Smith Publicity, Inc.

2011-09-23T15:58:00.000-04:00

Social Media Versus Traditional Book Marketing

by Dan Smith

Social media, it seems, is everywhere and part of everything. You can’t get away from it even if you try. It’s no different when it comes to book marketing; social media is all the buzz in the publicity trade. Experts will tell authors they must engage in a robust social media program to promote a book, and still others will say that social media is the only way to promote a book effectively.

But let’s slow down and take a brief look at the reality of book publicity and social media.

Social networking is a terrific way to get grassroots buzz about a book, and to establish an online presence that builds a fan base. A coordinated, planned cultivation of your presence on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and special interest social media platforms can indeed spread the word and spark book sales. As we’ve all heard, authors can even “go viral” and reach that magical tipping point at which it seems everyone knows about their book.

So does this mean “old school,” traditional book marketing is a dying art?

To begin the answer to this question, I’ll tell you that: You can’t Tweet credibility, and 5,000 friends on FaceBook might actually be worth nothing when it comes to your book. Like life, it depends on who these friends are and how much they really care about you.

Anyone can build a FaceBook page and develop a presence on any social media site. There are no gatekeepers. It’s the wild west where anything goes.

Traditional book publicity via media outreach, on the other hand, is very different. Publicity is all about getting others (media) to think enough of you and/or your book to write about it or put you on the air for an interview. When this happens, an author acquires credibility – the single most important element book promotion. Social media is about making as many people as possible know about your book. Publicity, on the other hand, is about getting people of influence – editors and producers – to take interest in you and your book.

FaceBook “friends” are often superficial. We want to show that many people actually like us, and ostensibly really care about what we do, sometimes to the point of reporting the most mundane of activities. Social networking, ultimately, is a supremely narcissistic endeavor (not that there’s anything wrong with that!). Publicity is about getting the right people to actually take a true interest in you and your book, and then from their position of influence, tell others about it.

You can see, there’s quite a difference between the two.

But don’t think for a second that I believe social media isn’t a great tool as it relates to book marketing. It is. It can be powerful. It can be very, very effective.

Most importantly, in my view, social networking is the perfect compliment to a promotional campaign. I recommend every author establish a social media platform. Traditional publicity and social media can work amazingly well together. Publicity can get you credibility, and provide you with the perfect material to populate your social media sites.

I personally don’t care to read that someone just saw a good movie, or to see mind-numbing motivational phrases posted on FaceBook. I do, however, love to see a link to a TV interview or newspaper article about a person/author in a Tweet or on FaceBook. It makes that person interesting. It makes me possibly want to buy their book.

Social media is certainly here to stay and traditional book publicity isn’t going anywhere – it will always be effective.

Instead of choosing one over the other, bring social media and traditional book publicity together, and you have a perfect promotional marriage.

Now I need to go and post a link to this article on FaceBook and send a Tweet out about it …

Baseball and the Art of Book Publicity

2011-09-22T19:54:00.003-04:00

Baseball and the Art of Book Publicity

by Dan Smith

If you’ve spoken to many publicists, you may have heard some analogies between baseball and book promotion. I probably use them everyday when speaking with clients or prospective clients, because they make key points succinctly and in an understandable manner.

Here is the analogy distilled to its simplest form: Publicity is like baseball because both involve small hits, medium hits, big hits, and huge hits. (Think singles, doubles, triples and home runs). If you try to “swing for the fences” every time, you’ll strike out the vast majority of the time. The smaller “hits” – singles (i.e. local radio interviews), doubles (regional print publications, local TV), and triples (syndicated radio interviews, regional TV, large newspapers, etc.) often provide as successful promotion as one of the home runs (national TV, national magazines) can.

When the Oprah show was around, I grew to dislike her (well, not really, but you’ll see what I mean). She in many ways retarded the growth of authors and publishers in terms of fully understanding publicity. She was the obsession of many, many authors. I had people offer me $20,000 to place them on Oprah. I had a client who wanted to mail himself in a box via UPS to one of her producers (I’m not kidding). Another author wanted to pay me to camp outside her home in Santa Barbara and catch her while she was leaving for work. I have fielded probably 300 calls over the years from authors who clearly made the point that all they were interested in, period, was getting on Oprah.

Oprah was the grand slam of publicity, or so many authors thought. The odds of an author hitting the Oprah grand slam were miniscule; not even statistically significant. When someone asked me if I could get them on Oprah, I usually said flat out, “No, it’s doubtful, the competition is unbelievable, but, we of course will try, because that’s the only way you have a chance.”

The odds of hitting other grand slams–national daytime TV talk shows, and the Good Morning America types are absolutely better, they should be targeted but all other media–of any size–should be vigorously pursued and valued.

So, the “Big O” changed the playing field. What I’d like authors to know is that if a successful book campaign is analyzed, book sales and valuable exposure typically result from persistent, steady coverage in all types of media. A grand slam can change the trajectory of a campaign and cause huge jumps in book sales, but only focusing on the “biggies” is a recipe–the vast majority of the time–for publicity failure.

Pete Rose set the record for most hits and is legendary as a champion, and he hit only 160 home runs over 24 seasons. My firm has had clients who’ve enjoyed very successful, long campaigns with no true home runs. You see the point, I’m sure.

So, I suggest authors relish the small hits–do as many radio interviews as you can, regardless of where they are. Do an interview with your tiny hometown newspaper. Get a mention of your book in a tiny special interest trade magazine with a circulation of 500. Get a mention in your college alumni publication. Take it all; do it all; relish it all; and stick with it.

Do indeed try for the homeruns–you have to–but don’t swing so hard you end up striking out and never get on base.

The Death of the Book Review?

2011-09-21T16:31:00.000-04:00

The Death of the Book Review?

Industry experts offer varying opinions on the issue of book reviews, but as anyone in the publicity business knows, securing ‘traditional’ book reviews is more difficult that in years past. Large galley mailings are becoming less common. Instead, as my agency has done, the more efficient and economical practice is targeted advance copy mailings, to very carefully chosen outlets.

So what do I mean by ‘traditional’ book reviews? The printed review; in newspapers or magazines, is not nearly what it once was. The newspaper industry continues to be hurt by reduced circulation and ever-increasing challenges from online media. Additionally, with thousands of new books coming out every month, the competition for print space is limited, and the ‘big houses’ dominate in terms of book reviews. Many print outlets simply await catalogue mailings from major publishers, choose books they deem worthy of review, while many small/independent presses and most self-published authors are left out in the cold. It’s really that simple.

But, all hope is not lost. Aside from very targeted mailings–what we call ‘high priority’ outlets with high probability of interest in a specific book–online reviewers are flourishing. Don’t discount the value of online reviewers. Every time your book is mentioned on the Internet, it is picked up by search engine spiders, and the more and more your book appears online, the more word spreads about the book.

Online reviews aren’t as limited by space or type of publishing. Many reviewers welcome self-published books; some only review self-published books.

Here’s something that might surprise you: I don’t think ‘traditional’ book reviews sell books. I’d much rather see our clients get a feature story, print interview, author profile, etc. in the same newspaper or magazine, rather than a write up in the book review section. These pieces can move books much more than a traditional review, as the feature story will typically draw in your target audience, who may easily miss a book review. Plus, a feature story, for example, is seldom negative, whereas a book review can certainly be.

Years ago we would routinely send hundreds of galleys out at the start of a campaign. We don’t do this anymore. Our advance review copy lists usually number around 20 to 50, and, we’re really pitching for stories over reviews. We do this by also reaching out to long lead magazine editors (not just book review editors) who are good targets for the topics in your book. Of course, we are still sending galleys to select book review editors with the goal of securing some reviews.

The Internet is fast becoming the best friend of authors. Traditional publicity, the old-school type of pitching for interviews, stories, etc., is still crucial to a campaign, but more and more the viral nature of the Internet should not be ignored. From online reviews to blogs to online book listings and podcast interviews, the Internet has changed the face of book promotion.

My suggestion: Do not rely upon the Internet only for your campaign; I still believe a comprehensive campaign attacking newspapers, magazines, radio and TV is crucial. But, get on the Internet, as many places as you can. Get your name and book on as many sites as possible.

Is the book review dead? Nope. It simply has changed with the times.

Tradeshow Marketing Opportunities for London Book Fair and Book Expo America

2011-02-08T12:37:00.001-05:00

Foreign rights, distributors, publishers, authors and readers attend the book industry's largest trade shows—London Book Fair in April and Book Expo America in NYC in May—looking for exciting titles.

Don’t miss the opportunity to showcase your book to these audiences. With a simple registration form, your book and important information about you will be on display at the world renowned COMBINED BOOK EXHIBIT! Deadlines are fast approaching for these two shows, plus many regional events as well. For a list of upcoming shows and deadlines, please visit: http://www.smithpublicity.com/book-event-exposure/.

To register your book(s) for the London Book Fair (deadline March 11) and/or Book Expo America (deadline: April 29), please contact us directly at cbe@smithpublicity.com.

We look forward to hearing from you and answering any questions you might have!

Finding the Right Literary Agent

2011-01-27T09:48:00.003-05:00

Match your manuscript to agents with experience in your book’s category.

by Dan Poynter

Your mission is not to find just any literary agent, it is to find the right agent. Some are advocates while others are gatekeeper.

Some literary agents have a passion and a track record for certain kinds of books: cooking, travel, children’s, business, parenting and so on. To find the right agent for your manuscript, simply match the written Work to the agent.

Look on that shelf in the bookstore where your book will be. Check the Acknowledgment pages of similar books; some authors mention their agent. Locate and call authors of works similar to yours. Ask who their agent is.

For example, literary agent Patti Breitman, (John Gray, Men are from Mars and Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff), is a confirmed and renowned vegetarian. When she was new to the business, she attended many vegetarian conferences and let people know she was looking for manuscripts. After she sold a few, the word spread in vegetarian circles.

Now, Patti represents the founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Ingrid Newkirk (You Can Save The Animals); the founder of Physicians' Committee for Responsible Medicine, Neal Barnard, M.D. (Foods That Fight Pain and Food for Life), the 4th generation cattle rancher turned vegetarian who got Oprah sued, Howard Lyman (Mad Cowboy) and several others.

Today, Patti receives several queries and proposals for vegetarian books. As she is not taking on new clients, Patti declines the opportunity to work with even the best vegetarian authors. She will suggest other agents and encourage the writers to persevere because she shares their passion.

"It's harder for a new writer to get an agent than a publisher."
—Roger Straus, president, Farrar, Straus & Giroux.

At writers’ conferences, try this non-threatening way of approaching agents: Instead of asking an agent to read your manuscript. Place them in a more objective position by saying, "You are an agent and know most of the other agents. I realize agents have a track record in certain types of work. Which agents would you recommend for this manuscript?" You may be astonished at the positive reaction you get.

For more help, explanation and direction, see Writing Nonfiction: Turning Thoughts into Books.

Good agents specialize. Successful authors know where to look for agents.

Dan Poynter, the Voice of Self-Publishing, has written more than 100 books since 1969 including Writing Nonfiction and The Self-Publishing Manual. Dan is a past vice-president of the Publishers Marketing Association. For more help on book publishing, see http://ParaPub.com.

Announcement: President Sandy Diaz to Participate in Upcoming Publicity Teleseminar

2011-01-17T16:01:00.005-05:00

Sandy Diaz, president of Smith Publicity, has been invited to participate in Sandra Beckwith’s upcoming teleseminar—“9 Novel Ways to Promote Fiction.”

9 Novel Ways to Promote Fiction

Wednesday, January 26, 2011, at 7:00 p.m. Eastern

About the teleseminar: There’s no question about it: Fiction books are harder to promote than nonfiction books. Promoting and publicizing fiction requires more thought, creativity, and effort. But boy, is it worth it! And while most authors of fiction books know this, they aren’t sure which tactics are most effective or how to begin the process.

In this information-packed presentation, you will discover:

The single most important thing you need to know about getting media attention for fiction
3 things fiction writers do wrong when promoting their books
10 must-have strategies and tactics for your book marketing plan
9 websites that will help you and your book become more newsworthy
3 requirements for securing precious, priceless publicity
12 essential elements of a book website that gets media attention and sells books
Easy ways to use social media to garner traditional media attention and widespread exposure

Registration is just $29 for the live 75 minute teleseminar, the downloadable audio recording, and the 3 free bonus materials. Link to register: http://www.buildbookbuzz.com/teleseminar/fiction/

For more information about Sandy Diaz and Smith Publicity, please visit: http://www.smithpublicity.com/about-book-marketing-company/book-publicist-staff/

About Sandra Beckwith

Author and writer Sandra Beckwith is a former publicist who helps authors, nonprofits, and small business owners learn how to save thousands of dollars in consultant fees by generating their own publicity. She is the author of Build Book Buzz Publicity Forms & Templates, Streetwise Complete Publicity Plans: How to Create Publicity That Will Spark Media Exposure and Excitement (Adams Media 2003), Publicity for Nonprofits: Generating Media Exposure That Leads to Awareness, Growth, and Contributions (Kaplan Publishing, June 2006) and WHY CAN’T A MAN BE MORE LIKE A WOMAN? (Kensington 1995). Her “Book Publicity 101: How to Build Book Buzz” e-courses are popular with authors. Sign up for her free book publicity newsletter at www.buildbookbuzz.com.

How to Incorporate Your Traditional Media Coverage into Your Social Networks

2011-01-10T23:43:00.004-05:00

by Corinne Liccketto

Most authors know that social networking is an important component of creating awareness about their book. Since our area of focus at Smith Publicity is garnering traditional media placements for clients (newspaper, magazines, radio, online, and television coverage), many people ask how our efforts can benefit their social networking efforts.

Below are several tips on how to use your traditional media placements to create a social networking buzz. By following these tips, you’ll not only maximize the value of your traditional media exposure, but also simultaneously populate your social networking sites and build your online following.

1. Radio and Television Interviews: Once you’ve confirmed a radio or television interview, it’s time to turn to Facebook and Twitter. By notifying your friends and followers of your upcoming broadcast interview, you’ll create hype and encourage people to tune in and listen or watch. Once your interview is broadcasted, upload the video or MP3 or include the link to the show’s archive so those who missed it can listen or watch. Your followers can also share it with their friends, peers, family members, etc. who might not be your friend or follower.

In the market(s) where your broadcast interview is slated to air, you can research organizations, small groups, and associations whose focus pertains to the content of your book or your message and follow them on Twitter or friend them on Facebook. Personalize a direct message to the appropriate contact to inform him/her that your interview may be of interest to the group members. Include your contact information and let them know that people can contact you directly for more information or with any questions.

2. Print reviews, feature articles, book listings, etc.: It’s not as easy to notify people of your forthcoming print coverage as timelines get pushed back and sometimes articles run unbeknownst to the author. However, if you have a solid confirmation for a print run, spread the word on Twitter and Facebook just as you would for a forthcoming broadcast interview. For all print runs, once you’ve secured the placement and obtained a copy for your records, scan the article/review/mention/commentary and upload it to your social networking sites for followers to review. If the article ran simultaneously on the print outlet’s online component, you can simply include the link to the article instead.

3. Online articles, reviews, book listings, etc.: Whenever it’s an online article/review/mention/commentary run, post the link to your Twitter and Facebook page. On Facebook, you might consider starting a discussion regarding the article in which you or your book is included if it has relevance to ongoing news or a social trend. The easier you make it for your followers to get involved, the more interaction you’ll spark!

4. Byline articles: If you have byline articles in circulation online or in print, be sure to post them to your LinkedIn account. You should also research special interest groups on various networking sites who should have interest in the topic of your article, and introduce it to their forums. Keep in mind that just as with traditional media, you don’t want to be promotional when notifying networkers about your article. Instead, offer it as an informative and educational piece.

5. Connect with the media contacts’ who solidified your exposure: Your social networking sites are a great way to connect with media contacts who assisted you in spreading the word about your book or message. Find them (or their media outlet) on Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn and connect. Thank the radio or television host for having you on his/her program; show your appreciation for the editor who pushed for your book review. By connecting with media through social networks, you’ll not only be able to keep track of forthcoming opportunities, you’ll start to solidify your own personal media contact list.

And a bonus general book publicity and social networking tip …

Build awareness about your upcoming book signing, speaking engagement, or author presentation: It’s all about building hype! Once you’ve confirmed a book event, start notifying your followers and friends about the details to encourage attendance. Let them know how it will benefit them – Will you be giving away copies of your book? Sharing an important message? Hosting a local celebrity? You might consider offering incentive to followers/friends who bring the most attendees with them – a free autographed copy of the book or a 20 minute consulting session.

Things Book Publicists Do and Do NOT Have Control Over

2011-01-04T17:47:00.001-05:00

by Corinne Liccketto

Things We Can Control:

Creation of quality press materials: As book publicists, a part of our job is to formulate quality press releases that the media is accustomed to reviewing. We must tailor our materials to be to the point, relevant, and effective. Book releases should not exceed two pages – author biography included.

Creative, effective pitching efforts: Publicists can control monitoring ongoing news trends, social issues, and popular developments that tie into themes and topics in your book. Publicists can also continually create new pitching angles to encourage media attention and spark requests.

Close client communication: Since publicity is not guaranteed, keeping clients updated on the progress of their campaign is crucial – and within a publicist’s control. Detailing the pitching efforts, media feedback, and ongoing plans not only informs authors of the direction of the campaign, it also keeps publicists on track.

Follow-up efforts: Once the media connection has been made, it is in a publicist’s control to continue following up with each contact to encourage coverage. Continued follow-ups help ensure books will not be lost in the pile. They also provide opportunities for publicists to offer new story ideas/angles that pertain to the book and author’s message.

Things We CanNOT Control:

Media coverage: A book publicist cannot force media to review a book, write an article, hold an author interview, etc. Our job is to tastefully and creatively package a book and author into timely story angles that will entice the media to take the next step. Once the book is in their hands, however, the choice to confirm placement is up to them.

Negative or positive reviews/coverage: As book publicists, a major part of our job is to remain unbiased so media can formulate their own opinion. If a negative book review is written, it is the thoughts and feedback of the reviewer that are reflected – not the book publicist.

Book sales: Book sales are dependent upon many factors – including how the author handles himself in an interview, where the book is available for purchase and how the author maximizes his/her traditional media exposure, to name a few. It is important to keep in mind that as publicists our main goal is to solicit media placements, not drive direct consumer sales.

Why You Should Sell Your Book on Amazon

2010-12-16T10:39:00.007-05:00

by Corinne Liccketto

It’s a known fact that authors will make more money if consumers buy their books through their personal book or author website. So why would an author make their book available for purchase on Amazon.com where they’ll lose a greater percentage of the sale?

Amazon is the place to go for books. Having your product available for purchase on Amazon makes you and your book a part of the literary community. In order to increase awareness for your book, establish credibility, and put consumers at ease, Amazon distribution is pertinent.

If you’re conducting a book publicity campaign, media will often check for more information on Amazon. If your book is not there, some may think it doesn’t exist. We’ve actually witnessed this firsthand. We were promoting a book for an author who had not uploaded his book on Amazon by the start of his book publicity campaign. When active pitching was underway, a media contact emailed the author’s publicist to say he had checked on Amazon but couldn’t locate the book. He thought the book was not yet published and, unfortunately, the media opportunity was missed.

If a consumer is interested in purchasing your book, they’re most likely to buy through a website that they know. While they may be able to read your author bio on your website and familiarize themselves with your book, the truth is you’re still unknown to them. Consumers feel most comfortable entering their credit card information on a reputable site. Plus, the more places your book is available for purchase, the more book sales you’re likely to see.

Amazon is a literary community. Having your book available for purchase on Amazon means readers can share their feedback. Professional reviewers can share their reviews. Authors can create their profile, giving insight into their background, expertise, and inspiration for their book. With the newer 'Search Inside' feature, interested parties can preview the product before moving forward with a purchase or review. Remember, the more information a consumer and media contact can review, the more appeal the product takes on and the more credibility you’ll add to your author platform. For tips on how to make the most of your Amazon book page, please review President Sandy Diaz’s previous blog post.

Bottom line: Don’t miss out on visibility or, most importantly, book sales. Make your book available for sale on Amazon today!

6 Book Publicity Tips for the New Year!

2010-12-08T17:14:00.004-05:00

by Corinne Liccketto

Once the major holiday buzz has subsided, media contacts are back in their offices, and the New Year’s news is beginning to unfold, it is an important time to map out your book publicity plans for the next several months.

These 5 simple book publicity tips will help set you on the path to promotion in 2011.

1) Tie your book into the New Year hype. What makes your book a good one for the New Year? Consider all of the relevant themes in your book and points in your message and see if any can be shaped into a ‘New Year’ pitch.

Put a New Year spin on a children’s book that teaches kids manners:
“Rudeness – A Trend of 2010: New Book Sets Children on the Path to Good Manners in 2011”

Tie your business management book in with the 2011 hype:
“What’s Your New Year’s Business Resolution? New Book Helps Managers and Executives Set Reachable Goals for 2011”

2) Look up appropriate magazines’ editorial calendars. Make a list of magazines whose content fits the themes in your book and points of your message. Research on each magazine’s website the editorial calendar – can usually be found in the ‘media kit’ or ‘press’ page of the website. Knowing what features are being planned gives you the opportunity to pitch the editors your book to supplement the articles. Also, knowing when the articles are expected to run will allow you to plan the best time to submit your pitch.

*Reminder: Magazines typically work 3-4 months ahead of each issue.

3) Research holidays, awareness months, and remembrance days. Fill your 2011 calendar with dates that relate back to you and your book. By researching ahead of time which remembrance days, holidays, and awareness months and weeks tie in to a theme in your novel, a chapter in your business book, or a part of your personal message, you’ll be able to map out when you need to begin pitching. Remember, give yourself 3-4 months for magazines and at least 3 weeks for newspapers and online publications.

*For a list of holidays, awareness months/weeks, and remembrance days, visit http://www.epromos.com/education/calendars/.

4) Book your book fairs/tradeshows. Not only should you consider the big book fairs and trade shows, like BookExpo America (www.bookexpoamerica.com), you should check out fairs and festivals taking place in your region. Make sure you’re equipped to attend with business cards in hand. The easier you make it for people to get in touch with you, the higher your chances become to hear back.

*For a breakdown of U.S. and worldwide book fairs and festivals, visit www.bibliobuffet.com and find the lists under ‘Books & More Books’

5) Start your blog. Make it a New Year’s resolution to start your author blog. Your blog will be a great way to incorporate ongoing industry trends and news developments that relate to your book and message. For fiction writers, your blog will be a way to talk about ‘real life’ issues and discussions that relate back to your book and message. For nonfiction and business writers, your blog might become a place where you can offer additional tips or advice to your followers and expand on the points you’ve made in your book.

6) Set 3 long term goals for you and your book. By brainstorming and setting a few practical goals for you and your book at the beginning of the year, you’ll be able to monitor your progress towards reaching them. The above tips should help you hone in on which goals are most appropriate for you and your book. Are you interested in hiring a graphic designer? The book fairs and tradeshows will be a great place to start networking! Do you want to be branded as an expert in your field? Tying yourself in with awareness months and causes is a good way to let people know about your expertise.

Bottom line: If you devote a few hours to completing these tasks, you’ll give yourself a year’s worth of promotional homework and be well on your way to raising awareness for you and your book. So, what’s your book publicity resolution?

8 Essential Radio Interview Tips

2010-11-23T14:44:00.004-05:00

by Rich Zeoli, Founder and President of RZC Impact

While on radio, it.s easy to get caught up in the idea that thousands of people might be listening to you speak but ignore that and speak directly to the host. Have a conversation with the host and approach it no differently than if the conversation was over a cup of coffee at your local diner. In other words, get over the idea that you are .on radio..

Do use the host.s first name. Your goal is to not only give a good interview, your goal is to be asked back or land another interview as a result of this one. The interviewer has a first name so don.t be afraid to use it once in a while during the interview. Try answering a question about your book like .Well Jim, that.s a good question and I would say....

Offer something of value. Remember that nobody is really interested in you, they are interested in what you can do for them. So offer them something of value during the interview. Give away a tip or a story found in the book to let your audience in on the secret. The more the audience thinks of you less than an author looking to sell something and more as an expert with something to offer, the more successful you will be.

Be yourself. So many people go on radio and try to sound like a radio personality, whatever that means. But the audience can spot a phony a mile away so just be yourself. Use your own voice and speak from the heart. Don.t try to use big words to impress anyone and don.t try to be unusually friendly or energetic unless that is part of your natural personality.

When you make a mistake on the air (notice I didn.t say if) just keep going. The beauty of doing a radio interview is that it is in the moment. It.s basic human conversation at its best without flashing lights and pictures of TV. So if you trip on a word or use the wrong word, don.t let it throw you off. Chances are the audience didn.t even notice (unless you are running for national political office of course.)

Use a landline if at all possible. I keep an old fashioned landline in my house even though I rarely use it. But it.s there for my radio interviews. Cell phones lose reception and VOIP service will go out in the case of a power outage. So if you think you are going to be doing more than one or two radio interviews, invest in a good old landline.

Get a copy of the show. Ask the host or producer if they will be able to provide you a copy of the program and then post that podcast on your website, tweet it, Facebook it, LinkedIn it, the whole nine yards.

Have fun. If you aren't having fun, what's the point? So enjoy the moment and be in the moment. Good luck!

Rich Zeoli is Founder and President of RZC Impact, an executive communications firm with areas of expertise in media training, crisis communications, presentation skills training, and public relations. Rich is the author of The Seven Principles of Public Speaking: Proven Methods From a PR Professional, which was published by Skyhorse Publishing in the fall of 2008. For more information, please visit: www.rzcimpact.com.

The Difference between Book Publicity and Advertising: Credibility vs. Control

2010-11-19T13:32:00.002-05:00

by Sandy Diaz,

As a book publicist working with authors from all walks of life, I’m often asked to explain the difference between book publicity and advertising.

When a book is launched, the goal is to create awareness about the author and his or her title for a variety of reasons including sparking book sales, building the author’s brand, positioning the author as an expert, and attracting professional opportunities for the author such as speaking engagements, professional advancement, and future publishing options.

Publicity and advertising are two strategies employed to create awareness. Most people have a clear understanding of advertising since they’re exposed to it every day as they watch television, read a newspaper or visit an online news site. Publicity, however, is seamless to most consumers as the author, person, product, etc. is part of the news.

In advertising, someone—the publisher or author—pays the media outlet for advertising space or airtime. The buyer has 100% control over what is in the advertisement and when it appears. The primary benefit of advertising is control.

With publicity, it’s the book publicist’s job to convince the media the author will provide readers or listeners with meaningful information—whether entertaining, insightful, educational, inspiring, or controversial—and then to make the author part of the news in some way. Examples of media coverage include feature stories, articles, book reviews, interviews, op-ed pieces, expert commentaries, etc. There is no payment from the author or publicist to the media for this coverage. Each of the parties involved–the media outlet and author–get something they want and need.

Put simply, the role of a book publicist is to make their authors newsworthy. The result gives the author immeasurable credibility. The benefit of being “seen on” or “featured in” well respected media outlets lasts long after a publicity campaign ends. The primary benefit of publicity is credibility, and when it works, it is priceless.

The best way to explain the difference between publicity and advertising is to pick up a magazine and find a story featuring an author, and in the same issue find an advertisement for a book. The article gives the author and his title credibility as the reader knows the magazine thinks enough of the person to incorporate him or her into the story. The advertisement gives the author exposure; however the reader also knows someone paid for this advertisement. Therein lies the key difference: credibility vs. control.

An important point authors should keep in mind is when the media does a story or interview, the publicist and author loses control. Publicists suggest direction for the coverage, but publicists can’t control if they cover the author, how he or she is covered or when. A producer or editor can do whatever they want and go in any direction. They may sing the praises of an author and his or her book, or spin the story in an unforeseen direction, including writing a bad review.

When you want planned, controlled exposure, advertising is the route to explore. If you are considering publicity, know there are no guarantees, but again, when it works, it literally provides coverage you can’t buy.

Why You Should Do EVERY Radio Interview You Can

2010-11-16T14:41:00.003-05:00

by Dan Smith

It's easy to be tempted to ignore or at least not be excited about the prospect of an interview on a small radio station. Some authors think a tiny station will have few listeners, and it may not be worth the time to do the interview.

First, this isn't necessarily true. Think about it: How many people does a small, 1000 watt station in the middle of New York City reach? Millions.

Second, you never know who is listening. We've booked authors on stations as small as 250 watts in remote areas of the country. In fact, a famous Smith Publicity story regarding an interview on a tiny station has been told many, many times. It drives home the point as to why every interview is important, and also gives an example of what a clever pitch can do.

We had a client, a tax attorney, who specialized in settling tax issues with the IRS. You've surely seen commercials for such professionals; a person comes to them owing large sums of money to the IRS, and they reduce the debt through negotiation and other tactics.

Our client was making a heavy publicity push in the months leading up to tax day in April. Although he didn't have a book, we promoted him the same way we do authors. We came up with a clever pitch: "Why Size Does Matter When it Comes to the IRS." During a conversation with his publicist he mentioned that the size envelope a person uses to mail their tax return affects the chances of getting selected for an audit.

So, the pitch worked and we were booking dozens of interviews a week. He was a great client; he did everything and anything we set up.

We received a request for an interview from a station in South Dakota, a tiny 500 watt station in a very rural area. Realistically, probably a few hundred people, if that, would hear him on the air.

He did the interview, and the next day received a call from a listener who heard the interview. It turns out this man had been driving through South Dakota and stumbled upon the station. It also turned out this man was a multi-millionaire who was in a jam: He owed millions in what the IRS identified as back taxes. He engaged the services of our client.

The end result: From that one interview on that tiny station, and that one person who happened to be driving through that town, our client made $800,000. He had saved his client about $6 million, and earned his hefty commission.

Another brief example also illustrating the power of word-of-mouth publicity:

We had a client with a book about UFO's. We set up an interview on a very small radio station in Maine, again, one with very low wattage in a remote area. One of the people who heard the interview in Maine was the head of a northeastern U.S. chapter of a very popular UFO association with many offices across the nation. After hearing our author, she immediately e-mailed her fellow chapter heads, telling them about the author and book.

Our author's amazon.com rankings shot up from 300,000 to 162 over the next few days, and she began receiving requests for bulk purchases of her book.

One interview. Tiny station. One person catapulted the sale of thousands of books.

Finally, just this week, one of our authors did an interview on a smaller market radio station. The result: an ABC producer heard the interview, became interested in the author and is now in the process of taping a three day interview for a national television broadcast.

It can be hard to imagine, but these small steps can and often do lead to bigger opportunities.

How to Build Your Author Platform

2010-11-10T09:37:00.003-05:00

by Corinne Liccketto

If you’re an author, I’m sure you’ve heard by now about the ‘author platform’. Every book publicist, publisher, distributor, literary agent, etc. will tell you – a book’s success depends largely on the author’s platform. So what is the author platform? And, more importantly, how do you build yours?

The author platform is often the heart of a book publicity campaign. It is, essentially, a list of the author’s credentials in areas that pertain to the content of the book. The author platform may be strengthened by career or life experiences, club and association affiliations, education credentials, and testimonials, among others. An author’s platform establishes credibility for his or her book. You may have the best financial self-help book around but without author credentials, the media and your consumer may not take a second look and your book publicity campaign may suffer. You’ve heard us say it before: “You can’t interview a book.” Thus, the author’s platform, or background, must speak for the book in order to help spark awareness.

So, how do you build your author platform? Here are three tips to get you started:

1) Write what you know: While it might seem like an obvious tip, you’d be surprised how many people step outside of their ‘comfort’ zone to write about things their background doesn’t quite support. Even if it’s a novel, the main themes and plotline should definitely be relevant to your area of expertise! For example, are you an educator? Incorporate an education theme or teacher/student bond into your novel. This will allow your publicist to incorporate ‘real life’ information into your book publicity campaign and position you for interview opportunities.

Writing about what you know helps establish your author platform, incorporate your background into the content of the book and, ultimately, allows your book to reinforce your message because a book simply cannot speak for itself!

2) Pitch to your local media: Local media is most receptive to local authors and their books since coverage of either is relevant and ‘newsworthy’ to their audience. Approach your local media with a copy of your book, a tailored cover letter, and a book release. In your cover letter, make sure you stress that you are a local author and give the editor ideas on how they can incorporate your book/you into their outlet. Perhaps they could run an author profiling story on how you came to write the book. Or they may consider mentioning your book in a local highlights section. Remember, media results build upon themselves and soliciting media runs adds strength to your author platform.

3) Join clubs and organizations: By associating yourself with clubs and organizations that pertain to the content of your book, you’re helping to round out the promotional package. Remember, a book publicity campaign is strongly supported by the author’s credentials. Pull out the main themes in your book – yes, even novels! – and research local clubs and organizations in your area that may tie into them. If your publicist has the opportunity to tie your affiliation with the local SPCA into the promotion for your novel about a family’s beloved dog, your author platform will grow – and so will the appeal for your book.

Five Factors to Consider Before Engaging a Publicity Firm

2010-11-02T14:19:00.004-04:00

by Dan Smith

Your book is ready (or almost ready), final editing touches are completed, and you're ready for people to learn about your book...now what? The hard truth is that without publicity and promotion, virtually no one will ever know your book exists. If you're a self-promoter or a publisher with some in-house expertise and have the time and resources, it is possible to successfully publicize your book. Hiring a professional, however, can make all the difference.

There are plenty of options when it comes to publicity. From “one-person shops” and large companies to radio-tours and pay-per-placement firms, it’s easy to get overwhelmed in the decision-making process. Here are some tips that can help you make the right decision:

1) Personality—Get a feel for the personality of the firm. Do they return calls and emails promptly? Do they have a sense of excitement about your project? Do they have a grasp of your book and your target audience? You are investing not only your time and money, but your reputation as well. You want to make sure you feel a sense of trust—a connection—with the firm or person.

2) Track Record—Every reputable firm will have testimonials from clients. Granted, you're only seeing the good things author's have said about the firm, but testimonials can still reveal a lot. Are they "boilerplate" testimonials, or well-thought out, personal commentary? Likewise, you should always ask for references. Don't expect to be provided phone numbers of references, but the firm should have clients or previous clients who don't mind receiving an email query about their experience.

3) Picking the Firm Size—A large firm boasting “A list” authors is certainly appealing. Before you hire them, if you're not an “A lister” (yet!), make sure you know who is handling your account. You don’t want to be relegated to a college intern or become the small fish in a big pond. On the opposite end, if you're considering an individual freelancer, ask for a contingency plan should there be illness or a family emergency during your campaign.

4) Fee Structure—The cost of publicity service varies widely, but there are three main categories you should understand when selecting:

a) Retainer-based: The most common fee structure in book publicity, a retainer-based agreement is typically for three to six months. When considering this option, ensure the firm has a solid reputation and impressive credentials since you'll be committing for a period of time.

b) Pay-Per-Placement: This fee structure can be attractive, but be sure you know exactly what you'll be getting and what you'll pay. The idea of only paying when a media opportunity is secured seems perfect, but the numbers often tell a different story. Consider this example: You have a very "publicity-friendly" book and decide to pay a firm $150 for every local radio interview, $1,000 for local, network affiliate TV interviews, and $5,000 for a national TV show interview. Since your book has high potential, the firm quickly secures dozens of radio interviews, a few local TV interviews, and one national TV show appearance. Within a month you can easily spend $8,000. Another firm could have achieved the same results for less than half that in a retainer arrangement. Also, read the fine print. What if a TV interviews is taped, but never airs ... do you still pay? On the other hand, if your book is challenging, a publicist may opt to spend his or her time on a more publicity friendly project that is “easy money.”

c) Flat-fee: A one-time, flat fee for a specific set of services and a set amount of time is something to consider if you're on a limited budget, want to test out a publicity firm, or get a sense for how the media will react to your book. As always, make sure you know precisely what the firm will be doing, and for exactly how long.

5) Be wary of promises and guarantees—I'll say this as clearly as possible: No publicist—and I mean no one—can absolutely guarantee you will receive media coverage or tell you how many books you will sell. It's impossible to know. If one does make such guarantees, run the other way. Publicity, by its very nature, is full of unknowns, which makes the process both challenging and exciting. There are variables which affect media coverage and book sales, and these variable are out of anyone's control.

The bottom line: Do your due diligence when selecting a firm, and ultimately, go with your instinct when deciding; go with the firm or person that just feels right. You can rarely go wrong by trusting your instincts.

6 Author Website Essentials for a Book Publicity Campaign

2010-10-29T09:41:00.007-04:00

by Corinne Liccketto

A website is a staple of any book publicity campaign. As your publicist works to solicit awareness about you and your project, it is crucial to provide those who are interested with details about your book, background, and purchasing information. When a producer, editor or reporter is contemplating covering you, the first step they take is visiting your website. Then, media coverage will often include a mention of your website to direct potential book buyers.

Here are six essentials of an author website to help you get started:

1. Purchasing Information: For most authors, selling books is a top goal. To encourage sales and for visitor convenience, showcase a link to buy your book on each page of your website. If you are selling your book yourself to maximize your profit, great! However, many people will not purchase from a site with which they are not familiar. We recommend also including Amazon, Barnes and Noble or other household name retail online and bookstore outlets. Place the link directly to your book’s page, not the general home page. If you offer bulk sales discounts, let people know and how to order!

2. Media/Press Page: To encourage the media to cover you, make available both high resolution for print (300 dpi) and low resolutions for the Internet (about 72 dpi) images of you and your book cover for easy downloads. Once your book publicity campaign gets underway and media runs are secured, list the press placements on your website. Not only will this build you and your book’s credentials, it shows media contacts that you do have a newsworthy story to offer. Note: If you receive copies of television and radio interviews, embed them in your press page for user convenience. Also, try to include direct links to magazine, newspaper, and Internet articles in which you and/or your book appear.

3. Author Background: A book comprises half of a book publicity campaign; the other half is the author! Since you can’t interview a book, it is crucial to provide visitors with a descriptive biography. This also allows you to highlight some of the topics not related to your book you feel qualified to discuss on the air or in an interview. Plus, this is a way to let your personality shine.

4. Post Reviews and Testimonials: Show visitors what everyone is talking about! If you are soliciting reviews from credentialed sources and consumers alike, create a ‘Reviews’ page on the site to give visitors insight into your work through reader feedback.

5. Showcase Your Expertise/Give Useful Related Links: You are typically an expert on the topics covered in your book, whether you have written a fiction or non-fiction book. Consider adding case study/by lined style articles showcasing real life successes of your philosophies in your business book, research papers you have written on the topic of domestic violence which is the theme of your new novel, or useful links and resources related to the topic of your book. Be creative and give people a reason to come back and send others to your website.

6. Build Your Social Network Connections: Did you know over 70% of adults < http://www.lostremote.com/2010/01/20/adult-social-media-use-hits-new-highs/> regularly follow blogs, tweets and user-generated content? As your network of supporters builds, stay connected with individuals and businesses through social network accounts. This also helps ground your online presence. By including links on your website to your blog, and YouTube, Facebook and Twitter account profiles, you’ll encourage visitors to click through and connect!

10 Tips to Connect with Your Target Market in 'Real Life'

2010-10-27T10:04:00.006-04:00

by Monica Flores

As part of your book publicity campaign, I recommend you seek new ways to get out, meet, and talk with potential customers. When you offer an opportunity to meet with your readers "in real life", you enhance your virtual interactions and you increase ways to spread word-of-mouth about your book's launch. Face-to-face conversation encourages more trust, transparency, and relationship-building. Seek out a panel discussion, an informal gathering in the lobby at the conference, or even a Tweetup with your followers. The World Wide Web is here to support human interaction, not to override it.

Use the tools at your fingertips to encourage person-to-person connections. Realize that a virtual relationship is only one facet of the deep connections we make with one another --- and an electronic relationship is merely bits and bytes on a screen -- true connection comes from ongoing relating, story-telling, sharing, and communicating.

Focus on what you love. If you feel overwhelmed by constantly speaking at places that do not bring you sustenance and encouragement, take a moment to regroup, reconnect, and refocus. Find a place of strength and feel free to say "no" to opportunities or people that do not directly fit your philosophy or field of interest. By specifying and being clear, you open up more targeted opportunities to offer your book, products, or services.

Some examples of using social networking to support your in-person efforts:

1) Attend any of the multitude of conferences or seminars in your specific field or industry.

2) Create an informal meeting with Twitter or Facebook friends who are nearby

3) Organize a charity drive and work with others in your social networking sphere to promote a local nonprofit or community-based organization

4) Join a board or leadership group around one of your areas of interest -- invite the support of others in your network

5) Promote an event that you plan on attending and invite people from your social networks

6) Share with others who are interested in your specific topics -- take someone out to coffee or lunch to get to know them better

7) Consider offering a seminar, panel presentation, or group review of a specific topic you’d like to explore

8) Book clubs are great ways to meet others and come up with stimulating discussion - join an existing one via teleconference or even in person!

9) Work parties are great ways to get together and support one another -- they can be physical or digital work parties - join with others to work collaboratively on a special project

10) Party time: you can always host cocktail hour, supper club, or an intimate breakfast

The important part about getting together with potential customers and readers is the ability to foster additional connections that carry you forward. When you organize around the topics in your book, you find a natural audience of people interested and enthusiastic for the knowledge you have to share.

Monica S. Flores, an active web developer since 1999, works with women entrepreneurs and fair trade, organic, holistic, sustainable, and green businesses. She blogs about how to create websites that build community and foster a feeling of connectedness. She is the author and editor of the "A Successful Woman's Handbook" series, at http://www.asuccessfulwoman.com . This tip is reproduced from "Social Networking for Women on Business", available as a trade paperback http://www.tinyurl.com/socialnetworkingwomen and an e-version http://www.tinyurl.com/socialwomenbiz.

5 Things Authors Can Do to Help Publicists Be More Effective

2010-10-19T15:55:00.003-04:00

by Dan Smith

Authors hire publicists to promote their books, and often pay them well. So why should an author help a publicist do his job? The simple answer is: Because book marketing and book publicity is a very personal business; one in which emotions matter and meaningful communication can make the difference between a successful book promotion campaign and a mediocre or poor one. The expertise of a book publicist is best utilized when augmented with a balance of patience and input by the author, and much more.

Here are 5 ways an author can increase the likelihood of a successful book marketing and book publicity campaign, one which produces a wide array of media coverage and sets the stage for book sales:

1) Patience – Book publicity is more marathon than sprint, and authors who are naturally eager to see quick results need to educate themselves on the tradecraft of book marketing to understand this. An impatient author begets a rushed publicist, which in turn typically results in rushed pitching rather than carefully planned and implemented media outreach. In short, impatience can cause mistakes and shoddy publicity work. As difficult as it may be, authors should give a campaign time. Regular, thorough weekly updates from a publicist should demonstrate the book marketing plan is being rolled out in a strategic, carefully designed manner, with a sense of natural urgency every good publicist has.

2) Don’t micro-manage – One of the most destructive things an author can do to a publicist is micro-manage. A publicist who feels an author is looking over her shoulder 24/7 will not be a good publicist. An author hires a publicist for the expertise and media savvy which comes experience. Micro-management will take a publicist off-task. A client who controls the professional they’ve hired will end up getting unprofessional results.

3) Be available – Many publicity opportunities come quickly, with short notice. An author should be as available and flexible as possible, making their campaign as much of a priority in their life as possible. A book is only launched once, and missing opportunities can kill a book publicity campaign.

4) Let a publicist push the limits – In most book marketing campaigns, a publicist isn’t doing his job if he doesn’t come up with at least a few pitching ideas that make the author uncomfortable. It’s a publicist’s job to be creative, to push the envelope and think of unique ways to break through the competition. It’s ok to say “no” to an idea, but authors shouldn’t be offended if what’s presented makes them uncomfortable. In many cases, it’s a publicist’s job to push an author outside their comfort zone. Book publicists – at least good ones – expect some of their ideas to be shot down.

5) Reasonable expectations – Perhaps the hardest part of a publicist’s job is to manage the expectations of an author. Having reasonable expectations in a business in which it’s impossible to know what will happen is crucial. Book publicity and book marketing is a tough, tough business. The competition is fierce, and success in terms of huge book sales numbers is often elusive. A balanced, reasoned understanding of the challenges and opportunities of a book promotion campaign will inevitably improve the odds of an author being satisfied with the work of a publicist.

5 Tips on How to Promote a Business Book

2010-10-13T18:15:00.008-04:00

by Corinne Liccketto

Write about what you know: If you’re thinking about writing a business book, the topic should definitely be relevant to your area of expertise! Writing about what you know establishes your credibility and grounds your expertise into the content of the book. This will allow you to use your book as your business card, too, which essentially means you can build your brand in your industry and allow your book to reinforce your message.

Start promoting to your niche business market first: Have you written a finance book? Start by promoting your book to finance media. Is your book a ‘how to’ for small businesses? Begin by pitch your book to small business interest media. The key to publicity is to build awareness in your niche market before you target mainstream media. By contacting media specific to your business genre, you’ll establish recognition among the groups that matter most. Once the ‘buzz’ sets in, then you can test out the waters in the mainstream business market.

Author by line articles: Stemming back to ‘write what you know’, your by line articles should be extension of your expertise and your book. Each main point in your book can be a topic for a byline article. Another idea source for by line articles comes from tracking industry news. Writing and pitching by line articles that tie in to current business events will help brand you as the ‘expert’ in your field and will keep your book timely since publicity for you will encourage publicity for your title. If you’re ever struggling to think of article topics, go back to your Table of Contents and extract the main idea of each chapter. Sometimes you have to go back to the beginning to get a fresh start!

Monitor the news: By tracking industry news trends, you’ll be able to respond more quickly to ongoing business developments. With news – and with business – it’s important to have the edge and staying on top of ongoing trends will allow you to position yourself for interview and commentary opportunities before your peers.

Set up Google Alerts for key phrases in your industry. You’ll be quickly notified of breaking news and can pitch your media contacts to offer insight into appropriate issues and trends.

Set up speaking engagements: There are a few business-oriented groups that provide business men and women with great places to network and grow their brand.

o Register your company with your local Better Business Bureau: An organization founded on “advancing marketplace trust,” your local BBB will introduce you to other organizations within your industry. You may contact these organizations and offer to hold a presentation about a topic in your book. *Don’t plug your book during the presentation but do let your audience know that they can learn more about the topic in your book before you close. For information about your local BBB, visit: http://www.bbb.org/.

o Join the National Speakers Association: Membership to the National Speakers Association (NSA) allows you to expand your client list service and reach a wider audience through your message all while generating awareness about your book. Their annual convention is a great place to network! Believe us, we’ve been there. For more information about NSA, visit: http://www.nsaspeaker.org/.

o Now that you’re starting to present, make sure your speaking practices are top notch with Toastmasters International: This “is a non-profit organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of meeting locations.” For more information about Toastmasters, visit: http://www.toastmasters.org/.

Bottom line: The business book market is ever-growing and highly competitive. To stay on top, you must know your product, flex your expertise muscles, and keep your book relevant.

What to Know About Your Book–and Yourself–Before Starting a Publicity Campaign

2010-10-07T16:15:00.008-04:00

by Corinne Liccketto

1. Know your book’s audience: It is important to know your book’s audience—both the mainstream and the fringe markets. For example, a book about organizing your finances and investing should naturally appeal to personal finance media. However, it could also appeal to women's and men's magazines, newspaper lifestyle editors, in-flight magazines, and many others. By knowing the audiences before your campaign begins, you can ensure the appropriate media is contacted during your campaign.

2. Know your intentions and expectations: Sharing all of your expectations with your publicist before you sign the contract is crucial. As publicists, we need to know what your intentions are for a campaign—be it to secure national television interviews, to build a local or regional author presence or to sign a movie deal. By being honest from the beginning your publicist will let you know whether or not they can assist you in achieving your goals. You’ll also help your publicist set the campaign up to work on targeting the results you’re seeking.

3. Know your short term and long term goals: By knowing and communicating your short term (3-4 months) and long term (3-5 years) goals, your publicist can execute your campaign with creative and sustainable pitching ideas to not only carry you and your book through your campaign but also to help set you up for success in years to come by “branding” you. A publicity campaign could position you as an expert/author now as you plan future books and opportunities.

4. Know your travel schedule: If you have plans to travel during your campaign for business, pleasure, or even a family visit, let your publicist know. Any traveling you do during a publicity campaign is an opportunity for regional and local media exposure in the area you’re visiting. When your publicist can contact producers at television stations with the offer of an in-studio interview within a specific window of time, it creates a sense of urgency to confirm.

5. Know what makes you an interesting interviewee: The themes in your book may not be the only things you’re qualified to speak about in an interview. So, what makes you unique? Don’t hesitate to step outside of the boundaries of your book and explore your educational, family, career and lifestyle background. The more information you provide your publicist about yourself may broaden the media markets they can pitch to. We always say, “You can’t interview a book!” so when your publicist can position you as the interesting piece to the interview, your guest appeal increases.

Tips for Authors: Book Links We Love!

2010-10-05T14:36:00.004-04:00

by Corinne Liccketto

If we haven’t stressed it enough by now, the internet is the modern author’s best friend! From online book reviews to social networking opportunities, the World Wide Web is a tool that every author – regardless of genre – should use to their advantage.

There are some great online resources that, as publicists, we visit often to stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends. Today, we’re sharing our inside secrets with you!

1) SellingBooks.com: A website full of information on how to write, publish, and market your book and/or e-book, SellingBooks.com offers fresh ideas through the regular articles that they post from professionals of all corners of the book industry and beyond. The site also posts author interviews so you can read about what your writing peers are up to and exchange tips and tricks!

2) BookConnector.com: A FREE site that connects writers, authors, publishers, and publicists directly to book reviewers who are interested in their genre and book format. Once you sign up for the free Basic Review Sites membership, you simply plug in the parameters of your book (i.e. Advanced Review Copy, Published hard copy or E-Book? Genre? Fiction or Nonfiction?) and submit your query. BookConnector.com then generates a list of book review outlets fit for you and your book. As always, make sure that you take your time to review each book review site so that you’re pitching to the right contact and following the proper submission guidelines.

3) The Book Publicity Blog (www.yodiwan.wordpress.com/): Learn how to think like your publicist as you follow this informative blog and learn about what it takes to market and promote your book with ease. The founder categorizes lists of other blogs to connect to – from book blogs to literary agent blogs to publishing blogs, and more! Remember, the more you understand about the book industry, the more knowledge you’ll have when preparing to promote your own book.

4) ReadersCircle.org: This is a non-profit site dedicated to helping the reading community locate and join, and even start, a local book club. People attend book club meetings with whatever they’re reading and, from there, conversations ensue. Try locating some of your local book clubs and enter your own book into the mix. Exciting commentary about your own title will help spark other readers’ curiosity in you and your book. For starters, visit the site and ‘Search’ for book clubs in your local area. I found 23 in mine. How many did you find in yours?

5) ePromos.com: We’ve stressed before how important it is to tie your book/expertise into relevant holidays and remembrance and awareness days. ePromos.com is a website with a promotional calendar that lists everything from World Alzheimer’s Day (September 21) to Positive Attitude Month (October). Like we always say, do your research! Knowing when your book is ‘timely’ is half the battle in choosing when to begin book promotion. Simply visit ePromos.com, select ‘Calendars & Planners’ on the left search bar, and, once the page loads, click on ‘Promotional calendars’ in the top box.

6) www.bookmarketingworks.com: Book Marketing Works, LLC (BMW) helps authors sell more books in non-bookstore markets. BMW is the only company in the publishing industry that can provide authors and publishers with the leads, instructions and continuing assistance they need to increase their revenue and profits in special markets.

7) www.literarymarketplace.com: Looking for a literary agent or publisher information? The Literary Market Place (LMP) is the directory of America and Canadian book publishing. For more than 50 years, LMP has been the resource consulted by practically everyone looking for industry data--whether they are publishing professional, authors, industry watchers, or those seeking to gain entry into the world of publishing.

Tips for Authors: Holiday Gift Guide Submissions

2010-08-11T12:06:00.003-04:00

By Corinne Liccketto

While it seems too early to think about the winter holidays, if you’re interested in having your book placed in the holiday gift guides NOW is the time to get started. If you wait too long, you will miss the boat.

Here are a few general tips submitting your book to holiday gift guides:

1) Know your desired outlets and their submission guidelines: The first step to submitting your book for holiday gift guide consideration is to list the outlets for which you’re most interested in securing coverage and determine their submission guidelines. In most cases, along with a copy of your book, you’ll want to send a personalized cover letter, book release, and author biography. Make sure you follow the guidelines! Editors will not waste their time researching the required information on their own.

2) Know when to pitch: When it comes to holiday gift guide submission, deadlines are crucial. Pitch too early and your book will be forgotten; pitch too late and you won’t even be considered. Now that you have your list, do your due diligence and research the deadline dates of your most desired outlets. Magazines will most likely need submissions by August (early September at the latest) whereas newspapers may require submission only two months before the holiday season. Don’t just pitch to every outlet at once because it’s easier. Respect the media’s deadline dates or else you’ll run the risk of annoying editors and, perhaps, ruin your chance at inclusion.

3) Donate a portion of your holiday sales to charity: Not only is ‘giving back’ the right thing to do, but by donating a portion of your proceeds to charity you’ll increase the appeal of your product. Media contacts can then plug the organization your product benefits. The holiday season is all about giving back, so why not start with your book? It really is a win-win.

4) Position your book as a ‘Great Gift Under $30’: Or $20. Or $15. Whatever the price of your book is, use the hook when you submit for consideration. By encouraging awareness of the cost of your book, you might inspire the editor to include your book in a featured section of the holiday gift guide. The more categories your book fits in to, the higher the chance will be for inclusion.

5) Give a reason why your book is different than others: Does your book recap a hot trend of 2010? Is it eco-friendly? Telling editors why your book is different from others will give it an edge.

5 Reasons Why Summer is a Good Time to Start a Publicity Campaign

2010-07-20T15:00:00.005-04:00

by Corinne Liccketto

1) Time to Build You and Your Book’s Credentials: While some national television shows go on a summer filming hiatus, producers at local, regional and some national outlets have time slots that need to be filled; newspaper and magazine editors must provide new content to their readers; bloggers still regularly blog; wire services still circulate articles, etc. Summer can be a great time to build media credentials for you and your book and to increase your chances of soliciting national attention in the fall.

2) Strengthen Your Interview Delivery: Again, since some national television shows will be ‘on hold’ until August when producers begin putting together their fall schedule, the summer is a great time to perfect your interview skills. Strengthening your skills on local and regional shows during the summer will give you confidence in your message when pursuing national interview exposure in the fall.

3) Less Author Competition: Since many authors do wait until the fall to start their publicity campaign, you’ll have less competition to solicit media attention. With less authors vying for media attention, you can take the time to stand out from your peers.

4) Solicit Attention for Holiday Gift Guides: Magazine and gift guide editors typically work four to five months ahead of each issue, meaning some are already putting together their October issue! If you have a book that is perfect for a winter holiday gift, starting your publicity campaign in the summer will increase your chances of having it picked up in the holiday gift guides.

5) Build Your Online Presence: Make the most of your summer months by building your online presence. Encourage byline article circulation; establish your social network via Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn; and post regularly on your blog – or start a blog if you don’t already have one in place. Media contacts will most likely search you online before they move forward with an opportunity. The more online visibility you have, the better!

5 Tip Series: How to Make the Most of Your Media Exposure

2010-06-11T12:00:00.002-04:00

Tip #5: Make you and your next book more appealing
by Dan Smith

Even the most famous authors rely upon previous media coverage to enhance the appeal of their next book. You can do the same thing. Pull quotes from articles or reviews and put them at the top or bottom of your book cover. Put "As Featured in ..." if you received coverage in substantial outlets or were interviewed on well-known shows.

On Amazon and other bookselling sites, in the bio section, make sure to add in notable media coverage for your previous book. The idea is straightforward: If your previous book received acclaim and positive media feedback, your new book must also be good! One thing to keep in mind: For book covers, it's best to include quotes or listing of interviews completed if these are from mid-level to large media outlets. An endorsement from your tiny local newspaper -- although great publicity -- probably won't mean much to book buyers all over the country or world.

Bonus Tip #6: Show off and have fun!

Too often, authors -- and publicists -- forget to have fun along the way and after a publicity campaign. You worked hard, why not show off and have some fun? From simple things, like framing an article about you in your office, to sending copies to friends and family, promotion is all about showing off. It's hard for some people to draw attention to themselves -- it can feel awkward -- but you need to shed your fears and tell the world!

5 Tip Series: How to Make the Most of Your Media Exposure

2010-06-10T12:00:00.002-04:00

Tip #4: Use it to enhance your professional advantage
by Dan Smith

Even with the explosion of self-publishing and the fact that more people than ever are publishing books, the vast majority of people have not written one. Whether you realized it or not, you're special, you’re unique, and people will look at you differently because you've written a book. Most importantly, the media coverage you secure makes you more than special; it gives you credibility and makes others view you as important. Whether you've penned a novel or written a business advice book, you can use that book and media exposure to enhance your career.

Example #1: You've published a novel and have received great media exposure, and you're in competition at the workplace for the next promotion. Why in the world wouldn't you let your boss know about the interviews you've completed or the print coverage you've received? Inevitably, he or she will be impressed and in their mind, you've become different and separated yourself from others. Your status as an author can only help improve the image others have of you.

Example #2: You're a business consultant and published a book displaying your expertise on the subject of your work and have enjoyed a stunning amount of media coverage. You and another consultant are vying for a lucrative contract with a firm. Along with your other marketing materials, you submit a copy of your book and clippings of your press coverage to the person or people who will make the hiring decision. Your competitor has similar credentials but no book and no media "credentials." Who do you think has the better chance of getting that contract?

When it comes to resumes, in addition to typical information, attach articles written about you and your book and list interviews you've completed. There can be no doubt the interviewer will be impressed and put your application at the top of the pile.

One case in point when it comes to leveraging media coverage is author Stacey Hanke, whose book Yes You Can! Everything You Need From A To Z To Influence Others to Take Action, has received interest from over 120 media outlets.

"My book and media attention have given me the opportunity to promote my business in ways I could not have done before," says Hanke.

Randy Petrick, a writer, speaker, and money coach with more than thirty years of experience teaching financial concepts, has received nationwide media attention for his book Money Games: 85 Ways to Save Money and Attract Abundance. Petrick’s book and expertise has made him a particularly attractive source for the media in light of the recent economic difficulties.

"Writing and publishing Money Games has been a wonderful opportunity to enhance my business as a financial consultant," says Petrick. "I can't imagine a better 'business card' in these financial times than my book."

5 Tip Series: How to Make the Most of Your Media Exposure

2010-06-09T12:00:00.004-04:00

Tip #3: Internet, Internet, Internet
by Dan Smith

There are so many ways to use the Internet to get the most from your publicity, and more opportunities are developed every day.

Website: Put simply, when you get media coverage, put it on your website immediately. Create an engaging and interesting "media" page on which you showcase your coverage. (For a terrific example, visit Smith Publicity client Bill Losey's website and click on the media page: www.myretirementsuccess.com) Create audio links to radio interviews, video links for your TV appearances, and list all of the print coverage you've received. Create hyperlinks to archived coverage, and remember that virtually all media outlets now have online equivalents or supplements. In most cases, MP3 or similar audio files and videos will already be created for you by the media outlet, you just have to link to it.

Social Networking: Announce every interview or article about you or your book to the online world via social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and other networking sites. If you just completed a radio interview, Tweet about it and list on all your social networking outlets. If you haven't already, find the special interest networking sites out there; join them, and let them know what you're doing.

YouTube: YouTube has become a powerful tool to spread word-of-mouth awareness about a person or book. Add a clip of a TV interview to YouTube, and make sure you include keywords so when people search they find you. If available, post your book trailer on YouTube. Also, why not make a short video of yourself describing your book and display print coverage you received?

The key thing to keep in mind about the Internet is that what goes on the Internet stays on the Internet. And the more you put on the Internet about your book, the more search engines will find it, the higher your website Google ranking will become, and that beautiful thing known as a "buzz" about your book will begin. Trust me. If you’re diligent about taking the time to use the Internet, word about your book will spread to more people than you can imagine.

5 Tip Series: How to Make the Most of Your Media Exposure

2010-06-08T12:00:00.003-04:00

Tip #2: Use media exposure as a tool to get more exposure
by Dan Smith

Contrary to what you might think, media outlets often become interested in an author or book when a producer or editor hears or reads about it from another media outlet! Why do you see authors become "hot" media items, heavily requested for interviews? Because media professionals are no different than anyone else. If they hear about someone interesting, they are going to be interested. With the exception of "hard news," ie. breaking, explosive stories, media outlets consistently cover the same subjects and people.

If your local newspaper, for example, writes a story about you, then tell a national or much larger regional paper about it. Send them a clipping of the story, show them you're interesting, and they just might want to cover you as well. If you're interviewed on a small radio talk show, send a BBC producer a link to your interview. Remember, media exposure builds upon itself so use each run to your advantage.

When it comes to TV, most producers of mid to large programs want to see a potential guest on air before booking an interview. You can use a local TV interview to demonstrate to another producer that you can handle yourself on the air and are an excellent guest. Sending an e-mail link is the most convenient way for a producer to review the video, but you can also make a DVD and send it "snail mail."

Remember: Every newspaper magazine has column inches to fill, every magazine "white space" they desperately need to fill, and every radio or TV news/feature show has airtime to fill. In most cases, they won't care that they aren't first!

5 Tip Series: How to Make the Most of Your Media Exposure

2010-06-07T12:00:00.002-04:00

by Dan Smith

In book publicity, it's tempting to wait for publicity to "do its thing." After all, your book has been featured in newspapers and magazines, you've been interviewed on countless radio programs, appeared on TV, and even enjoyed some glowing published reviews. Now, you might think, it's time to sit back and watch the book sales rack up and your book rocket in popularity.

Publicity isn't an "end," it's a beginning; it's now more of a tool than a process. To maximize the benefit of media exposure in today's market, you have to use your publicity. To paraphrase a famous American president, "Ask not what publicity can do for you, but what you can do with your publicity."

The following tips are meant to get your mind thinking in a new direction when it comes to your book and publicity; the possibilities of what you can do are only limited by your imagination.

Tip #1: Use Media Exposure to Make You and Your Book More Appealing to Publishers and Agents

Authors are increasingly going the self-published route first and the traditional publishing route second. Self-publishing is no longer the "ugly stepchild" of the publishing industry, and agents and publishers are taking notice and offering publishing contracts to self-published authors who've proven their merits. But simply writing and publishing a book isn't enough.

High sales numbers will certainly open eyes, and media coverage will too. The classic query letter to an agent or publisher can be transformed into a magnet for attention if accompanied with press clippings and highlights of media coverage. Your odds of getting the attention of an agent or publisher increase substantially if they see that others have already taken an interest in you.

BEA 2010 Wrap-Up

2010-06-01T16:00:00.005-04:00

By Corinne Liccketto

Smith Publicity had another great show at BookExpo America! Thank you to those who visited our booth and held meetings with our staff to exchange information. We love meeting with prospective clients, current clients and, of course, our industry peers.

We were impressed with the volume of attendees who made it to New York during the new show schedule, which now runs during the week versus the weekend. For those who were concerned that the show was held over two days rather than three, Reed Exhibitions, show owner, announced the good news that BEA 2011 will be restored to its original length.

New to the show this year was the DIY Authors Conference & Marketplace, where our company's leaders, Dan Smith and Sandy Diaz, met with aspiring writers and published authors to discuss how publicity can help them spread awareness about their books. We loved this new addition to the show and hope to participate in an even more organized DIY conference at BEA 2011.

Did you attend BEA 2010? We'd love to hear comments about your show experience!

5 Principles to Follow for a Successful Book Publicity Campaign

2010-05-20T12:21:00.006-04:00

By Monica S. Flores

I think of growing my online network the same way as I think about growing my garden. There’s planning involved, as well as hard work, consistent tidying, mulching, and weed-pulling, and then the wonders of a bountiful harvest. With consistent watering, feeding, and tending to your marketing efforts, you and your publicist have an excellent opportunity to grow a community of individuals interested in your book. Think of your book launch as a way to build a “tribe” that shares a common cause. Use your publicity campaign to start connecting with your tribemates.

By speaking, writing, guest-blogging, and connecting with others, you build your larger community. While you're talking about your new book, here are five principles to follow.

Convenience: Make it easy for fans to spread the message

Create easy ways for your web visitors to spread your marketing message. For example, put downloadable widgets on your website, create re-tweetable Twitter postings, offer a contest giveaway through blog comments, or host a Facebook Fans-only virtual event. Make it easy to share the news about your book.

Immediacy: Use social media to start conversations

During your campaign, social networking tools give you built-in support to begin discussions and foster the flow of feedback about your book.

For example: consider publishing a YouTube series, invite your community to post reviews on Yelp!, invite your followers to upload a picture of them using your book and tag it on Flickr, offer a regular Delicious “roundup” of links submitted by readers, offer a Facebook Fans-only discount, or host a blog tour.

Responsiveness: Be available

Respond to feedback. When someone posts a thoughtful comment about your book, thank them on your own blog, and invite more feedback. When someone reviews your book, link to them with follow-up. When someone posts a negative critique, participate in the discussion. Always identify ways to invite more reader feedback and respond to your readers.

Collaboration: Build your community of clients online

Make sure your website is engaging, interesting, and easy to understand. Captivate your visitor’s interest by talking about the story behind your story. Identify a “call to action” on every page:

for example, for new signups to your mailing list, offer something valuable as an e-download, or host a giveaway freebie, swag bag, or promotional item for commenters on your blog post. Post your in-person events prominently: you'll meet directly with your readers and gain additional feedback. Prominently post ways to share and collaborate with others around the topics in your book.

Connection: Strive for authenticity

As you engage with your readers, be as honest as possible and share your feelings about your book and why you think it's important. People resonate with your message when you stay true to your personal mission, vision, and values. Identify what you want to talk about, stay on topic, and invite your readers to share their own opinion.

“Someone Wrote a Terrible Review—What Do I Do?” Turning a Negative Book Review into a Positive

2010-05-18T10:35:00.001-04:00

By Melissa Sileo

You can’t win them all. It’s as true in book publicity as it is in any other part of life. So when you open up that newspaper or log on to that blog only to find your book torn to pieces by a rabid reviewer, how do you possibly walk away with some positive thoughts?

The first thing to keep in mind that while many reviewers will give their honest opinion, some aim to dish out a terrible review for the sake of entertainment purposes to build up their own notoriety (enter the old phrase “sticks and stones…” here). For the bad reviews that may hold some merit, instead of envisioning running them over with your car, you, as an author, need to take it as constructive criticism.

If the editing job of the book is under attack, take a look at your book and see if you perhaps missed some grammatical or punctuation errors. Having these bloopers pointed out in a public forum is a tough pill to swallow, but unless you want to continue to make the same mistakes, you need to take a lesson from it and move on. Is the editing of your book stellar but the format or design of the book under fire? Is the reviewer critiquing your character development? As hard as it may be, take these observations and lay them against your book – it’ll hurt, but it’s important to know what areas you need to strengthen before moving on to the next project.

Bottom line: if your dream is not only to be a published author, but the best writer you can be, you need to take the good reviews with the bad, and use it all to your advantage.

Google Calendars: An Organized Publicist's Best Friend

2010-05-13T17:46:00.003-04:00

By Erin Birnbaum

Embarking on a book publicity campaign not only takes dedicated time by both the author and book publicist but also requires a great amount of organization to ensure everything runs smoothly. A wonderful tool that can help aid in keeping track of your daily activities as you embark on this exciting journey with your book is Google Calendar.

Available free to the public, Google Calendar can be utilized and information shared in real time between an author and their publicist. The most useful way that Google Calendar can be used is for organizing an author’s media schedule.

An author, if they are lucky, will have many interviews, in broadcast and print, scheduled for them during their publicity campaign. Where Google Calendar comes in handy is that it allows for the author to make known any days and times on the calendar that they are not available for interviews. The publicist can then schedule any media interview requests as they come in on the spot based on the author’s availability to ensure a timely and efficient confirmation so that the slot offered to the author is not lost.

The publicist as they are scheduling interviews can upload all of the details of said interview right onto Google Calendar and send the author an alert that an interview has been scheduled. All the author has to do is hop online, open up the calendar and see all of the wonderful opportunities that have been scheduled for them!

A nice additional feature of Google Calendars is that the author can have scheduled reminders sent to their email or even as a text to their cell phone about their upcoming interviews.

Since in most cases, the publicist and author work from different locations, Google Calendar is one of the great tools to streamline what can be a busy time in a book campaign – the interview schedule. As long as you have a device with Internet, you can access your calendar anytime, anywhere ensuring that no opportunity is ever lost.

Bottom Line: tools like Google Calendar allow for a book campaign to stay organized, one of the most important aspects to ensure a successful, fun and stress free publicity experience.

Media Training: Preparing and Avoiding Common Pitfalls

2010-05-12T11:28:00.003-04:00

By Kristi Hughes, Account Manager, Smith Publicity, Inc.

Successful media relations are built; credible media relations must be earned. Overnight sensations last just that long…for a moment. They are often forgotten the next day. And, stellar reputations can be destroyed in an instant.

So, whether across the table from a news reporter, under the glare of TV lights, or simply behind your desk with phone in hand, media interviews often yield the greatest opportunity for an author, expert or business leader and yet pose many challenges to strategic communications.

Preparation Shortcuts

With careful preparation, you can deliver your messages with poise and focus -- turning the interview into an opportunity to present your marketing messages to thousands of readers, viewers and listeners with remarkable and even profitable results.

Take the Lead
• Start the relationship
• State your thesis
• Stick to the subject

Be a Teacher
• Speak in headlines
• Use simple language
• Pause, leave space for questions
• Explain acronyms
• Use examples and stories
• Use metaphors and visuals

Beware of Pitfalls
• Silence is not your enemy
• Don’t recognize absent third parties (references or rumors)
• Don’t repeat negatives
• You are never ever “off the record”
• Watch for the paraphraser
• Refrain from ‘off the cuff’ remarks

Have Your 20/2/20/2 Message Prepared

Be able to tell your message in 20 seconds, 2 minutes, 20 minutes and/or 2 hours.

Don’t Get Lost in Translation: Importance of Body Language

Keep in mind that you may have perfected a great message, you might know your media medium and your audience, but if you can’t pull off the act of communication it will all be in haste. In nearly all interviews, how you say something is as important as what you say. The most retainable messages come from an enthusiastic tone of voice, relaxed body language, and the confidence you exude.

Research has shown that 55% of a message’s credibility comes from non-verbal sources. Tone and attitude account for 38% believability and only 7% of a message’s believability comes from verbal messages—the words you’re actually saying. So, don’t worry, be happy!

Don’t Forget Your Agenda—Be Active

The most common mistake committed in interviews is to become so fixated on the questions that you lose sight of your own agenda points and become a passive respondent. Don’t feel obliged to answer every question specifically. The most effective spokespeople listen for the bigger issue behind each question, and address that issue as they choose. This is done through the technique of “blocking and bridging.”

Use the art of blocking and bridging to stay on track with your own message points and to taking control of the interview. Typically in a non-argumentative, friendly interview environment an appropriately positioned answer will lead the reporter in the direction, which you’d like to go.

They are there to gather facts and sound bites and ultimately share your story with their audience. A reporter just wants to file a great story using your uniquely crafted colorful messages; it’s a win-win.

Hello to London Book Fair—See you at Book Expo America?

2010-04-27T11:17:00.004-04:00

By Sandy Diaz

Well, the London Book Fair for many of us non-Brits was up in ashes so to speak. Thousand of attendees—including Erin MacDonald-Birnbaum and myself from Smith Publicity—were not able to make it due to the volcanic ash from Iceland. Luckily Ben Cameron, our Director of UK Publicity, was able to meet with some new authors and publishers, plus visit old Smith Publicity friends.

If you are heading to BookExpo America in NYC, May 25–27, we’d love to catch up with you. Send us an email for specific time to info@SmithPublicity.com or stop by our booth 3168.

It will be interesting to see how the new format and days of the week will fare.

Any thoughts on this?

How to Prepare for Book Trade Shows

2010-04-15T10:48:00.002-04:00

By Corinne Liccketto

Whether you’re attending the London Book Fair, Book Expo America or visiting a regional trade show, preparing for the event ahead of time will ensure a smooth (and fruitful) event experience.

1) Establish Your Goals for Attending—Are you just looking to network? Exploring publishing options? Do you need a graphic designer? Researching distributors? Contemplating foreign rights options? Or are you just interested in the awesome giveaways?! Establishing your reasons for attending prior to the event is important. This will help you develop the list of questions you’re hoping to answer. You’ll also know what you need to bring and what you can leave at home. Ultimately, knowing your goals ahead of time will help you navigate the trade show and maximize your visit.

2) Know What to Bring—The number one thing to bring? Business cards! Don’t have any? Make them. There are plenty of online sites where you can design and print business cards for a very low cost. You don’t know where you’ll meet someone – we’ve met prospects in line for the bathroom! – and having business cards on hand will allow you to easily exchange information. If possible, bring copies of your book to leave with those whom you’re interested in forging relationships (staple your card inside). Be selective when giving them out to and make sure you make note of who you give a copy! This brings up another good point—make sure you bring a small notebook and pen.

3) Review the List of Exhibitors Ahead of Time—Reviewing the list of exhibitors before you attend the show will not only give you the ‘lay of the land’ but will help you prioritize the exhibitors you want to see. Break your list down into groups of those you definitely want to see, those you want to try to see, and those who you will try to see if time allows.

4) Master Your ‘Elevator Pitch’—OK, so you’re not technically selling your book to each exhibitor, but knowing what makes you and your book unique from others in its genre – and quickly sharing the facts – is important. Trade shows are crowded and exhibitors may not be able to devote a lot of time to discussing your project. If you can walk up to a publisher or distributor and quickly spout out the most important facts about you and your book, you’ll give the exhibitor more time to provide his/her feedback. Isn’t that why you’re there in the first place?

5) Leave the High Heels at Home and Wear Your Walking Shoes!—Although footwear and books don’t go hand-in-hand, anyone who has attended a trade show will tell you to wear comfortable shoes. Trade show days are long and you’ll be on your feet the whole time, walking from booth to booth, standing in book signing lines, food and bathroom lines and cleaning up the ‘freebie’ tables. Believe us, you’ll want to maximize your time at each event and comfortable shoes will help you go the distance…so to speak.