First Word

I often joke that public relations is much too much like Tinker Bell's fairy dust. You sprinkle on the dust and hope for the magic to happen. When promoting a book, you actually have to rely more on basic analytics and measurable results to understand how and where to promote the book. I've discovered over the past several years that you have to determine which promotional channel (online, print or broadcast) will produce real sales. Here is what I've found overall about each of the channels. Radio -- lots of radio guest appearances are good for cementing the brand name. Radio appearances don't typically trigger sales. They spread the word about the book and cement brand recognition. Books that go into the bookstores will profit from this name and brand recognition. The casual Amazon browser might buy a "familiar" sounding title. Don't expect your book sales to rise right after a radio show appearance. Blogs and Online Magazines and Newspapers -- blo...

Our new VP of Marketing, Victoria Andrew is our rock star and goddess of publicity for 3L Publishing's authors. She joined our team this winter, and I hired her because I have never seen a publicist kick major behind the way this woman does. Not only does she bring an incredible amount of energy and enthusiasm to my team, but also she is incredibly passionate about literature and publishing. When you can find someone who is just as passionate as you are about your company then you've found the ideal person. So, here is why she makes other publicists' skills dull in comparison to hers (and if you're an author what to look for in an ideal publicist): 15 Years in Publishing -- Victoria knows more about the publishing and book business than even I do. When we first started talking, she brought up refreshing ideas about how to approach the publicity side of the business from an entirely new vantage point. While I've spent the majority of my career working on magazines...