ASSIGNMENT NINE: A BOOK PROMO

A BOOK PROMOTION FOR A LOCAL AUTHOR

With a small budget, creativity and resourcefulness are key in creating a successful PR campaign for a self-published book on local history. Here’s a tailored plan that leverages the strengths of your team:

Leverage Local Appeal: Since the book is about local history, your primary audience is the local community. Collaborate with local businesses, libraries, and historical societies for joint promotions. They might host book readings, display copies, or distribute flyers.

Utilize the Author’s Expertise: Arrange local history talks or walking tours led by the author. These events can be ticketed or free with a book purchase. It’s an excellent way to engage the community and showcase the author’s knowledge.

Engaging Photo Shoots: Use the photographer’s skills to create a series of compelling images that tell a story related to the book. These could be historical landmarks, artifacts, or reenactments. Share these images on social media, local newspapers, and during events.

Social Media Campaign: Create a social media strategy that includes regular posts about local history facts, behind-the-scenes of the book creation, and author insights. Engage with local community groups online.

Local Media Outreach: Reach out to local newspapers, radio stations, and community TV channels for interviews or feature articles. Local media love local content, and this can be a cost-effective way to reach a wider audience.

Collaborate with Schools and Educational Institutions: Offer the book as a resource for local history classes. Organize author visits or special lectures.

Create a Buzz with Limited Editions: Offer a limited number of signed copies or special editions with extra content. This can create urgency and exclusivity.

Online Reviews and Book Blogs: Send copies to local bloggers or reviewers who specialize in local history or indie books. Online reviews can be very influential.

Leverage Amazon and Goodreads: Ensure the book is well-presented on these platforms, encourage reviews, and possibly look into affordable advertising options they offer.

Email Marketing: Collect emails at every event and from your website to build a mailing list for direct marketing and updates.

The key is to build a community around the book. Engage with your audience, listen to their feedback, and adapt your strategy as needed. With a well-thought-out plan and efficient use of resources, you can create a successful PR campaign even on a small budget.

And now you know what goes into a book promotion. Every author should be doing these things and more.

Imagine how you could add festivals and fairs to the mix of marketing that must be done.

Oh wait… there are:

County fairs and local festivals are perfect platforms for promoting a book about local history. Here’s how you can integrate these events into your PR campaign:

1. County Fair Booth: Set up a booth at the county fair. Decorate it with visuals from the book, such as historical photographs or maps. The author can be present for book signings and to chat with visitors. You can also sell copies of the book here.
2. Festival Participation: At the weekend festival, the author can participate in a more active role. Consider organizing a short talk or a Q&A session about a particularly interesting aspect of the county’s history featured in the book. This not only promotes the book but also establishes the author as an authority on local history.
3. Photo Exhibits at the Events: Utilize your photographer’s skills to create a photo exhibit at both the fair and festival. This exhibit can showcase images related to the book’s content, possibly even mirroring the journey of writing the book. These visuals can draw people to your booth or talk.
4. Interactive Activities: Plan activities like a historical scavenger hunt based on the book’s content or a quiz about local history with small prizes. This will engage the audience, especially families, and create a memorable connection with the book.
5. Local Media Engagement: Use these events to attract local media coverage. Invite local journalists to cover the booth, the author’s talk, or any special activities you’ve organized. This could lead to articles or interviews, further promoting the book.
6. Social Media Coverage: Document these events thoroughly on social media. Live-tweeting, stories, or live streams of talks and activities can reach an audience beyond the event attendees. Use a specific hashtag for the book to aggregate content.
7. Collaborations with Event Organizers: Talk to the event organizers about cross-promotion. Perhaps the book could be featured in the event’s promotional materials, or the author could be included in the official program of speakers or attractions.
8. Follow-Up Engagement: Collect contact details at these events for your email list. After the events, send out a thank you email with a link to purchase the book online, information on upcoming events, or exclusive content related to the book.
9. Limited Editions for Event-Goers: Offer a special fair or festival edition of the book, perhaps with a unique cover or a bonus chapter. This can be a great souvenir for attendees.
10. Feedback and Reviews: Encourage event attendees to leave reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, or social media. Word of mouth can be incredibly powerful, especially in a tight-knit community.

These events are a golden opportunity to connect directly with the target audience and create a buzz around the book. With engaging activities and strategic promotion, you can maximize the impact of your presence at these local events.