Author: Claire McKinney

Self-Publishing Series Case Study: Will bookstores sell your indie books?

Posted on by Claire McKinney

Dictionary Series - Politics: independentShort answer is yes, it is possible to get brick and mortar bookstores to take your self-published books, but it isn’t an easy option.  The simplest course is to hire someone to get your e-book set up on every available platform including Nook, iBooks, Kindle, Kobo, etc., and then market like crazy online.  But today I am highlighting an author and how his perseverance with booksellers continues to pay-off, over a year later.

A gentleman hired me to work on his debut novel.  It was well over 450 pages and he wanted to print it in hardcover–did I mention he was doing this by himself?  The book was professionally edited, a compelling story, and he did everything he could to maximize the actual look and feel of the product with beveled edges, a beautiful cover, and decorated end papers.  Next, he set up his own press, where he featured other previous non-fiction work (of his)  as well as his upcoming titles.

Now, he wasn’t a person who had grown up through the digital age, and the whole Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and Goodreads world was not something that came naturally.  What he was hoping for was attention in traditional newspapers like the New York Times, which I told him was not going to be an option, even though we did try.  In the old days (like 10 years ago) if you wanted to build interest in a novel by a new author, one path to success was to market heavily to the independent bookstore market.

But independent bookstores are not necessarily selling venues for independent writers.  Booksellers have been hurt by the advent of etailers and the decrease in sales of print books just like everyone else in publishing.  They have only so much shelf space and they have seen and heard every pitch.  But that didn’t daunt us, or our author, in this scenario.

In fact we put together the most thorough list of independent booksellers in the Northeast, along with the local chain.  Our author set his hardcovers up with a distributor for legitimacy and also just for ease of distribution.  I mean whose back can hold up packing and shipping cartons of big hardcover books from their house?  He also offered traditional publishing terms with a 40% discount to booksellers off the cover price and free shipping BOTH WAYS.

Then we all hit the phones.  “You are representing who?  And What?”;  “Send it to me and I’ll see what I can do.”; “I have a pile a mile high of potential sellers”  These were some of the responses we received.  But we marched on with the knowledge that there were 2000 copies of this bad boy to get out the door.

We emailed and pitched with every possible thing we had; we offered additional marketing materials and advertising; we even offered to give them the books if they just tried to sell them during their busy seasons.

In the meantime, our author was setting himself up for appearances where he promised to show up at the store, sit at a table, and simply sell and sign the books for the store.  I think between what we set up and what the author did himself, we had almost twenty stores for him to visit.

In the last couple of months I’ve been receiving requests for copies of the novel’s book jacket for event promotion, from Barnes & Noble to independent stores.  I hear the book has gone into a second printing.  It is just over a year since the book was originally published.

I was told that E. Lynn Harris sold books out of the trunk of his car before becoming a bestselling (romance) author.  It’s not the same genre and it’s not the same time period, but I learned a few things from this experience:

1. Literally “never say never.”

2. If you leave your pride and ego at the door, much can be accomplished. (If it isn’t already, this one could be inside a fortune cookie.)

I’m not necessarily recommending this way as a means to a selling end, but I am just pointing out that there is always an extreme case out there where something initially thought impossible, becomes possible.  Was it the best course of action?  It was what our author and the book needed in order to get noticed.  Did it get the book where we wanted it to go?  There are movie options being discussed and books definitely got sold.

Branding: Why is it important?

Posted on by Claire McKinney

What is it about branding these days?  I will argue that before radio, tv, and now the Internet, what you had to say was more important than what you represented or how the masses “felt” about you.  I’m sure there were stars in their midsts but without the power of satellites and jet planes, the number of people in your fan club was probably pretty small.

Enter radio and all of a sudden there are dozens of voices out there, perhaps talking about the same thing. Add tv and its not just what they are saying, but how they look on screen. Add the Internet and now part of the game is about how many people can be entertained in 140 characters or less.

Recap: We used to be invested in the ideas and information we consumed because we had to DO something to get it– either actively listen or read it. Now, we are bombarded with hundreds of thousands of images and sound bites. Our attention spans are limited and our loyalties shift rapidly.

For these reasons, I think the “brand” has become king. In order to cut through all of the chatter, you need to know your audience, attract as many of them as possible, speak to them in a language they can appreciate, and look the part you’re playing.

Without trying to explain how branding works for each and every scenario, product, and person, I’ll list a few examples of good branding that may help illustrate how it works:

SUSAN B ANTHONYPolitical Activist/Author: I once worked with an author who wrote a book about the rise of brands that was very controversial and sold a lot of copies. I guess it made sense that she would know all about branding herself, and she was super specific. There were some media outlets she absolutely had to do because they related to her message and kept her close to her core audience. She had a uniform consisting of jeans and short black boots with a blazer. She did not go anywhere publicly without a professional blowout for her hair.

 

jamespattersonJames Patterson: From jackets to a crew neck sweater, this former advertising guru knew how to brand his books and make a lot of money doing it. See the Harvard Business Review article on his success and what he did to get there. (This article has 16 pages and the HBR does charge for the download unfortunately, but the gist is in the abstract.)

AMAZONAmazon: What do you think of when you hear the name Amazon? That’s what the brand has become. For me it represents a retail outlet where I can get almost anything I want with two-day, prepaid (I’m a Prime member) shipping. Practically instant gratification, which is a cultural norm these days. They started with books, shipping boxes that show up with a “smile” in the logo, and a certain kind of shopping experience that has carried on and angered nearly every publisher and book retailer.

What is a platform?

Posted on by Claire McKinney

authorspeakerThe definition of platform from Merriam Webster describes it as a raised surface; akin to a stage; and “as a declaration of the principles on which a group of persons stands.” When I started in publishing I never heard this word used to refer to an author.  By the time I left and started my own business, “platform” was nearly as common as “the” in conversation.

I was on the pub board or committee that makes publishing decisions, and with non-fiction especially the question was “well what’s his/her platform” and “what’s he doing to keep his name out there” and in moments of desperation “can we get him one?”  I could tell you stories, but let’s stay on point.

When we (those of us on the promotion and production side of the book business) talk about author platforms, I would like to say that we are very specific and there is a clear set of items we are looking for.  But there aren’t.  Like so many other things in the business this also becomes subjective and frankly also has to do with the subject of the book itself and how well it can sell on its own merits.

So to help everyone get a better handle on having a platform, I will list some of the things I think are included and in my experience do help with promoting an author or any spokesperson for a brand or a book.

1. Professional affiliations and credentials: Are you a Ph.D. or an MD?  Are you a member of any organizations or think tanks that have regional outposts and built in audiences or are weighty enough to warrant getting requested to comment on things by the New York Times (Brookings would be one of these, but so would your local rotary club)?

2.Visibility:  Do you have a speaking schedule or are you invited at any time to talk about your subject to groups?  Are you a “go to” person in your field.  Has any of your research (if this applies) been published in peer reviewed journals?

3. Media Experience: National television these days is sooooooo competitive, primarily because every Tom, Dick, and Harry including those residing in the White House like to appear on it.  Producers want to see tape of you in an interview on a reputable television program or station.  Have you been interviewed on the radio?  The newspaper? Online?  In general have you ever been exposed to the media to talk about your subject or story. (This also can be tricky in that overexposure isn’t good in advance of a book’s publication, but that’s for another post)

4. Contacts: Who do you know?  Are you in a book club?  Do you know your local librarian, bookstore owner, etc.?  How many people could you bring to a live event in your community; in any major city?  We want to know if you already have some ground laid (there’s that platform reference) with potential media, influential people, or just a significant quantity of “fans” in your community who will help spread the word about you and what you are promoting.

Clearly the definition of platform as it has been used in public relations is not the exact Webster’s edition.  Yes, it is about principles and ideas, but it is also, for our purposes, about how well and by whom you are known for them.  If you are an author with a book or a business owner who wants to grow your business, think about how you are contributing to the broader conversation and public opinion.  Then, find a way to insert yourself so the rest of the world can’t squeeze through without stopping by.

Publicizing a book? What to expect and when.

Posted on by Claire McKinney

to do listWhat happens next? —A question I am asked all the time when it comes to a publicity campaign for a book, especially from new authors and clients. It’s time to lay down an outline of the process so you are armed with enough information that you can move on to other things on your list.

Let’s think back to economics classes where we used the infamous widget to represent all products and publish our own “mock” book called The Widget World Guide, which has a publication date of August 12, 2014, six months from now. Your have a publicist, Jen, whom you’ve hired or been assigned by the publisher. Now what?

First, we work backwards from the publication date in order to plan out the campaign with some facts in mind:

  • Magazine and trade publications are considered “long leads” and their lead time is anywhere from four — five months.
  • Newspapers and blogs have shorter leadtimes, but still like to have time to consider books, so let’s say they need 3 — 4 months to look at your book for review. Features consideration is tighter and can happen 2 months ahead of publication.
  • Radio can be pitched 2 — 3 months in advance depending on the program.
  • National television, like morning shows, may need up to 4 months.
  • Event planning in bookstores needs to happen at least 4 months ahead of time to get the best stores.
  • Lectures and other speaking engagements are booked at least 6 months to a year or more in advance depending on the venue.
  • So with this information in hand, here is a tentative calendar of to do items for Jen leading up to The Widget World Guide’s publication in July.

PUBLICITY PLAN
THE WORLD WIDGET GUIDE
PUBLICATION DATE: JULY 12, 2014

FEBRUARY

  • Consultation with author to go over the plan and discuss author’s contacts, social media profile, and to brainstorm ideas.
  • If author does not already have social media accounts, create them and work with author on populating content.
  • If author has a blog or wants to blog, discuss ways to maximize the effectiveness of content.
  • Ask publisher/author if and when there will be advance copies of the book to send for review consideration and media outreach.
  • Reach out to off-site venues for events if applicable

MARCH/APRIL

  • Prepare press materials
  • Prepare media lists
  • Send out mailing of review copies/press release to long leads, national media, and book review editors
  • Set up bookstore events if applicable

MAY

  • Start follow up with newspapers and blogs
  • Follow up on long lead mailing (magazines, trades, nationals) to secure reviews/interviews three weeks after mailing has gone out.

JUNE/JULY

  • Continue contacting and firming up plans with long leads, newspapers, nationals and blogs.
  • Schedule any travel arrangements for August events.
  • Send out press release and event announcements to local media in event markets.
  • Book local media
  • Follow up with regional radio programs and book interviews
  • Create and maintain schedule of interviews and appearances

AUGUST

  • Confirm interviews two days prior.
  • Send links of reviews/interviews to author and publisher
  • Pitch additional media
  • Continue follow up on any potential coverage that has not yet come through

The scenario above is the “ideal” time frame given that materials are available in advance and everything goes as planned. I’ve also left out many specifics that would be for your individual campaigns. This is meant to be a “guide” not the manual on how to mount a campaign.

media

So having stated all of those qualifiers, I hope this is helpful to people starting out in the process. One thing about publicity and public relations is that there is no “one way” to do things after everything is said and done. Each book/campaign requires analysis on an individual level and a good campaign will be one made especially for you. But we do know that media operate on deadlines and there is a lot of competition. I like to be ahead of the curve and get out there as early as possible, but I’ve been doing this long enough (nearly twenty years at this point) to know that a good PR person will shift strategy and compensate when she has to in order to make sure her client is going to receive the maximum coverage and have the best possible outcomes.

How much does it cost to hire a publicist?

Posted on by Claire McKinney

I’m going to answer the many requests I’ve received to try to shed some light on how much it costs to hire a publicist.

The short answer is fees vary mainly according to the services offered and the size of the firm you hire, but one thing I will say that for the most part it is a commitment that will likely run you thousands not hundreds of dollars.

I’ll address size first because that’s pretty easy to explain.  I don’t think I need to tell you that if you were to hire one of the big international New York-based firms, you would be talking six figures and you would be getting a lot more than just a publicist–it would be a more holistic public relations campaign that includes marketing, messaging, and more.

Then there are specific book and author-related firms that have offices in major urban areas that probably will charge a significant project fee to start.  Any services like event and media booking in tour cities, social media outreach, etc. are billed additionally.  On a book-by-book basis the contract will be set up for a certain period; they will provide written memos throughout the campaign with a final wrap-up at the end.  Generally speaking these firms (and some of the owners are friends) have been around for a long time.   They are very thorough about their media relations and have good reputations.

Now let me turn to the services aspect of hiring a publicist, because this is where the rubber meets the road.  There are people and companies who offer individual “a la carte” options for campaigns for less than what it would cost to do a full campaign.  Some of these are:

  • Sending your book out to a specific list of reviewers.
  • Sending a press release out to select radio, tv, print, and online producers and editors.
  • Radio tours with a guaranteed number of interviews scheduled.
  • Blog tours with a commitment on the number of reviews that will be posted.
  • Media training.
  • Individual market campaigns, such as a firm that specializes in booking Los Angeles or Chicago media and events.

In order to minimize your costs you may only ask for a mailing or a blog tour.  But you need to understand going into the deal that other things you may want or need for your project, you will have to figure out for yourself or buy more services from the same or some other company.  Some of the businesses that handle these jobs are online-based and you may never actually speak to a person.  This is how they keep their prices in the hundreds, by offering specific services to a large number of clients at once.

If you hire a boutique public relations firm that specializes in books, authors, or spokesperson branding, you will likely either pay a project fee or a retainer on a monthly basis.  It will depend on what you need and how much you want the company to do for you.

A full campaign can include social media monitoring, strategy, and outreach; customized press kits; media relations for tv, radio, print, and online; events; single market media bookings (like tour markets); marketing to associations, libraries, universities, booksellers, etc; and any other great ideas you and/or the agency devise.

The costs related to the kind of relationship with a client that includes individual attention, phone meetings, flexibility, and what I consider to be a long term, quality connection between the client and the firm will definitely run several thousands of dollars.

The main considerations for you  to ask are: What kinds of services do you need?  What kind of relationship do you want to have with the company you are working with?  How much work can you do on your own? What financial resources are reasonably at your disposal?  Can the company you want to work with negotiate with you to give you the best array of services at a price that is mutually agreeable?  And also, can you purchase specific services from the same company that will give you the best of both worlds–a more personalized campaign and lower costs.

Remember that public relations is an actual skill, and although they teach it in universities, the best way to learn is by doing and from experience, and the level of knowledge your person has will be a factor in what it costs.  It also takes a lot of time and although it is sometimes very hard to measure results, rest assured the time and labor is being spent.  I think the most important quality your representative should have is a commitment to you and your work–advocacy.  This person and/or company is going to help you gain exposure and in the event of a book promotion, will actual introduce your book to the world in interesting and exciting ways.

So when you are looking for a publicist know that the old adage rings true here as well– “you get what you pay for”–and if you are looking for someone who is going to work hard on your behalf, it isn’t going to be cheap.