Lots of publicity strategies to promote your book – even your self published book!
Are you starting to realize that there are a lot of ways to get your message out, but are still wondering which have the most impact for your goals?
Good!
Because you are known by the company you keep.
The media company that is. Creating a powerful platform can help you secure the media opportunities that provide a deliverable that helps forward your career, book promotion or business.
Exposure overload can lead to the illusion that you are getting publicity.
In this time of exposure overload, it is easy for you and your marketing team, if you have one, to create the illusion that marketing and promotion is happening at a fast pace when in reality nothing of high impact is actually happening. Instead valuable time is passing.
It’s a lot of busy work. Yes, the days fly by. But can you measure the results? Are you attracting more clients? Are you moving up in your SEO ranking? Are you selling more books?
The constant swirling of action, from posting on social media to being a guest on one of the new podcasts that may not have a highly developed audience yet, can keep you so busy that you might miss the chance to take the action that will serve your growth and development and empower your prestige and credibility.
Lots of activity can give you the sense that you are doing a lot to promote yourself and build up your credibility, influence and clout, but in reality, it may not be enough. Major media might be missing. And major media is the engine that runs your promotion strategy.
It’s true, though, there is a lot to do each day. The important thing is not to forget the big brand media opportunities.
So the question is, what matters?
Many of our top national experts that have soared in their careers, focus on being seen and heard in the actual high-powered, high-viewership, listenership or readership media. Their publicity strategy includes being consistent over time, that is, constantly building a “go to” media persona.
Earned media vs purchased media
You know what’s become popular these days? Purchased PR.
Purchased PR for many authors is when someone else has purchased the time or space and they are reselling it to you under the guise of being an earned media placement.
What is earned media?
Earned media is when the producer or journalist who actually works for the shows or media outlets is the one who books you to be a guest or expert contributor or commentator. You are on the real deal media outlet, not what is meant to be a look-a-like opportunity. Our firm considers that to be trickery. The client thinks they are buying a valuable media experience but they are just buying a bit of infomercial style time. Earned media is when publicity is secured via promotion rather than being purchased.
Buyer beware – ask this publicity question.
You can buy a lot of what looks and feels like real media opportunities. However, to determine what is valuable to you, you can ask yourself the million dollar question: how will this help me attract new and lucrative opportunities plus share my knowledge, insight and contribute to the issues society cares about most today with the most people available to me?
Purchased PR is like the old “buy a bestseller” book campaign where the idea is to appear on one of the bestseller lists for an hour, a day or a week. These campaigns are costly for you and not real – you are not really a bestseller. Soon, the perceived value of achieving bestseller status that you paid for will fade because readers will post real-life reviews of your work in that they bought the book based on the bestseller status. But yet, avid readers are not easily fooled. They are savvy. They will quickly realize that the author was not ready to publish and needed more development hence, the negative review.
Everyone can be great at what they do by learning their craft and putting in the time to make it to the top. Everyone can do it.
I would also tell people over the years, when they would ask me if they should do a bestseller campaign, that it’s best for them to earn their way to the top. They will learn a lot about themselves – about what talent, education or experience is missing that allows them to get there. That it’s the accomplishment that matters and will stand the test of time.
Reaching your highest potential comes from attracting top-level opportunities that open the big doors for you because you are ready for them. It does not have to take long. Many of our clients rise to the top very quickly.
Our clients LOVE our approach to publicity as we build them to be stronger over time as an expert, guest or contributor.
The media we offer to our clients is EARNED by them via their credentials, education and experience.
We promote our clients to the media. Our professional publicists take the time to learn all about our clients from their credentials and socially relevant messaging and create pitches to the top media that are meaningful and valuable to everyone that has an interest, such as the media contact themselves, the audience and our client. The media is willing to seriously consider our pitches as they know we have taken the time to do PR correctly for our client. And that the client is the real deal. This means a lot to the media as they have a responsibility to their audience of providing top quality interviews or articles and a publicist who feels the same way is important to them.
Our tremendous experience allows us to create the perfect contribution to the media source that lands a win for everyone.
Real author says, “I would rather do it honestly, because this way I know I got it right.”
Annie Jennings PR works with lots of authors, experts and speakers for book promotion, creating expert status and building a powerful platform.
Annie Jennings PR, is a National PR firm that provides radio talk show campaigns to authors, experts and speakers. Our clients get booked on the major shows broadcasting to the heart of the market. Many of our clients tell us that the experience with us has been the best they have ever had working with a publicity firm. Our firm is streamlined to provide outcomes with certain value or benefits to you. If what we can provide delivers the outcome you want for yourself, we are a good match!