Book publicity can be tricky. My job is to raise awareness and make connections for authors, however many times I get this question from authors, “Do I need to be involved in the process for this to be successful?”
The short answer is yes.
Logically, an author or a business owner must become the spokesperson or source for their own book or company. No one knows the product better than the author.
Numerous times in my career I have heard, “I don’t want my name associated with the product,” or “I want publicity but I don’t want to be on-camera.”
It can be frustrating and confusion but here are some tips to succeed.
*Make the story about the product or process and not the person. When a product was featured on a prime-time TV show, we spread word about the product to local newspapers and received some media mentions.
*Make sure the client is comfortable and able to speak about their product. Do media training with them and make sure they are comfortable.
* Make sure the client knows they must take part in order for the process to work. They do not have to dedicate 40 hours per week to publicity, but they must be willing to contribute.
But what about the original question? Can an author really success if they are not involved?
As a book lover, I do enjoy hearing from the author and learning about the author. Here are some issues that may arise if the author is not involved.
• One many lose readers if they ignore then.
• An author may turn off contacts: libraries, bookstore owners, media, if they do not participate in events.
• The media may be more interested in who you are if you don’t want your name associated with publicity.
My advice is to participate. If you have written a book and you are proud of it, shout it from the rooftops!
FYI: I will be out of the office for my wedding and honeymoon from September 2 to 26.
