The scramble for this fall’s book promotion is about to get underway. Whether you’re a new author, new publisher, or just someone who’s been in this business a long time, you probably understand the reality here.

With nearly 300,000 books published every year, it takes real know-how and promotional intensity to make sure your book stands out from all the other new books being released. You need that promotional intensity because, with deep pockets, your competition is very serious about how they play the book promotion game. So, in order to win, you need to know two basic rules:

Rule 1: The Media is Your Best Path to Consumers

The big publishers know the value of great media exposure and what it can mean to the success of a new book. The game to win is getting on the air and in the news, as soon and as often as possible….and ahead of everyone else!

Considering that fall is a prime publishing season, you need to get a jump-start on your competition - preparing your materials and creating your media strategy NOW.  Why?

First: RIGHT NOW, every book publicist and publicity department at publishing houses have their strategies defined and press materials in progress, or in many cases, in place.

Second: What many book marketers don’t realize is that there are a finite number of media opportunities available for guest interviews. It’s not like buying advertising time to promote your book where your money is all that matters.

Third: There are a finite number of media opportunities for specific topics! Let’s say your book is about real estate investing, and there’s a similar new book just released from the big boys. Since the morning news shows are slated to only do a couple of stories, at most, about your topic, the race is on to secure those slots. Whether it’s just you (the author) or a big publishing house, it will still come down to who got to the producer first with the best pitch.

Rule 2: Know the Media Timelines

Timelines are how long it usually takes for each of the different media to “bring you to the public.” For example:

1. Magazines. They have the longest lead time-monthly publications often schedule 3 to 9 months “out.”
2. Book Signings. If book-signings are part of your strategy-and they should be-even if only on a local level — you need to work these well in advance of radio and TV. Particularly if your book is a fall release. Competition for book-signings is fierce this time of year. If possible, we’ll start as early as 3 months in advance.
3. Local TV. We find it best to pitch producers 4 to 6 weeks in advance. Yes, some producers ask us to call back closer to the date our author will be in town… but even in this case, we’re still there first with our pitch and have hopefully left a positive enough impression to land the segment.
4. Radio Interviews. Two weeks in advance is a good rule of thumb. Sometimes producers will want you sooner, but this depends on the timeliness of your topic.
5. Newspapers. We pitch local newspaper journalists one to two weeks in advance, not earlier.  Daily papers are looking for “news” and unlike magazines they’re not planning as far into the future.

As you can plainly see, you need to start your campaign plans right now, right in the middle of summer. That’s the case whether you’re handling your own book promotion or hiring professionals to do the job.

A Publisher’s Necessary Evil? Ye Olde Dreaded Reviewer
Film Fodder - 9 hours ago
Comic book publishers do a lot of things to spread the word about their books. If they did enough, and did it right, there would be almost zero need for …

Source:A Publisher’s Necessary Evil? Ye Olde Dreaded Reviewer - Film Fodder

Source:Publishers eye online sales in digital era - Jakarta Post

This summer's trilogy of truth
Seattle Times, United States - Jun 30, 2008
In this brave new world of YouTube, Facebook and 400 cable channels, book publishers are fretting about… By David Sirota The future of the media is cloudy …

Source:This summer's trilogy of truth - Seattle Times

An Interview with Debran Rowland
INTHEFRAY Magazine - 19 hours ago
Once upon a time, the print media and many book publishers saw themselves as public services. They had to stay in the black. But they weren't preoccupied …

Source:An Interview with Debran Rowland - INTHEFRAY Magazine

Celebrities? Sadly they’re all booked up by publishers
Sunday Herald, UK - Jun 14, 2008
Book publishers, these days, like the TV industry and every other profit-driven industry, don't do "risk" any more. They do "easiest route to the million …

Source:Celebrities? Sadly they’re all booked up by publishers - Sunday Herald

The Bookseller (subscription)

Charkin: low profits a digital hurdle
The Bookseller (subscription), UK - Jun 18, 2008
General book publishers have to get off their backsides and learn about digital." Also at the CLA seminar, which was held at London’s City Hall, …

Source:Charkin: low profits a digital hurdle - The Bookseller (subscription)

LeapFrog lets kids play tag to read
Indianapolis Star, United States - 4 hours ago
LeapFrog has partnered with a number of book publishers to bring some of the best children's classics to this new reading format. You can buy "Chicka Chicka …

Source:LeapFrog lets kids play tag to read - Indianapolis Star

US publishers plan wave of Obama books this summer and fall
The Canadian Press, NEW YORK - 26 minutes ago
NEW YORK — Book publishers aren't waiting for a concession speech. Several works about Senator Barack Obama, the Democrats' presumptive presidential …

Source:US publishers plan wave of Obama books this summer and fall - The Canadian Press