Have you sent out a Press Release Yet?
by
Nick Thorne
Once
you have written your book and have self-published it how are you now
going to get the thing to sell?
Well you can hope that the books page of a national paper with millions
of readers picks it up and runs a favourable review of it. You could
contact the advertising department of the same newspaper and its rivals
and place some paid for advertisements. But if I were you I would try
to get some free PR not only as it costs you less but it will be better
received by the readers.
Most newspapers and magazines are looking for copy to fill the pages
in between the advertising, that makes them the money. If you have an
interesting story to tell about your book then use your writing skills
to issue a press release and send it to the Editor. The advice I was
given was to always find out the name of the Editor, by ringing the
publication if you have to. Once you have their name use it to send
to them personally your press release. If you are able to get it you
will find that free publicity will out rank any bought space you take
in a publication. Why is this? Well it is often taught to marketing
students that the readers of magazines and newspapers give more credence
to what is written in an article than what is said in an obviously paid
for advertisement in the same publication. Most readers do not realise
that the reporters do not write everything themselves and they would
probably be shocked that sometimes a press release will be printed almost
word for word.
I once phoned a features editor to try and get a piece done on some
creative work done by a man I was helping promote. At first I was told
that they were not interested until, by talking a little, she realised
that there was an interesting angle. The man was in his early eighties
and was financing his travels around the world in his retirement by
his work. When the article came out it was almost word for word copy
of my press release about him and with photograph covered half a page.
Now how much would that have cost from the advertising department?
You should take a look at the articles that they publish and then try
to write your press release in the tone used by the journal that you
are sending it to. This will help the hard-pressed sub-editor from having
to rewrite it to match their house style before using it. This may well
help decide if your press release gets used at all, so it is important.
There is more advice for new authors in the Write Your Way To Freedom
manual and 3 Audio CD pack that my company has compiled for the new
author/self-publisher. We are booksellers of 19 years experience and
are passionate about books. Having gathered advice, from other experts
in the book industry, we packaged it along with some resources on good
English and other helpful information on writing and then selling a
book. By doing this we are hoping to encourage authors to bring to the
marketplace new books or all genre.
Ready to purchase the Write Your Way To Freedom package yet?
Go to: www.WriteYourWayToFreedom.com
Over 120 pages of material in a 4 ring binder file plus 3 audio CDs.
Includes:
- Write a novel in ten weeks
- The Lost Art of English
- Interview with an Author
- Interview with a Publisher's Rep
- A bookshop buyer spills the beans