Most authors aspire to national TV interviews when they are promoting a new book. It's not something that happens to everyone, but book publicists stress that preparation is essential when it does. If you are an author and don't already have experience making TY appearances, it's wise to consider media training. The goal is to prepare well to be an engaging guest who connects well...

Given the competition in today's bookselling marketplace, authors and publishers face significant headwinds when promoting new titles. If you ask a book publicist, they'll tell you a well-rounded promotional campaign is your best bet. The goal is to reach target audiences with news about the book and its launch. It can happen online and in traditional media – ideally, both working...

While there's no doubt some books are seasonal in their appeal and need to be launched and promoted accordingly, many other books are seasonless. Therefore, if you've written a book and are planning its launch, should you avoid some months. Opinions will vary depending on which book publicist you ask, but experience shows successful book launches happen throughout the year. For...

  More people than ever are self-publishing books, and many are finding success. But if you're a writer going it on your own, many areas like book promotion that a publisher would handle now fall to you. In some ways, it's an opportunity as much as a responsibility because you can steer your publicity toward target readers in the way you feel best. It's also important to remember...

Once you've worked with a bookseller, chain store, or independent, to schedule an author's personal appearance and book signing, the next question is how to get people there. As a publicist or literary agent will tell you, a larger crowd reflects better on you as the author and pleases the hosting store. While booksellers customarily have some promotional capabilities and a budget,...

Each year, video increases its value as a promotional tool, and books are among the beneficiaries. Producing video and distributing it via online sharing sites, author's websites, and attachments to social media posts are a tool book publicists use to call attention to new books. They're referred to as book trailers in the publishing industry, borrowing their name from movie trailers....

The self-help genre is one of the most successful in publishing, and its momentum shows no sign of slowing down. But success isn't guaranteed if you're writing a self-help book and don't carefully plan a marketing campaign to support its launch. Literary agents and many other book pros know from experience how much difference a targeted marketing program can make. Book PR firms can...

Using social media to market products, including literary works, is a topic of much conversation these days. Anyone with a thorough grasp of book marketing services will tell you it plays a role if used well – and one opportunity is to hold a contest. It's a way to increase people's interest and your following while promoting your book. People enjoy competition with the...

Even the world's most famous authors need marketing support for the new books they write to achieve their goals. Besides having an excellent literary agent and editor on their side, having a skilled publicist is a must. A successful book PR campaign depends on well-defined objectives, thorough planning, an identified target reader, and the proper outreach to media. It's a given that an author...

Planning strategically with clear goals in mind and tactics to accomplish them is the key to success in  book marketing . It's especially true for authors in nonfiction categories like business book marketing who have significant publicity opportunities. If you're an author working with a publicist, holding an initial brainstorming meeting is always beneficial. It...