Society of Midland Authors Publicity Tip

RIDE OUT THE UPS AND DOWNS OF PUBLICITY
by
Tom Ciesielka from TC Public Relations

One of my favorite sayings is, "In advertising you pay. In public relations you pray." The best and worst part of promoting your book is often the unpredictability. One day a top-tier radio station cancels your interview. The next, you get a call from The New York Times wanting to write a review of your book.
Prepare yourself to adjust your campaign by minimizing the downs and maximizing the ups. Here are a few ways to make the most of the twists and turns of promoting your work:

Convert let-downs into pick-me-ups: A dropped media placement might be the beginning of a great relationship. My friend's dream publication cancelled her article at the last minute. She followed up graciously with the editor, and the relationship opened up great doors for future coverage.
Generate momentum: Take that top-tier media placement and let other, non-competing outlets know about it. If you finally land a feature story in Popular Science, then the reporter at the Chicago Tribune might suddenly be interested in your opinion on the future of micro technology.
Transform your approach: Sometimes slow media offer an opportunity to reinvent your message. If the Chicago Sun-Times doesn't interview you, find out why and adjust. Come up with a new idea, and score a great story in the Wall Street Journal. Let challenges spark new approaches to your material.

Successful authors and publicists know that there are many things you can't control. However, you can always determine your response to circumstances. Turn those difficulties into great relationships and placements. When good things happen, enjoy them by using them to secure even better coverage.

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THE SOCIETY OF MIDLAND AUTHORS

June 2006 Publicity Tip