Press Kits for Authors: secrets to great book publicity
The secret to a great press kit
Today, you cannot sit back and wait for the press to notice your book, play or any other product. You have to rivet the attention of the press to your cause by doing something worthwhile or even outrageous. Attention from the press may mean a mention of your book in national magazine, newspaper or even an appearance on TV or radio. Even an interview on a local cable show would take the sales to new levels. A strong Press Kit is a necessity in any publicity seekers toolbox. But, what are the ingredients of a press kit that gets attention?
- Zero-in
on the perfect media person – Finding the proper person to pitch should be
done first. It is important to know what the particular press person deals
with. If you write about relationships, then it is of no use to address a
media person who covers real estate.
- Give
a brief introduction – Write about the 5 W’s (who, what, when, where and
why) of your book. Make sure that you have an attention getting “hook”.
- Do
not provide overwhelming information – Include only specific and pertinent
information in the press kit. The media person should not feel overwhelmed
by the amount of data.
- Include
press releases and clippings– Press releases about your book and clippings
of your other interviews will help the media understand the relevance to their
audience.
- Be
different – Include something that ties into a story that the reporter or
producer has done before. Show them how your story would be a follow up to
prior segment or article they have produced or published. For instance, if
you authored an educational children’s book, then you could tie into a
story on schools in your local area.
- Include
illustrations – It would be worthwhile to include photos, charts and
graphs that visually illustrate the project or book. This sort of artwork
draws attention to your press kit
- FAQs
– A sheet containing the frequently asked questions about your book or
suggested article subjects.
- Online
press kit – Online press kits are becoming increasingly popular today. You
can e-mail a press release to the media person with a link to your press
kit.
Wooing The Media
The magic of every press kit is in being creative and unique. The secret of writing a good press kit lies in being precise and disciplined. The press kit should have the ingredients of being informational and a surprise element. This will go a long way in providing the necessary publicity to get your book noticed.
But now that you have a great Press Kit, how do you get in front of the media
