if you're looking for regional or national reach. You don't have to regularly have face-to-face meetings with your publicity firm. The work involved can be done via phone. So focus your efforts on finding the best publicity..period!"
10. One last point - find a firm that has an understanding of your topic and an enthusiasm for your message! Their determination alone can often be the driving force behind prime media placements for you.
So there you go! Go out and there and find the best publicist!just make sure to use these 10 vital tips!
