Boasting the most prolific and successful track record of book publicity in the industry, smith publicity has worked with t. Hiring a publicist means higher potential for your brand. Stephanie barko, literary publicist few skills may be more important for an author than knowing how to hire a publicist to promote your book. Now let me turn to the services aspect of hiring a publicist, because this is where the rubber meets the road. If you are traditionally published, your personal publicist can work with your inhouse publicist like this one in order to create a really fantastic campaign. There are many, many things to consider when hiring a book publicity firm or solo publicist to promote your book.
On a mission to enlighten everyone she comes in contact with. Before you consider hiring one, its important to understand what a publicists job entails. The following pro and con lists on hiring a book publicist should help you evaluate your options. Thats the difference between publicity and advertising. While publishing houses usually assign an inhouse pro to work on each book, both traditionally published and indie or hybrid authors opt to hire a freelance book publicist to ensure individualized publicity attention for their books. Perhaps you are at that place right now and think this is exactly the right move for your career. How to find and work with a book publicistsuccessfully jane. Book promotion kindle book promotion, kindle free book. Here are a few things you will want to know as you consider hiring one. The tradeoff is always whether this translates into sales, but im a firm believer in doing what you can and hiring a professional to tackle the rest. Other authors, unwilling or unable to take on these duties, end up hiring an independent book publicist.
The smart hiring guide for starting a publishing company. If you decide to hire a book publicist, you should ask the right questions to make sure theyre a good fit for you and your books genre. Theres a big difference between selfpublishing a book with the hope of selling a few copies and taking the decisiveand potentially priceystep of hiring a professional publicity firm. While publishing houses usually assign an inhouse pro to work on each book, both traditionally published and indie or hybrid authors opt to hire a freelance book publicist to. But just as with any other element of your book marketing plan, having a book publicist will not guarantee book sales. Having a dedicated book publicist can increase your legitimacy, afford you unique publicity opportunities, and free up hours of time that you might have spent trying to make contacts. Search jobs search internships publisher profiles publishing programs publishing organizations majordepartment guide commonly used terms publishing events is sponsored by the association of american publishers, the leading trade association for the u. Having won awards, they focus on business, nonfiction and management books. Here are seven things you will want to know as you consider hiring a publicist for your book.
Having a book publicist may sound like something that happens once an author cracks the new york times bestseller list and starts bathing in mares milk, but authors are often surprised to learn that a book publicist does their work well in advance of the book release often five monthsor. Good marketing and publicity is a team effort, and the author is part of that team. The advantage of hiring a publicist for book promotion news. Successful, wellcompensated entrepreneurs or executives. We can let the media know in advance that you are coming and work with you and your publicist to book interviews when you arrive. My advice on hiring and working with a publicist jane. When i first hired susan schwartzman my expectations of her were high. The rest of the lesson includes a publicity evaluation checklist, a list of 12 key services offered by book publicists, and tips on creating your own book publicity campaign.
Direct contact pr hiring you as a publicist news releases. Whether you are traditionally or selfpublished, if you are considering hiring a book publicist, joan stewart provides guidance. Oct 04, 2018 whether you are traditionally or selfpublished, if you are considering hiring a book publicist, joan stewart provides guidance. If youre a selfpublished writer, hiring a book publicist will help you reach a broader audience. Feb 19, 20 money 3 reasons not to hire a publicist one pr professional i interviewed couldnt pronounce my company name, or fathom a highpowered woman in finance. A lot of authors tell publicists, i dont want to do it. Media contacts by working with a book publicist or pr agency, you will gain access to key media contacts and media lists. We work with you to identify and tailor your news release content, create. Those with a traditional publishing contract who got a large enough advance against royalties to fund an outside publicist. Five things to do when hiring a publicist ibpa independentibpa. The advantage of hiring a publicist for book promotion. Susan schwartzman is the hardestworking book publicist in the business.
All panelists agreed thateven though youre hiring a publicistall authors have to be willing to learn how to market their book. In the rare case your book promotion misses, we have a prorated refund in store credit. Theres a big difference between selfpublishing a book with the hope of selling a few copies and taking the decisiveand potentially. The list can work as a red flag if it doesnt include anyone the publicist worked with recently or if the publicist seems to have too many clients all at once. Jan 10, 2014 now let me turn to the services aspect of hiring a publicist, because this is where the rubber meets the road. Reply publicity tips7 annoying things journalists do says. There are over 26 book publicist careers waiting for you to apply. Heres what you need to know about hiring a publicist. Many book publicists dont work with selfpublished authors. You should also consider hiring a publicist and a receptionist as part of your team.
We also specify, for guaranteed slots, the number of guaranteed book downloads andor book sales you can expect. Be sure to ask each publicist for referencesa list of current clients and past clients. Apply to publicist, senior publicist, talent booker and more. The book publicist is in line as the caboose of the publishing process and is the team member who pushes the finished book into the marketplace. However you define it smith publicity makes you and your book newsworthy. Three groups have recognized her site as an outstanding resource for authors, so you know her advice is authortested download sandras free top 5 free book promotion resources and youll also receive the free weekly build book. A publicist is often seen primarily as a key to mainstream media coverage, but they also have tremendous value outside of that. These book publicists share how they can help authors optimize their. A publicist is a key to a books success in the media.
Ella gascoigne, the founder of the book publicist started the agency and began working on promoting the. Why you should never hire a publicist for your book do this instead. Having worked as a book publicist for amazon publishing, i am certain that small releases have the best odds at the lowest price point. Money 3 reasons not to hire a publicist one pr professional i interviewed couldnt pronounce my company name, or fathom a highpowered woman in finance. Some publicists will also do follow up and call the media to see if they can persuade them to commit to doing a story or booking an interview. How to interview a book publicist the book designer. If your company is too small to provide one of the following roles, simply contract out. Nov 18, 2014 so, should you be your own publicist or do you need a professional book publicist. Publicists have personal connections to a variety of local and national tv, radio and digital. Localized national outreach programs localizing maximizes media response. Book publicity is a special beast, so its smart to hire a freelancer with publishing experience. New york, ny 1 day ago be among the first 25 applicants. Once i knew what my inhouse publicist was doing, it was easy to work with my outside publicist to create a list of additional web sites and blogs related to themes relevant to beach plum island. Jan 02, 2014 if you have the financial resources, it can be a great idea to hire a book publicity or marketing firm to help spread the word about your novel, memoir, or collection.
This is an excerpt from the market your book smarter workshop. If interested in learning more about how you can become a client, we ask that you start by completing the contact form below in order to receive a free 15 minute pr consultation. In fact, getting in touch with a publicist earlyin some cases before the book is finishedcan be beneficial for planning. Sign up for our newsletter to receive free articles, publishing tips, writing advice, and more delivered to your inbox once a week. A publicists job is to find publicity for your book and for you, the fascinating author of. To help you better understand the advantages of hiring a pr agency or book publicist, weve outlined several benefits below. Hiring you as a publicist do you do any phone follow up calls. If you have the financial resources, it can be a great idea to hire a book publicity or marketing firm to help spread the word about your novel, memoir, or collection.
Jul 19, 2017 who should hire a book publicist thats why the authors who can afford a publicist tend to be. Having a publicist will also not launch you into superstardom if you have zero talent and poor product. Each book promotion package specifies the number of book downloads andor book sales we expect your book to get. The lowstress way to find your next book publicist job opportunity is on simplyhired. Boasting the most prolific and successful track record of book publicity in the industry, smith publicity has worked with thousands of books and authors, both traditionally and selfpublished. Apply to publicist, talent booker, artist and more. Can an independent publicist help you maximize your books success. She is the publisher of the hot sheet, the essential newsletter on the publishing industry for authors, and was named publishing commentator of the year by digital book world in 2019 in addition to being a. And, from what jessica says, it sound like the publisher has a publicist, too. Sandra beckwith is an awardwinning former publicist who now teaches authors how to market their books. 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. Im going to answer the many requests ive received to try to shed some light on how much it costs to hire a publicist. If youre lucky enough to have an inhouse publicist, as i do, tell her youre hiring backup and ask what specific things shell be doing so your outside publicist wont duplicate her efforts and cost you valuable. Since 1997, weve forged a reputation as one of the finest book promotion agencies in the industry.
Jul 27, 20 watch more how to work in public relations videos. Hiring a publicist doesnt guarantee you a tv booking or the cover of a magazine you think youre a good fit for, seide says. What to expect from independent publicists publishers weekly. They can cover marketing and promotion activities that you could do yourself, but they can often do it better, more efficiently or more knowledgeably. Smith publicity makes you and your book newsworthy. There is not right or wrong answer to this question and it will vary depending on who asks it. Why you should never hire a publicist for your book do. Author marketing experts book promotion marketing a book. Why you should hire a book publicist for your book launch. Other authors, unwilling or unable to take on these duties, end. Get an inside look at the education and experience requirements, and find out how to start a career as a public relations specialist in. Not, of course for 40 hours a week, but perhaps for 50 to 100 hours in total, spread out over the time period required. Learn how to hire a freelance book publicist the balance careers. With over 300,000 books releasing each year, the competition for readers has never been keener.
So often i hear artists talk about hiring a publicist as being the next move in their career. Although a publicist may be the last publishing professional an author engages, book publicity begins six to 12 months prior to release date. You will need several kinds of editors, including at least one book editor, copy editor, and production editor. Jul 22, 2018 a publicist is a key to a book s success in the media. My advice on hiring and working with a publicist jane friedman. Although a publicist may be the last publishing professional an author engages, book publicity begins six to.
Because most publishers lack the resources to run a comprehensive book publicity and promotion campaign for every book they publish, authors are increasingly taking on the work of publicizing their books themselves. For instance, the inhouse publicist hit up fiction blogs while we contacted parenting sites. Renowned strategist and author of the forthcoming book series, your publicist knows, coco wade ventures to captivate like minded business moguls, entrepreneurs and startups worldwide. A book publicist or book launch specialist will often charge 10k or more, guarantee nothing and focus on things that dont directly sell books. What every musician should have when they hire a publicist. So, certainly, you might be able to get some free advice from that publicist about things you can do yourself to promote the book, and try to do that, first, before hiring a publicist. Thats why the authors who can afford a publicist tend to be. Because marketing a book isnt what it was 5 or 10 years ago and unlike most book marketing companies out there neither are we. She did a superb job promoting miami spice and the barbecue. Authors dont necessarily need a finished product before hiring a pro firm. Using our template to think through this resultbased career decision process, lets examine this expense in relation to the results you might be after.
In this post will give three of the most important ones. Contrary to popular belief, a publicist doesnt just send email blasts and get you on red carpets at least a good one wont. Yes, we think smith publicity is a great book promotion firm, but we also know there are other good firms out there. To hire or not to hire a publicist this has been a challenging question for many an author one that involves resources and time. In summary, before hiring a publicist you should have a finished recording, a tour planned, new photos and videos, retail distribution, and a directtofan channel all set up.
Each publicist looks for clients willing to do some things on their own, and they also look for authors to be realistic. The dos and donts of hiring a publicist news spotify. May 05, 2008 hiring a publicist takes out all of the guesswork. Who should hire a book publicist thats why the authors who can afford a publicist tend to be. Aug 21, 2017 so often i hear artists talk about hiring a publicist as being the next move in their career. Aug 28, 2018 no publicist can guarantee any coverage. A lack of press doesnt necessarily mean your publicist isnt doing their jobor that journalists dont like your music. So, should you be your own publicist or do you need a professional book publicist.
Oct 02, 20 before you consider hiring one, its important to understand what a publicists job entails. Jun 21, 2019 yes, we think smith publicity is a great book promotion firm, but we also know there are other good firms out there. One of the most valuable things a publicity firm can do is help you develop the right message or angle to use to get the medias attention. The publicist will write a news release, and help you get the news release delivered to the right media.