Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Tips for Indie Authors

How to do traditional PR.

- Apply the above principles when you call your local paper and ask for a review or interview. Remember you have two hometowns – your current one and the one where you grew up.

- Don’t overlook the local cable station when you’re out pitching.

- Think hard about your target audience. Who does your book appeal to? If there’s a military slant, for instance, pitch the local military bases.

- Book clubs are terrific. Offer yourself up for Q & A if they choose your book. This is a great to make some sales and hone your pitch. Especially if you encourage penetrating questions.

- Position yourself as an expert and go speak about self-publishing. There are lots of possible venues, including community bookstores and university writing classes. You can also write about writing and self-publishing for other sites and hard-copy pubs, which will raise your visibility.

- Last, a noun and a verb for all you writers. Build a brand and then brand everything from your traditional press release to your Twitter profile. Invest the time and resources to do it right, and be aware that every item that goes out bearing your name could open an opportunity or ruin your credibility.

If you think “traditional” PR is stale and old-fashioned, think again. These are the hard steps, the ones that get you to the top of the slide. Then you can sit back and start enjoying the ride. (Read entire article.)
Share

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Wow, it really is a whole new ball game, isn't it?