Considering your budget, one of the most critical decisions for a first-time author is whether to hire professional book marketing services. It’s a given they can help virtually every author. However, if hiring a publicist is not financially feasible, you may need to take on the marketing as a do-it-yourself project. If you choose this route, remember that marketing requires full-time dedication around your publication date. It’s not something that can be done sporadically with much expectation for success, especially when you’re acting as your own publicist and handling outreach and media interviews.
Before beginning the media contact process, you must launch a website and professionalize your social media posts. These platforms should provide information about your writing and pique the interest of your target readers without coming across as too sales-oriented. Creating an engaging online persona is an excellent opportunity to build relationships with fans. Once you have these completed, you can develop a press release about your book, ensuring that it is concise, easy to read, and effectively conveys the importance of the information. Including subheadings can also help guide the reader.
Good email presentation skills are crucial, as this is how you’ll send your release to media professionals. For instance, keep subject lines at a reasonable length to improve readability and pique curiosity. Your first goal is to get people to open your email, the second is to get them to read your message, and the third is to open and read your press release. If you manage to get this far, your chances of securing coverage significantly improve, and you’ve started a new media relationship. If your email is initially overlooked, you can consider sending it again after a week as an appropriate follow-up.
If you opt to use regular mail, make sure to mark the outside of the envelope with the requested information for anyone you’ve already spoken with. Organize the inside materials so the headline is visible as the papers are removed from the envelope. Minor improvements like these can improve your chances of coverage over time. The objective is to simplify the process for those who receive your information. You want to make a good impression and keep the recipient focused on your pitch – anything that diminishes clarity or convenience can potentially harm your prospects.