Understanding Content Relevance and Media Lead Times for Your Book Publicity Campaign

By Corinne Liccketto

In our most recent newsletter, we compiled a list of things to take into consideration before starting a book publicity campaign. A major component of a successful campaign is content relevance. Is any part of your novel set during a holiday? Are there any themes in your memoir that can be tied into an awareness month? (i.e.: April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month)

When considering a start date for your campaign, you must first think ahead – sometimes months ahead – to any holidays, causes, awareness months or memorial days that provide a strong news tie for your book. You or your publicist will be able to promote the book in conjunction with the event, giving you a stronger platform upon which to build publicity.

Second, you must consider the media lead times for publications:

• If you wrote a memoir about your battle with breast cancer, placement in women’s interest magazines during National Breast Cancer Awareness in October would be ideal. Magazine editors and writers work rough 3-6 months ahead of each issue, thus to maximize your chance for women’s interest magazine placements, you or your publicist must begin pitching the story idea in May or June!

• Newspapers have a shorter lead time, meaning you can pitch to editors roughly 3 weeks ahead of when you’re interested in having your book or article included. For major holidays and events it is best to start pitching 6-8 weeks ahead of your desired run date.

• Broadcast media (television and radio) work roughly 3-4 weeks ahead of schedule. If you’re trying to tie your message and/or book in with a specific event or holiday, it is best to start pitching the story idea 6-8 weeks ahead of schedule.

• Internet media can be immediate, which is why we love it! You can pitch an article to online media contacts and see it posted the very same day. However, if you’re seeking a specific review, interview or media written article, provide the editor with several weeks to consider your story idea and execute the work.

Bottom line: when you or your publicist has a strong, developed news angle to ground your message and book’s content, it increases the chances of securing media placements. Think ahead to all relevant events, social movements, holidays and memorials and be sure to plan out when you’ll start pitching to the media in order to secure placements on and around specific dates.