How Authors Can Benefit From Visiting Book Fairs
How Authors Can Benefit From Visiting Book Fairs
By Julia McCutchen
It is one of the main book fairs which take place each year for professionals in the book trade alongside Book Expo in New York, Frankfurt and the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. There are also many smaller yet worthwhile book fairs and exhibitions internationally.
Many authors wonder if it is worth attending these trade fairs and many commentators say that it isn’t. My view is that it can be a valuable experience if you approach it with the right mindset. You also need to plan your visit well in advance and wear sensible shoes in the knowledge that you’ll be on your feet for most of the day!
It is important to be realistic when thinking through a book fair visit, especially if you have a vision of meeting agents and editors to present your book to them. Most publishing professionals will have filled their schedule of 30 minute meetings well in advance of the fair taking place.
Having said that, serendipity can, and does, occur at book fairs.
When I was attending these events as a publisher, I remember well the number of times an author just happened to turn up at our stand when I was in between meetings. On some of those occasions, I did engage in impromptu conversations about new projects, and although it was rare, some of those spontaneous approaches did lead to us to publish the book the author had presented.
So here are 3 tips to help you benefit from attending a book fair this year:
1. Do some research to understand the basics about book fairs, set clear intentions of what you want to achieve, and plan your visit in advance. These events were created primarily for people in the industry and most professionals are there to do business with other trade insiders. Many agents and the conglomerate publishers will not be interested in the kind of spontaneous connections I described earlier. In fact, unless you have an appointment, you probably won’t be allowed in to the agent’s area which is cordoned off from the public.
However, there are many possibilities for authors who let go of unrealistic expectations and who concentrate on what is possible.
For example, you can:
• Research appropriate agents and contact them in advance to set up an appointment at the book fair
• Attend one of the increasing number of seminars being held specifically for authors to help you to get your first book published or advance your career as an established writer
• Identify publishers you may not have come across before who might be interested in your book and keep up-to-date with the ‘vibe’ in the industry.
2. Prepare appropriate materials to take with you.
Although it is unwise to count on being able to show your book ideas to anyone for the reasons I have already given, I do recommend that you take some good quality information with you just in case the opportunity does arise.
Here are my suggestions of what you should have with you. If you are writing:
• non-fiction, take a good book proposal with you plus one or two sample chapters for your book
• fiction, take a one page and a two page version of your synopsis available plus information about you as the author and ideally some marketing ideas
• an illustrated book, take some sample illustrations to show your vision of how you see the book overall.
Make sure that your contact details are securely attached to any material you might have the chance to leave with an agent or editor.
3. Remain alert to unexpected opportunities.
Alongside sensible planning, I also recommend keeping your eyes and ears open for spontaneous possibilities cropping up. You might not be able to get to see the particular agent or publisher you have targeted as being perfect for your book, but you never know who you’ll stand next to in the queue for coffee!
In such a situation, remember the importance of being able to describe your book in one compelling key sentence. That way, the person concerned can quickly make a judgment on whether further discussion is relevant or not. Finally, keeping an open mind will enable you to leave with more information, resources, contacts and opportunities for your book and to further your journey to successful published authorship – and beyond!
Julia McCutchen opens the way for writers to find their true voice, discover themselves in the process, and write consciously, creatively, successfully and with soul. A former managing director and publisher with over 20 years’ publishing experience, Julia’s holistic approach includes coaching, mentoring and masterclasses for aspiring authors. To access free articles, audios and other resources for writers, visit http://www.JuliaMcCutchen.com and http://www.iaccw.com
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How to Write an Author Bio
How to Write an Author Bio
By Barbra Sundquist
Wondering how to write an author bio? Feeling like it has to be extra-special because you are a writer? You are not alone. Even though writers have a natural ability to put words together, most writers find it excruciatingly difficult to write an author biography. This article gives practical guidance on how to write an author bio, along with some author bio examples.
Let your author bio brand you
Here are some points to consider when writing your author bio.
1) Think about who is going to be your reader. It could be an editor but it could also include business associates, radio hosts, or even your own family. Write your author biography for your intended reader, and don’t forget that your readers might include people from different backgrounds and generations.
2) Prepare several author biographies of different lengths. Pull one out for an appropriate setting. Author bio examples can range from a short single sentence blurb for a magazine, a longer version of about 100 words in a query letter for a novel, to a full page for a press release.
3) Decide on the points you want to include. Most people find that they have more information than they need. Be ruthless in editing your bio to include only points that are relevant. Should your fishing hobby be mentioned in your bio for a murder mystery novel that you are submitting to a publisher? Probably not, unless the murder took place at a fishing lodge. You worked in a coroner’s office for a couple of weeks to learn about medical examiner’s terminology? Now that’s relevant.
4) Make a list of writing credits to highlight. Limit your credits to not more than three or else it would take up too much space in your author biography.
5) Include contact information and website so readers can learn more about you and your writing. You can include a longer author biography when you write your website biography.
Reveal your personality in your author biography
An author biography plays an important role because it communicates who you are. In the same way that a business card introduces you, an author biography serves as a short introduction to your writing. Take the time to think carefully about what you want readers to remember when they hear your name.
Readers like to know about you. Personal information such as marital status, number of children, pets and hobbies show that you are a normal person and help readers relate to you. However, if you don’t feel comfortable including personal information you don’t have to.
Reflect your writing style in your author bio
When writing your author biography, give readers a sense of what to expect from your writing. Tailoring the tone of your author biography to the content and style of your work. If you’re a humorous or satirical writer, include some humor in your author bio. If you’re an academic writer, reflect the academic world. The tone you take in writing an author bio creates an expectation of your written work.
Here are two contrasting examples:
Norman Langford grew up spying on the neighbours and taking notes in a little black book. No surprise that he ended up writing spy novels!
Dr. Laura Smith has been writing on gender studies for over 20 years. Her research interests include mothering, gender roles and media representation of women.
Have fun writing an author bio
Writing an author biography can be a fun task. The less stressed you are, the more creative your bio will be. So have fun when you sit down to write your author biography.
Have fun? Easier said than done, you may be thinking. If writing an author bio seems daunting, here’s a final tip: BioTemplates.com provides instant fill-in-the-blank bio templates to help you write your author biography. You’ll have a great bio completed within the next 20 minutes. Now that sounds more like fun!
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How To Create Your Own Mini-Seminar
by Kendall Summerhawk
Audio is a really fun, effective way to create connection with your website visitor. My audio mini-seminar series receives rave reviews…and makes sales for my different information products, like my Website Wisdom Writing course and upcoming “How to Charge What You’re Worth and Get It!” audio and workbook program.
If you’ve been thinking about creating your own audio mini-seminar but weren’t quite sure how to get it all set up, then you’ll love these 7 simple steps.
There are several small steps that go into setting up your audio mini-seminar. Just follow them and you’ll have your own audio mini-seminar up, helping you sell your services or products in no time!
Step 1 Decide on your audio mini-seminar topic Choose a focal point for your audio mini-seminar. I usually recommend choosing a specific topic that directly relates to the type of service you provide and want to be hired for. Make your chose specific, targeted, and clear.
Tip: You don’t need to cover everything you can help a client with in your audio mini-seminar.
Step 2 Decide on the number of steps This is not the time to try and “teach” your listener to be an expert. Keep your audio mini-seminar focused on delivering tiny tidbits of information, organized into a specific number of steps.
Tip: I recommend 5 or 7 tips, delivered every-other-day by autoresponder.
Step 3 Include a “call to action” in each audio tip Getting your listener to take action is a super way to deliver value. End each audio tip with a specific request your listener can take action on right away. Better yet, ask them to email you with the results!
Step 4 Record each audio I recommend about 2-4 minutes for each audio length. I record mine right from my telephone, using my Audio Acrobat account. I love this service! It is fast, simple, and inexpensive to use. And, once you get a feel for using it, you’ll find many more ways to put it to work for you as a valuable marketing tool.
Tip: Audio Acrobat lets you create different folders within your account. I store my audio mini-seminar recordings in one folder to keep them neatly organized.
Step 5 Post each audio tip on it’s own page on your website The more you can get your listener to go to your site, the better off you are. Post each audio tip on it’s own page. Include an extra note, example, or checklist on the page. Your listeners will appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Tip: Create a link for the prior audio tips and include on each new tip page. This way, if someone didn’t receive the last audio tip, or wants to hear it again, all they need to do is scroll down on the current audio tip’s page and click on the link for any of the past tips.
Step 6 Set up the email autoresponder series I use my newsletter broadcast system. You can also use the autoresponders that should come with your web hosting. If you’re not technical, do NOT let this part trip you up! Ask for help from your web master.
All YOU need to do is write a short, upbeat email message introducing each of your audio tips. Include the link to the tip’s web page you created in Step 4. I like to include a list of the upcoming tip topics to pique the readers’ interest.
Tip: Add a “PS” to each email with a little tantalizing question or statement that they can ONLY find out about by listening to your audio.
Step 7 Add the sign-up form to your website Add your opt-in box at the top of your home page AND at the bottom. Is that too much? No. It helps attract attention and encourages sign-ups. Get your web designer to create a graphical “doo-dad” (that’s my technical term and my web designer loves it!) to draw attention to your audio min-seminar.
Tip: Add a graphical doo-dad for your newsletter too, so your free give-away looks even more tangible. Take a look at my site for an example of what I’m talking about.
It took me one day to get everything set up, tested, and working. Is it worth it? My website converts an average of 15% of the visitors to newsletter/audio mini-seminar subscribers. That is a fantastic percentage so, yes, it is WELL worth it!
You are welcome to publish this article in its entirety, electronically, or in print free of charge, as long as you include my full signature file for ezines, and my Web site address in hyperlink for other sites. Please send a courtesy link or email where you publish to Kendall@KendallSummerHawk.com
Copyright 2006 – 2009. All Rights Reserved.
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Small business expert and author Kendall SummerHawk is the
“Horse Whisperer for Business.” Kendall delivers smart, simple
ways entrepreneurs can brand, package and price their services
to quickly move away from “dollars-for-hours work” and create
more money, time, and freedom in their businesses. To learn
more about her book, Brilliance Unbridled, and sign up for more
FREE tips like these, visit her site at:
http://www.kendallsummerhawk.com
Kendall Summerhawk may be contacted at http://www.kendallsummerhawk.com or kendallteam@kendallsummerhawk.com
How to Write a Book Review (For a Fiction Book)
How to Write a Book Review (for a Fiction Book)
By J. Timothy King
One of the best gifts you can give to an author, to thank them for writing a book you’ve read, is to write a simple, one-paragraph review–good or bad. This kind of review is great for posting on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, GoodReads, Google Books, and other similar sites. You can even turn it into a quick blog post, with a little bit of enhancement.
Here’s how to write one:
- First, ask yourself a few simple questions:
- What struck you the best about the book? This could be one of the characters, the way the author tells her story, the quality of her prose, or anything else that strikes you in a positive way.
- What struck you the worst about the book? Again, this can be any quality or characteristic of the book.
- Do you plan to read more books in the series (if applicable) or by the same author?
- How did the story make you feel? This is especially important for fiction, but a good non-fiction book should make you feel something, too: agitated, excited, hopeful, depressed, introspective, or whatever.
- What one biggest lesson, discovery, or new idea did you take away from the book? This is especially important for non-fiction, but a good fiction book should expose you to new ideas and make you think, and so it too should have a take-away.
- Write the answers down in paragraph form, using a word-processor or text editor… or using the “Stickies” application on your Mac. You don’t have to be fancy about what you write. Just write casually, as though you were telling a friend about the book, around the water cooler.
- Rate the book on a scale of 1 to 5 stars. The rating system I use is very simple, and I can instantly come up with a consistent rating, based on my gut-reaction to a book. No complex analysis required.
- 1 star — I hated it. (And if I really hated it, ½ star, for those sites that support such a low rating.)
- 2 stars — I didn’t like, and didn’t hate it, either. (This is the worst rating, because it means the book didn’t even make enough of an impact for me to hate it.)
- 3 stars — I liked it, but I probably won’t be reading more books like it, if I can help it.
- 4 stars — I really liked it, enough so that I would like to read more books like it (or the same book over again), someday.
- 5 stars — I loved it, so much that I feel a sense of loss for having finished it, so much that I long to read more books like this (not “someday” but right now), so much that I can almost taste the next book in the series and can’t wait for Amazon to deliver it, so much that… Well, you get the idea, right?
- Post your review on Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com, GoodReads.com, books.LivingSocial.com, books.Google.com, and any other book sites you frequent that accept user reviews. Just log in to the site (if required), copy and paste your paragraph into the form on each site, select the appropriate number of stars according to your rating, and submit your review.
- Bonus: Repurpose the review as a blog post for your blog. Entitle the post something like “Book Review: [book title]” or a similarly descriptive title. Write the words “Publisher’s description:” and copy and paste the book description from the publisher’s information at Amazon. Or alternatively, copy the book description from the book’s back cover, and preface it with the words “From the back cover:” or the like. After the publisher’s description, paste in your one-paragraph review. Then give your rating at the end.
If you’re an author, you probably appreciate how meaningful reader reviews are. We know that readers don’t always love our books, at least not as much as we love them. But always for an author, the challenge is to get noticed. And reader reviews not only help your favorite author get noticed, they’ll also comfort him that people are indeed reading his books.
J. Timothy King is an indie author of life-expanding, contemporary romance novels and other works. His latest book is From the Ashes of Courage, the first in the new Ardor Point series of novels. When not writing, he reads, plays bass guitar, and cares for his family in their Boston-area apartment. Find more of his work at www.JTimothyKing.com.
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How to Write a Book Jacket Cover
How to Write a Book Jacket Cover
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Heather_R._Todd]Heather R. Todd
Last week I covered the ‘Why’ of writing book jacket copy, so now let’s roll up our sleeves and get into the ‘How.’
What is copy? Book jacket copy isn’t about summarizing your project or providing the reader with a clear synopsis or plot spoiler; it’s about sales. Book copy should be short, succinct, and send a message. It should grab the reader and tell them why they should pick your book rather than the thousands of other titles packed into the shelves.
How do I write it? First, and foremost, you should draft a synopsis of your project. This will help you to determine which plot points you want to highlight and which you don’t want to spoil for the reader. Once you’ve got your synopsis down, there are three components to creating effective book jacket copy:
Attention: Start off your copy with a powerful hook that demands attention. Is there a central question or revelation in your plot? You might start off with the first sentence or two from your plot summary.
Interest: Intrigue interest and create curiosity. Again, book jacket copy is about sales, and copywriters generally have knowledge of certain key words that engage readers and get them excited about a book. These terms relate to each genre and audience; the same words that entice a thirteen-year-old girl to purchase a young-adult book will be far different from the key words in place on the back of a literary novel aimed at an adult audience. Your best bet? Research your market.
Detail: Provide details about your story, but again, don’t turn your book copy into a spoiler! The best way to know how much detail to include is to read other book jackets. Start with those in a genre similar to your book; copy on a romance novel, for instance, is going to be vastly different from a science fiction or horror story. This will also help you to get a feel for your audience and what they want to read.
You might even want to peruse the New York Times Bestseller List – choose a couple of books from the list and read over their jacket copy. The jacket copy may not be the only thing selling those books, but it can’t hurt to check out the success stories.
A final caveat: The amount of copy that appears on your book jacket is completely based on the final book design.
Book jacket copy is meant to be slightly over-the-top and sales pitch-y, so have fun with it, and take the opportunity to really make your book shine and out-sell all the rest.
Keep in mind that while you may try to design and format your book jacket cover on your own, there are professional editors who will do it for you. An experienced editor will create a professionally written book jacket cover that will capture your audience’s attention. This is short, succinct copy that sends a strong message about your writing.
Heather Todd is full-time professional editor, published writer & marketing consultant whose passion is to help others create a letter-perfect presentation in their writing. Ms. Todd is Senior Level III Editing Consultant for http://www.FirstEditing.com
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Book Publicity – How to Create an Online Media Kit
Book Publicity – How to Create an Online Media Kit
By Dana Lynn Smith
In your author and book publicity activities, it’s critical to make it easy for journalists, talk show producers and other influencers to quickly find everything they need to know about you and your book. One of the best ways to do that is to create a page for the media on your website and blog.
Online author and book publicity pages are called by several names, including media room, media kit, press room or press kit, or they are simply labeled as Media or Press on the site’s navigation menu. On some sites, the media page is accessed through a link from the About page of the site. Whatever you call your book publicity page, just make sure it’s clearly marked and easy to find from any page on your site.
Remember, your media page isn’t just for the media – it’s a great place to showcase your credentials and biographic information for a variety of author and book publicity purposes. For example, you can link to your media page when introducing yourself to bloggers, potential clients and potential partners.
Sandra Beckwith, a former award-winning publicist who now teaches authors how to generate media attention, advises imagining what questions journalists would ask about you and your book and making sure they can find the answers to those questions in your media room. “You want to make sure you’re providing the information they want in a format they’re familiar with,” she says. “That means you want to present that information in a factual way without hyperbole or exaggeration.”
Here are some of the most important elements to include on your book publicity page:
• About the Author – You might create two bios, a short one of about three sentences (imagine a radio announcer introducing you) and another bio about half a page long.
• About the Book – Summary of your book, written in a news style without marketing hype.
• Praise/Endorsements/Reviews – Feature any celebrity quotes prominently.
• Awards – Book awards and awards received by the author.
• Author Photos – High resolution version for print and low resolution for online use. Include a caption beneath your photo listing your credentials or author tagline.
• Book Covers – High resolution for print and low resolution for online use.
• Contact Information – Make this easy to find, include email address, phone number, and address if applicable. See these tips for protecting your email address online.
Other elements commonly found on author and book publicity pages include:
• Complete Press Kit – One page or document containing all of your media information in one place.
• In the Media – Provide links to previous media coverage that you’ve received. If you have appeared in any major print or broadcast media, include their logos prominently on your media page.
• Audio and/or Video Clips – Short audio or video clips of you (preferably being interviewed) allow potential interviewers to hear or see you in action.
• Interview Topics – A list of topics you can speak about.
• Sample Q & A – Radio stations, in particular, will appreciate using questions you provide for an interview
• Article Topics – A list of topics you can write about and/or suggested angles for feature stories about you. You might even provide pre-written stories or tips for the media to use.
• Fact Sheet – One-page document with pertinent facts about your industry or book topic.
• Press Releases – Links to online versions of press releases about you, your book or business.
• Media References – Nice quotes from media who have interviewed you or worked with you.
• Clients Include – If you’re a consultant, you might want to post a list of important clients (with their permission) and a few testimonial quotes from clients.
Many online book publicity pages contain downloadable documents in PDF format, but Sandra Beckwith advises just putting the text of your media materials on a web page and letting people copy and paste from there. Even when it’s convenient to copy or download your book publicity materials from your website, some people will still want you to email information to them or even send a printed media kit.
Your online author publicity page is a great promotional tool. If you don’t already have a media page on your site, get started now – you can always add to it over time. If you do have a media page, now is a good time to review and enhance it.
Dana Lynn Smith is a book promotion coach and author of several book promotion guides, including The Savvy Book Marketer’s Guide to Successful Social Marketing. For more tips, follow @BookMarketer on Twitter, visit Dana’s book promotion blog and get a free copy of the Top Book Marketing Tips ebook when you sign up for her complimentary book promotion newsletter.
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Bound Manuscripts – Four Simple Steps
Bound Manuscripts – Four Simple Steps
By QB Wells
Bound manuscripts are essential to establish a prepublication marketing strategy and exposure before the book is sent to the printer. Used in place of the Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) or the galley, the bound manuscript takes the least time to create.
Bound manuscripts can be printed on copy paper using a desktop printer. Label the title and the author of the book on the front. All pertinent information about the book must be included in the text.
Send the manuscript to book reviewers, book clubs, radio stations, websites, magazines and newspapers for publicity. Before you run off and print a bound manuscript, first check the submission guidelines and follow the four simple steps below to avoid embarrassment or no response at all.
Step 1: Edit – Edit the manuscript, thoroughly. Proofread the text for the last time. Did you use a professional editor? Still line edit and review – your reputation is on the line.
Step 2: Typeset – Typeset the manuscript or hire a professional. If you layout the pages on your own, research the process and apply all technical specifications a layout designer would.
Step 3: Print- Print the typeset manuscript from your computer. If possible, print two-sided pages to reduce paper and give a novel feel. Shorter books can be printed on one side of the paper.
Step 4: Bind – Bind the manuscript using binding tape or punch holes in left column and use the spiral bind. Punching holes and using the spiral bind provides a more finished look to the book. A plastic comb bind also provides a professional end product.
Package the manuscript with a press release, a sell sheet, a business card and a cover letter. For the best results, send the press kit and follow the submission guidelines. Stick to the four steps. Some book reviewers will let small errors pass, but a professionally produced bound manuscript will present the best opportunity for maximum exposure.
If you do not have the equipment to produce the bound manuscript, hire a company to complete the project or research print shops for binding services.
Q.B. Wells is a publisher of Art Official Media LLC and the editor of http://www.Urbaniamag.com Learn marketing tips, read urban literature or view urban art by visiting the website. Subscribe to the ezine @ http://www.ArtOfficialMedia.com/urbania-magazine.html
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Book Galleys – Five Simple Steps
Book Galleys – Five Simple Steps
By QB Wells
Book galleys are used to generate publicity and market your book before it is published. The galley is sent to book reviewers, booksellers, magazines and distributors to provide them the opportunity to make decisions about your book.
Depending on the size, publishers produce and send hundreds of galleys for their prepublication marketing campaign. Smaller independent publishers send between 25-50 galleys, but supplement their efforts with bound manuscripts or arc’s. Book galleys, arc’s (advanced reading copies) and bound manuscripts all serve the same purpose, but differ in presentation. Check the submission guideline to see what will be accepted.
To prepare a book galley you will need the typeset manuscript, a binding machine and a material to bind. The galley is cut and bound to resemble a book. Most galleys have a typed title or card stock instead of the actual book cover.
Below are five simple steps to produce a galley for your prepublication marketing initiatives.
Step 1: Print- Print the typeset manuscript from your computer.
Step 2: Position – Position the cutter to slice the manuscript down to the size of a book. The following steps and measurements are to create a trade book size 5.5 x 8.5.
Step 3: Trim – Trimming or cuts should be turned counter clockwise. Put the manuscript upright and make the #1 at 7 inches. Turn counter clockwise and make cut #2 at 9.5 inches. Turn and make cut #3 at 5.5 inches and make cut #4 at 8.25 inches.
Step 4: Punch Holes – Use a hole-puncher to add holes to the left-hand column of the galley.
Step 5: Bind – For a finished look, add a spiral bind, tape bind or a plastic bind. The type will depend on your intended audience.
Send the book galley and press kit to individuals you have already contacted for review or publicity. A proper contact increases the opportunity of the galley being read and ensures your labor of love was not done in vain. If you have difficulty creating the book galley, contact a print shop, binding company or printer for quotes.
The book galley is a necessary component to garner publicity. Create a galley at your home or office and save time.
Q.B. Wells is a publisher of Art Official Media LLC and the editor of http://www.Urbaniamag.com Learn marketing tips, read urban literature or view urban art by visiting the website. Subscribe to the ezine @ http://www.ArtOfficialMedia.com/urbania-magazine.html
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10 Tips on How to Find the Right PR Firm
by Marsha Friedman
If you are one of the hoards of businesses looking to gain national exposure for your business then you are probably facing the difficult decision of finding the right PR firm. What can make this decision difficult is that there are so many different kinds of public relations firms out there. Some are local, some national. Some retainer based, some project based. So how do you know which public relations firm will be the best fit for your PR goals? Here Marsha Friedman, CEO and founder of EMSI, a national and local publicity firm, will share her 10 tips on how to choose the RIGHT PR firm to get your message the media attention that you desire.
1. Find a PR firm that specializes in your industry. “For example,” says Marsha Friedman,” if you have a technical B2B company then you should find a national PR firm that specializes in B2B. If the PR firm regularly works with companies that are in your industry, they will be familiar with how to communicate your message to the media.” Also, they should be able to get started right away. “If you choose a local PR firm who is clueless to your field, be prepared for them to spend some time researching your industry in order to get a full handle on your topic” adds Marsha Friedman. And guess who will be paying for the PR firm’s research time: you! “Most firms charge a costly monthly retainer, so the longer it takes for them to get started the more money that will be coming out of your publicity budget. Just to give you an idea the minimum is around $3,000 per month, the industry average is approximately $5,000 per month and the large PR firms can charge anywhere from $20,000 to 30,000 per month.”
2. Choose a PR firm that specializes in your media of choice. If you are ready to hire a PR firm, then chances are that you have given a bit of thought as to what medium you want to use. “By the time you get to the point where you are looking for a PR firm, you should know if you want to use tv, radio or print to gain attention for your company. It is useful to know that not all PR firms work with all types of media,” says Marsha Friedman. “A whopping 95 percent of firms specialize exclusively in pitching to the print media.” If you want to use the electronic media to spread your message to the masses it is in your best interest to search for a public relations firm that deals exclusively with these. “The best way to find out,” says Marsha Friedman, “is to ask the PR firm what media that they specialize in! Simple as that!”
3. Ask the PR firm to supply sample campaigns. “Before choosing a PR firm, request to see some sample public relations campaigns that the firm completed for their clients,” says Marsha Friedman. “Here you can find out how much media they have obtained for their clients and what quality the media is.” Make sure to ask what the duration of the campaign was. “For example, if they show you a PR campaign that has one huge newspaper placement (such as USA Today or The New York Times) and the duration of the campaign was 2 years – be cautious. If it took 2 years to get one major media placement, based on the minimum retainer level, you would have paid a massive $72,000 for that one media hit.” Sample PR campaigns are a great indicator of the effectiveness, especially the cost effectiveness, of a PR firm’s work.
4. Find a pay-for-performance PR firm! The costly monthly retainer can put a crunch on your finances, so it is good to know that there are other options out there. Marsha Friedman says, “There are a handful of PR firms out there that get paid based on their performance. Clients really love it because they only pay for the media exposure that the PR firm actually obtains for them. So instead of paying a monthly fee, they pay for the results they see.” By choosing a non-retainer-based firm you are truly making your PR firm put their money where their mouth is!
5. Speak to the PR firm’s clients. When you are choosing a national PR firm it is very important to ask to speak to some of their clients, past or present. When you speak to the clients, ask the PR firm’s clients what sort of national or local exposure they received and how long it took for the PR firm to obtain it for them. Marsha Friedman adds, “Great questions to ask are; How well did the PR firm’s staff interact with them? Was the firm interested in making their campaign a success? Were the pitches quality? These answers will give you valuable insight as to how the PR firm will handle your campaign.”
6. Be confident in their skill in public relations. Before you agree to work with a public relations firm, make sure that you are convinced that the PR firm will execute a dynamic and successful campaign. Make sure to ask lots of questions, request copies of sample campaigns and then do a comprehensive review of all of the materials. “I would suggest that before you make your final decision you talk to owners and definitely request a proposal”, says Marsha Friedman, “Ask the important questions. What sort of media would they suggest to meet your campaign goals? How long the campaign will last? What are the quantitative and qualitative goals of the campaign? How long will it take to meet these goals? How the PR firm answers these questions will ultimately determine the level of confidence you have in their ability to service your campaign.
7. Don’t limit yourself to PR firms in your area. If you’re looking for regional or national exposure don’t limit your search to PR firms that are located within your city. “Many people believe that you need to have a firm located just down the street so that you can have regular face-to-face meetings with them, “says Marsha Friedman. “But this is not how it works. In my 20 years of gaining national and local media attention for my clients, I have only had a face-to-face meetings with a handful of them. The reason for this is that it is not essential. All of a PR firm’s work can be done via electronic mediums which is a far more efficient, and time saving, way to work.” If your goal is to attain national media attention, find a PR firm that specializes pitching to the national media. A national media PR firm’s experience level is what is important, not where they are located. If your goal is to gain local media attention, this is when it is a good idea to look for a local firm. Marsha Friedman says “As they are in the middle of the market you are after, their contacts and knowledge will be far more effective than that of a national PR firm.”
8. Become familiar with your Campaign Manager. There is one person in particular who plays a vital role in driving the success of at the PR firm: your Campaign Manager. Before you make the decision on which PR firm you use, meet your Campaign Manager. Find out what their experience level is and how long they have been with the PR firm. “A great nugget of information is that many Campaign Managers are rookies fresh from college,” says Marsha Friedman. “Even more frightening is that many national and local PR firms hire interns to handle the client accounts that are not at the ‘top of their list.’ If you don’t investigate the qualifications of your Campaign Manager, then how can you be confident that your campaign will be handled by a professional?”
9. Find a PR firm that believes in your message. The best type of PR firm is one that not only understands your message but also has lots of enthusiasm for your topic. Marsha Friedman says, “If you find a PR firm like this, their enthusiasm for your message will show in the work that they do. Their work on your campaign will be more creative and their communications to the media will be attention grabbing and clear.” In order for a PR firm to successfully work for you, they need to understand your passion and be able to translate it into something that will be of interest to the masses. It can be quite costly if they misun
For 20 years Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on public relations as CEO of EMSI. Go to www.emsincorporated.com to claim your free “Power of Public Relations” video today! Or call 727-443-7115, ext. 202, or email her at marsha@emsincorporated.com.
Marsha Friedman may be contacted at http://www.emsincorporated.com or chris@emsincorporated.com
How to Reach the Top Spot in Google
by Matt Bacak
Many Internet business entrepreneurs wish they had the inside scoop on Google. How can they increase their placement in the Google search engine results? Using Google AdWords is a great place to start. However, if you want to reach the top of the Google search engine then you should engage in a Blog on your website.
Blogs have become very popular in the past year. Blogs are a great way to post content to your website that allows readers to post responses and comments. Blogs can be used as a testing center for your market research. You can ask people what type of products and services they want. People become involved in the process by submitting their opinions. People love to submit their ideas and become an active participant in the product creation process.
How do Blogs increase your placement in the Google search engine results? First, the Blogs increase the amount of content on your website. Google loves to see content. The more content you have the better. If you have a great deal of content then Google will deem you an “authority site” on the topic. Google thinks that you are providing a great service rather just having a page full of advertisements.
Plus, in Blogs the content is not only created by you, but the Blog readers as well. Keywords are often present in Blog messages which helps Google placement.
You can also turn your Blog postings into an eBook in the future. Your Blog provides free content while your EBook will make money.
Blogs sound like the way to go, but what Blog program should I use? The top Internet Marketers in the world recommend WordPress. WordPress is available at http://www.wordpress.org. Caution — use only the WordPress software and not the hosting service they provide. Instead, get your own domain and hosting account. Install WordPress on your hosting account. Then you are ready to Blog.
Another advantage of WordPress is that it is a top pick for many search engines. WordPress creates site maps and automatically pings the search engines each time you update your Blog. The best news is that WordPress is FREE.
Make Blogging a part of your daily schedule and your Google search engine placement will raise dramatically. What are you waiting for?
Matt Bacak began investing his first earnings at the tender age of 12, a young businessman in the making. Now, 15 years later, Bacak survived failed businesses, botched partnerships, heavy credit card debt and bankruptcy – all in preparation for the accomplishments he has achieved today as a well-established Internet millionaire and best-selling author.
For more information, visit Bacak’s site at http://www.powerfulpromoter.com or sign up for his Powerful Promoting
Tips at http://www.promotingtips.com
Matt Bacak may be contacted at http://www.promotingtips.com.com or videos@powerfulpromoter.com
