Happy New Year! Once the major holiday buzz subsides, media contacts are back in their offices, and the New Year’s news is unfolding. This is an important time to map out your book publicity plans for the next several months.

These six simple book publicity tips will help set you on the path to book promotion in the new year.

1) Tie your book into the New Year hype. What makes your book a good one for the New Year? Consider all of the relevant themes in your book and points in your message and see if any can be shaped into a ‘New Year’ pitch.

–Put a New Year spin on a children’s book that teaches kids manners:
“Rudeness – A Trend of Last Year: New Book Sets Children on the Path to Good Manners”
–Tie your business management book in with the 2011 hype:
“What’s Your New Year’s Business Resolution? New Book Helps Managers and Executives Set Reachable Goals for the Coming Year”

2) Look up appropriate magazines’ editorial calendars. Make a list of magazines whose content fits the themes in your book and key points of your message. Research on each magazine’s website the editorial calendar – can usually be found in the ‘media kit’ or ‘press’ page of the website. Knowing what features are being planned gives you the opportunity to pitch the editors your book to supplement the articles. Also, knowing when the articles are expected to run will allow you to plan the best time to submit your pitch.

*Reminder: Magazines typically work 3-4 months ahead of each issue.

3) Research holidays, awareness months, and remembrance days. Fill your calendar with dates that relate back to you and your book. By researching ahead of time which remembrance days, holidays, and awareness months and weeks tie in to a theme in your novel, a chapter in your business book, or a part of your personal message, you’ll be able to map out when you need to begin pitching. Remember, give yourself 3-4 months for magazines and at least three weeks for newspapers and online publications.

*For a list of holidays, awareness months/weeks, and remembrance days, visit http://www.epromos.com/education/calendars/.

4) Book your book fairs/tradeshows. Not only should you consider attending the major book fairs and trade shows, like BookExpo America (www.bookexpoamerica.com), you should check out fairs and festivals taking place in your region, some in your own backyard! Make sure you’re equipped to attend with business cards in hand. The easier you make it for people to get in touch with you, the higher your chances become to hear back.

*For a breakdown of U.S. and worldwide book fairs and festivals, visit www.bibliobuffet.com. You can locate the lists under ‘Books & More Books’.

5) Start your blog. Make it a New Year’s resolution to start your author blog. Your blog will be a great way to incorporate ongoing industry trends and news developments that relate to your book and message. For novelists, your blog will give you a platform to discuss ‘real life’ issues that relate back to themes in your fictitious story. For nonfiction and business writers, your blog might become a place where you can offer additional tips or advice that expand on the points you’ve made in your book. By incorporating some of the tips from Cathy Stucker’s article above, you could be well on your way to building a successful blog by February!

6) Set three long term goals for you and your book. By brainstorming and setting a few practical goals for you and your book at the beginning of the year, you’ll be able to monitor your progress towards reaching them. The above tips should help you hone in on which goals are most appropriate for you and your book. Are you interested in hiring a graphic designer? The book fairs and tradeshows will be a great place to start networking! Do you want to be branded as an expert in your field? Tying your message in with awareness months and causes will solicit opportunities to highlight your expertise.

Bottom line: If you devote a few hours to completing these tasks, you’ll give yourself a year’s worth of promotional homework and be well on your way to raising awareness for you and your book. So, what’s your book publicity resolution?

Corinne Liccketto is the Sales & Marketing Manager at Smith Publicity, Inc. Beginning in 1997, Smith Publicity is one of the world’s leading promotional firms, specializing in book publicity. Fueled by a passion for making good things happen for clients, the company has worked with over 900 individuals and companies–from authors and entrepreneurs to publicly-held companies and businesses representing a wide range of industries. The Smith Publicity reach is international with offices in New Jersey, New York City, Los Angeles, and London. For more information about Smith Publicity, Inc., please visit www.smithpublicity.com.

As a book publicist working with authors from all walks of life, I’m often asked to explain the difference between book publicity and advertising.

When a book is launched, the goal is to create awareness about the author and his or her title for a variety of reasons including sparking book sales, building the author’s brand, positioning the author as an expert, and attracting professional opportunities for the author such as speaking engagements, professional advancement, and future publishing options.

Publicity and advertising are two strategies employed to create awareness. Most people have a clear understanding of advertising since they’re exposed to it every day as they watch television, read a newspaper or visit an online news site. Publicity, however, is seamless to most consumers as the author, person, product, etc. is part of the news.

Advertising and Publicity: Control and Timing vs. Credibility

In advertising, someone—the publisher or author—pays the media outlet for advertising space or airtime. The buyer has 100% control over what is in the advertisement and when it appears. The primary benefit of advertising is control.

With publicity, it’s the book publicist’s job to convince the media the author will provide readers or listeners with meaningful information—whether entertaining, insightful, educational, inspiring, or controversial—and then to make the author part of the news in some way. Examples of media coverage include feature stories, articles, book reviews, interviews, op-ed pieces, expert commentaries, etc. There is no payment from the author or publicist to the media for this coverage. Each of the parties involved–the media outlet and author–get something they want and need.

Put simply, the role of a book publicist is to make their authors newsworthy. The result gives the author immeasurable credibility. The benefit of being “seen on” or “featured in” well respected media outlets lasts long after a publicity campaign ends. The primary benefit of publicity is credibility, and when it works, it is priceless.

The best way to explain the difference between publicity and advertising is to pick up a magazine and find a story featuring an author, and in the same issue find an advertisement for a book. The article gives the author and his title credibility as the reader knows the magazine thinks enough of the person to incorporate him or her into the story. The advertisement gives the author exposure; however the reader also knows someone paid for this advertisement. Therein lies the key difference: credibility vs. control.

An important point authors should keep in mind is when the media does a story or interview, the publicist and author loses control. Publicists suggest direction for the coverage, but publicists can’t control if they cover the author, how he or she is covered or when. A producer or editor can do whatever they want and go in any direction. They may sing the praises of an author and his or her book, or spin the story in an unforeseen direction, including writing a bad review.
When you want planned, controlled exposure, advertising is the route to explore. If you are considering publicity, know there are no guarantees, but again, when it works, it literally provides coverage you can’t buy.

Sandy Diaz is the President of Smith Publicity, Inc. Beginning in 1997, Smith Publicity is one of the world’s leading promotional firms, specializing in book publicity. Fueled by a passion for making good things happen for clients, the company has worked with over 900 individuals and companies–from authors and entrepreneurs to publicly-held companies and businesses representing a wide range of industries. The Smith Publicity reach is international with offices in New Jersey, New York City, Los Angeles, and London. For more information about Smith Publicity, Inc., please visit www.smithpublicity.com.

Things Book Publicists CAN Control:

Creation of quality press materials: As book publicists, part of our job is to formulate quality press releases in a format the media is accustomed to reviewing. We must tailor our materials to be concise, relevant to the target audiences, and effective in representing what makes a book and its author unique. Book releases should not exceed two pages, including the author’s biography.

Creative, effective pitching efforts: Publicists can control the proactive monitoring of ongoing news trends, social issues, and popular developments that tie into themes and topics in a book. Publicists can also continually think outside the box to create new pitching angles to encourage media attention and spark media interest.

Close client communication: Since publicity is not guaranteed, keeping clients updated on the progress of their campaign is crucial – and within a publicist’s control. Detailing the pitching efforts, media feedback, and ongoing plans not only informs authors of the direction of the campaign, it also keeps publicists focused.

Follow-up efforts: Once the media connection has been made, it is in a publicist’s control to continue following up with each contact to encourage coverage. Continued follow-ups help ensure books will not be lost in the pile. Follow ups also provide opportunities for publicists to offer new story ideas/angles that pertain to the book and author’s message.

Things Book Publicists Cannot Control:

Media coverage: A book publicist cannot force media to review a book, write an article, hold an author interview, etc. Our job is to tactfully and creatively package a book and author into timely story angles that will entice the media to take the next step. Once the book is in their hands, however, the choice to use/cover/write about the book or interview the author is up to them.

Negative or positive reviews/coverage: As book publicists, a major part of our job is to remain unbiased so media can formulate their own opinion. If a negative book review is written, it is the thoughts and feedback of the reviewer that are reflected–not the book publicist.

Book sales: Book sales are dependent upon many factors–including how the author performs in an interview, where the book is available for purchase, timing, quality, relevance and how the author maximizes his/her traditional media exposure, to name a few. It is important to keep in mind that as publicists our main goal is to solicit media placements to give the book the best possible chance to sell.

Corinne Liccketto is the Sales & Marketing Manager at Smith Publicity, Inc. Beginning in 1997, Smith Publicity is one of the world’s leading promotional firms, specializing in book publicity. Fueled by a passion for making good things happen for clients, the company has worked with over 900 individuals and companies–from authors and entrepreneurs to publicly-held companies and businesses representing a wide range of industries. The Smith Publicity reach is international with offices in New Jersey, New York City, Los Angeles, and London. For more information about Smith Publicity, Inc., please visit www.smithpublicity.com.

While it seems too early to think about the winter holidays, if you’re interested in having your book placed in the holiday gift guides NOW is the time to get started. If you wait too long, you will miss the boat.

Here are a few general tips submitting your book to holiday gift guides:

1) Know your desired outlets and their submission guidelines: The first step to submitting your book for holiday gift guide consideration is to list the outlets for which you’re most interested in securing coverage and determine their submission guidelines. In most cases, along with a copy of your book, you’ll want to send a personalized cover letter, book release, and author biography. Make sure you follow the guidelines! Editors will not waste their time researching the required information on their own.

2) Know when to pitch: When it comes to holiday gift guide submission, deadlines are crucial. Pitch too early and your book will be forgotten; pitch too late and you won’t even be considered. Now that you have your list, do your due diligence and research the deadline dates of your most desired outlets. Magazines will most likely need submissions by August (early September at the latest) whereas newspapers may require submission only two months before the holiday season. Don’t just pitch to every outlet at once because it’s easier. Respect the media’s deadline dates or else you’ll run the risk of annoying editors and, perhaps, ruin your chance at inclusion.

3) Donate a portion of your holiday sales to charity: Not only is ‘giving back’ the right thing to do, but by donating a portion of your proceeds to charity you’ll increase the appeal of your product. Media contacts can then plug the organization your product benefits. The holiday season is all about giving back, so why not start with your book? It really is a win-win.

4) Position your book as a ‘Great Gift Under $30’: Or $20. Or $15. Whatever the price of your book is, use the hook when you submit for consideration. By encouraging awareness of the cost of your book, you might inspire the editor to include your book in a featured section of the holiday gift guide. The more categories your book fits in to, the higher the chance will be for inclusion.

5) Give a reason why your book is different than others: Does your book recap a hot trend of 2010? Is it eco-friendly? Telling editors why your book is different from others will give it an edge.

Corinne Liccketto is the Sales & Marketing Manager at Smith Publicity, Inc. Beginning in 1997, Smith Publicity is one of the world’s leading promotional firms, specializing in book publicity. Fueled by a passion for making good things happen for clients, the company has worked with over 900 individuals and companies–from authors and entrepreneurs to publicly-held companies and businesses representing a wide range of industries. The Smith Publicity reach is international with offices in New Jersey, New York City, Los Angeles, and London. For more information about Smith Publicity, Inc., please visit www.smithpublicity.com.

For first-time authors or the seasoned pro, this is the absolutely essential how-to for getting publicity—totally updated and expanded. This indispensable guide from a book publicity insider offers everything authors must know to assist their publishers in publicizing, marketing, and promoting their books, including: • Effective networking • Defining a target readership • Creating pitches for talk shows • Getting media coverage • Utilizing the Internet and other outlets • Preparing for interviews and tours • Hiring an independent publicist With totally revised and updated information, advice, and resources, the insiders all agree: “Read this book!”( Ellen Levine, editorial director, Hearst

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The big mistake most people make when trying go get onto “Oprah” is failing to understand that their product, service, cause or issue isn’t a perfect match with Oprah’s audience.

Day after day, I see people with academic topics, or products for the corporate suite, or services for niche audiences trying to compete with the gazillion other Publicity Hounds who are pitching “Oprah.”

Mistake Number Two is sending by snail-mail books or other products they hope will catch the producers’ attention. Oprah’s staff receives an astonishing 200 books per month! Do you know where all of them end up, along with all the other packages? Either in the trash, or the staff donates them to a worthy cause.

Oprah show inundated
Producers don’t have time to wade through the mountains of unsolicited material. Working 12- and 14-hour days, they need to save time wherever they can. So in many cases, they look to a reliable source they can trust: O, The Oprah Magazine. If you’ve been featured in O, the producers know you’ve already passed inspection, so to speak.

For example, Genevieve Piturro, who founded The Pajama Program, a charity that gives new pajamas to needy children, first appeared in O Magazine, and then on “Oprah” in 2007. And what a show it was.

Oprah issued a challenge to the 300 people in the audience to buy and donate pajamas. As a result, the audience brought in more than 32,000 PJs for the charity. As a result of that great segment, producers at Oprah & Friends XM radio booked Piturro for an interview on the radio show.

Sometimes it works the other way around. You can get onto the TV show first, and then appear in the magazine. But because competition for the TV show is so intense, it’s often better to try to get into the magazine first.

O Magazine’s 12 favorite topics

Susan Harrow, who wrote the ebook Get into O Magazine, says editors are looking for about a dozen types of stories and interview subjects when they sift through the thousands of pitches, emails, books and other solicitations:

1. A book that women want to read. (Authors, pay attention.) It must be well-written, moving, funny, dramatic, or it must deal with a topic that Oprah believes women must know about. That’s why you must do your research and watch the show so you understand Oprah’s hot-button topics.

2. Unusual gifts for pets, or a heart-warming story about your relationship with your pet. After the magazine featured BowWowTV, a company that makes DVDs for dogs, Denise Loren was able to get her product into 100 retail outlets.

3. A story about how you inspired some great shift your community.

4. Out-of-the ordinary tips from the experts on how to save money, do good for others, and live to the fullest. After business advisor Stephen Shapiro, author of the book Goal-Free Living: How to Have the Life You Want NOW!, was featured in O Magazine, he got calls from Entrepreneur, Investor’s Business Daily and Family Circle.

5. Breakthroughs in health, anti-aging, dealing with health care and optimal healthful living. When the magazine featured the Heart Center for Women at Rush University Medical Center, patients flocked to the center, says Dr. Annabelle Volgman.

6. A service that has helped thousands of people and that others can use when the economy is bad.

7. A product, service, cause or issue that helps children love in a unique way.

8. Suggestions on how women can stop obsessing over what they want and, instead, start appreciating what they have.

9. How you’ve gotten through some of the toughest times in your life and advice you can share on how other women can do the same.

10. A unique perspective on relationships.

11. New research on a topic that women need to know about. (If you know about the topics Oprah thinks are important, this is an easy one to tie into.)

12. Products that women love and are beautifully packaged. (Some of these could end up as one of “Oprah’s Favorite Things.”)

Susan Harrow also points out that Publicity Hounds with topics that pertain to architecture, living, home decorating, art or creativity might also be able to get into O now that the Hearst Corporation has decided to discontinue O at Home because of declining advertising revenue. Those topics will be moved into O magazine.

Joan Stewart publishes the free ezine “The Publicity Hound’s Tips of the Week,” which gives you valuable tips on how to generate thousands of dollars in free publicity. Subscribe at http://www.PublicityHound.com

You’ve probably seen them: those author interviews where there is no energy and the guest is as placid as the polar ice cap. Or worse: the author is talkative—too talkative—and  runs over the host with wanton disregard. Guests like these are rarely invited back. The key to becoming a media darling and keeping the publicity coming is to be a great interviewee. Here are a few tips to help you do just that:

• Keep it short and sweet: Whether your appearance is in print, radio, television, or otherwise, the publication or broadcast program will have a limited amount of space and airtime allotted for each item. Be respectful and keep your answers brief.
• Develop your talking points: Though questions may vary from interview to interview, there will be some basic questions asked over and over again (e.g., what is your book about, why did you start writing, what advice do you have for writers, etc.). So, develop a few key talking points that you can easily integrate into every interview. Also, customize a few for each venue. This means doing your research before you show up to the interview.
• Mention your book often!: The point of publicity is to get your name and the name of your book out there. Mention your book, website, and contact information often. Here is a short video demonstrating how to easily work that information in to the conversation.
• Dress and act professionally: The majority of a person’s impression of you is formulated before you even open your mouth. To make the best first impression, dress like you care about the interview. If it’s an online or phone interview, make sure your website and social media are professional and clean; be on time and courteous; and don’t tie up the long-distance line any longer than necessary.
• Tempo: Speak quickly enough to finish your talking point, but don’t speak so fast that no one can understand you. Take deep breaths, wait for the host to complete his or her question before answering, and actively listen to yourself so you can catch any acceleration in pace.
• Be gracious: Especially if you are a first-time author, don’t continually correct the host or editor, don’t constantly nag, and by all means say thank you!

Being polite, brief, and professional will take you far with the media. And remember to prepare beforehand so you can work in all of your talking points and sell more books!

Shennandoah Diaz is the Business Development Assistant at Greenleaf Book Group, a publisher and distributor supporting independent authors and small presses. Diaz develops educational materials for authors in addition to managing Greenleaf’s social media, writing case studies and white papers on the publishing industry, and coordinating Austin Publishing University.

So you’ve written a book. You’ve published it (whether traditionally, publish on demand, joint venture, or self published). You finally have this thing that you’ve been working so long and so hard on in print. If you didn’t before, you’ve probably realized by now that the true work begins after your work comes out in print. You’ve probably also figured out or have been told that one of the most important ways to establish your credibility as well as the credibility of your book is to get it reviewed. This includes reviews in publications (both on and offline, local and beyond) as well as on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Reviews? Oh no! You mean that I have to put my work out there for people to actually rate? The short answer is: yes. Despite having gone through all of the trouble to get a book completed and published, I have spoken to many authors, especially new ones, that are afraid of a bad review. Every time they send a query to a reviewer or send a copy after being answered, there is a certain level of fear that seems to be building about what that reader is going to think or write about this project that comprised blood, sweat, and tears.

I have noticed many articles and blogs on handling a bad review, but I think the biggest problem is the emotional worrying. Authors are asking themselves the wrong question. It’s time to change that line of thinking. If you want to inspire confidence from others for you and your work, you need to have the confidence first. So ask yourself, “What if I get a great review?”

Okay, stop laughing, I’m serious. Before you put that book in the mail to send to a reviewer, ask yourself that question instead of its opposite. Think about how you’ll feel when that person puts in writing how great your book is and how much they love it. Imagine them reading it, being called down for dinner by their spouse, but they are simply unable to put the book down as it has totally drawn them in. Picture them showing your book to friends or other reviewers that they know and telling them that you are an up and coming bestseller.

Why do this? Simply put, there’s nothing you can do once you’ve sent the book to a reviewer. Worrying about what they are going to write is just going to cause you stress and drop your own self-confidence. By changing the direction of your thinking, you have a much greater ability to “mail and forget”. If you are allowing yourself to believe that you have a great product, you will naturally radiate that confidence in person as well as in your inquiries. If someone’s first impression of you is a good one, they’re far more likely to give your work a chance than if they see doubt in you.

Above all else, keep in mind this saying:

“I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” – Bill Cosby

Mike Saxton
Author
http://www.7scorpions.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Saxton

1.) Never do a radio interview in your pajamas. Whether you realize it or not, how you sound on the phone is indeed affected by what you are wearing and where you are. If you do an interview on your back deck while sunbathing, chances are you will sound a bit too relaxed and nonchalant and not be on top of your game. Do interviews at your business desk, and wear business casual clothes. Yes, it does make a difference; you’ll sound more focused and serious.

2.) Go old-school and actually send a letter. The dominance of e-mail as a preferred method of communication makes snail mail more valuable. This may not make sense at first glance, but think about it. A hand-addressed envelope sent to a reporter or editor is probably more likely to be opened, percentage wise, that an e-mail. Why? Because it is so relatively rare today.

3.) Watch TV and listen to the radio. If you want to get exposure for your book by securing broadcast interviews, then it makes sense that you should actually watch the types of shows you want be on. Seems like common sense, but many authors don’t do this. Listen to your local talk radio station and get the feel for the rhythm and pacing of radio interviews. Watch TV shows, both locally and nationally, which interview authors. Particularly with TV, you’ll come to appreciate how relatively little time you will actually have on the air, and why you have to be concise in your answers and stay on topic.

4.) Less is more. Whether you’re e-mailing a producer or writing your own press release, follow the “less is more” rule. After you write something, review it again and force yourself to reduce the length. What you’ll find is that you’ll have a release or e-mail that is tight, on target, and covers the most essential elements of your message.

5.) Read The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. As author Malcolm Gladwell says, “The best way to understand the dramatic transformation of unknown books into bestsellers, or the rise of teenage smoking, or the phenomena of word of mouth or any number of the other mysterious changes that mark everyday life is to think of them as epidemics. Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread just like viruses do.”

Sandy Diaz is the President of Smith Publicity, Inc. Beginning in 1997, Smith Publicity is one of the world’s leading promotional firms, specializing in book publicity. Fueled by a passion for making good things happen for clients, the company has worked with over 900 individuals and companies–from authors and entrepreneurs to publicly-held companies and businesses representing a wide range of industries. The Smith Publicity reach is international with offices in New Jersey, New York City, Los Angeles, and London. For more information about Smith Publicity, Inc., please visit www.smithpublicity.com.

Investing time in finding the right public relations practitioner, (or firm ) can definitely be worth it in the long run. In a crowded field, searching can be a daunting task. However, you should not give up entirely, or settle for the first candidate that comes along. It pays to be educated about how to analyze a firm or freelance practitioner. I’ve pulled together some important elements you should look for in a consultant.

You will need to examine the level of consulting skills the public relations practitioner is armed with because much of your interaction will be around the area of preventing and solving problems your company is faced with, increasing the bottom line, keeping your profile high, and a myriad of other tasks.

Creativity: The ability to offer new options and solutions will be a valuable skill for a PR pro to possess. In your day to day operations you will encounter situations that will require the attention of a creative mind.

Perhaps you are promoting a book, and need cost-effective ideas to do a book tour. Take Dora for example, she is an author of a self-published book, and has not rasied enough capital to travel from city to city. Her publicist pulled together a virtual book tour for 30 days whereby she can promote her book via blogs, and live webcasts at a fraction of the cost of a physical book tour.

Knowledgeable: A PR pro with an In depth knowledge of the issues your company needs to address, will be an asset to your business. For example, when your company wants to develop a communications plan, a knowledgeable PR pro will initiate a research phase for your project whereby they can ascertain with your input:

• the targets you want to reach
• what you want the targets to do
• what led to the situation your company is in.

The research phase is crucial to a well-developed plan because it will help your company define problems and audiences that can be instrumental in sorting out potential problems.

Vision: A well-trained and experienced PR pro will offer the vision to see beyond the obvious, and suggest new possibilities and horizons. This skill is invaluable in order for a business to grow and thrive.

Visit Jackie O’Neal online: http://onealmediagroup.presskit247.com
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