Authors LOVE Annie’s Publicity & Marketing Optimization Wheel.
The ‘Wheel’ is a publicity, marketing and promotion identification and organization strategy that is designed to move you along at your own pace without overwhelming stress or anxiety.
With millions of self-published books on the market, and this number projected to rise even more in 2019 (when results are in and counted), newly self-published authors are flocking to the “Wheel” as a way to help themselves learn how and what is needed to publicize their book effectively. Link to the stats about the number of books published here.
This post is number three of three on the Optimization Wheel (see the two other posts here) and how it can work for you. Also, Annie has recorded a replay of a presentation on the topic. Here is the link to the replay.
Once a book is published, the real marketing and promotion action begins.
Authors want to share books with potential readers and society in general. But how? This is where authors experience anxiety. They just don’t know what to do first, next and all of the time.
But Annie’s famous Optimization Wheel solves many of the challenges self-published authors face in the marketing and publicity game. The “Wheel” will help you feel like you have it under control. That you are the boss! This is good because too much overwhelm can be stagnating and what should be the greatest experience in publishing your book becomes the most stressful. And many authors are warning others about doing their research first to avoid being a sitting duck, vulnerable to shady marketing because they do not know the ropes. This does not have to be you. You can responsibly and effectively build a marketing strategy, without being a target for others to take advantage of, but for you to be in control. And this is a very good thing.
But, you need someone who has your best interests at hand. At our firm, our philosophy is that we stand “for the betterment of all.” This belief is embedded in our hearts, and is the basis of all that we do.
In fact, many authors wonder why we can book our authors on high-powered, high listenership radio and TV shows. Self-published books seem to know no barriers with our PR firm. Authors are booked in the media and the fact that the book is self-published does not stand in their way. How does this work? Well, this is actually part of our self-published book marketing strategy that allows authors access to the media.
Back to the book publicity and marketing Optimization Wheel
In our two other posts on the topic, we cover a lot of the basics of the Wheel such as how to create it and work it to it fullest. We identified several of the action spokes that should be on your marketing and outreach. Now it is time for another one. Publicity.
Publicity strategy is best when it is consistent over time and allowed to build up a strong media bio for the author.
Publicity strategy and media outreach is a ‘must have’ spoke, that’s for sure.
However, publicity is not just one spoke. Publicity encompasses many methods of outreach to the media.
Your publicity spokes should be individualized. One of the Optimization Wheel’s spokes is being a guest on radio talk shows to promote your message and mention your book. Another spoke can be for TV shows, if that form of outreach feels right for you. And another is for online media coverage that would naturally reach your target market, while another spoke is to be a podcast guest.
However, here is a caveat for getting booked on a podcast as the guest – with so many new podcasts out now you have to keep in mind that you may not reach a lot of listeners with your podcast guest appearance. With that said, podcasts are self-selected by the listener so if the podcast showcases your expertise nicely, why not do it? Just remember, it could be a bit of a weak spoke but still worth doing if it does not take you away from other more important things. Being a guest on a podcast, even one without a lot of listeners can give you the experience you need to develop into a great guest.
Why does Annie love radio publicity for new authors and self-published authors?
Annie says that “radio publicity at our firm offers tremendous value to the author. They get unlimited free media training with their radio campaign provided by an award-winning former news producer and booker. Plus, authors get booked on the major radio talk shows with high-impact and high-listenership to empower not only their media bio, but also share their message with society. They can be a part of the ‘better world’ goal that many authors are working to serve with their work.”
I think the RUSH to podcast is behind us. Why just be part of masses flocking to podcasting? Podcasting takes your time and perhaps this time could be spent in a more productive way.
However, I do like you recording your own podcast with you as the only guest or with just an interviewer and yourself. You are the podcast. You are showcasing your knowledge, experience, credentials, wisdom and contribution. This is very good. You are serving your community. The podcast would help you develop a body of work. You can re-purpose this body of work in social sharing and on your blog. New content fuels SEO and you can never forget about SEO.
Personally, for me, I have done numerous recordings (I love my podcasts, having recorded hundreds of publicity related topics) where I am the only guest. I have an interviewer, Stacy, who is on the line with me. My podcasts are all about my area of expertise and sharing meaningful and valuable marketing, promotion and publicity knowledge to my listeners. Some of my topics would be something like this:
- How to create a media bio
- How to get booked on radio talk shows
- How to create a website the media will love
- Media training tips – how to be a great guest.
And so on . . . topics that appeal to my natural client base that help them achieve their goals and objectives.
I have two other podcasts where we interview others and I have a staff that produces those podcasts so they are not taking up my creative time.
TIME IS VALUABLE: So this is where the ‘Wheel’ helps you manage your time. As your wheel gets going there will be lots to do every day. And you don’t have to do it all every day. But you do have to just keep going. Doing one thing a day on your ‘Wheel” is a nice goal but take breaks. As you get more established in all the spokes, you can do what you can in any of the spokes at any time. As long as you are building, the better off you will be because your work is out in the world reaching others. It’s working for you even when you are busy running your business or taking some time for yourself.
The rule of thumb is to always know how your actions are leading to your power. You have to know how your actions are supporting your marketing, publicity and promotion. You absolutely must have deliverables. That is, identifiable outcomes that benefit you.
Want to speak to Annie about your PR goals? Just fill out the appointment form by clicking the button below and you will be contacted via email to set up a call. Soon, you will be on your way to publicity success!
Annie offers her famous #1 radio talk show publicity campaign that comes with free unlimited media training for being a great guest on the radio shows. This media training is provided by an award-winning former news producer and guest booker who worked with a major national network. Your radio talk show campaign comes with a performance guarantee (guaranteed deliverable) meaning that Annie makes you a promise and keeps it. You will get booked on the major radio shows in the big radio cities. And Annie includes this promise in her radio contract. You get media bookings on the major, high-impact radio talk shows in the major cities and markets that can include the nationally syndicated networks that help share your message coast to coast.
Performance publicity programs (clients love this as there are no monthly retainers) are offered for TV bookings, prestigious print and influential online media placements. Why pay expensive monthly retainers? Annie Jennings PR offers their NO RETAINER performance publicity programs that help you reach your goals and manage your publicity money wisely. Our clients appreciate that we put our money where our mouth is and guarantee our media campaigns. This is a major point of differentiation for our firm in that we will only accept our booking fees for secured media bookings. Wow! “We love Annie as she puts her money where her mouth is,” say numerous experts in their real publicity success stories on our website.