One way to get the word out about your book is to send press releases to local news media. Press releases need to be written in Associated Press style, which you can find in the AP Style-Book. Authors do not, however, need a publicist to send out press releases. Authors can get in touch with local radio stations, newspapers, and TV stations for contact information and then send out local press releases piecemeal. This is a great way to acquire local news coverage, but what if an author wants regional or even national coverage for their book? How does an author achieve this kind of range or scope?
Many companies will send out press releases to media outlets for a fee. PRweb is a press release service, and offers an informative article about how to write a press release that you may wish to look over. Another popular press release service is offered by PR Newswire. These services distribute to media world-wide and help authors target media outlets to encourage coverage of their books. These companies also offer multimedia, social media and search engine optimization services. Finally, they also offer services to monitor and report back on media coverage, so that authors can see how well their press coverage has worked.
Some authors need more support to put out press releases. At such times, self-published authors may want to consider hiring publicists. These professionals generate publicity for authors. It’s important to hire someone who specializes in publicizing authors, as opposed to other kinds of PR.
The press release is an important element in an author’s marketing tool kit. Authors should study their options before they move forward. Media outlets are always looking for content. Why not your book? But for this to happen, you need to get the word out there.