Author Advice - Promotion Opportunities

While every book and every author is different there are a number of opportunities common for all of us seeking to promote our Instant-Books Editions. Promotion Opportunities that involve meeting with people will be helped if you have a printed copy of your book available at the interview; trying to explain the concept of Instant-Books as well as promote your own book only dilutes your message. Have your pages bound at a copy shop including the cover design; I have the pages punched and plastic comb bound with a clear front plastic sheet and coloured back sheet, it makes professional looking product for less than a fiver.

Here are opportunities Ros and myself, and our DWG Authors, have taken up in recent times:-

  • Local Radio, especially BBC Local Radio. Many radio presenters like to include local news and personalities in their shows. Before approaching your local radio station do listen to the programmes so that you get to know the presenters. Write a short snappy and positive letter explaining your book project, and if you can call in at the station to ask their advice so much the better. Try to meet the presenter before going live ‘on air’ so that they know about your project and know what to ask.
  • Local Newspapers. Editors are always looking for interesting articles that they can use to keep the adverts apart. As with radio send a letter, or call, first. Make it easy for the editor to make an article out of your news by providing a synopsis of yourself and your book; again a printed and bound copy of your Instant-Books Edition is useful and means they can photograph you with your book.
  • Technical and Special Interest Magazines. If your Instant-Books Edition is about a specialist subject then the magazines read by aficionados of that subject is your most profitable Self-Promotion opportunity. If possible go to the magazine’s office to explain your project; printed and bound copy useful again.
  • Internet Newsgroups. Very useful for spreading the word but be careful how you approach as most Newsgroups are not just non-commercial they can be positively anti-commercial; or perhaps its just the Newsgroups I subscribe to. Check in relevant Newsgroups to see if anyone is enquiring along the same lines as are covered in your Instant-Books Edition. If they are, or rather when they are, then reply to the person rather than post in the Newsgroup unless you want to be ‘flamed down’. Remember that posting on Newsgroups can make people anti your project so tread carefully.
  • Search the Web. Assuming your Instant-Books Edition book will help somebody do something, or make them a better person, then why not see who might be interested in buying your Instant-Books Edition book. Try refining your web search so that you get quickly to web sites that are relevant. Most sites will have an e-mail contact so prepare a standard e-mail describing how your Instant-Books Edition book might help them, customise the header to the person you are e-mailing, and then send.
  • Be Polite. Whichever media you are approaching always be polite, take your time explaining your Instant-Books Edition book in terms that people understand. Be positive in your style and delivery, especially important if you are on radio or television so train yourself. Never, ever, be rude to or angry at the people you are talking to even if they try to provoke you; simply walk away from any confrontation. If you ever commit the PR Sin of saying something like ‘Well I’ll never listen to your show again!’ you know that you have completely lost the plot!!!!!

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