How do you make the public aware of your book? This is where public relations come into play. Public relations or PR is a process to create goodwill between an author and the public and so lead to book sales. A strong PR plan will span six weeks to six months. A plan will have a number of basic components, including pre-release tasks, release tasks, and interview tasks.
Prepare and execute these basic components of a PR plan before the release of the book. Before the release of a book, consider sending out pre-release announcements about the book to news outlets. You want media outlet contacts to become conscious of your book. It’s a first step that lays the groundwork for later efforts. During this pre-release period, you will also want to send out advance reading copies to popular bloggers. It’s also a good idea to seek endorsements. Leverage your network to garner endorsements that can be mentioned in your press releases.
At the time of the book’s release, you should approach media outlets and try to get them to feature your book. Distribute press releases to target media outlets, which can include newspapers, magazines, online publications, radio and TV outlets. You might want to create a minute-long author video to upload to Youtube, Booktube and on other online video markets. On your video, you can share your story as an author with potential readers. Many authors use a personal blog as a way to keep in touch with fans. They also can develop a social media presence on Twitter and Facebook. Some authors use podcasts to reach readers.
Another part of a PR plan is the press kit. A press kit is a way to ensure that your book gets the attention it deserves. It usually will include an author bio, book summary, excerpts from your book and a Q&A sheet, as well as a pitch to the media encourage it to cover your book. Tucking in a couple of positive book reviews is also a nice touch. Get this kit into the hands of an interviewer at least one week before an event. Then you will have some peace of mind and feel that you have done what you can to show your book in its best light. Many companies offer services to authors. Consider checking out PR campaign services, such as Rabb Associates, a PR firm that specializes in promoting children’s books. They will give you a sense of the scope of a national media campaign and what it entails.