For nearly two decades, we’ve been telling you about the value of talk radio as a means for promoting your book to the masses. Because we want you to succeed with talk radio, here are some “inside” tips to help you become the kind of guest every host wants to have on his or her show:
1. Be energetic. Make sure that you bring ENERGY to the table. Radio hosts love it when you show enthusiasm on the air. If you’re excited about your message, the listeners will be excited, too---and more inclined to want to learn more about your book.
2. Avoid distractions. Make sure that there are no dogs barking or kids screaming and clutching onto your leg. Turn off your computer and the television and make sure that you switch off your cell phone. Shut yourself into a room where you can have total privacy with no distractions so you can stay focused!
3. Be honest. Always be open and honest with the host. Listeners relate better to people who are an “open book.” Don’t be afraid to be who you really are and say what you really think. Remember that Howard Stern built an empire by being honest with his listeners!
4. Define your message. Before going on the air, know the key points you want to communicate about your book. Make sure you stay “on message” no matter how far off the host’s questions take you. Always bring the answer back to your own key message.
5. Be mindful of your word inflections. Practice saying your main points out loud before your interview. Remember that it is not only what you say, but how you say it. Inflections help keep the listener’s interest.
6. Speak slowly and clearly and make sure that you E-NUN-CI-ATE. You don’t want your words to mush together. If you speak too quickly, the listeners won’t be able to understand you. Make sure to enunciate so that people will stay interested.
7. Have notes handy, but try not to read from them. Know your material cold. Reading your notes or word-for-word answers sounds stiff and rehearsed and you’ll lose your audience. You want to sound as natural as possible so that your message will be more likely to trigger a buying response.
8. If you stumble, stutter, or slip-up during an interview, forget about it and move on. Don’t dwell on your mistakes. Don’t get flustered. Stay on message and you’ll be fine.
9. Don’t get technical or use words that most listeners wouldn’t know. Remember that you are trying to get a large audience to relate to you. Use layman’s terms, if at all possible, and save the four-syllable words for your next game of Scrabble.
10. Smile when you are on the air. If you are physically smiling while you are talking, the listeners will feel it. If you are frowning, they will feel that also. Although the listeners won’t be able to actually see you on the radio, they will be able to “feel” your interest and enthusiasm.
Remember---your intention for every interview is to enlighten the listening audience about your book and interest them in purchasing it.
If you would like to hear more about talk radio and how it can help you successfully promote your book, call me or my husband Steve at 727-443-7115, ext. 208. Nothing beats a real-life conversation!
Call today – we’re looking forward to hearing from you!
Warmest Regards,
Marsha Friedman, President
Showing posts with label publicity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label publicity. Show all posts
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Get A 6 Figure Book Advance
It's the dream of 81% of the population to write a book. No matter how many times people tell you how difficult it is to do, nearly everyone wants to do it. There hangs a certain romance around writers. I think it's a kind of nostalgia or grieving for some forgotten part of ourselves. We long to return to a place where magic and imagination are revered.
Others may just want the quick glory or fast buck they associate with being an author. But whatever you want, getting a 6-figure book advance is possible if you have the skill, drive and know-how. Here are five tips to get you started on achieving the dream of becoming a well-paid, respected author.
1. Know the Industry
Educate yourself on how the publishing industry works. Unlike the old days when publishers were looking to cultivate long-term relationships with authors who would be in their stable, today their top priority is just to sell books.
When I was traveling in Mexico this year I met a woman whose husband has been a best-selling author for twenty years in England. He has had the same agent and publisher for those same twenty years. Every time he came out with a new book his publishers expected it to be "number one" on the English equivalent of the New York Times bestseller list. They worked with him to make it so. In America the bottom line is king. You must be able to substantiate your claim that your book will fly off the shelves, without any help from the publisher.
2. Prove There is a Market for Your Book
In today's world you need to show that your book will sell to one large audience, or many smaller niche audiences. Quantify each audience with statistics that show that they buy books on that subject. It's not enough to say that this audience would be interested in your topic. You must be able to prove beyond a doubt with your well-researched facts that your readers are a *book buying* audience.
3. Develop a Platform
This is the most important aspect of your proposal after you've proven that there is a pressing need for your book and that book buying audiences will scoop it up. A platform is simply YOUR ability to sell books to the audience that you have said will buy-from you.
It's all about the numbers. How many people are on your e-zine list? How many people do you speak to every month? How many people buy your products and services now? Do you have big name corporations or organizations that will buy your books in bulk? Do you have a regular column, or write for publications? Are you frequently seen in the media? If you don't have an impressive platform you don't get a 6-figure advance.
4. Map out a Marketing Plan to Promote Your Book.
Your plan should include everything from speaking engagements, online marketing, licensing, and media placements. It must be realistic and do-able. In other words you can't say that you'll speak to organizations of 1000 people or more if you've never done it.
What do publishers hate most?
When you say that you're right for Oprah. Unless you've already been a guest and taped the show please NEVER say this if you don't want your reputation instantly sullied.
Instead show how you will build on your past publicity. If hosts or producers say that they want you back for another segment because you did such a good job the first time, say it. But if you haven't done much media to date, don't fret.
You can begin today and get a substantial number of profiles, features, and comments in the media in a few months by joining PRLeads,a service which delivers reporters queries (the stories they need experts for) daily to your email box.
5. Get Endorsements
Big names sell products in a big way. Getting known names of celebrities, best-selling authors, actors, athletes, well- known experts in your field, media personalities, any famous name that has glitter gives you the kind of credibility that can't be bought.
One of my clients, who got a number of New York Times best-selling authors to write about him, accomplished three things with his endorsements. Each person who wrote about him told a different story about why he would be a winning author. The first one lauded him as a highly successful professional. The second stated that my client's book filled a gap that her book failed to address. The third demonstrated that the people my client was trying to reach were an avid book buying market hungry for his type of book- as they had bought hers.
These meaningful endorsements effectively helped him get his 6-figure advance. (And he got media coached by me before he met the editors at the big New York Publishing houses who then bid on his book at auction).
Don't just get endorsements saying you're terrific. Make your endorsements do double duty by helping you prove there is a market and that you're the one they want to buy from. This is the type of information that makes you stand out from the other 150,000 authors who are published every year, most of whom never earn back their advance. Don't be one of them. Instead, follow this advice and you'll be well on your way to earning a 6 figure book advance. Good luck!
Others may just want the quick glory or fast buck they associate with being an author. But whatever you want, getting a 6-figure book advance is possible if you have the skill, drive and know-how. Here are five tips to get you started on achieving the dream of becoming a well-paid, respected author.
1. Know the Industry
Educate yourself on how the publishing industry works. Unlike the old days when publishers were looking to cultivate long-term relationships with authors who would be in their stable, today their top priority is just to sell books.
When I was traveling in Mexico this year I met a woman whose husband has been a best-selling author for twenty years in England. He has had the same agent and publisher for those same twenty years. Every time he came out with a new book his publishers expected it to be "number one" on the English equivalent of the New York Times bestseller list. They worked with him to make it so. In America the bottom line is king. You must be able to substantiate your claim that your book will fly off the shelves, without any help from the publisher.
2. Prove There is a Market for Your Book
In today's world you need to show that your book will sell to one large audience, or many smaller niche audiences. Quantify each audience with statistics that show that they buy books on that subject. It's not enough to say that this audience would be interested in your topic. You must be able to prove beyond a doubt with your well-researched facts that your readers are a *book buying* audience.
3. Develop a Platform
This is the most important aspect of your proposal after you've proven that there is a pressing need for your book and that book buying audiences will scoop it up. A platform is simply YOUR ability to sell books to the audience that you have said will buy-from you.
It's all about the numbers. How many people are on your e-zine list? How many people do you speak to every month? How many people buy your products and services now? Do you have big name corporations or organizations that will buy your books in bulk? Do you have a regular column, or write for publications? Are you frequently seen in the media? If you don't have an impressive platform you don't get a 6-figure advance.
4. Map out a Marketing Plan to Promote Your Book.
Your plan should include everything from speaking engagements, online marketing, licensing, and media placements. It must be realistic and do-able. In other words you can't say that you'll speak to organizations of 1000 people or more if you've never done it.
What do publishers hate most?
When you say that you're right for Oprah. Unless you've already been a guest and taped the show please NEVER say this if you don't want your reputation instantly sullied.
Instead show how you will build on your past publicity. If hosts or producers say that they want you back for another segment because you did such a good job the first time, say it. But if you haven't done much media to date, don't fret.
You can begin today and get a substantial number of profiles, features, and comments in the media in a few months by joining PRLeads,a service which delivers reporters queries (the stories they need experts for) daily to your email box.
5. Get Endorsements
Big names sell products in a big way. Getting known names of celebrities, best-selling authors, actors, athletes, well- known experts in your field, media personalities, any famous name that has glitter gives you the kind of credibility that can't be bought.
One of my clients, who got a number of New York Times best-selling authors to write about him, accomplished three things with his endorsements. Each person who wrote about him told a different story about why he would be a winning author. The first one lauded him as a highly successful professional. The second stated that my client's book filled a gap that her book failed to address. The third demonstrated that the people my client was trying to reach were an avid book buying market hungry for his type of book- as they had bought hers.
These meaningful endorsements effectively helped him get his 6-figure advance. (And he got media coached by me before he met the editors at the big New York Publishing houses who then bid on his book at auction).
Don't just get endorsements saying you're terrific. Make your endorsements do double duty by helping you prove there is a market and that you're the one they want to buy from. This is the type of information that makes you stand out from the other 150,000 authors who are published every year, most of whom never earn back their advance. Don't be one of them. Instead, follow this advice and you'll be well on your way to earning a 6 figure book advance. Good luck!
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