Fresh Impact PR Group loves coaching about all things publishing and book marketing. Many times authors will call us from all over the world needing helping taking their messages to the next level and need ideas on how best to reach high visible media exposure. We talk with authors all the time about the best practices in how to do this. In all honesty, it starts with having a compelling message in conjunction with a story. Producers want to know how your story will pull their viewers in and help their own ratings. Whether they like your book or not is really not the issue. You have to prove to them you watch their show and offer them a compelling case for having you on the program.

In some cases authors will tell us they have been on over 25 or 50 radio stations with their last book they did. It is really not about how many interviews you do as much as which ones you do. Any time an author tells me they have done a ton of media I ask them, how many units did you sell from being on those 25 stations? Typically they don’t know.

Media is about repetition over a period of time. If you are talking to a radio station in Topeka, KS at 6am about career’s and leadership the likelihood is you won’t move a lot of books.

If you talk to Fox & Friends First in the largest media market in the country you have a WAY better chance. This week we visited their show with our client Jeremy Kingsley and his bestselling book Inspired People Produce Results.

Over the years we have had authors on Oprah’s program. While Oprah may be the queen of television, it still takes a village to sell a lot of books. In fact most recently, our client Devon Franklin, the VP of Sony Pictures was featured on Super Soul Sunday. The results to being on the show did in fact catapult the author into new realms. While the ratings don’t carry the weight they did, the response still helps. There isn’t an author alive who wouldn’t give their left arm to be any platform that large.

While there are many emerging trends on the market from crowd funding to crowd sourcing to LIVE Twitter chats. They all have their place. But there are still some basics to moving books which we thought we provide after 14 years of being behind the scenes to multiple New York Times Bestselling authors and campaigns.

Here are 5 things every author should do to sell more books than Oprah:

1. Start working on the size of your reach as an author at least 6 months before publication date. This means if it is 3-4 months from publication date you are too late! Don’t call us when you have a garage full of 5 thousands books and say the publishers isn’t doing anything. We will likely still have great idea’s for you but it makes us feel really sorry for you.
2. Think like a salesmen not an author. Too many times author are great or gifted at writing but horrible at selling. Stop trying to be an author who thinks they are the next gifted writer and just start reaching readers. Remember that content is still King! But if no one knows who you are or what your writing will do for them you won’t sell anything. Customer service still matters so respond to buyers when they email no matter their reach or size.
3. A bookstore is the worst place to sell a book for any author. (TWEET THIS) I heard this in a consulting session one day with a high profile author and it left me laughing. Stop being consumed as an author about where your book is selling and start selling your own books today. There are no rules anymore so don’t wait for permission to launch your next big dream of selling thousands of books – WE CAN HELP YOU!
4. Own the space you write to – too many times authors come to us and they are in a long line of authors already speaking to a thriving audience buying books of 10 other authors. Create your own niche! Many times, these authors aren’t really gifted in these niches anyway and have a writing voice to a different group waiting to hear from them that no one is speaking too!
5. Combine Traditional and Social Media Platforms – the spark of sales comes today when social media meets traditional media. People still read magazines just in different formats. Spikes in sales come from spreading of those messages no matter what format they get digested in. This includes offering trades to other authors to promote their books via Twitter and other spaces. It works!

If you need help selling more books I would love to help you. Type out any question and I will provide you solutions to any problem. If that doesn’t satisfy you, email me here info at freshimpactpr.com and I will pesronally see to it, you start selling more books.

For the love of God, and in the name of Gutenberg… STOP writing your book!

There’s a rumor going around, about the mysterious way a book is created. Someone locks themselves in a room, pushes words from their brain, through their fingers, into a manuscript, until a book appears.

Arduous. Pixie dust is somehow involved. And bouts with depression.

There’s an even uglier rumor; that books are formed like pop music groups. Market research, topics, and trends are carefully combined to create a “hit.”

And the months go by…

Aspiring authors invest months, sometimes years, writing, self-editing, and polishing their book. Countless grammatical and spelling checks. Page formatting and just-right fonts. I personally like checking word counts, how about you?

Our conversations usually start like this:

“I just finished my book! (Panting… Puppy dog eyes opened wide) Can you help me publish it?”

Being the eternal optimist, I check it out.

Many times there is not a clear purpose, progression, or outcome. Too often, the title and subtitle are bland, but by now they are verbally and philosophically embedded in the manuscript. And sometimes the book just isn’t good – but not because the author has nothing compelling to say.

By the way – creating a “bad” DRAFT is part of the process. (Thank you, Anne Lamott) The tragedy intensifies when many months of effort are invested PERFECTING a bad draft. So, what’s a writer to do?

Your book is like a house

There are many great resources that inspire writers to keep writing. Hide those in the freezer for now, OK? Think about your book like building a house.

Once you decide to build, you could go to the lumber store, get some materials, and get to work building it. Listen to those saws and hammers!

Or, you could STOP. Make a wish-list. Consider the comparable properties and plan curb appeal. Talk with an architect to imagine concepts, budgets, and most importantly, to challenge you with questions you’ve never considered.

Which option has a better chance of producing your dream home? Which would produce a higher value to prospective buyers? This is the value of creating your blueprint for writing.

Can I start hammering yet?

Here are a few practical questions that help “architect” a book:

· Premise – Why does this book exist? Amazon carries some pretty good ones already.

· What’s the outcome we’re looking for? “I loved this book because…”

· The Market and Motivation – Who will buy this, and why?

· Who are “Competitors”? (And why is your book different?)

· How will this strengthen (or confuse) your brand?

These are components of a good book proposal. Yes, designing a remarkable house, that appreciates in value, can be more challenging than the actual construction.

You are the general contractor of your book

There’s a Proverb about construction, from a very influential writer named Sol.

By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. (Chapter 24, line 3)

My translation for authors would be: By inspiration, a book idea is conceived, and through counsel and learning it is designed; through knowledge its chapters are filled with unique and beautiful treasures.

See the progression?

Inspiration starts, then deeper understanding builds a great foundation. Then the decorating! Of course inspiration happens all along the way. Impulse buys and change-orders are part of the process. It’s messy – just like building a house.

“Drop the pen! Step awaaaaay from the laptop!”

I love reading all those acknowledgements in a book. The people listed are all architects, in some way or another. Many people skip these names; friends, family, publisher, editor, reviewers, encouragers. But without this team, there’s no book – usually not a good one, anyway.
Musicians have producers. Entrepreneurs have business plans. Filmmakers have storyboards and private screening rooms. Who’s helping you make your art the best it can be?

Stop writing and back away from the book – so you can see it!

Ask yourself tough questions. Then bring wise counsel into your inner circle. Let them huff and puff and try to blow your house down.

When your plans are as solid as a rock, for the love of God, write!

Interested in some architectural planning? Contact us!

Sometimes our talents need to shift, to flow in different ways or channels. This little article about Lewis got me to thinking in a slightly different way than the article points, but it works in terms of the need to be able to flow, adapt, shift, communicate to varied and differing audiences, etc.

Check out the article at the link herein. And here’s my thoughts: With all the near impossible to keep up with communications changes taking place daily, a lot of our clients — even gifted authors and communicators — are not making the grade, not “getting it” when it comes to how to communicate in today’s omni-channel world.

For example – just ‘cause you can preach or write a book doesn’t mean you are a good blogger. Not without some work and research anyway. Just because you are a great performer or musician hardly means you will be great at social media’s many nuances, each of which can play a big part in your destiny in terms of growing an audience. I could go on for hours about this. If you are unsure what “omni-channel” means, or what a “good blogger” looks like…then get to work with all those God-given talents you have, and enjoy the new communications landscape.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/december-web-only/why-cs-lewis-didnt-write-for-christianity-today.html

I’m fascinated by both the world of presidential politics because I’m fascinated with how brands influence people. In recent months we’ve seen relentless advertising and 24-hour media coverage of the election. It’s a battle for hearts and minds.

Make Me Proud
One of the most significant stories in past presidential race has been the debates and the corresponding shifts in people’s enthusiasm. Whether you’re happy or sad about it, most agree that Mitt Romney won the first debate in a pretty memorable way. A CNN poll counts 67% who felt that way.

This boosted his popularity – at least a bit. I attribute that to what I call the “proudness factor.” They simply became less timid and more proud of their candidate, which changed their public behavior. Whether it’s the people or causes we support, or products we buy, how proud we are of them affects our actions.

Church Politics
What does this have to do with church marketing and communications?

Is your pastor prone to frequent “Joe Biden moments”? Is your treasurer grumbling about “the 47 percent?” Are staffers as friendly as secret service agents? Does your building have the warmth of a post office?

These kind of issues become engrained in a church culture, and result in people not being proud of their church. Sure, they love their church, warts and all. But they won’t tell anyone about it. No yard signs or bumper stickers.

“Proudness” Factor
Last week a church asked me for advice. Their numbers had flat lined for many months and they wanted to “do some marketing” to grow. I reminded them that if their members were not inviting friends, there were probably issues within the church that no marketing could overcome.

Remember that in October, 90 minutes of live debate had at least as much impact as nearly $2 billion of campaign spending.

It comes down to this: Are your people proud of their church? They want to be. Improve the “proudness factor” and people will community organize and vote with their feet every Sunday.

This means being brutally honest with yourself and staff. No matter how healthy your church seems it’s good to ask “Why would (or wouldn’t) our people be proud to tell their friends about this church?”

The hurdles can range from stained facilities, weak websites, lame music, all the way to those dysfunctional staff donkeys and uncomfortable cultural elephants in the room. People want to be aligned with a winner.

Losing Faith
Just look at the decline in the number of people who identify themselves with the main two parties, and the increase in the number of independents: A Gallup poll last month showed Dem’s and GOP nearly tied at 35%-36% and independents up to 29%.

Now think about the decline in overall church attendance, especially among young people. How much of that might be related to being proud of your church—or The Church in general?

The best path to growth, whether it’s a campaign or a church, is simply to remove obstacles. No fancy marketing blitz will ever replace a heartfelt invitation from a neighbor. When people are proud of their church (or candidate) they talk about it with confidence, share on social media and take action.

Are you ready to deal with the root issues in your church? It’s tough. Our outside perspective can help. But if you’ll address the issues, and communicate openly about it, you’ll see your poll numbers rise.

It really is a battle for hearts and minds.