Well, if you are an Indie (Self-Published) Author too & looking for ways to generate attention towards your book then a very simple & direct method for you to promote your book is to hire a ‘Publicist’ that’s it! It’s really simple and your job gets done without any further efforts from your side. However, this is something, which isn’t practiced by majority of the indie authors, even though it’s literally the simplest method to promote their books, but why?
Why don’t the Indie Authors simply hire a Publicist & let the load of promoting their books, not be an additional pain for them? The answer is to this question is the ‘Economics’ hidden in the process of hiring a publicist. For most of the indie authors, the publishing procedure itself is a costly operation but it’s unavoidable while hiring a publicist & that too a Good Publicist is something even more costlier than the cost involved in the publishing of the books!
So, what to do now? Don’t worry it’s not the end of the road if you can’t spend a huge sum of money in hiring a Good Publicist because there’s always an alternative! Moreover, today we are going to highlight a handful of such alternatives, through which the Indie Authors can promote their books & generate attention towards their work, the way they had always intended to!
However, if you are considering to follow the methods discussed over here to promote your books then be ready to make some real hard efforts because nobody else will be taking up the pain of book promotion for you in this case! In addition, the harder you will make efforts, the better result you will obtain; it’s like being your own CEO.
Now, let’s discuss the methods through which every Indie Authors can promote their books. Some of the methods are mentioned below –
Find Potential Media Contacts
The first thing you need to do is build a list of relevant, niche-driven media contacts (including reporters, editors, producers, talent bookers, etc.) who might be interested in your book’s publication or the contribution you could make to their story. Ideally, you will search for publications, broadcasters & TV shows that publish content on your subject matter or within your area of expertise.
Create a Classic Press Kit
A huge part of preparing for a successful publicity campaign lies in the creation of resources like a press kit. This useful tool allows you to share information quickly and efficiently with journalists, book bloggers, editors, retailers & anyone else who might be interested. Its purpose is to store key information and brand assets in one place so that anyone researching you doesn’t have to waste several frustrating hours sifting through multiple websites, links & resources to find what they need & piece things together.
Brainstorm Hooks & Pitch Ideas
You brainstorm hooks and pitch ideas based on the reporter’s niche and audience needs. A hook is a unique and intriguing element in your book that you can tie to a topic of interest, an opinion, a crisis or a movement. For non-fiction authors, these hooks are usually no-brainers because the book deals with a topic that is easily defined & articulated. For example, you may have written a home décor book that touches on little known decorating facts, secrets & tips. Without much thought, you probably have several good angles. For the book promotionyou can pitch to home & garden magazines, podcasts, TV shows & more.
Write a Compelling Press Release
This is a release for your book’s launch, but your book’s launch is not complete news in itself. You need to leverage one of the offbeat hooks that you have created to capture the readers’ imagination & make them care & feel what you feel about the topic. They should believe that reading your book is the next logical step after getting to know about your book.
Write a Pitch Email Tailored to the Individual You’re Targeting
Crafting a pitch that catches a journalist’s attention requires some skill. Journalists are often knee deep in articles, deadlines & pitches, which is why your email needs to be short as well as compelling. A generic, run of the mill pitch email will always be a no-no, as will be the CC-ing. So, you must customize each pitch for the person you are emailing.
Fortunately, in today’s world of fast speed internet & media, these methods to promote your books have emerged even more powerful & you too can try these methods to obtain the result of your desire!