Building Media Lists for Book Reviews

When it comes to promoting your book using public relations as a platform to extend your reach is a solid way to go. One of the most simple ways to generate buzz and create awareness is through book reviews. By developing a list of media outlets and key influencers you can appeal to targeted journalists and bloggers that have the ability to offer insight and feedback to others about your newly published body of work. Here’s how you can get started.

Begin by building a customized list of potential contacts. The recipients should be a blend of general and well-known book critics, as well as off-the-beaten-path reviewers that are more prone to reading and writing about niche authors. Beyond building a database of reviewers consider including bookstore owners/buyers, trade associations and specialty stores too.

Good places to look for contacts are the National Book Critics Circle and BookMarket.com’s list of review editors. You can tailor your list of well-known reviewers and also dig around on the net for some of the lesser known critics to fill in any gaps on your list.

Send out a letter, or email, of introduction that briefly describes who you are and what you book is about. Like most book-related correspondence don’t forget to include a hook that will entice the recipient to yearn for more. Explain how they can receive a complimentary copy of your book and about how long it will take for the shipment to arrive. Some outlets will only review galley copies, or early manuscripts that have yet to be edited. Be prepared to accommodate these requests if necessary.

Another group that can be tapped to solicit reviews from are the mentions within the book itself. If your book talks about companies, businesses, locations or specific people you can reach out to them and let them know that you’ve created free PR and would appreciate reciprocation. Use this opportunity as part of your PR efforts and to generate backlinks to your online book page.

Since it’s often difficult to know who’s reviewing and what they’re saying about your book, youo’ll want to use Google Alerts to set-up notifications based on chosen keywords. This will help you monitor links and coverage about your book so that you can collect and use as testimonial and reference on your book’s website.

Press Release Tips

Using a press release to alert the media, bloggers and the search engines about business news and happenings is a fantastic way to drum up some interest and exposure. The thing about press releases is that their content is structured very differently from a blog post or article. By following a few simple guidelines you’ll be able to create a solid press release that can work to your advantage.

For all the authors out there this next mention will sound familiar. Just like a query letter, your press release needs to have a great headline. The purpose is to hook the interest of the reader, but also be succinct and direct at the same time. The headline should summarize what the press release about, but be catchy enough to entice further reading. Important: don’t include jargon or slang in your headline.

When you begin writing the body, or content of your press release, remember to stick to the facts. Press releases should contain a who, what, where, when and why. Additionally, they need to be written in a third-person voice and should be kept free of opinion. Editorializing should be avoided. Think of the release just like a news reporter would approach a story. Personal opinion is pushed aside so that people can make conclusions on their own. This is true with how your present the content in your release.

There are many different press release distribution sites on the Internet. To get a good sense of the style and tone of a release do some browsing on the web. Soon enough you’ll be able to distinguish between good and not so good, plus you’ll get a better understanding of how the components work synergistically to develop an informative piece.

The last part of your press release should be your boilerplate. The boilerplate is standard on every release and once you’ve written yours you will use it on all your releases going forward. It should contain a four to five sentences about who you are, your website and any other relevant information, such as a social media address or blog site. Boilerplates aren’t fancy, they simply summarize who the press release pertains to.

Visit corporate newsrooms to see good press release examples and to get inspired to write your own.

Press Release Writing Tips For Authors

All the talented writers in the world aren’t worth a penny put together unless they can get their written works published and get people to purchase them. The best way to get exposure and create awareness is through publicity. Generating buzz about a book and attracting the attention of publishers and the media can be accomplished with a press release. Make sure your press release gets read with these helpful tips:

1. Single page. Unfortunate, but true, we live in a world of sound bytes and ‘want-it-yesterdays’. Publishers and media contacts are busy people who have little time to comb through hundreds of multiple page press releases. Limit your press release to one page to gain a better chance of it being read.
2. Catchy headline. All press releases have a headline that sums up the entire release in a few well chosen words. This is an opportunity to shine and show off your creative side. Think about headlines that you see in newspapers and make your headline count. Get their attention and they’ll want to read more and know more.
3. No first person. Your press release needs to read as if it came from an objective third-party. Write in in the present tense and stay away from jargon and slang.
4. Dynamic first paragraph. Here’s where the magic happens. Hook your reader’s attention by highlighting what the book is about in a sentence or two and including a few chapter titles. This is the paragraph that readers will use to determine whether they’re interested in pursuing you and your book and giving you the coverage that you want.
5. Author’s bio. This is where having a short and sweet bio come in handy. If you’ve created a book jacket bio for yourself, this is an ideal place for you to use it. In fact, you may need to apply additional edits to keep it no longer than a paragraph. It’s extremely important to include your phone number and email address in this section for contact information. This is how you’ll be reached schedule interviews or for clarification of your press release.

Don’t forget to follow-up with your contacts a few days after you deliver the press release to ensure that they’ve received it. Using these press release tips will help you construct a newsworthy piece that is concise, relevant and ready for media coverage.

How To Write A Bio With Branding In Mind

Writing your own bio can be challenging, but making it a true branding piece that showcases your talents can be downright intimidating. It’s tough to talk about yourself and make it marketable at the same time. Being a gifted writer doesn’t necessarily make the task any more simple. A successful bio that doubles as a branding tool doesn’t have to be hard to compose. Incorporating a few essentials will make the difference between ho-hum and home run.

First and foremost, always write a bio in the third person. Not only does it appear more professional, but it gives credibility to what’s being shared because it reads as if it were coming from an outside source. So pack up the first person voice and send it on vacation. If creating a bio in third person is too taxing, consider having a friend or colleague write the first draft. It just might be the push needed to get things moving in the right direction.

Second, practice enforcing the KISS principle for this branding project. An acronym that means ‘keep it simple silly’, KISS will help maintain focus and keep your bio on track. In other words, sharing too much detail and you’ll end up derailing. The difference between a bio and a biography boils down to length. Bios are succinct, small pieces on a single page, whereas a biography has the potential to shame Tolstoy’s famed work.

The third bio branding tip relates to overall content. For starters, create a hook to draw in readers. You want them craving for more, not thinking you’re such a bore. Give your bio a marketing edge by incorporating an endorsement from a colleague, celebrity or industry expert. Avoid fancy, flowery language. Instead, convey a sense of personality through words and simple English. Tell a story about the brand You using action words and anecdotes.

Your bio can be a powerful tool if it’s built correctly. Make it work to your advantage. Keep the tone upbeat, fresh and interesting. A bio doesn’t have to be boring, but it does need to verbally present your brand identity. Save jargon and clichés for a rainy day and start marketing yourself as the expert that you are.

Want more help? See my video tutorial HELP REWRITE MY BORING BIO

PR tips: how to prepare for a media interview

Small business owners and entrepreneurs understand the value of free publicity. Every Marketing Strategy and Marketing Plan should include public relations. Creating a public relations campaign that scores you interviews from the press is vital to Word of Mouth Marketing and bolsters any Social Media Plan.

My PR campaigns are often tied to current and relevant small business and internet marketing news. So when I wrote an article explaining the fallout from the credit crunch on small business owners trying to get funding, reporters came knocking.

If any journalist contacts you, be prepared. Luckily, when a journalist from Fortune Small Business Magazine contacted me, I knew enough to know I needed to prepare some talking points, but what other knowledge would I need to make the most of this opportunity?

I turned to my friend Joan Stewart, The Publicity Hound for help. Here is what she said.

Be aware of the type of media format the journalist is working for. Joan pointed out to me that my talking points for Broadcast media (Radio, TV, Podcast) would have a different edge than my talking points for print media. In a broadcast media situation, I would want to create sound bites that drove home my message. Broadcast media requires you to be clear and concise.

In this case, I am talking to a journalist from print media. Therefore, I am allowed a little bit more leeway to discuss my messages with the journalist.

To prepare, take these steps.

• First, you want to prepare a list of talking points. Create a key message. This message should align with both be reporters story and your angle.
• Next, you want to prepare three sub key messages that are interesting and relate back to your key message. Don’t however make the mistake of thinking that means your sub message is factual support for your key message or a repeat of it somehow. Your sub message needs to add value just as creatively as your key message.
• Create a list of tips for the reporter. Give references such as websites where readers or viewers can do further research.
• Have examples ready.

Before the interview closes, Joan listed questions I should be sure to ask the reporter.

1.      Do you need other sources?

2.      What other information do you need?

3.      Do you need a photo?

4.      Do you need a sidebar?*

5.      May I invite you to call on me in the future about these topics (insert your specialties here)?

In my case, I also wanted to make sure that the reporter would mention my website. So, I offered to make one of my relevant White Papers free to their readers with a password from the article. This drives traffic to my site, builds my list, and adds value for the reporter. This is one of my favorite Public Social Media tactics.

SIDEBAR: Sometimes reporters will have the space to do a “story within/related to a story”. This is called a sidebar. If you have a point that’s related to the story but would take a lot of space to explain, offer to write a sidebar for the reporter. Score some extra points!