It’s all very well writing an article for a magazine, but how can you find out whether your message is engaging the right people and having the desired impact? Executive communications specialist Mindy Gibbins-Klein suggests that the first step to successful communication is accepting that writing very likely to be a one-way approach, at least at first…

A business colleague said something astounding the other day. He said he would rather speak to an audience of ten people than write for an audience of a thousand. I thought that sounded a bit strange, so I challenged him on it. It turned out that he had written an article for a magazine with a good circulation, but he hadn’t had any feedback at all from it. He felt he had spent his time crafting a wonderful, informative piece that no one appreciated. He also felt that if that message had been delivered in person, he could have seen the response from people immediately, in their eyes and their body language.

It’s true, what my colleague said, so how can we justify putting time into writing when we don’t get feedback? That, my friend, is the nature of writing. Sometimes you get to find out what your readers think of your material, and many times you don’t. It’s my view that we have to be OK with the fact that writing is one-way until we get a response, and we must continue to put good material into the market. There are some excellent guidelines for one- way communication that I have seen business experts use to their advantage. Here are my favourites:

1. Keep your outcome in mind at all times.

Hone your message according to what you have to say as well as what your reader needs to hear and decide what kind of information you are imparting. For example, if you need to teach people with your writing, you may choose a different style from writing which aims to influence or persuade. Make whatever you write clear.

2. Deliver your message as passionately and authentically as if you were speaking.

I prefer to see writing as an extension of speaking, and in fact, for people who will not get the opportunity to hear you in person or even on the phone, your writing must do the same job. It has become very trendy to write conversationally, spurred on by the advent of blogging and newsletters. That style can be used effectively in books and articles as well. It’s no secret that one of my favourite authors is marketing guru Seth Godin. I love the in-your- face, direct style he uses. It feels like he’s in my living room talking to me one on one. It seems from his book sales that others also respond to that style. And it happens to be the way I prefer to write, in case you hadn’t noticed!

3. Get feedback.

That may sound like it contradicts what I said earlier. Actually, there are some clever mechanisms to get people interacting with you, even though you are not there. You can get them to go to a web page and complete a survey – with or without an incentive. You can put an email address at the bottom of the piece, asking for comments – again, with or without an incentive. This can work equally well for books. I get a lot of clients excitedly planning to include CDs with their books, until I show them how they can still give away free CDs and capture people contact details and feedback at the same time. Never include bonuses with your book when you could engage with readers and get some indication of how many people read it and liked it at the same time. That’s plenty for you to be getting on with. If you know your subject and deliver your message well, if you write powerfully and authentically, they will listen. And they may even respond. Let me know all about your success by writing to me at mindy@bookmidwife. com – I offer lots of fabulous bonuses for my readers

Is Old Media still relevant in today’s social media world in terms of getting publicity that helps you make sales?

You bet.

While it is great to get mentioned on blogs and social media sites, Old Media or Mainstream Media is still the place to be to get results.

Here are 5 reasons to include Old Media in your publicity and marketing campaigns:

1. Credibility. If the New York Times likes your product or service, you get instant credibility. I could name 100 other mainstream publications that you’d love to get into so your product, book or service gets the ringing endorsement of a trusted source.
2. Visibility. Newspapers, TV and radio still reach millions of people every day. While we all like to get some of our news online, you can’t ignore the impac t of traditional media sites and their incredible reach into mainstream America.
3. Reprintability. Let’s face it. Nothing stands out in marketing kit or sales kit like a reprint from a newspaper or magazine. It demands to be great and it smacks of credibility. I’m seeing more and more websites feature logos of old media companies that have written about those authors and small businesses. That should tell you something: people are influenced and impressed by Old Media.
4. Links to your site. Nearly all content from nearly all Old Media is printed on the web. Oftentimes, those articles have links to your websites, or are otherwise indexed by Google and other search engines. So if someone is searching for your type of business, they very well may learn about your from a reference in the Old Media on their web site. That’s a great introduction. In fact, I had one client who was named one of the top 20 entrepreneurs of the year by Entrepreneur magazine. When you search her name, the first listing is the link to Entrepreneur, not her own website. Can you imagine how much confidence and credibility she just received? Anyone searching for her can see that she has the implied endorsement of a top magazine! That’s a great way to start a conversation.
5. Ego. Would you rather say that someone Tweeted about you or that the Boston Globe printed a review of your book and included a picture of the cover? I rest my case.

None of this discussion even hints that new media is not worthwhile. It truly is. However, the torch has not been passed from one generation of news hounds to the next – at least not yet. Good publicity practices should include Old Media as well as New Media so you and your clients get the most publicity possible.

One tactic that I’ve found to be indispensable in getting my clients links from media sites is to distribute press releases. Many top media sites will print press releases word-for-word so you control the message. The benefits of doing this include getting links to your site, creating screen shots of your press release on famous sites to build your credibility and the visibility of reaching the audiences of those publications.

The Los Angeles Times called Dan Janal “an Internet marketing expert” who helps professionals build their businesses with publicity and Internet marketing tactics. To learn more about Dan’s coaching and consulting services, go to http://www.PRLEADSPLUS.com. For a free report on how to get your message printed in top tier media websites, go to http://www.prleadsplus.com/toptiermedia/

Promotion is a must in any writer’s career and online venues are one of the fastest growing mediums. If you’re a recently published author – self or traditionally published – you have to promote yourself to get your name out into the public. If you’re a previously published author, you have to promote to keep your name out in the public.

Book promotion is a constant as a writer. In fact, its how you get people to know about you and read your writing, and readers are what writers and authors really love.

Online magazine promotion is one form of promoting your books or writing that can be a great marketing tool. If done right it can be highly effective. There are five general ways that you can promote your books or writing using online magazines, all of which will help you promote your book or writing.

1. Paid Advertisement or Classified Ad – Every magazine, even those on the web, is always looking for advertisement. It’s how they pay their bills. Likewise, many magazines have a classifieds section. You can use either one of these avenues to help you promote your books. Check out their rates and see what packages fit into your budget. If they don’t have anything that works with your budget, contact them, and see if they have any specials for the month or can offer you a promotional deal that won’t break you. Often, the classifieds are free or extremely cheap and they are read by your target audience – subscribers of the magazine.

2. Monthly Columnist – Some online magazines look for monthly columnists. This is your chance to write about the special topic only you know about. Share your wisdom with their readership and at the end of your column don’t forget your bio, which can include a short blurb about your latest book and a link to your site/blog. Check out your favorite online magazines and see if they’re in the need for a columnist or send an intro letter to the editor and offer your services.

3. Contribute an Article – If the online magazine doesn’t need a regular columnist, they are always looking for new content. They normally allow you to feature a byline and a short bio. This is an excellent way to share your knowledge with readers. It will introduce your writing abilities and place your name in reader’s minds. Use a query letter or email to approach an online magazine.

4. Host a Workshop – Some online magazines like to host special events for their readers. Workshops are a good way to introduce yourself and your book. Do you have a skill you can teach? Readers are looking for new things to learn. You can be the person who offers these types of workshops. You might even make a few extra dollars in the process, or be invited to speak or teach in other avenues.

5. Visitor/Member Community – Don’t underestimate making a comment or becoming a member of a magazine community – often called a forum. Members like meeting other members. Some magazines offer extra perks to their members, such as free promotions for being a member.

Make comments on the magazine’s blog and make sure to always include your links. This is a good way for readers to learn about you and if they’re curious, they click through to your site.

Online magazine promotion is worth the cost:

• You reach your niche market.
• Most promotions are archived, so it’s not just a one time promotion.
• Your promotion can be viewed by readers for a whole year or more.
• You build your reputation as an expert on certain topics.
• New readers learn about you and your book.
• You build a network with different online editors.

Check out your favorite online magazines and see how they can help you reach new readers and promote your books or writing.

Peter N. Jones is the Director of the Bauu Institute and Press. He is also the Editor of Indigenous Peoples Issues & Resources. More book marketing tips and online promotion resources can be found on the Bauu Institute and Press Marketing page here: Marketing Your Writing and Books Online. For comments or questions you can reach Peter via email at pnj@bauuinstitute.com.