Saturday, December 31, 2016

What Will Get People Interested in Your Book?



Good plot, strong characters, great writing, credentialed author. Boom, people should want to buy your book.  The media should interview you. But it doesn’t always go according to plan.  Same with non-fiction:  great subject, timely book, well-researched, great writing, solid author credentials. But no guarantee anyone will give a crap about you or your book.  So what will it take to get some attention?

Publicity.

Any effort to get attention for your book will yield results, even a short, poorly executed, campaign.  But if you put some thought and effort into it, you’ll come away successfully.

First, answer these questions so that you learn how you come across to others:

·         How do you think others perceive you?
·         Is your opinion respected?
·         Do others find you agreeable?
·         How well do you respond to the questions of others?
·         Do you do a good job of picking up on clues, leads, or hints from the other person?
·         Do you take the lead in the conversation?
·         Do you come off as pompous, righteous, overbearing, or obnoxious?
·         How well do you connect with others?
·         Do people see you as a giver or taker?
·         Are you seen as smart, knowledgeable, capable?
·         Do you make others feel comfortable or confident in you?
·         Do you make friendly gestures and appear to be giving?

Second, do you communicate effectively, especially in your written and verbal exchanges?  Do you, do this when you pitch the media:

·         Provide a solid solution to something
·         Offer bullet-point benefits
·         Raise questions
·         Use relevant metaphors
·         Play on words – rhymes, puns, etc.
·         Provide short anecdotes
·         Employ humor
·         Make a bold claim or offer good ideas
·         Express passion, concern, sincerity
·         Supply key facts, numbers and graphics
·         Use wit, humor or sarcasm
·         Offer a historical perspective on a timely issue
·         Use description and color
·         Challenge others
·         Present a hypothetical that could be real
·         Combine things not normally associated with each other
·         Shock them with a startling statement
·         Request the reader/media act now
·         Lend insight to a moral dilemma
·         Comment on news events or celebrities
·         Attack a known entity or rail against the circumstances of the day
·         Make a bold prediction.
·         Identify a major trend.
·         Make an emotional plea.
·         Say something unusual.
·         Issue a warning.
·         Support a charitable cause.
·         Debate something that seems undeniable.
·         Use a few words and one stunning visual
·         Quote a news outlet to highlight an issue’s significance
·         Beg -- use guilt, anger or other emotional pulls

If you communicate well and remain aware of how you come off to others, you should find success in promoting your book.

All-New 2017 Book Marketing & PR Toolkit 

Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2016 ©. Born and raised in Brooklyn, now resides in Westchester. Named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby 

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.