Comments on: Sell more books in your backyard with these local book publicity tips

By: Sandra Beckwith

Sandra Beckwith — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 21:48:59 +0000

In reply to Bob Brink. Fantastic feedback, Bob. Thanks! Regarding your beach plans, you might want to check local regulations so you avoid getting hit with a fine. Sandy

By: Bob Brink

Bob Brink — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 19:59:05 +0000

It helps if your book has local relevance, as my “faction” book did — based on a real, sensational murder. It’s easier to get media attention, which opens the doors to bookstores, as Sandra noted. It also helps get the book in libraries; the entire county library system stocked 16 copies of my book after a woman read an article and asked if the library had it. My current book is only tangentially related to local phenomena, but I plan to use these, touting its local setting, suggesting similarities of characters to real persons (while gauging the possibility of lawsuits, which can be great publicity in themselves, though maybe too expensive), and alluding to real local events as the bases for some in the book. These methods can be used to land speaking engagements at Rotary and Kiwanis meetings, and to sell books at street fairs and festivals. If you live by a beach, you might want to try what I intend to: Set up a table with my books on a crowded beach. Got the idea at a recent jazz festival, where two guys were selling some other item from a table on the beach. I might get kicked off, but there’s no harm in trying — is there?

By: Sandra Beckwith

Sandra Beckwith — Wed, 25 May 2022 21:10:55 +0000

Thanks, Joan! I’ve got a link to USNPL in the article about building a media list in point 3, too. It’s a good starting point.

Sandy

By: Joan Stewart, The Publicity Hound

Joan Stewart, The Publicity Hound — Wed, 25 May 2022 15:02:17 +0000

Great tips, Sandra. May I add a few more?

–Don’t overlook newsletters for neighborhoods, condo associations and retirement communities. Also, nonprofit newsletters. Many of these groups also have special interest groups on Facebook.

–USNPL.com is a free directory of daily and weekly newspapers in the U.S., with contact info.

–If you get publicity from a media outlet, double back when you have a “follow up” story idea to share. They already know you, which will increase your chance for coverage.