■Publicityattention, <strong>the</strong> public’s attention, and <strong>the</strong> media’s attention—should be carefully orchestrated around a book’s release date.The release date also puts a time stamp on <strong>the</strong> material. Like<strong>the</strong> aroma of fresh-baked bread, <strong>the</strong> date stimulates hype andexpectations, promising something to look forward to.This is why it’s so important to strategize and come up with aPR campaign at least six months before publication date.✦ Develop Your OnlineMessage and BrandPositioning a book with media and consumers requires a professionalWebsite. Both consumers and media professionalswill visit a book’s site before engaging fur<strong>the</strong>r with <strong>the</strong> book,and <strong>the</strong> media people will need to check it out months beforepub date.Since <strong>the</strong> site should reflect <strong>the</strong> book, <strong>the</strong> author, and <strong>the</strong>publisher accurately and professionally, it makes sense toseek <strong>the</strong> help of a Web designer unless you have a knack forvisual design and are tech savvy.A book’s Website needs five key pages: About <strong>the</strong> Author,About <strong>the</strong> Book, Appearances, Media, and Contact. Effectivesites often have o<strong>the</strong>r pages as well. [See “What Publishers’Websites Can Do, Part 3,” page 33 of <strong>the</strong> January 2013issue, and <strong>the</strong> first and second installments of that series in<strong>the</strong> November and December 2012 issues.]The site should be integrated with activity on social medianetworks, and its content should be social media–friendly.Make content easy to share by including links to Twitter,Facebook, and o<strong>the</strong>r social media sites.Blogs can be beneficial, even wonderful, if an author cancommit to creating original and relevant content every week.Affordable PR/CommunicationsPrograms and Services• PR Web (prweb.com)• Bulldog Reporter (bulldogreporter.com)• Book Blogs on Ning (bookblogs.ning.com/?xg_source=badge)• Book Blogger Directory (bookbloggerdirectory.wordpress.com)• FSB Media Blogger Directory (fsbmedia.com/book_blogger_search.php)Use an email marketing tool (forexample, ConstantContact.comor MailChimp.com) to send aseries of announcements.✦ Build Your Social Media PlatformWhen you choose to blog and/or use Facebook, Twitter,LinkedIn, Pinterest, and <strong>the</strong> like, start early, as with <strong>the</strong> Website.Publishers and authors who are not yet active on socialmedia sites should become active three to five months beforepublication date.✦ Plan Your Media CampaignCreate a targeted list of print, online, and broadcast media inlocal, regional, and national markets. Offer a copy of <strong>the</strong> book tolong-lead media (print magazines, TV and radio shows) at leastthree to six months before publication date. Online media andbloggers usually work on shorter lead times, often two months.You may want to sign up for NetGalley or a similar onlinesharing service to allow media professionals and bloggers todownload and review your book.Use an email marketing tool (for example, ConstantContact.comor MailChimp.com) to send announcements toyour email list(s) before <strong>the</strong> release of a book. Space <strong>the</strong>announcements, sending one a month before pub date, one acouple of weeks before pub date, and one on pub date.Both publisher and author should engage <strong>the</strong>ir social medianetworks to create buzz for <strong>the</strong> launch with contacts, fans,friends, and family. Tactics can include asking people to postAmazon reviews and/or blog reviews, and asking <strong>the</strong>m toshare reviews on <strong>the</strong>ir social media networks. You might alsowant to offer a free book or some o<strong>the</strong>r prize as an incentive.Blog reviews are a great option for do-it-yourself publicityprograms because <strong>the</strong>re are so many bloggers (see AffordablePR/Communications Programs and Services in box atleft) and because bloggers are often open to approaches fromauthors. Of course, before any approach it’s important to (a)check a blogger’s review policies and reading preferences and(b) vet <strong>the</strong> blog to make sure it is legit (check a couple ofreviews; check followers, social media reach, and so on).Once you find blogs you think are right for a book, browse20 | IBPA Independent | February 2013
Publicity■Resources for Finding Publicists• bookmarket.com/101pr.htm• midwestbookreview.com/bookbiz/pub_mkt.htm<strong>the</strong>ir blogrolls. Often, you will find nice long lists of o<strong>the</strong>rblogs in <strong>the</strong> same genre.✦ Measure Your ResultsRefer to your Amazon rankings, Website analytics, socialmedia reports, and Google Alerts to track <strong>the</strong> effectiveness ofall elements of your publicity campaign (as well as <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>raspects of your marketing program) and adjust your strategyaccordingly. ■Julia Drake is <strong>the</strong> founder and owner of Julia Drake PR, a boutique literary publicity companythat specializes in customized print, online, and broadcast campaigns, social mediamarketing, book events, blog tours, promotional video services, and author Websites. Thisarticle is adapted from Julia Drake’s contribution to Successful eBook Publishing: The CompleteHow-to Guide for Creating and Launching Your Amazon Kindle eBook, by David Wogahn; seeSuccessfulEBookPublishing.com.So you think ifyou change it enough,it’s not infringing?Keep our number close at hand.Protecting Creativity & Innovationfor Over 140 Years.We assist publishers withPublishing Contracts | Copyright Matters | Branding and TrademarkRights Clearence and Permissions | Licenses and EndorsementsPre-publication Review | Releases | More...2700 Carew Tower | 441 Vine Street | Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-2917tel 513.241.2324 | fax 513.241.6234 | www.whe-law.comLLPimaginative • artistic • expressiveA signature identifies <strong>the</strong> creator of <strong>the</strong> work.Make your books identifiable with exceptional quality and creative cover treatments fromMcNaughton & Gunn,Every book is a masterpiece. Guaranteed by our signature.734.429.5411fax: 800.677.BOOK(2665)www.bookprinters.comM&G EarthCareVisit <strong>the</strong> IBPA Website at www.ibpa-online.org | 21
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