Doug Johnston

Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Tips from Doug:
  • always carry business cards
  • call and thank people (even if they give you a bad review--any publicity is good publicity)
  • the best publicity is free publicity
  • never send a book w/o media kit
  • always follow up
  • If you get a review, send a thank you letter
  • every published author should have a website

Advertising outlets:

  • newspaper
  • magazines
  • radio
  • TV
  • Blogs
  • Websites
  • Youtube
  • word of mouth
  • advertisements
  • friends, family, and people you know

Newspapers

  • Determine if the paper is big enough/geared toward your audience for you to spend time on.
  • Find editor that deals with the issues in your book (themes, etc).
  • Do you have a contact at the paper? Go over their staff pages.
  • Find out how big the paper is. Sometimes the same article will run in 8 papers because they're all co owned.
  • utahpress.com will show you who owns it
  • less than 20% of newspapers have a book reviewer.
  • 95% never review a book unless someone give them the review (the newspaper reviewers usually don't even read it). Translation: You write your own glowing review and they print it.

Signing etiquette

  • never chew gum
  • dress professionally
  • be prepared
  • make friends with your audience and they will buy your book. Maybe not today, but they will buy it.
  • never sign for other coauthor
  • always talk to the person your signing the book for--not the next person in line or your friend
  • smile
  • tell them about the book
  • ask them if they want it personalized
  • let them watch you sign it
  • be on time
  • have plenty of books
  • prepare your 20 second pitch
  • get their emails and compile an email list
  • bring business cards
  • follow through

When you sign a contract, ask who will be helping you market and what you can do to help them.

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