Smith Publicity Reviews the Most Common Complaints Media Have About Authors

Publicize Your Book More Effectively with the Media

Media contacts need authors and experts. In fact, their jobs would be much, much more challenging if they didn’t have authors and book publicists pitching great books and guests. Perhaps not all producers, editors, etc., will admit this, but it is a fact!

But the media also can get quite annoyed with self-promoting authors, and most of the time, they have a right to be. So what annoys that podcast or TV producer or drives that editor nuts? We asked our Smith Publicity publicists for “reviews” of authors they’ve encountered who were self-promoting their books and received complaints. Promoting yourself and your book is not easy, and many authors come to us after trying self-promotion, often having made the below mistakes.

5 Media Relations Best Practices

• Be patient – It’s natural to want a fast response after reaching out to the media. Authors can get impatient and follow up too quickly or too often. The best rule of thumb is to allow a week to get a response and then send a short follow-up email very professionally (and nicely!). Also, don’t forget about good, old-fashioned “snail mail.” These days, people are much more likely to open a letter than an email.
• Avoid questioning a book reviewer – Keep in mind that you are voluntarily putting your book out there for reviews. There are no guarantees reviews will be positive. If every book review published was positive, they wouldn’t mean much. Don’t ever question a book reviewer about why they didn’t like your book, and never, ever send a nasty email to a reviewer. They are doing their jobs, you gave them your book, and that’s how book publicity works.
• Always be prepared – If you get invited to be on a podcast, radio or TV, always do your homework before the interview. Watch or listen to the show. Learn the cadence and style of the hosts. Most importantly, be prepared for the most likely questions you’ll get (sometimes you’ll get questions ahead of time) so you can smoothly and concisely answer. Unprepared guests are a producer’s nightmare!
• Show more than tell– No one likes to hear someone talk about how great they are. You can show why you’re special without being braggy; show off your expertise or storytelling, and you will shine, and people will see how great you actually are!
• Make pitches professional – It should go without saying, but when you reach out to a media contact via email, do it professionally – no typos, extra long sentences, bad grammar, etc. A contact will dismiss you immediately if you do this, even if you could be a great guest. Take your time. Be concise. Be professional.

How Smith Publicity Can Help You Promote Your Book

Through creative marketing campaigns, Smith Publicity provides comprehensive services to help self-published authors, traditional authors, and publishers promote their books. With a proven track record of success over 25 years, we offer packages that can spark book sales, build author brands and create opportunities such as speaking engagements, consulting, and new business. Our experienced book promotion experts work with authors to develop a plan tailored specifically to their needs and goals, giving them the best chance at success. With Smith Publicity, authors can get the exposure and support needed to achieve maximum success. Contact us today to learn more about how Smith Publicity can help you promote your book.