5 Things You Should Have in Place Before Embarking on a Publicity Campaign

By Erin MacDonald-Birnbaum

Embarking on a publicity campaign is an exciting time for an author. But it can also be overwhelming if you don’t have these necessary components in place before the campaign begins:

1. Website – make sure you have a website dedicated to the book. The website should include information about you as the author as well information on what the book is about. It will provide the media a snapshot of who you are and what your book is about.

2. Headshot – you should have a professional headshot taken. When the media features you or the book in an article or they decide to publish an article you have written, often times they will request a headshot to run along with the piece. It is important that the headshot is professional (business attire, simple background) as this will be how the media perceives you as an author and expert.

3. Distribution – it is important that once the book is published and you have started a publicity campaign, that your book is available for sale to the public. Don’t assume that just because your book has been published that it automatically has distribution. This is not always the case. Minimally, your book should be listed on Amazon.com. If you book isn’t available to purchase, it doesn’t make sense to publicize it as no one will be able to buy a copy.

4. Availability – embarking on a publicity campaign takes a lot of commitment. It is a time-consuming process for an author. It is important that you have maximum availability not only for your book publicist, as the two of you will be working very closely, but also for the media for interviews. If you know that you have a long vacation planned or that your day job is not going to allow you to take time each week for publicity, it may not be the right time to start a campaign.

5. Books – this may seem like a no-brainer, but it is important that you have your published book available for your book publicist to use. A good publicist will ask for copies of your book to have on hand to use for any media requests that come in during your campaign. It is important that you have a good number of books available before the campaign even begins.

Bottom line: getting yourself organized and having everything in order before your publicity campaign begins will set you on the path for a fun, exciting experience in introducing your book to the public and media.