One of the huge perks of working with a traditional publisher often evades the indie … its not the pretty covers or eagle-eyed editors, no … that is, it’s PR … the “I have arrived” muscle behind your story that does get it sold.
Traditional publishers have in-house PR machines that get the book and then the two-man team assigned goes to work getting national and viral coverage of said book. That why so-and-so ends up on Oprah or garnishes a fantastic, brag-worthy spread in a glossy magazine.
Indies … unless you’re married to a PR guy or gal … chances are you don’t have “in-house” anything. So, you are left flapping in the breezy, so to speak, figuring out how to best campaign within your budget.
But, PR is a huge part of getting your name and book out there. After all, if no one knows you wrote how in Heaven will they know to buy it? The truth is … they won’t. Indies often wallow at the bottom of Amazons algorithm simply because they don’t take the time to spread the word, to drive the interest, to build the momentum, to make the big splash … or, more likely, they aren’t sure how.
Blog tours seem to be a very popular sale to Indie Authors looking to cover massive ground in short sprints of time. They hedge on the affordable side of the PR line. Running anywhere from free (if you can do it yourself) to $150.00 and beyond.
I can tell you, as a blog owner, I do get traffic. When I’ve hosted particular Indie’s or held a guest appearance, my numbers spike. Would that generate into sales for someone? I’m not sure. But it can’t hurt, right?
Hiring a PR agent, while expensive, is also a viable route … one that I am taking. Which is why I “signed on” … okay, not officially, but within the next month or so I will officially be a client of the Alicia Brockway firm.
Every author … traditional or otherwise … dreams of wild success. I know my limitations, but that doesn’t mean I don’t “want it” … I just have to find help.
Alicia was the perfect person to do just that. Having worked with the likes of Danielle Steel, Kathy Griffin and gaggle of other big name authors, Alicia was once a Random House PR machine (yes … that Random House). She is the sort of person I need on my team, pushing my book towards bigger and better. So, while her service will nearly double my original budget and slightly break my book-bank, I can’t see another way.
So … Authors, tell me about your PR experience? How did you do? What resources did you use to make the magic happen?
La Bella Novella 