Here’s another concept that I’ve included in my book, “Talk Up Your Book, How to Sell Your Book Through Public Speaking, Interviews, Signings, Festivals, Conferences and More.” I’m also touching on it in the new freebie I’ll be posting at my website soon.
Did you know that I offer a free ebooklet at my site: http://www.patriciafry.com Right now the ebooklet is “50 Ways to Prepare for Publishing Success.” I’ll announce the new one once it is posted. Here is an excerpt from the new one:
If you are speaking before an organized group such as a civic club with regular meetings or at a conference or convention, the organizer/program director will promote your presentation. But you’ll want to promote it, too. Let everyone on your email list know when and where you will be speaking. Some might not live in the area, but they may know someone who does and who would like to attend. So one reason for promoting your presentations is to entice people to come, but also to remind everyone on your list that you are credible in your field and available to speak.
Post your list of speaking engagements and other activities related to promoting your book at your website. Blog about upcoming events. Post this information at your FaceBook, LinkedIn, etc. pages. Mention it in your newsletter.
Stay in close communication with the program director or organizer to make sure they are doing the publicity they promised. In fact, you’re going to want to know exactly what they plan so you can make up the difference. If you learn in the beginning that the organizers aren’t going to promote, in order to get good attendance, you need to pick up the slack. Send press releases and notices to appropriate newspapers, newsletters, blog site and websites, for example.
If you are doing a signing or demonstration at a place of business that doesn’t generally have this sort of event, discuss publicity with the owner/manager. Perhaps they can promote your signing in their regular monthly advertisements. Suggest they make posters to put in their window or you do this for them. Create flyers and ask the clerks to place them in bags with purchases.
For added publicity for your speaking engagement, post the press release at your blog site, at your website, on your facebook page, etc. Make small posters and get permission to post them at the library, bookstores and other places related to the theme of your talk. If your presentation will be on model airplanes and held at a local hobby shop, by all means put posters on the hobby shop window, at any local small airports, at craft stores and other places where model airplane hobbyists shop or hangout. You get the picture.
Many authors neglect to take into consideration the exposure at hand. You might be surprised at the type of publicity available if you would just reach out a little farther. While many authors focus on those who will attend the activity and buy books, you should also consider the dozens to hundreds of others who will become aware of you, your book and the presentation through these publicity efforts. Don’t discount this opportunity. While these dozens or hundreds of people may not be able to attend the event, some may go to Amazon and purchase a copy of the book. They might see you later at a book festival and buy the book. They might stumble across it on your website and purchase it. When you promote a book, always, always keep in mind the residual effect as well as the immediate effect. This is what we call exposure. Honor it, create it, rely on it.
Order your copy of Talk Up Your Book at amazon.com or any other online or downtown bookstore. It will teach you volumes about how to promote your book using the most effective tool in your toolkit—your personality.