Welcome to this week’s One Thing Marketing where we talk about that “One Thing” you can do this week to build your platform, connect with readers/reviewers and snag some attention for you and your latest book or WIP.
Last week we talked about a writer’s mission statement. How did you do coming up with a Brand Promise, Tagline and Emotional Relevance? This week we’ll tackle the press release.
A press release is an announcement of your new book. The trick is making the announcement as compelling as your book is, and that takes a slightly different touch.
It’s a simple formula merely to put together a proper press release for your book.
In the first paragraph, include the following:
- Title
- ISBN number
- Publisher
- Author
- Price
Then in the body of the release, include the following:
- Brief summary of the book
- Picture of the jacket
But all that doesn’t make it compelling.
If you do nothing else with your “proper” press release, you must give it a headline that hooks the recipient who is looking through a pile of unopened emails—in many cases, emails about someone else’s new book. (Gone are the old days of faxing a press release.) If your headline catches a reader’s eye such that they open your email—you are halfway to getting publicity for your book.
Effective headlines may mimic a news story. “Amish principles work for today’s family.” “[Famous Person] reacts to frightening statistic.” If you’re lucky, your newsy headline will reflect a current event: “Journalist finds strength in captivity.”
Brainstorm a bunch of these and since the main headline will be the subject header of your email, keep the length on the short side. Use a subhead to elaborate.
When composing your headline, consider your target audience. If your book is niche, your niche reviewers will love seeing a mention of it up front, such as love for romance readers. War reference or historical character for history buffs. God for religious reviewers. Your target audience may get excited about a new author—mention it, if you think that would move them.
Now that your release has been opened, you have the first few paragraphs to lure the reader into reading the whole thing. These paragraphs will contain a summary of the plot or content. If your publisher has written summaries for you, utilize their wordsmithing. There is a fine line between going on too long and getting to the point too quickly. Find the middle ground that engages the reader but doesn’t waste his or her time. Don’t be redundant just to add verbiage, and be mindful of the length of your release. If it seems too long at a glance, the reader may prejudge the content as too much trouble.
Now create a quote about how you feel about a character or your motivation behind writing the book. That’ll be your next paragraph. Sum up, and make a final captivating statement about your book.
The rest of your release will include a brief biographical paragraph about the author and a handful of suggested interview questions for reviewers who might like to feature an interview with you. This way you take all the work out of someone giving you free publicity. Questions could cover motivation, research, characters, genre, or personal information.
Have you received endorsements or critical acclaim? Use them! They are very versatile. Depending on their inherent value, they could be part of a headline or a subheading. You could work part of a quote into the body. Otherwise, list the best written ones after the main body of the release. Don’t be afraid to edit quotes for length and impact.
And never forget your call to action: “To request a review copy of My Best Book Ever, schedule So-And-So for an interview, or for more information, please contact ________.”
A good press release is within your grasp as a good writer. You already know your recipients want to read the book—you just have to tell them.
Visit the Litfuse Archive Page
Christy Anderson is a media specialist at Litfuse Publicity Group in Seattle, Wash., a firm that provides a wide variety of services for authors, ranging from blog tours, media PR, social media launch parties, interactive websites, blog development, personal assistants, direct mail, event planning, marketing, and more. Learn more at www.LitfuseGroup.com.