What Authors Should Know About Publicity
Series: #6 of 10 Useful Marketing Tips for Publishing Your Ministry Book, On Publicity
The second of six strategic booster stages for a book’s launch is publicity. For years, every publisher in America heard, “Get me on Oprah.” Publicity is the strategy that the lucky few used to make this happen.
In the industry, publicity is known as “earned media” - it’s the free* kind of marketing, where another decision maker is so intrigued by your work they they have opted in to talking about your work to their audience. The third-party validation of earned media holds greater weight for consumers than traditional advertising.
Publicity Maximizes Social Proof
The reason for this is because of what is known as “social proof.” One of six forms of persuasion as identified by Robert Ciadlini, social proof is now the most powerful form of persuasion in America today. For example, consider this recent Washington Post survey on people’s attitudes about climate change. Notice the relative ineffectiveness of education, appeals, or even financial incentives.
If you want to persuade someone through media, say, “everybody’s doing it!”
But this is no guarantee.
Today’s bottom line: Publicity can be a powerful booster to your book’s launch. It works best only as a supplement to a more complete marketing plan that is clear about target audience.
The Power of Publicity Depends on Audience
Not every book can afford publicity, nor should they. It is a function of audience. If your audience is geared toward a specific group of church leaders, a publicity campaign to the general public will make no sense.
In addition, the work of publicity is quite expensive, as it’s quite labor intensive, and built on longstanding, trusted relationships.
A book project needs a business plan that targets a sufficient number of sales in order to justify the cost. Publicity makes the most sense when the book’s sales aim is high and its primary audience is “trade,” or cold consumers with no connection to the author.
Also note that in traditional publishing environments, publishers rarely take on the full cost of a publicity campaign by themselves. Often, they will split the cost with an author as a form of sharing financial risk.
How to Talk to the Media
Kristin Cole, CEO of K. Cole Communications, serves as the publicist for Invite Press. Kristin has a long history in Christian publishing, and was a key partner in the publicity work for the 10th anniversary of The Purpose Driven Life, the best-selling Christian book of the 21st century. Kristin generously offered a few pointers on what she thinks every author should know about how to maximize opportunities in earned media.
Be a source and speak into the news. A reporter’s job is to share value for their audience, not help you sell your book. For this reason, it’s critical to approach any media opportunity as an opportunity to focus on the concepts of your book and the takeaways it offers for readers. When you do this, you are helping media influencers provide great content for their audiences.
Say something unique that others aren’t. There are many other authors, leaders, pastors, etc., who may be able to speak to a topic but help set your thoughts apart and the media will take notice.
Be a great interviewee. Understand the reporter, their outlet and their audience so you can adapt your message appropriately to their needs. Many outlets now conduct interviews via online platforms so have a space with a professional background, headphones and a microphone available. When an interview or story runs, share it on social media and tag the reporter.
Quality trumps quantity. Having interviews or coverage with one quality outlet that reaches your core audience can be more valuable than coverage with 10 outlets that don’t.
Publicity supports marketing and advertising. Its core function is to bring awareness of you and your book but works best when it is done in tandem with a strong marketing and advertising plan that help to reinforce its impact. That’s why sharing information and media interviews with your followers via email or social media is so important.
*We need to qualify “free” here because some producers have realized the potential financial gain of allowing other content producers access to their audience and now want to charge a fee to highlight your work. The fee is rarely tied to a direct return investment (ROI). In other words, you’re unlikely to sell enough books on that appearance to pay back the cost of appearing, so tread carefully. In Invite’s history, we’ve paid for one appearance (“millions of listeners!”) and got practically nothing for our money.
Takeaway: Publicity cannot overcome lack of audience clarity, but in the right application, it can take a well hones book with a tight message and cause fireworks in the marketplace.
COMING SOON
Next week we will look at how to use advertising well. Then a week off for Christmas, then beginning January 4, three more installments in this series.
After that, get ready: Beginning January 25, I am going to start a new series based on the third Invite value: Biased Toward Innovation. Here’s the goal:
Learn how to grow your leadership ability to unleash innovation in your organization.
ABOUT THIS SERIES
This 10 part how-to series is about marketing books specifically tailored to faith-based audiences. It is designed for authors working for or involved in ministries and publishing, though the insights may apply to several other applications and industries. Next week we will take a look at the six booster rockets that make up a good marketing plan.
A Better Definition of Marketing. The 2 Negative and 1 Positive Ways We Think About Marketing in Ministry
Why Marketing is Necessary. Marketing Apologetics
What We Mean By “Audience.” Thunder and Lightning: Name the person you’re trying to help
What We Mean by “Need.” Is it Urgent Enough? What Marketing Can and Cannot Do
The Six Booster Stages of Your Book’s Launch
What Authors Should Know About Publicity
Advertising: How to Leverage the Benefits of Paid Media
Social: The Power and Problems of Social Media
Direct: Rented Versus Owned Media, Part 1
Platform: Maximizing Your Owned Media, Part 2