How to Create an Effective Book Publicity Plan

How to Create an Effective Book Publicity Plan Creating an Effective and Timely Book Publicity Plan Publicity is a commonly misunderstood side of book marketing - it's often assumed that a publicists job is to get reviews and interviews. But this is just the tip of your book publicity plan - there is so much more a book's launch team needs to do, according to this new post from publicist Coleen Hatrick.Self-publishing is a ton of work –   getting the manuscript written, copyedited, revisions, choosing text layout, and the cover design all come first. Consequently, for many first-time authors – publicity, and marketing become afterthoughts. It is well-nigh impossible to get decent attention for your book if you start the PR campaign after publication.Timing is everything to run a successful PR campaign. As an experienced book publicist, I regularly turn down work offers from first-time authors who wait until it is too late to get in touch with Publicity and Marketing. It's a real shame, especially when I'm faced with a captivating manuscript that deserves some lime light.So how can you make sure you're ready to work with a professional publicist or marketer in the run-up to your launch date? J.K. Rowling's Amazon Author PageReach out to blogs.  Contact bloggers you have some rapport with and offer a blog post, exclusive extracts, interview to go out at publication time. Send your media kit.Set your book to pre-order.  You or your marketer can create a product page on Amazon, Nook, and Apple Books. Upload your finalized cover design and favorable or engaging quotes from early readers. Don’t forget to include links to the content related to this book.Finalize interview dates.  Local radio and papers will book interviews at this stage, or sometimes closer to their publication date. If your publicist has been in contact with them before, they should confirm that they’re on the case.Host a cover reveal.  You can do this yourself on your website, Facebook, Twitter or work with a blog. Think about which will have the biggest reach.Leak short extracts from the book on Twitter or InstagramActivate your network!  Get the word out to your contacts, friends, and colleague networks. A publicist should be able to access your social media accounts or you can agree/author content and frequency/schedule together. It can be daunting to involve these connections, but that’s what the launch party is for.Take pictures at your party. Encourage attendees to share the joy and decide on a #hashtag to use. Bring copies of your books and little postcards advertising it. And remember to have a blast!Publication week and beyondShow-off on social media!  Share pictures of the physical book. Keep your followers updated with great quotes, mentions, compliments and likes. Post any media coverage you’ve received and remember to tag the outlet (which can get them to repost).Set up a Google alert.  Use the book title  and your name. Additionally, you may set a separate alert on the main subject/topic in order to tie in or offer comment to related trending news.Sign up to HARO (Help a Reporter Out). A free media sourcing service where report er's request stories linked to what they are working on. The requests come in twice a day. Prepare for your inbox to fill-up.Share your media hits.  Media hits beget more media. The right story can get picked up overnight, and some go viral. Add a ‘praise’ sheet to your media kit, and update your website  and Amazon page.Set up an online QA session on Twitter QA or Facebook QAGo local.  Your publicist can pitch for local radio interviews, and local TV now. Shape your talking points to the particular outlet. It really helps to be familiar with the programmes.Freebies.  Some blogs and some local radio outlets love having prizes to offer their audience.Events.  This is an effective way to keep connecting with your future readers and can be spread out over the ensuing year.We hope this timetable is beneficial and clarifies why it is important to start the publicity and marketing process early. There is room for creativity and imagination in promoting your work. Wi th so much competition and distraction vying for attention, it is reassuring to know that you are doing everything you can for your book.Self-publishing and working for small start-up publishers are quite different to working for big powerhouse companies and can be consequently much harder to be heard in a public arena.  Meanwhile, the book trade is showing signs of a refreshing rebirth thanks to the rise of independent small publishers, and confident self-publishing authors.Coleen Hatrick is a former in-house Publicity Manager UK at Oxford University Press. Including a stint in NYC, she has over 10 years experience in Academic Trade books, journals, and online products. She is now working as a freelance publicist in both markets and she can be found on the Reedsy Marketplace.