strategic media relations Archives - Jeanne Burrows-Johnson's Word Empowering Blog

AUTHOR APPEARANCES

Writers’ Guidelines

MAKE YOUR AUTHOR APPEARANCES MEMORABLE!

Regardless of whether you write fiction or non-fiction, you will need to consider elements of successful advertising and branding for authors. The skills you have developed as a wordsmith will help you facilitate communication and networking with individuals and organizations that can help you increase your public visibility.

AUTHOR APPEARANCES & READINGS
You’ve completed a large project in fiction or non-fiction and it’s been published. You’ve made great progress toward achieving your goals as a writer. And if you’ve written an award-winning book, you’ve reached a major milestone in successfully practicing the art and science of writing.

Thinking the heavy work is over? You’re wrong. Seriously wrong. You’ve simply turned the corner from building a product to marketing it in tandem with your publisher…That is, unless you’re entering the world of independent publishing. In that case, you’ll be responsible for self-marketing, and need to maximize a branding program that relies on dynamic but cost-effective authoring strategies and advertising messages.

Regardless of how your work is being published, you’ll need to make promotional appearances. That process should include opportunities for your readers to hear your words, as well as to ask you impromptu questions about yourself and your work. Even if you do not have a strong voice or dynamic style of presentation, the public will want to get to know the mind and personality that has generated the material in which they are interested.

VENUES FOR APPEARANCES
In preparation for your work to the public personally, you can refine your oral reading skills by practicing with a voice recording device in front of a mirror. You can also hone your skills at a writers’ group, where you could work on timing selected readings. If you find yourself uncomfortable reading aloud, appearances at a small book club meeting may be ideal for warming up for larger audiences.

Once you’re ready for general audiences, you’ll find there are many venues at which you might share your writing. Some are directly related to publishing, such as book fairs and literary and artistic festivals. Depending on your reputation as a writer, your local radio or television station may have programming featuring local writers. This is especially true of public broadcasting in radio and television.

Since your goal is to sell books in every form you are published—hard- or softcover print, Ebooks, audio books, or online websites and blog sites—libraries and bookstores [local and national chains] are ideal for promoting current work and for attracting potential long-term followers. Again, your personal reputation and the involvement of your publisher may determine the ease with which such appearances can be booked.
Media Relations Dos and Don’ts
EXPANDING MEDIA RELATIONS
In previous blogs—and at https://www.ImaginingsWordpower.com—I’ve discussed the importance of connectivity with the media. With each public performance opportunity, I suggest you prepare an advertising message that can be adapted to public service announcement [PSA] messages. These can be utilized promoting the non-profit organizations (i.e. schools and libraries) at which you might appear. For while you may have expectations of selling copies of the work you’re promoting, your authoring events may be deemed worthy of mention in the calendar of non-profit community activities within your local media outlets and platforms, as well as virtual communities. They may also be of interest to followers of social media and blogs featuring interviews.
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COST-EFFECTIVE MEDIA RELATIONS
As you expand your community relations and get to know your media, you may be surprised by the amount of free media coverage you can obtain. It all depends on your practice of the art of communication, and I don’t simply mean effective wordsmithing. Hopefully your writer’s inspiration will aid you in establishing strategic media relations. Much of this will rely on pithy PSAs prepared as broadcast, print, and On-line media releases [you can find samples at my marketing website, Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation. You should also be prepared to attend business, social and community activities that will introduce you to members of the media, whose own work you may have been enjoying for years.
Empowering Your Words
ENHANCING THE LISTENER’S EXPERIENCE
Let me again state that You have one opportunity to make a good first impression. Remember that each time you appear in public, you’re making a statement about yourself and your work. And although your written work may be inspired and employ a rich palette of words, you must now present it to people who will be judging you on their sensory experience!

THE VENUE DIRECTS YOUR PREPARATION
Will you be speaking in a large or small room? Will you be standing or seated? How much of your body will be visible to the audience? Will you have a microphone? Will you be introducing yourself? Will someone be monitoring the time you’ve been allotted for speaking? Are you the featured speaker at the event, or one of a group of presenters? And how will you handle stage fright? I encourage you to remember that stage fright is not a phenomena experienced solely by actors.

~ The quality of your voice. Once you know the size of the room and whether you will be utilizing a microphone, consider how well your vocal quality matches the venue. Remember that unless you are providing your own Audio Visual equipment, there’s no way you can be assured that the equipment provided will work as desired. Therefore, think about whether you have the vocal strength to project your voice throughout the designated space if you end up without a sound system.

Although no one wants to give a reading on a day when they are not feeling well, you may not be able to cancel an appearance. If you are unable to read your material, you may need to take a friend or colleague to actually present your work, but it would still be good for you to show up (as long as you’re not contagious). When in doubt about your condition, check with your healthcare provider. If you just have a tickle in your throat, you can always try drinking warm tea or munching your favorite fruit to produce a clearer sounding voice.

~ Your appearance. Many artists and writers feel there’s no need to be concerned about their appearance or their behavior. But if you want to be taken seriously, I believe you should demonstrate respect for yourself, your work, and for the public who awaits you. What you wear may be dictated by where you’ll be speaking. If you’re standing on a raised platform, consider how your legs and shoes will look from the audience. Women may want to wear a longer skirt length than they normally do, or even a pantsuit to ensure they aren’t sending the wrong message. And don’t forget that use of makeup is not limited to women. Men, (especially those who are bald), are just as susceptible to having a glowing face that detracts whether they are on stage or on video. Also, the eyes are key to projecting a performer’s personality. A touch of eye liner below the lower eye lashes gives your audience a sense of being closer to you.

As to style, the casualness of ragged denim, faded hoodies and unshaven portions of one’s anatomy may seem representative of the artistic world. But ask yourself whether they best represent the work you are introducing. If you’re beyond the first two decades of life, consider more sophisticated choices in attire and overall self-presentation. Personally, I usually top skirts and dresses I wear to public events with a vivid Asian style silk jacket. Not only is this in keeping with my normal wardrobe, but since the Natalie Seachrist mysteries features references to Asian culture, this choice sets the stage for the stories that I will be addressing.

INTRODUCING YOURSELF
You should have several empowering bios by the time you’re launching a book. [You’ll find a summary for writing one on my website at https://www.ImaginingsWordpower.com/bios-to-empower-you.html] You should have brief versions in one or two paragraphs in both first and second person voices. If you’re lucky, there’ll be an MC or other person to introduce you, and hopefully they’ll read your bio without inappropriate ad-libs. However, regardless of your advance planning, there will be times when you must introduce yourself. And while it is important to have a well-written bio, it is useful to be able to speak off-the-cuff without any notes.

YOUR PERFORMANCE
That’s right. I said Performance. That’s what an author’s appearance is. You must present yourself so that you are memorable and believable as the author of the work you have produced. And just as there are many styles of writing, there are many ways in which you can present your work. In my opinion, the top rung of professionalism holds those rare authors who memorize portions of their work and perform it like a play…that is, sans script.

One of the most likely venues in which you’ll see this type of performance is Cowboy Poetry. One of my favorite entertainers in this genre is Bill Black, whose warm vocal tones are accented with more than a hint of North Carolina. From the moment he steps onto a stage with his cowboy shirt, hat and bolo tie, the audience is wooed by both the stories he relates and his personage as their author.

At the next level are presenters who place text within a folder. This is where I fall in terms of performance. I try to avoid treating my audiences to the rustling and flopping of loose pages that can separate easily and cause the reader confusion.

ONE OF MANY PERFORMANCES…
At some time, you may be charged with scheduling a group of authors to read. At a recent gathering of writers, I found that despite instructions to “read for about five minutes,” there was great variety in the lengths of the readings. Even when a presenter has timed their work in advance, the pressure of public performance can produce variations in the actual length of a reading. I believe that setting a measurable standard (i.e. three to four pages, double spaced). While some will read faster or slower, the overall time of the readings should even out.

DOES AN EVENT WARRANT A MEDIA RELEASE?
Event organizers will normally generate media releases. That’s wonderful, especially if they follow the details of a bio you submit. But there’s nothing wrong with sending out your own media releases if you’re a featured participant. You should include general information about the occasion, your role in it, and other newsworthy persons who are involved, so that your effort does not appear wholly self-serving. In fact, the sponsors should welcome your boosting the likelihood of media coverage. For information on this topic, see earlier blogs, as well as sample releases on my website at imaginingswordpower.com/media-release-samples.html.

In addition, you can send our post cards, letters, fliers or other announcements. Recipients should include people you expect to attend, as well as those who may not be able to participate but should be aware of your involvement. If event is open to the general public, distribution of your promo information via mail, email, and social media may add to the number of attendees.

No matter how well you think you have prepared for an event, something can happen to derail a public appearance. Once it is over, hold your own private event autopsy, if the event organizers do not have one. And don’t forget to send out a post-event media release. Again, make a point of mentioning any noteworthy persons or historical context who are of general interest in your community. Finally, upload a sample of the reading you gave at the event on your website or social media, even if you have to record it anew.

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

Suggestions for Dynamic Public Appearances are available at following blog posts:
Author Appearances, December 2015
Promo Materials for Public Speaking, July 2018
All the World’s a Stage, August 2018
Final Preparations for Public Speaking, September 2018

To learn more about the award-winning Natalie Seachrist Hawaiian Mysteries, including Murders of Conveyance [Winner, Fiction Adventure-Drama, 2019 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards] and other projects, please drop in at my author’s website JeanneBurrows-Johnson.com . You’ll even find Island Recipes that might inspire your culinary creativity.

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
Amazon, Arizona Authors Association, Apple Books
Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave

Author Media Relations, 2

DEVELOPING DYNAMIC MEDIA RELATIONS

Applying the art and science of writing is only part of the equation for achieving professional goals and objectives as an author. Successful branding rests on myriad authoring strategies…including positive media relations. Like most aspects of your work, you will need to invest time, effort, and occasional infusions of money into researching, establishing, and maintaining good relations with the media. As you think about preparing your outreach to the media, remember that you are moving into the realm of commercial writing, which requires you to employ concise verbiage that directly addresses the needs and interests of a specific audience. The bottom line is to follow the rules set down by each media outlet…

KNOW YOUR MEDIA OUTLETS
A key element in any branding program is determining which media outlets [ranging across print, broadcast, and On-line platforms] are appropriate for shining a spotlight on your current project. Once you’ve completed compiling notes of interest about each—including the demographics of their patrons—you will need to establish relationships with their journalists and perhaps one or more of their department heads. Regardless of whether you’re going to contact staff or management, a personal salutation is always good. After all, looking to the future, there’s no telling what a person’s next job may be…or how you might reconnect with them to your mutual benefit.

NETWORKING WITH MEDIA CONTACTS
With your background work complete, you’re ready to launch regular rounds of communication with media contacts. Despite interaction you may have had in the past, you will need to follow up on any leads you’ve just uncovered. Is there a department or individual journalist for whom your current or future work will be of particular interest? Is there a community event for which your work fits well? Can you make a donation…or otherwise interact with a newsworthy non-profit or organization which may be participating in the event? Can you send out a tasteful PSA focusing on the group while increasing your public visibility?

As an author, it’s easy to rely heavily on your effective writing rather than speaking skills when examining how to broaden your community involvement. But when an opportunity arises to visit with a media specialist personally, you can broaden your talent in the genteel art of verbal communication. Through such contact, you should be able to affirm the media’s awareness of you and glean new facts about their individual needs and desires.

Even if you haven’t had an opportunity to meet media representatives you plan to contact, you can send out press releases highlighting your noteworthy work. What constitutes a newsworthy announcement? Chiefly, the topic must be appropriate to the specific media outlet and their concrete as well as virtual community. For example, you wouldn’t send a notice about a program for elementary school children to a magazine for Seniors—unless that demographic is notably involved in the activity.

TIMELY MEDIA RELEASES
If there is an element of time involved (such as a holiday event), it’s more likely the media outlet will grant you attention IF you’ve contacted them with sufficient lead time. There are two simple ways to determine each media outlet’s deadlines: Pay for a subscription to a detailed media list; or, build your own record for each of your preferred media outlets. Even if you have an annual subscription to one or more media contact data bases, the information can quickly become outdated, so unless the provider of a list sends out updates, you’ll have to check with each media organization periodically.

If you’re creating a media list yourself, you’ll need to gather the following information: The names of each organization and their key personnel; a street address for drop-offs; a mailing address if it differs from the physical address; phone and fax numbers and email addresses for pertinent departments. As you become acquainted with individuals within each organization, they may provide you with additional contact information.

The creative process an author uses to facilitate communication with their audience must be dynamic. Consider the following scenarios that can motivate you to communicate with local, regional, national, Internet, and even international media outlets:

WIN A CONTEST, AWARD OR SCHOLARSHIP?
Media outlets are always interested in stories of success, especially if they address a segment of their niche market. Make sure you indicate the importance of the organization recognizing you with an award.

SPECIAL EVENTS
Even if the organizers of an event are sending out media releases, you can submit your own in a distinctive format that highlights your particular contribution.
political campaigns
AWARDED A NOTEWORTHY POSITION, CONTRACT, OR COMMISSION?
Send out a media release, including copy that demonstrates the stature of an individual, business or organization that grants you a noteworthy position, contract or commission. granting it to you. You can also provide periodic releases reporting on significant stages of progress in your work. Be sure to mention newsworthy persons who may have become involved in the project. This could include a high profile woman or man whose image will be associated with your final product, be slated to read your text in an audio publication, or perform as the MC at an event you are managing personally. By the way, this includes political, religious or volunteer activities in which you may be involved.

You may be wondering if there’s any way of ensuring your media release will receive positive attention and be acted upon as you desire. The simple answer is no. Admittedly, it helps to get your information released if you’re prominent in your field. Your main concern should be avoiding being perceived as wasting a media professional’s time. If your material and its content doesn’t appear relevant, not only will it minimize the possibility of coverage of your current plea for attention, but it also decreases the likelihood that your next outreach will be greeted with joy.

When selecting between two or more potential news items to promote, you should remember that the most popular topics for garnering media attention are connected to children, elders, or non-profit organizations. That’s why it is beneficial to team up with such groups within your community on appropriate projects. Not only will such associations gain media attention, but they will bring loyal followers to your future projects.… And word of mouth promotion is the most beneficial form of advertising!

MAKE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION
Regardless of how important you view your message, you must consider how a media outlet will judge its potential value to their customers. As a promotional consultant, I’ve often worked with writers and artists who view their work as being of the utmost significance. They begin nearly every communication by speaking of themselves and their status. This is in direct conflict with the media’s need to serve their patrons. Rather than opening your plea for coverage with “I” (or even your name if the piece is written in the third person), begin with something that will appeal to your reader and encourage their interest in learning more about you.

SHAPING STRONG MEDIA RELEASES
Most of the media releases I see are one or two pages of single-spaced paragraphs headed, “For immediate release.” These releases have no sectioning, no titling, and no use of bold or underscored text. You need to remember that if the opening of a long document is not auspicious, the recipient probably won’t finish reading it, especially when other materials are more appealing!

If you bore the recipient, how have you benefited from the effort…and cost, if you’ve mailed hardcopy? Even if the release is read, there’s no guarantee that the recipient will act upon the information. If you’re lucky the bare bones of your information will be published. However, unless there’s a very slow news day (with a large “ news hole),” the full text of a long release is unlikely to be included. If only part of your text is published, there’s no assurance that the details you deem pertinent will be included in the news piece.

One way to short-circuit these problems is the use of the classic inverted pyramid for news writing. This means that the most important facts must be placed at the beginning of the release. With each succeeding paragraph, the importance and relevance of the information contained decreases. Many editors are grateful to receive material they can merely drop into their layout.

SENDING OUT MEDIA RELEASES
You must, of course, follow the instructions a media outlet provides for sending press releases. However, some organizations allow some flexibility in their instructions. To increase the number of people who see my releases, I place a note at the end of emails stating that a FAX or even hardcopy will follow. Since so few people bother with anything but emails today, there’s a good chance several people will read your copy when its sent in more than one form. Of course, you cannot control how the media will respond. Even if they decide to publish your message, you can’t be certain of how they will treat your copy, so keep in mind that providing less text gives an editor less to delete or re-sequence. If they’re interested in learning more they’ll contact you.

And don’t forget to send out another media release when you’ve completed your current project. Highlight the event’s outcome, mentioning any noteworthy person or historical context which will distinguish the activity as being of general interest in your community. You can even send out subsequent releases to announce the results or consequences of your work.

POLISH YOUR WRITING SKILLS
With careful research and repeated practice in writing media releases, you’ll enhance your ability to work efficiently with the media. A successful program of media blitzing rests on gathering facts and then presenting them in a way that builds interest in your topic. Many times your challenge is in establishing a rhythm to the words you use to present the facts you have carefully laid out.

~ As __________’s youth face another summer seeking entertainment …
~ The enclosed image shows television personality _____ donating her time at…
~ Jane Smith, winner of the 2015 _____ award has been named presiding judge in the forthcoming spelling bee for elementary school children in the _____ School District.

Remember that if you are involved in an event benefiting your community, you might be the ideal guest for an early morning drive time radio talk show—one of the best ways of getting a large number of people to become aware of via free media coverage.

Despite your best efforts to enhance your connectivity with the media, at some point you may be forced to invest in advertising. To maximize the results, your branded message must be positively memorable. From the words you use to the colors and shapes that accompany and frame them, you must strike an accord with your target market. In today’s tough marketplace, you will need to look beyond traditional ads and commercials. Appropriate saturation of social media outlets, YouTube videos, and even infomercials have all been used effectively by authors seeking improved community relations. As you contemplate your options, you will have to evaluate whether you have the skill set to design and implement a branding program without the assistance of advertising professionals.

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

Media Relations for Authors may be found at:
Know your Media, June 2015
Media Relations Dos and Don’ts, November 2015

For examples of concise print and broadcast media releases, please see
Media Release samples at Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

To learn more about the Conversations with Auntie Carol, the Natalie Seachrist Mysteries, including Murders of Conveyance [Winner, Fiction Adventure-Drama, 2019 New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards], Island recipes and other projects, please visit my author website at JeanneBurrows-Johnson.com.

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me:
Amazon, Arizona Authors Association, Apple Books
Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave

AUTHOR MEDIA RELATIONS, 1

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR MEDIA…

With today’s changing media, it’s nearly impossible to write a comprehensive and durable directive on the Dos and Don’ts of Media Relations for writers, or anyone. But with the intense competition for acquiring visibility in the public arena, becoming a pro at interacting with the media is a vital element of successful authoring strategies.

If you’re an effective wordsmith, you know the importance of both the written and spoken word. Of course, in today’s electronically-driven world, a word is not necessarily a word. With shortened forms of communication being perceived as ideal, varieties of abbreviations abound. Unfortunately, these shortcuts can lead to confusion. Not even acronyms can be relied on to carry identical meanings when used within the same language. Consider AMA. While it is used for both the American Medical Association and the Arizona Medical Association, it also stands for Ask Me Anything. Then there’s also COD, which in commerce means Cash on Delivery; in another context, it means Call of Duty. So, when dealing with acronyms, you have to be clear about which meaning you are attributing to the abbreviation.

Regardless of whether you are writing fiction, non-fiction, or commercial text like ads and commercials, the key to effective communication can be found in determining the demographics of your target market. Luckily, when we consider the demographics of media outlets, most are designed to appeal to a specific segment of the population. This can save considerable time, energy, and money when you wish to gain the attention of a media outlet’s readers, viewers, and/or listeners.

In the twentieth century, media generally referred to newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and signage. Today there are expanded versions of these media, as well as the Internet which has exploded across the globe with constantly evolving permutations. Just examining today’s political campaigns demonstrates that effectively utilizing static, electronic and mobile vehicles of communication provides unlimited choices for embedding a branded message—as long as someone is willing to pay for message preparation, if not actual placement of the resulting advertisement or infomercial.

But what alternatives are available to those who cannot afford to pay for research, graphic design, or advertising slots? Fortunately, even an individual with limited resources can find opportunities for communicating with the public that are cost-effective, if not actually free of charge. Today’s hottest communication outlets are in the realm of social media. Like other media platforms, you must be savvy about your use of them…but we’ll leave that topic for another post.…

One of the simplest means of getting free media coverage lies in earning their attention. After analyzing a media outlet’s format and demographics, you can shape text that will help meet their need to generate timely and noteworthy coverage of relevant persons and events. Keep in mind that short and concise presentations of the facts and even articles receive preferential treatment. If you capture their interest, a journalist can always request quotes and additional facts, but they will not want to edit material you send regarding a topic they may feel has little media value.

When you’re not facing a promotional deadline, you can explore aspects of developing long-term relationships with your media contacts. In short, you need to develop friendships that will prove beneficial to your marketing programs. While this may seem simplistic, building bonds with the people who regularly communicate with the public continues to be a cost effective ways for writers and artists [as well as non-profit organizations] to stimulate awareness of their work.

If you meet someone in passing, you’ll want to make the most of the opportunity to get acquainted. But when you have the time, you should perform at least cursory research of the person you desire to meet. Whether they’re a columnist, commentator, or a department head within a media outlet, a brief Internet search should reveal details about where they attended school, organizations to which they belong, and personal interests you may share. To maximize the results of your effort, you may wish to utilize more than one search engine. Next, you can then strengthen your avenues of connectivity by researching their professional output: Their articles, columns, or books; programs; videos, etc.

What is the current focus of their work? What are their clients expecting? Can you find a gap, current or recurring, in what they offer the public? In newspapers, this is called the news hole. If you’re lucky there will be a gap just waiting to be filled with your data. If that is the case, your media contact will be truly grateful for your input and will welcome hearing from you in the future.

Once you have completed your background research, you can strategize meeting or expanding your relationships within the media outlets you are targeting. If you’ll be attending the same function, consider sending notes or emails expressing your desire to see them. Or, if you have just attended an event at which they spoke, you can send congratulatory messages commenting on your appreciation of their work.

The bottom line is that communicating directly with members of the media yields invaluable results: Personal connectivity with people who may be able to quickly act upon information you share with them; opportunities for networking with outstanding members of your virtual or real community; potential for entering into partnerships that can help you achieve your goals and objectives. And, by making the effort to demonstrate genuine care about their concerns regarding appropriate topics and meeting deadlines, you will not only attain increased public visibility, but you will end up participating in new and sometimes exciting events.

Wishing you the best in your creative endeavors,
Jeanne Burrows-Johnson, author, consultant, and motivational speaker

Media Relations for Authors may be found at:
Know your Media, June 2015
Media Relations Dos and Don’ts, November 2015

For examples of concise print and broadcast media releases, visit: http://www.imaginingswordpower.com/media/media_release_samples.html

For more ideas to strengthen your Wordpower^© and branding, please visit: Imaginings Wordpower and Design Consultation.

Follow Me On:
Amazon, Arizona Authors Association, Apple Books,
Audible, Authors Den, Barnes and Noble, Blogarama, Book Bub,
Cozy Mysteries-Unlimited, Facebook, Good Reads, Hometown Reads

Book sellers may contact book distributors such as:
Baker & Taylor, Follett, IPG, Ingram, Mackin, Midpoint, TitleWave