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Thursday, April 15, 2010

SELF-PUBLISHING - Part Six - Distributing Your Press Release

SELF-PUBLISHING
Part Six - Distributing Your Press Release

Now that you have your press kit it’s time to do your research and begin pitching to the media.
You can submit your press release to the media either through email or through the postal service.
You can pay to have your press release distributed for you but you don’t have to!

Jennifer Mattern at nakedpr.com says… It’s not impossible (or even hard) to distribute your press release on your own, especially if you’re trying to save money.

In light of that fact, I’ve put together a list of 5 easy steps you can follow for more effective free press release distribution:

Choose one or two free press release distribution sites (any more than 3-5 is just a waste of your time, assuming it’s worth anything). Choose based on which ones will get the release added to news engines. Just because some bigger distribution sites (who will remain nameless) charge an arm and a leg for this service, not all do. For example, PR.com’s free option will pretty much always get your release picked up in Google News (I’ve never had it fail yet). Now you’re available via search… yippie!
Send it to the Associated Press. It never hurts to try, and if they deem your release newsworthy enough to pick up, you just might get some decent “real” media coverage out of it. Just email or fax the release to the appropriate editor, writer, or regional bureau depending on your location and news.
Send it to your local newspaper or other media with a local spin on it. It won’t take more than a few minutes for you to add a local spin to the intro and / or headline of the press release. Send it to the most relevant journalist or editor at your local paper. Smaller papers especially eat that stuff up when a local is doing anything remotely newsworthy. Try to build a relationship with the editor or writer whenever possible while you’re at it.
Send it directly to niche or industry outlets. If you know of the top blogs, magazines, or websites in your niche, see if they have press release submission guidelines, and submit it directly to them. Don’t just assume they’ll find you through Google news or a press release distribution site. Work on the bigger ones first, and submit to as many as you have time for. If you get bigger pickups, they’ll often lead to smaller niche blogs and such copycatting the story anyway. Again, try to build relationships if you can.
Add your press releases to your own website or blog. Why is this so often ignored or neglected? Some clients complain when I suggest it, saying “well, I don’t want duplicate content on my site.” Well, if you give a damn about promoting your site, get the f*ing releases up there and quit whining about duplicate content! Who the hell cares about duplicate content? Maybe it’s just me, but I thought the purpose of a press release was to bring exposure. It can’t do that if you sit on it. On top of putting the news out to your regular readers, customers, or visitors, it also allows you to archive your releases for journalists who visit the site wanting to learn more about your company or site history. If you don’t have a press room or at least a press release archive, ADD ONE!!! And when it’s on your site, you can take that opportunity to add all the little social media tools and gizmos that your heart desires, add commenting (especially if it’s on a blog), or frankly do whatever gets you off in the moment. Add it to del.icio.us. Digg it. Do whatever the hell you want with it. Just publish the thing, and be done with it already! Why people refuse to grasp this concept is just beyond me. It’s easy… promise.

The BIG list of free press release distribution sites as provided by nakedpr.com:

Well that's it for now, if you wish for more information contact me directly.
I hope this mini series was helpful to get you started on Self-Publishing and that I was able to provide you with some useful resources. I may pick this series back up so check back!

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Article: Self-Publishing - Part 5

SELF-PUBLISHING
Part Five - The Press Kit

The press or media kit is a set of promotional materials that are to be distributed for promotional purposes. Not everyone will need a full blown press release kit but you should have a copy of your basic author information. Here are some things that you can include:

· Basic Biography

· Author Photograph

· Book Information - Including the full title, your name, publisher, date published, and ISBN.

· Order Information - where the book can be purchased ie. Amazon.com or URL to your bookstore.

· Book Cover Image – even if it is just a B&W photocopy

· Reviews

· Media List – list of appearances

· Bookmarks & Postcards

Include your contact info on every page

Not only should you have a hardcopy of your press kit but if you have a website it is a good idea to post your materials online so you can easily include a link to them when necessary.

Your release should not exceed 500 words in length.

Avoid excessive use of adjectives and stick to ordinary language.

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Press Release Template:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

*Contact:*
	Contact Person Telephone number Fax Number Email Address Web Site URL

Headline: The Headline of your press release should include one line only. It is the most important ingredient of a press release and should be written in the form of a newspaper headline in order to grab the reader’s attention. Don’t be afraid to make bold claims about your book as long as you can back them up.)

City, State / Province, Date.

The Text Of The Release: (These paragraphs should contain information in the form of a regular news story; who, what, where, when, and why. You should also outline the major benefits of your book and what makes your book unique. Including quotes from other book reviewers adds more weight and credibility to your release).

For additional information or sample copy, contact:

Contact Person
Telephone Number
Fax Number
Email address
Web site URL

### (This indicates the end of the press release)
sample from: www.artbookbindery.com

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Remember, your press release is not an ad to sell your book, but instead, an information package to generate interest in the media.

UP NEXT: DISTRIBUTING YOUR PRESS RELEASE

Friday, April 2, 2010

Article: Self-Publishing - Part 4

SELF-PUBLISHING
Part Four - The Marketing Plan

A marketing plan should not just be a piece of paper but should be your plan of action on how you are going to move your book forward.

What to include …

· Book Title

· Your Name

· Contact Information

· Book Description

· Your Pitch – A couple of sentences that captures the essence of your book.

· Your Backstory on why your wrote the book.

· Biography

· Target Audience

· Competitive / Comparative Titles

· Goals - both Short and Long Term

· Marketing Strategy

· Media List & how you want to target them. (I will write more on this later)

· Sales Leads & Contacts

UP NEXT: THE PRESS KIT

Friday, March 26, 2010

Article: Self-Publishing - Part 3

SELF-PUBLISHING
Part Three - Marketing Your Book

If you are self-publishing it is your responsibility to market and promote your own book.
There are 3 ways to market your book – Advertising, Promotions and Publicity.

Advertising – this is not usually an effective method to sell your book and can end up costing you more than you make. It is difficult to find your audience and unless you are a big name author major publishing companies seldom give books advertising campaigns.

Publicity – Any 3^rd party endorsement can help you reach large audiences. It usually requires little to no spending and is your greatest opportunity to create success for your book.

Promotions – These are discounts and materials that will encourage people to essentially buy your book.
This might include, coupons, posters, displays, bookmarks or postcards

Start with a marketing plan! It does not have to take a lot of money but it does require your time – even just 15 minutes a day can make a difference.

UP NEXT: THE MARKETING PLAN

Friday, March 19, 2010

Article: Self-Publishing - Part 2

SELF-PUBLISHING
Part Two - Creating Your Book

Ok, I don’t want to spend too much time on this for fear of sounding like one big commercial but here we go … The first step to making a book is getting your content in order!

Once you have written your book make sure it is exactly how you want it. To be sure your grammar and spelling is correct you may want to hire an editor /proofreader. It’s not cheap (usually about $35 an hour) but is necessary if you want your book to be professional. (We don’t personally do this but can refer you to someone)
Have a vision for your book. Look at books that are your competition and write the names of titles and Illustrators that you like. This will help your designer understand what you are looking for and save you both a lot of time.
Be sure to know what your needs are – What size book do you want to make? Hardcover or Soft? How much do you want to spend? Your designer wants to work with you, let them know what your budget is and it can actually save you money! Where do you want to sell your book? Do you need to register a copyright? Do you need an ISBN for your book? (look at my sight under “self-publishing” for more info)
Do you need Illustrations? We provide them but there are many talented artists that would love the chance to see their work in print, it just takes some research and asking around. (visit our "artwork" link)
Find the right designer! Research designers to see if they are a match for you. Don’t just go with the cheapest or the first one you come across, this is your baby and you are going to be investing your time and money so be sure you are compatible with whoever you are working with. TIP: Check their design schedule to make sure your project is done within time-line you need.
Once you have your designer, ask questions. Check out their contract or work agreement to see if there are any hidden costs. Know what the bottom line is.
After your book has been designed you will want to be sure you have thoroughly proofed your book before going to print and then you should have just one book printed before placing a large order, books always look a little different once you have them in your hands!

Once your book is made and is exactly like you envisioned it to be then it’s time to market it!

UP NEXT: MARKETING YOUR BOOK

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Article: Self-Publishing - Part 1

It seems like we have been getting more and more inquiries from those who would like not just to make, but to sell their own book, so I am beginning of a blog series on Self-Publishing. I hope in the coming weeks I can help you to learn how to successfully make, market and promote YOUR book!

SELF-PUBLISHING
Part One – What's it all about?

Traditional book publishers have recently been hit hard, making it very difficult for the unknown author to get their foot in the door. Many smaller publishers are going out of business with the rise of print-on-demand (POD) services growing. This, combined with the ability to sell online and reach a world-wide audience, means that the playing field is leveled and gives those who want to publish the ability to see their work in print.

Why Self-Publish?

First of all – it’s easy! By using professional designers (like ourselves) you can now turn your content into a professional looking book.
It’s cost effective. POD suppliers only print your book when there is an order and this saves on over-buying by the publisher and /or author now frantic to hawk their wares.
Profit Margins are greater. POD’s also allow you to receive a larger profit from each book sold, much more than the royalties from a traditional publisher.
Great Quality. The quality of POD books have come a long way and rival that of any printer. No more digital looking images means your book looks professional.
Amazon Listings – need I say more? You can now have your title listed with the big boys. It’s easy to get your book listed on sites like Amazon and help you find you find your audience!
Self-publishing can also help you to present your book to a major publisher. For one, you can show them what your book might look like and two, if you can prove sales you are more likely to get signed.

The Down-Side?

It will be up to you to market and promote your book – don’t worry, there are many resources to help you out - I will be naming quite a few in the articles to follow.

UP NEXT: CREATING YOUR BOOK