Aim high, but not TOO high
It makes sense to be realistic in setting your expectations when trying to build big media exposure for yourself. Don’t get in the habit of throwing stuff out there to see what sticks. The media, both traditional and social, is the best tool you have. You can play with the big boys and get national exposure. But first you have to prepare for your place in the spotlight.
Publicity isn’t an end; it’s a beginning. To maximize the benefit of media exposure in today’s market, understand the promotional media metrics with an appealing press release. Educate yourself on your specific market and stay on top of that market as it appears in the news. News alerts are a great way to ground yourself in how competitive your topic is, and who’s making the cut.
If you write fiction you can increase your opportunities by tying what you write into a non-fiction topic that’s still relevant and interesting to your target market. Get creative!
Being an author goes far beyond knowing the A-Zs in writing skills. The trick is how to learn the ropes on marketing.
“Don’t forget to write your press release in the third person! Media may post the text of your press release as-is. This saves them from having to write or rewrite a story. Anything you can do to make a reporter or editor’s life easier makes it easier for them to give your news stronger consideration.”
A very marketable way to get media coverage for your business, is to ask the media if you can submit an article about a topic of interest to their audience. That’s totally different than pitching a story about yourself or your book.
News is fleeting when more relevant or timely news comes along. When blogging, shoot for evergreen content with longer-term search engine value.
“Linda has published twelve books. She blogs about the publishing world, posts useful tips on the challenges a writer faces, including marketing and promoting your work, how to build your online platform, how to get reviews and how to self-publish.”