Now that we are more than halfway through the month, it’s time to get really serious about platform building and promoting ourselves as writers. We must also take a hard look at how to promote our writing work. (That’s next…)
Part of building platform involves becoming a socially relevant author/speaker and achieving expert status. This means removing yourself from the simply box that says “writer” and instead becoming something else—something (someone) with much more far-reaching impact. You must become someone the media wants to contact for radio, television and print stories on the topic about which you write.
National media strategist and publicist Annie Jennings of Annie Jennings PR has returned to WNFiN again this year to offer eight publicity tips guaranteed to help any nonfiction author build their platform and achieve expert status. These tips will seem extremely useful to those nonfiction authors who are writing about a true area of expertise or who are writing a book to help bring in clients and build their businesses.
8 Publicity Tips to Build Your Platform and Achieve Expert Status
By Annie Jennings
Publicity Tip #1: Actively Build Your Book Author and Expert Platform. A Platform is everything that you bring to the table such as your accomplishments, education, businesses awards and successes, your reputation, your contribution to your industry and what you stand for, that is, your mission statement, and lots more. A platform showcases you and allows people to understand who you are and how you can help them. A platform is similar to the spokes in a wheel; each spoke is separate, yet each one is important to the whole. The more powerful the spokes, the more powerful the wheel—the more powerful your ability to get the “six-figure book advance,” get the “account” or “close the deal.”
Publicity Tip #2: Create a Media Friendly Book. Be sure to include lots of topics that are timely and news worthy. It’s a great idea to include talking points at the end of each chapter that summarize the essential elements presented in the chapter. This way, a producer or journalist quickly can capture a segment or story idea. You will want to think about the publicity aspect of your book while you are writing your book, so you can create a segment-rich book (a book with a variety of segment ideas).
Publicity Tip #3:Become A Socially Relevant Book Author and Expert. Learn how to tie you and your book’s messages into the news of the day. Expand yourself as an author, and apply your knowledge and wisdom to the issues of interest to society today. Start blogging on timely news events or other stories that you find being covered in the major media and our newsmaker websites such as Foxnews.com, MSN.com etc. This way, you will get lots of practice applying your message to socially relevant issues that matter to your audience.
Publicity Tip #4: When You Are Speaking with a Journalist or Producer, Be Concise and Confident.As an intelligent book author and expert in your field, be sure to answer journalists’ questions directly. Professionals do not ramble or go in another direction from the initial topic under discussion. The journalist or producer has an end result they would like to achieve when speaking with you, and you can help them by being concise while presenting valuable information they can use. Whether the conversation is either a pre-interview for a TV or radio segment or an interview for an article in a magazine, newspaper or on the internet, be sure to give them the information they want. This helps them move their agenda forward and increases you chances of getting booked.
Publicity Tip #5: Be Everywhere At All Times. Being visible is the sign of a success book author and expert. That’s right, stay in front of your target marketing by appearing on local, regional and national TV shows, radio shows, and appearing in newspapers and magazines as the quoted author or expert as much as you can. Keep in mind that your client’s love that they are working with a celebrity who’s making it into the headlines! The expert they see on TV is their expert.
Publicity Tip #6: Achieve National Expert Status. Lead your field to new levels of success by creating a powerful, new thought and strategy that moves your industry forward. Feel free to share your newest and cutting edge creations with your industry so everyone can perform better. Your clients will quickly identify you as an industry leader and naturally be drawn to you.
Publicity Tip #7: Don’t Forget to Blog! Having a blog where you apply your knowledge to the issues important in your area of expertise helps you become a top-notch expert. A blog format is conversational in nature and this is exactly the format that the media like—thoughtful, concise commentary presented in a conversational tone. If you are blogging on the top news stories and developments you will learn the skill set that you’ll need to be successful on radio shows and on TV shows. Important: Be a force, know your stuff and be content rich; you will be judged on appearance, style, charisma (and, yes, charisma can be created), and, most of all, content.
Publicity Tip #8: Get Media Training So You Are Ready To Go. Learn how to make the most of each and every media opportunity and appearance. You’ll need to practice plus get feedback to become your own personal best. This way, when the media calls to book you, you’ll know just what to do. Media training teaches you how to be conversational and engaging while providing lots of essential information—all characteristics of a great guest.
About the Author
National media strategist and publicist Annie Jennings, of the National public relations firm Annie Jennings PR, creator of the famous Platform Strategy consider an industry standard, develops client messages, strategizes branding programs, and promotes authors and experts to radio shows, TV, newspaper, magazines and internet media. Her commitment to excellence has forever changed publicity as she has created the most advanced publicity tools and strategies used in PR today. Annie’s mission is to help everyone share their messages all over the world for the betterment of all as well as to achieve their optimal levels of success.
www.anniejenningspr.com
908-281-6201
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