AAW Writers Helping Writer’s Series: Part 3- The Princess of Guerilla Marketing, Linda Dominique Grosvenor - Page 3
© Dee Y. Stewart
What is the difference between promoting POD and "traditionally" published books?
Lately it seems that POD books are now being stocked by many chain bookstores so I'd have to say that there is no difference in promoting them. If you make a book look inviting enough the readers will demand it regardless of the publishing method.
So you're saying that an angle or hook is something that a publicist will look for when looking at an author's work?
They should if you have a good publicist. The author and the publicist should come up with something that makes readers wonder why they don't already own that particular book. As the old cliche goes, the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and if you make enough noise about a book, readers will get curious enough to buy it and that's exactly what you want.
Should an author look at a publicist's past successes? At the contacts he/she has? What's the criteria?
Contacts are good, but their contact has to fit your particular book. If your publicist has a contact at Sports Illustrated and your book has nothing to do with Sports then that's a lost cause. I say that all books are individual projects. You can't hire Terry McMillan's publicist and think that that guarantees you the tremendous success that Terry's had. That's not to say that you won't have success; you can-- because if your publicist knows her job then she's not just sending out emails to a cookie-cutter email list and leaving the rest to chance, she's creating something that's tailor made for your book. But find someone who is willing to treat your book like an individual project.
What should an author NOT expect a publicist to do?
Don't expect your publicist to guarantee you anything. A publicist can put out feelers and do her best to get a book in front of readers but a publicist cannot guarantee you sales or a spot on a bestseller list. Some publicists will escort you to signings and other events for a fee, most don't. Discuss what your goals are with any potential publicist beforehand. A good publicist will let you know what's realistic and what isn't. Beware of publicists who keep nudging you to sign a contract and remember--they work for YOU.
Can someone purchase limited help such as a press release or some other such feature due to financial limitations?
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