How to Write a Book Press Release that Succeeds
5 Tips for Writing Powerful Book Press Releases
It’s hard to imagine a successful book marketing campaign without an outstanding press release as its lead component. Therefore, you can’t overestimate the value of a well-crafted release. Some of our book publicists tell authors that writing a press release can be akin to writing poetry. Each word must be precisely placed and have a purpose. It’s why book PR people often advise writing several drafts (just like you did with your book) before arriving at a final version. Because of its importance, a press release is too essential to be done quickly or half-heartedly.
Writing a highly successful book marketing press release always requires these five elements:
1. Hit the headlines
Begin with a succinct and attention-grabbing headline – just as if you were writing a newspaper or blog article. In fact, it should be the headline that you would love for the media to use. In today’s overworked world, many editors and reporters are stretched thinly. If you provide excellent content, you have a reasonable chance they will use it.
2. Know your audience (and your audience’s audience)
3. Get to the (bullet) point
Remember that you are sending your book press release to people who receive many of them every day and have tight deadlines to meet. Use three to five short bullet points toward the top of your release to make your case and assume that your reader will read them first. Also, figure people will only read the rest of the release if they like what the bullet points have to say.
4. Show them what you’ve got
Put your book cover on your press release. Visual recognition is important and you want the media to be able to match your release information to your book mentally. It holds true even if your book is only available as an ebook – because for ebooks your cover is the only distinguishing feature of your book.
5. Details, details, details…
Be sure to include your book’s price, format, ISBN, website, and list of retailers if relevant. These are details that the media will need to know once they are already hooked into covering your book – but put them at the end of your release where those who need them can find them.
There are No Guarantees of Coverage; Improve Your Chances
Book publicity is also called earned media because the coverage occurs only after you’ve convinced an editor or producer that your work is newsworthy. Your well-written book press release is the best shot you have at earning the coverage you want and need. Because people in the media receive so many requests for coverage, the bar is set high for what you need to do to earn a spot. It’s why working with a professional book publicist or following their advice if you go it also is so important. If you’ve written an excellent book that deserves to succeed, make sure you support its launch with an outstandingly written press release.
