Press releases and free publicity

HOW TO GRAB THE MEDIA BY THE BALLS
TO PROMOTE YOUR WEB SITE, YOUR
PRODUCT, AND YOUR SELF PUBLISHED BOOK.

by Phil Wiley

USE THE MEDIA. Unless you attract some media Attention your book (or other product/service) is likely to drift into a silent death.

This is a generalisation. Some books have sold Extremely well without achieving any publicity except word of mouth - but I can't, for the life of me, remember any of their titles.

Why do you need media attention?

Because, unless you spend a fortune in advertising, very
few people will know your book exists. For "attention" read "publicity". Whenever you're mentioned in the media it's free publicity.

Here's how to attract all the media coverage you could ever want:

YOU GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT.

And that's a good story.

I've worked on monthly magazines, weekly newspapers, and daily newspapers. I know journalists. I am one.
Journalists hate writing free "advertorials" and won't do
it just because the advertising department would like them to. So unless the newspaper is one of those free weeklies which write about every business which buys an advert, you won't get editorial coverage unless you come up with a news angle.

Ask youself why your book is newsworthy. What's different about my book to the hundreds of others
published this week?

"It's the only book ever published on...." you might say.

That's not likely is it? There's probably dozens of books
on the very same subject.

"It's about making money online..."

Okay, that's newsworthy at the moment, but it's not good enough.

What's different about it? "I'm making lots of money online myself and I show people exactly how to do it themselves..."

Yes, that's it. You're making money yourself online. That still passes for news, though the day will come soon when it's commonplace.

"It's about growing vegetables..."

So what's interesting and newsworthy about that?

"It's about growing giant vegetables which will win any
gardening competition..."

Better.

"It's about growing giant vegetables, which will win any
gardening competition, and I know because I'm the 1997 World Champion Carrot King"

Now your book is news.

Ok, suppose your book is nothing special. All is not lost.
If your book isn't special what about you? Is there something newsworthy about you? When you're written
about, talked about, filmed for television, it also Promotes your book.

Did you learn to write in jail?

Have you spent 30 years in a mental hospital?

Do you have a famous ancestor?

Had an affair with a famous rock star or politican?

Was your uncle a notorious axe murderer?

There's got to be something different about you. We've all got something tucked away if we think about it. Come up with an angle and pitch it to the journalists:

"Hey, my uncle was a serial killer and now I've written a book about breakfast cereals."

"I've only got one leg and I've written a book about running."

"I used to s-s-s-stutter and now I've written a book of one line gags for after-dinner speeches."

Think for a while. What's different about you or your book. Make a list, as wild as you like. Write down whatever comes into your head. (that's what I'm doing). Ok you've come up with a news angle.

Now what?

PRESS RELEASES

- how to write them, and when to send them.

Keep it short and to the point. don't ramble. Use short
sentences and paragraphs. Concentrate on the news angle you've come up with.

Come up with a good headline. The purpose of the press release is not to tell your story. It's sole purpose is to attract the attention of whichever journalist is assigned the task of going thorugh that days pile of releases. You've got to make that journalist stop and read your release. Most of them don't get read. The headline and first paragraph are boring. They don't immediately click as newsworthy. They get thrown in the bin without another glance.

If your press release grabs a journo's attention he'll most likely pass it on to another journalist and tell her/him to phone you.

So you'd better be by your phone waiting for that call.
They're busy people. More news comes up all the time.
If you're not in they might not phone again.

So should you send a copy of your book with the press release. Most people do, but personally I wouldn't. I'd buck the trend.

When a book comes in, and dozens do every week, it's probably given to the book writer and sits in his big pile of unread books. If you're lucky it will be given a short review. But that's it. No story. No news coverage. No photo. And a photo is important. Photo's attract attention to the stories.

Here's what I'd do: send a great press release telling
them why they'd be crazy not to interview you. Telling them where and when you'll be available for a photo and story.

Not something like: "I'll expect you at 44 My Street, at 11am on tuesday...please bring a photographer."

More along the lines of: " My world champion carrot will be carted off in a wheelbarrow to feed the children at the hospital if you don't get around here soon. Please phone me urgently to arrange a time and place for an interview..."

To feed the children at the hospital....? It's a newsworthy gimmick? It's visual? And so is carting the carrot in a wheelbarrow. It makes the journo think " PICTURE story. This is worth covering. I'd better phone now."

You get the idea?

OK, THAT'S THE MEDIA OUT OF THE WAY. HERE ARE A
FEW BONUS PARAGRAPHS ON WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO.

One of the most dynamic forms of self-promotion is direct contact with an actual or potential audience. Everyone you come in contact with is a potential reader.

Try and be entertaining. Becomer a performer.

Everywhere, anytime, be ready to talk about your book.

* talk about your book at local schools.

* contact organisers of festivals regarding speaking or
reading.

* set up display stands at festivals, fetes, fairs, markets.

* organise readings and signings in bookshops and public libraries.

* organise readings, signing, displays, etc, in stores which sell things your book is about. Eg, gardening stores for your vegetable book.

Do up fliers and posters. Post them everywhere you can. The library, local bookstores, coffee shops.

What else can you do? Direct mail of course. (But that will have to be another story). And market it on the Internet. (Again another story, but you know it anyway. Here it is in a short paragraph....

SET up a web site with promotional material and book excerpts, promote the web site with search engines,
email, newsgroups, and by advertising in online newsletters like this one, have an order form on one of your web pages, and make sure you can take credit cards.

Whole books have been written on gaining publicity for your self published book, so I can't cover it all here. But I hope these tips have helped.

If you want to learn a whole lot more I suggest you get hold of a copy of Trash Proof News Releases
which is the best book I've read yet on making your press releases work for maximum free publicity.