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This week, JJ and Kelly talk to Mallory Hayes, a book publicist! She answers a few questions about publicity and gives some advice. Also, once again, EVERYTHING IS STILL HAMILTON. Stay tuned to the end for bloopers where Mallory and JJ attempt—very poorly—to rap.
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Show Notes (TL;DL)
The difference between marketing and publicity is that marketing is coverage you pay for whereas publicity is coverage you don’t pay for (e.g. ads fall under marketing, pitching for reviews in publication is publicity)
Publicists have media contacts that an author may or may not have, and can leverage their contacts to get their authors more or better exposure.
When in doubt, ASK! Publicity can differ from imprint to imprint, house to house, publisher to publisher. You never know until you ask.
Promotion/publicity generally starts about 6 months before publication with ARCs or galleys going out, ramping up as you get closer and closer to publication. Don’t start too soon, or else people will forget.
The number one thing you should not do: respond to reviews. Just…don’t do it.
In my experience, no matter how many books an author has published, whether they’re traditionally or independently published, or what their day job is, publicity is the one area that leaves many authors in the dark. Everyone wants to be on Ellen or have a rave review in the New York Times, but how does a publicist pull that off? And if those outlets aren’t attainable (which is the case for 99% of authors), then what else can be done to garner media coverage and increase sales?
Enter the publicist.
If you’re with a traditional publisher, they will assign you an in-house publicist. But if you’re on your own, or want someone to supplement your in-house publicists’ efforts, you’ll need to find an outside publicist. When it comes to in-house publicists, you don’t have much say in the matter, but it’s important to ask plenty of questions and be informed of their plans. For finding an outside publicists, there are hundreds of us, all with different styles, philosophies, and specialties. It’s up to you to find the publicist that is the best for you and your project.
Whether you’re heading into the marketing meeting at your publisher or interviewing someone on the outside, there are several questions you should ask:
Who do you see as the intended audience for the book?
Your publicist’s primary role is to secure media coverage for you and the book, but if that media doesn’t reach your target audience, it’s not going to result in sales. You want to make sure the publicist understands the target audience and how best to reach them.
Some of this is a matter of opinion, so if they say they see your book being read by urban hipsters while you saw it as more of a book club book, hear them out. They may have valid points. And if you’re in-house publicist wants to target the urban hipsters, you can probably find an outside publicist to hit up the book-clubbers.
What is your pitching process? How do you contact and follow up with media outlets?
Some in-house publicists might be cagey about their response to this question. The fact is, most in-house publicists are over-worked and under-paid, and due to time constraints, rely on mass emailing rather than crafting tailored pitches. Sometimes, the mass emails work, but often, they get deleted, un-opened.
Outside publicists vary in their approach. There was a time where we relied on mass pitching because it gave us more bang for our buck, but as the amount of books being published is increasing and the number of outlets covering books is decreasing, we’ve moved away from mass pitching and instead, create tailored pitches for a shorter list of media outlets.
For follow ups, you want a publicist who’s going to get on the phone. Many emails slip through the cracks and many radio producers don’t even check their email. Following up via phone is an important component in ensuring your pitch gets noticed.
What is your timeline for the campaign?
It’s easy to get nervous and insecure when you don’t know when things are happening. Having a loose outline of when certain outlets are going to be pitched, when a blog tour will be launched, when you can expect to see coverage, etc. will help put you at ease.
All publicists should have a timeline for their campaigns and although that timeline may shift based on the news cycle, holidays, and other factors, it should give you an idea of what they’re doing and when.
What is your communication style?
You want to have a good working relationship with your publicist, and agreeing on a communication style is a key part of that. If your in-house publicist says s/he only emails when she gets a hit or prefers to do everything via email, then it’s best to respect that. Also, letting your in-house person know that you’re on email all day or that you’re only available for calls later in the evening, will help set the expectations so both of you can communicate more effectively.
If you’re hiring an outside publicist, you want to find someone who gels with your communication style. If they don’t do phone calls, but you are really more of a phone person, then that publicist isn’t right for you. You also want to make sure they work well with your in-house team.
Publicity is more of an art than a science and there is no formula for a successful publicity campaign. Some authors are booked on big national shows while other books only get a handful of blog reviews. Rather than focusing on what a publicist has been able to accomplish in the past, focus on what he or she sees for your book’s future.
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Dana Kaye is the owner of Kaye Publicity, a boutique PR company specializing in publishing and entertainment. Known for her innovative ideas and knowledge of current trends, she frequently speaks on the topics of social media, branding, and publishing trends, and her commentary has been featured on websites like The Huffington Post, Little Pink Book, and NBC Chicago. For more info, visit www.KayePublicity.com.
Thanks for talking to Boomerang Books, Amanda Diaz. Thank you for having me! You’re a publicist at HarperCollins Publishers and you’re going to share your Christmas picks with us. But first let’s find out about you and some books you’ve been working on. HarperCollins Australia (based in Sydney) is known for its children’s/YA books as […]
Shanta Newlin is Executive Director of Publicity at Penguin Young Readers Group., a division of Penguin Random House.
Her goal is to demystify publicity for us.
She starts with explaining that every author at Penguin gets a publicist.
What does the publicist do?
They are an advocate
They help you craft your message
They pitch you for media
They connect you with your audience at book festivals and schools
"You must see, hear or read about a book at least five times before you make a purchase."
How do you accomplish that in such a crowded marketplace?
They know the media - consumer, trade, parenting, genre and more…
and they reach out to festivals and schools to create events "so you can meet your fans."
It's great information!
The clincher that made her know being a publicist was the job for her?
Shanta was with Tamora Pierce at an event when a woman walked up with her young daughter and said to Tamora, "I'd like to introduce you to my daughter, Alanna." She had named her child after the main character in Tamora's "Song of the Lioness" books!
0 Comments on Shanta Newlin: Marketing and Sales Panel as of 8/2/2014 8:34:00 PM
Guest post by Ashlee Rowe. A Wisconsin native, Ashlee Rowe was the public relations manager for a small children’s publisher before leaving for the freelance writing and publicity market. She currently lives in Charleston, SC. For your publicity needs contact her at [email protected]
You’ve probably been there. The local bookstore or festival signing shiny new copies of your books, reading to excited children, and answering questions. If you’re a children’s author, you’re usually lucky. Children are star-struck by the chance to meet a real live author, and most parents are eager to encourage any literary interest. The event is a success; you’ve managed to reach an audience—maybe as many as one hundred more people know about your book. But does it really help the bottom line? Is this the best use of your time? What other things could you be doing to help promote yourself and your books?
In my time working as public relations manager for a small children’s publisher there are two major and often overlooked types of events that authors, especially children’s authors can do to help their book sell: school visits and speaking at tradeshows.
Book Marketing at a Tradeshow
As an author, it is more essential than ever to market yourself, and to make your name recognizable to those in both the writing community and in your local region or state. There is no easier way to make your name recognizable to bookstores, gift shops, and distributors than by connecting with them at a trade show, especially if you are available to give a presentation. Speaking at these events gives you that rare opportunity to reach a large audience in a memorable way, especially if you have some background that makes you an expert in a literary or childcare field. By speaking, you are showing distributors and booksellers that you are serious about the industry that you are working in, that you are willing to market yourself, and that you believe in your product. As they say, it’s a small world and if you can impress that one right person, it matters a little less whether or not your book “fits” for their company, they’ll work to make it fit.
Not sure what to speak about? Pick from any number of topics related to your books or your professional background and become an expert. Are you a former teacher? Then speak about the importance of picture books for early readers. Does your latest book have science or math themes? Then give a presentation about how picture books with these themes can enhance and strengthen understanding of these concepts for visual learners in the classroom. If you’re creative, you can find a way to incorporate your book into any type of presentation for any show.
School Visits Connect You with Audience
I’ve been surprised at how many authors and illustrators I’ve worked with that are afraid of speaking in front of a group of children. You write for children right? By declining or refusing to do school visits, you not only miss out on a major sales opportunity for your books, but you also miss out on a potentially lucrative opportunity for yourself. If you have a part-time job or are fortunate enough to make writing your full-time career, school visits are a perfect way to supplement your income while boosting boo
Since it is Spring Break around the country, the normal Monday marketing interviews will start up again on Monday, April 12th.
I thought I would answer some of the questions I have gotten offline about book marketing and publicity. A few have asked about me and my "day job" of running my own marketing and publicity business.
What exactly do you do?
Besides write....I own my own marketing and publicity business (bilaninc.com) where I help companies market their business. I also help small businesses develop marketing materials and publicity campaigns.
Do you help authors with their marketing?
Yes. I've done just about every job in marketing, from planning to execution--author school visits, booking conferences, swag and promo pieces, curriculum/learner guides, bookstore tours, online marketing and book publicity campaigns.
Because I love to read and write children's books, my favorite is working with children's authors in their marketing or book publicity needs. So much so, that I give 30% off my standard prices to SCBWI members and 20% off to other authors. I can do any of the following:
Designing and creating swag packages, such as bookmarkers, postcards, posters, bookplates, stickers
Planning and executing online publicity campaigns, including blog tours
Creating a marketing strategy/plan for authors/book releases
Identifying niche outlets for publicity and marketing
Creating supplemental materials, such as discussion guides, curriculum guides, and event kits
Coordinating book release parties, bookstore signings, and tours
Writing press releases and pitch letters, bios and background materials
Customized backgrounds for twitter, blogs, and web sites
Manuscript and query critiques
If you need any help on deciding if you need help with marketing or book publicity, you can email me at [email protected] to schedule a free 30 minute consultation!
What should authors look for when hiring marketing or publicity professionals?
There are so many people doing marketing these days especially with the amount of layoffs.
Know what you want and what you are getting.
Always ask for references and samples of their work.
Get written quotes and compare.
Be sure to read the fine print.
Do your research.
The publicity potential of your book.
Good communication.
Reasonable prices.
What things are best done by a publicist? By an author?
This really depends on the person. There are some people who want to hire a book publicist to handle everything because they can't be bothered. There are others who only want certain things done.
If you want a publicist - prioritize your needs and your budget. Use a publicist for things you can't do yourself. For example, I find most authors need:
Professio
18 Comments on My thoughts on book publicity!, last added: 3/31/2010
i love every interview you post on here. even though i'm nowhere near worrying about publicity, it's good to be little more informed. to get a better idea.
Shelli, that was a gold mine of a post!! Thank you! And what a generous offer, both the discounts to SCBWI members and the free phone consultation to access what kind of help a particular author might need. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing, I am marketing my first children;s novel - Ghostnapped and finding it very time consuming for little reward. So you thoughts are very helpful
Thanks to everyone who played in last week's contest. The winner is TESS!!!!
Tess, please email me offline to schedule your free consultation and choose your book. :) Congrads! Marvelous Marketer!
Today we have Hayley Gonnason, a publicist from Tricycle Press.
Hi Hayley! Thanks for joining us today. I am sure everyone is excited to hear from a publishing publicist. But first, tell me a little about yourself, your background/experience, and your role as a publicist.
I got my start as a publicity and sales associate at a small publishing house called Northland Publishing/Rising Moon/Luna Rising, which has since closed. I’ve been a publicist for Tricycle Press, the children’s book imprint of Ten Speed Press, for just over three years.
First let me ask, do you see a difference in publicity vs marketing in the publishing industry?
That’s a pretty difficult question to answer because marketing and publicity often go hand in hand here at Tricycle. A simple way of looking at it is that with marketing we’re spending direct money to promote a book and with publicity we aren’t. My job as publicist is to promote Tricycle Press books to the media to create buzz and make people want to buy our books.
As a publicist with Tricycle Press, can you give us some insight as to what happens in your typical day?
One of the nice things about my job is, there is no “typical” day. I always have to be ready to shift gears. We recently had a book launch party and there was a miscommunication and books were never ordered for the event. When I found out, I had to drop everything to make sure the books were there in time for the event. In the end the launch went off without (as far as people attending knew) a hitch but little things like that come up all the time. When I’m not dealing with stuff like that, I’m working on creating publicity plans for upcoming books, establishing and obtaining relationships with media contacts, and arranging events for authors and illustrators.
What types of publicity do you do for your authors (ARCs, blurbs, signings, materials, collateral)? And, does your role vary by author or is there a set standard of publicity that all authors get?
At Tricycle,the marketing and publicity dept. covers everything you mention above. We create sales materials, arrange events, create collateral to promote the events, solicit blurbs and early reviews, and attend trade shows—and that’s just to start. As publicist I pitch books to the media and if authors/illustrators have a platform that makes for an interesting/newsworthy interview, I pit
19 Comments on Marvelous Marketer: Hayey Gonnason (Publicist at Tricycle Press), last added: 12/3/2009
I love the cross promotion idea with Bonnie Bell. How cool is that?! I'm reading Flygirl right now which isn't by Tricycle but it is about the WASPs. I'll have to look for Maggie's!
I am currently reading Brand New Emily, and it is SO GOOD!! And I had heard about the Lipsmackers thing, but had forgotten which book it was attached to... and the author Ginger Rue (who I graduated high school with) is absolute precious-ness... so thanks, Shelli, for filling in the gaps for me. :)
A book publicist at a large house has a blog filled with a variety of helpful tips, some for other publicity folks, some for authors. A recent one looks at the pros and cons of different levels of web presence.
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Shelli those are great services you offer! Thanks for the great info!
Wow. This is one of your best posts ever. Thank you, Shelli - you rock! :-)
Awesome advice! I've bookmarked this one - even though I'm still in the revising stage :)
i love every interview you post on here. even though i'm nowhere near worrying about publicity, it's good to be little more informed. to get a better idea.
Great advice and information! I can't imagine trying to do this for someone else! What a great skill to have!
Great post! Thank you so much for sharing all these tips!
Shelli, that was a gold mine of a post!! Thank you! And what a generous offer, both the discounts to SCBWI members and the free phone consultation to access what kind of help a particular author might need. Thanks!
Thanks Shelli! What a wonderful post.
Thanks for the information!
Lots of helpful information in here. Thank you!
You always have such great posts. Thanks for all the info.
Shelli, I don't know how you have time to do all you do! Very impressive.
U R awesome girl! Great post.
Hm, interesting advice. Marketing alwasy overwhelms me, but I'm slowly getting the hang of it!
I always like your personal posts the best. Thanks for the info.
Shelli--Thanks for sharing what you do in such a great way. It was really an informative post.
Thanks for sharing, I am marketing my first children;s novel - Ghostnapped and finding it very time consuming for little reward. So you thoughts are very helpful
You are so talented and full of awesomeness! Great post, great advice. I'm saving up my money to hire you, girl!