Book Blog

As an author, are you confused by the plethora of potential book marketing help available? Would you like some clarity around what help is best suited to you and your book marketing goals? 

The following article is specifically aimed at subject matter experts, those business focused voices of authority, the thought leaders, the non-fiction book writers, the entrepreneurial types who are also choosing to don that emerging author hat. 

Fiction and memoir writers, you will likely gain some insight from the words below, some of the comparisons below may not be relevant, but please read on.

First off, a hat tip to you if you have chosen to share your expertise with the world through books. The power of storytelling and sharing is immense in our collective learning.

Books are an enduring content creation choice, so let’s keep writing them! 

Manoeuvring the Landscape of Support

Navigating the world of book marketing and promotion can feel like getting lost in a dense forest. Authors, often focused on the craft of writing (duh!), find themselves facing a complex landscape of marketing terms and professionals all promising some form of success.

Two roles that frequently cause confusion are the book publicist and the strategic book marketer. While both aim to increase book visibility and sales, their approaches, timelines, expertise  and range of impact differ significantly. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for authors seeking to build a successful book launch, long-term readership, improved visibility and even business growth (if that’s their goal).

The Book Publicist - Amplifying Your Voice and Visibility

Think of the book publicist as the architect of your book's media presence. Their primary focus is generating buzz and securing media coverage. They are masters of crafting compelling media releases, pitching stories to journalists, bloggers, and influencers, and securing reviews in relevant publications. A skilled publicist builds trusted relationships with media contacts, understands what makes a story newsworthy, and knows how to position your book to capture attention.  

A publicist's work typically centers around the book launch period, although some campaigns can extend for several months. They may arrange interviews on radio, podcasts, and television, secure features in newspapers and magazines, and coordinate book reviews. Their success is often measured by the volume and quality of media mentions your book receives.  

Key Responsibilities of a Book Publicist

• Publicity planning

• Crafting press releases and media kits

• Pitching stories to journalists, bloggers, and influencers  

• Securing book reviews

• Media training

• Coordinating author interviews and media appearances

• Managing media relations and enquiries

• Reputation management

• Coordinating book signings, launch events and book tours 

• Building trusted media relationships

• Staying updated on the changing media landscape

• Media tracking, analysis and reporting

The Strategic Book Marketer - Building Your Long-Term Strategic Growth

The strategic book marketer takes a broader, more holistic approach to book promotion. They are concerned not just with immediate media attention, but with building a long-term marketing strategy that will reach your target audience and drive sustainable book sales. They analyze market trends, identify your ideal reader, develop a marketing plan with specific goals and tactics, and implement strategies across multiple channels.  

A book marketer's work extends beyond the book launch (and often beyond the book!) and often involves ongoing efforts to build author brand, engage readers, and drive traffic to online platforms. They may manage social media campaigns, create targeted advertising, build email lists, optimize your website for search engines, and explore partnerships with other authors or businesses. Their success is measured by metrics like book sales, website traffic, social media engagement, and email list growth.  But, they also create success in areas beyond the book itself (more on this below).

Key Responsibilities of a Strategic Book Marketer

• Setting clearly defined objectives and goals

• Developing a comprehensive marketing plan

• Building author brands

• Identifying target audience and reader profiling

• Conducting market analysis and reader research

• Managing social media campaigns

• Creating and running targeted advertising

• Building and managing email lists

• Developing core messaging and providing copywriting support

• Optimizing website and online presence

• Exploring partnerships and collaborations

• Creating pre-order and bulk order strategies and campaigns

• Tracking marketing performance and ROI

• Coordinating launches, events, and book tour 

• Managing and integrating the efforts of specialists, like the publicist, graphic designers, and other digital experts

• Reviewing marketing plans and refining them

Comparing the Roles -  Short-Term vs. Long-Term

One key difference between a publicist and a marketer lies in their focus: short-term visibility versus long-term growth. A publicist is like a spark, generating immediate attention and excitement around your book. A marketer is like the fuel, providing sustained energy to keep your book's momentum going.

Comparing the Roles - Tactical vs. Strategic

Publicists are tactical, focusing on specific media placements and securing immediate coverage. Marketers are strategic, helping you to define your goals, developing a comprehensive plan and implementing the tactics required to achieve your goals across multiple channels and achieve your desired long-term results. 

Comparing the Roles - Just the Book vs. Beyond the Book

If you’re an author who has written a non-fiction book you want to launch a successful book. But, that book doesn’t exist in isolation. It is part of your business growth strategy and you want to accomplish that growth as well as book sales. When you want and need help in integrating your efforts and ensuring that you create success for you, your book, your profile, and your business, you need the strategic nous of an experienced marketing consultant.

The marketing consultant understands your broader business challenges and can recognise growth opportunities. They are trained to integrate and connect your various efforts so that they can work together to accomplish all of your goals, including your greater business growth goals.  

Publicists are experts in amplifying your voice and visibility and their expertise goes deep.Their focused attention is on the book, its message and you the author. 

The marketer looks more holistically at the power and potential of that book as just one of your growth strategies, thinking about and planning for the doors that book can open for you. 

Which Role is Right for You?

Ideally, authors should consider working with both a publicist and a marketer, especially for significant book launches. A publicist can generate initial buzz and media attention, while a marketer can build on that momentum and create a sustainable marketing strategy while keeping you on brand throughout all of your efforts. 

However, budget constraints often dictate choices. You may need to choose ‘buzz’ over ‘impact’. This is where defining clear goals from the beginning is so important.  Ask yourself what you want more, do you want to sell books or grow your business? Are you in it for the long game or a short one? Is your book’s content more suited to making an immediate impact or is it more enduring? How do you define success and what is an ample ROI of your book writing efforts?

Ultimately, understanding the distinct roles of a book publicist and a strategic book marketer will empower you to make informed decisions about your book promotion and build a successful path to reaching your readers. It’s about finding the right mix of expertise to amplify your voice and connect with your audience and accomplish any other related strategic goals.