Page512 - The Phenix & Phenix Publicity BlogPage512 - The Phenix & Phenix Bloghttp://www.phenixpublicity.com/blog/2010-09-01T22:43:40ZSquarespaceWherein Phenix & Phenix turns out to be a group of really great people.http://www.phenixpublicity.com/blog/2010/8/26/wherein-phenix-phenix-turns-out-to-be-a-group-of-really-grea.htmlMegan Renart2010-08-26T13:42:53Z2010-08-26T13:42:53Zhttp://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/Does anybody truly enjoy the idea of books being made into movies? Truly and completely, without any hesitation? I know I always groan when I hear this kind of news. Oh, blergh. They’re taking a private relationship I had (in my mind) and summarizing it in two easy hours for millions of people (and millions of dollars). I realize this is snobby and selfish of me, but I’m not ashamed. 

Drunk with disdain, I polled my colleagues, who are far more upbeat and cheerful creatures than me  than I.  Than myself.

For instance, Lindsay good-naturedly resigns herself to the fact that she will be disappointed, but ventures forth anyway: “Every time I watch a movie of which I have read the book, I expect to be disappointed. The movie cannot possibly include all the details from the book, and it never fails that my favorite scene isn’t included in the movie. Or your least favorite actor is cast as the main character. So at this point I understand that a movie adaption will never measure up to the book and enjoy the film for what it is.”  Fine, Lindsay. Go ahead. Enjoy it. I’ll be over here, not watching the movie. (And going through your stuff.)

Peggy realizes she needs assistance while watching certain books-to-movies:  “Proving that hot guys aren't all it takes for me to love a movie, my least favorite book-to-movie adaptation is Twilight. I have to admit that I read and liked the books, but the movies are complete jokes. I watch them with friends at the Alamo Drafthouse because you can't watch those movies without libations.” Amen, Peggy. A-men.

Amy lets the water roll off her back but has some conditions: “I don't mind it, unless they completely change the spirit of the book, or else stick so close to it that they don't make a watchable film.”

Shelby sees the silver lining: “The movie is never as good as the book, but I still find books-to-movies entertaining.”

Well, there you have it. I work with some really nice people, and I’m a jerk.   

What about you? Will you side with good (me, opposer of making books into movies) or with evil (and by evil I mean my nice colleagues)?



]]>Like to Hear Yourself Talk? How to Make the Most of Speaking Engagementshttp://www.phenixpublicity.com/blog/2010/8/24/like-to-hear-yourself-talk-how-to-make-the-most-of-speaking.htmlBrittany Johnson2010-08-24T19:04:39Z2010-08-24T19:04:39ZPhoto Credit www.cepro.com Authors with a clear platform and target market can benefit greatly from speaking engagements. From garnering more readers to finding new clients for your business, speaking can be a great way to share your expertise and communicate directly with your audience.

Speaking engagements also give publicists an additional angle to pitch besides the release of the book. Speaking can help position the author as an expert source for a certain topic, opening up more opportunities for coverage and exposure as relevant current events unfold.

There are a few things to keep in mind to ensure you get the highest possible benefit from your speaking engagements:

  1. Avoid reading straight from your book. Your audience won’t be as eager as your three-year-old is to hear you reading. They want you to look up and engage with them; have a real conversation. Besides, if you read from the book for an hour, what incentive will they have to buy a copy? Instead, develop a presentation from your book’s content that expands upon it or introduces new information.
  2. Add a speaker page to your website. Include a short summary outlining who you are and what you can speak about. You can even add a bulleted topic list. Keep a running list of all the events you have done or have coming up. Keep an eye out for current events that relate to your topic and update your topic list as needed. You should also list relevant awards and testimonials. This can greatly increase your chances of being booked for additional speaking. Most importantly, include simple, specific directions on the best way to contact you to speak at an event.
  3. Immortalize your speaking engagements with video. Have a friend videotape your presentation. You can then add the videos to your website making your web presence more dynamic, and also giving the media and readers a preview of what you have to offer. The media is more likely to book someone they are able to easily preview. Otherwise it can feel like a blind date—scary.
  4. Focus on how people can benefit from the content of your book. Your audience will be wondering what you and your book can do for them—don’t let them leave without that answer, especially if you intend to sell copies in the back of the room. That said; don’t deliver your speech like an infomercial. Make it educational—but not “salesy”— by giving a sneak preview of what your book offers.
  5. Don’t forget to let your audience know where to find you online. Remind them to follow you on Twitter, friend you on Facebook or look up your website. You can use their feedback to modify your presentation, or to create entirely new ones.
  6. Be personable. If the audience likes you they will want to hear what you have to say. Don’t believe that being funny or light-hearted will undermine your professionalism. Don’t feel like your credibility goes out the window with one candid comment.  Being personable, especially during speaking engagements, is the best way to create lasting connections with your audience and potential readers.

    Have any other tips for speaking authors? Please share! Best of luck filling up those auditoriums!
]]># Book Industry Hashtags: The Ultimate List #http://www.phenixpublicity.com/blog/2010/8/12/book-industry-hashtags-the-ultimate-list.htmlPeggy Keefe2010-08-12T21:21:00Z2010-08-12T21:21:00ZA bird’s eye view of marketing, advertising and publicityhttp://www.phenixpublicity.com/blog/2010/8/10/a-birds-eye-view-of-marketing-advertising-and-publicity.htmlLindsay Marshall2010-08-10T21:28:54Z2010-08-10T21:28:54ZMany authors confuse marketing, advertising and publicity, and although these three elements of marketing communications work together, it is essential to the success of your efforts as an author to understand the differences and see them as distinct functions. 

Here at P&P, we focus on garnering publicity for you and your book. So in honor of the back-to-school mayhem, here’s a brief lesson on the differences between marketing, advertising and publicity

MARKETING

Definition: Everything that goes into getting your book into readers’ hands

What a marketing plan includes:

  • Content of book
  • Design
  • Packaging
  • Distribution
  • Sales
  • Advertising
  • Publicity
  • Social media
  • Author  website
  • Book signings
  • Direct mail

Where to start?

The majority of your marketing plan is based around the target audience for your book. Identify a small, targeted group of people who would most likely buy your book and recommend it to their friends.  Choosing the correct target audience is crucial to the rest of your marketing plan.

ADVERTISING

Definition: Paid-for placement in mass media.

What does advertising look like?

Ads can be placed in newspapers, magazines, billboards, TV and online, and you control both the message and the timing.

Where to start?

Here at P&P, we don’t suggest buying ads for your book because they are generally expensive and consumers are sometimes skeptical of them. But if you do buy an ad, make sure you include your book cover, the full title and author name, the ISBN-13 and where consumers can buy your book. 

It is also best to choose where you place the ad wisely. Think about who your audience is and where they visit online or which publications they read. Smaller, local publications or online banner ads for niche sites will be more targeted, and hopefully, a bigger bang for your buck.

PUBLICITY – P&P’s specialty

Definition: Unpaid or earned media coverage that provides third-party credibility.

What makes publicity different than advertising?

  1. An author does not pay for the coverage he or she receives.
  2. The media controls BOTH the message and the timing.

What does publicity look like?

  • Strategic planning
  • Press conferences
  • Press releases
  • Press kits
  • Author biographies
  • Media relations
  • Acting as the client’s spokesperson
  • Providing media training to the client
  • Being interviewed on radio/TV
  • Being interviewed by newspapers and magazines, resulting in coverage such as book reviews, feature stories and direct quotes from authors in news stories

What is the key to publicity?

Being newsworthy, which means offering new and timely information that adds to the debate and impacts many people’s daily lives.

Any questions?

]]>FAQ Friday & Tip Tuesdayhttp://www.phenixpublicity.com/blog/2010/8/6/faq-friday-tip-tuesday.htmlPeggy Keefe2010-08-06T15:37:05Z2010-08-06T15:37:05ZWe’ve been in business for over 16 years and all of our accumulated publicity and book promotion knowledge is just begging to be shared. To make our Facebook page more interactive and useful to authors, we have two new weekly programs we’re excited to introduce! 


The first, FAQ Friday, kicks off today. In addition to our semi-monthly FAQ blog posts, for FAQ Friday you post the questions that have been bugging you, and we’ll reply. Once in a while we’ll suggest a theme for the questions, but really anything book publicity- or promotion-related is welcome.  Some questions may need more than a short answer, so we’ll consider those for our FAQ blog posts.


We are also starting Tip Tuesday on Facebook next week, which will feature advice straight from our team which you can comment on with your own experiences. Please help us make our blog and Facebook page a more useful resource by spreading the word and sharing your thoughts!

]]>Thinking Outside of the Bookstorehttp://www.phenixpublicity.com/blog/2010/8/2/thinking-outside-of-the-bookstore.htmlBrittany Johnson2010-08-02T21:41:59Z2010-08-02T21:41:59ZPhoto credit Wayne Ranney, Geologist, Writer, Trail guide, from his blog Earthly MusingsAlthough the bookstore is a staple in most book marketing plans, it’s certainly not the only possible place to sell books or do book events.  Look to your target audience for other, more creative ideas. If your book’s target audience doesn’t hang out in bookstores at all, you need to find out where they do hang out in order to reach them.  As long as the store you’re approaching is willing to stock your book, it should be a great opportunity to interact with readers and make sales.  Many non-bookstore locations are open to author events as well as stocking and selling books.  Besides effectively reaching your target audience, two major benefits of getting your book outside the bookstore are:

1. Since it won’t be surrounded by thousands of other books, the book competition is drastically cut.

2. Direct sales to the store allow you to make a larger profit because you are acting as the distributor.

Here is a sample list of places and groups to consider approaching for book events:

  • Book Clubs & Readers Groups
    • The best place to begin searching for book clubs and readers groups is online and in your local area. Many libraries have avid reading groups.
    • You can make your book more attractive by including a reading guide either in your book or on your website.
    • You can also offer to be a guest for groups and get to talk directly with readers.
  • Libraries
    • Libraries typically have a full calendar of events and are excited to host local authors. Book signings are a possibility, and since libraries don’t handle sales and usually only buy one copy of a book, the author can bring books to sell directly in most cases.
  • Schools
    • The best contacts at schools are usually the librarian, principal, or a teacher of your target grade level.  
    • Even if your message or topic isn’t exactly a perfect fit, think about discussing how you became a writer. Schools provide a great opportunity to speak about the process of becoming an author and tips for budding writers.
  • Specialty Stores
    • Specialty stores are probably the most overlooked venue for book sales and events. Think about where your target market shops to find the best fit for your book. For example, if your book has a strong hiking theme, look for a sports and recreation store.
    • Since specialty stores don’t usually host book events, authors have to do more work to figure out the details to set it up.
    • However, the store may even have a customer mailing list so that they can help you promote your event.

Once you set up a book event in a non-bookstore, remember to let the store know you’d appreciate a referral to other related stores or venues. Getting outside of the bookstore provides a whole new networking opportunity that can bring you even closer to your target audience.

Last but not least, remember that crowds draw more crowds, so don’t forget your immediate network. Invite all of your friends, family and local people you interact with on your social networks. This will help make the store or venue look full and draw in more people.

Have you sold books or done an event in a non-bookstore location? Tell us about it!

]]>Bali Beachside & Under the Covers: Our Favorite Places to Readhttp://www.phenixpublicity.com/blog/2010/7/30/bali-beachside-under-the-covers-our-favorite-places-to-read.htmlPeggy Keefe2010-07-30T14:49:39Z2010-07-30T14:49:39Zphoto credit htimsnayr

 Last month we told you about our summer guilty pleasure books. Today we want to share our favorite places to read those and other less guilt-inducing books. Where you read can make a big impact. I can’t read anything but the most engrossing book in a loud place (especially if a TV is tuned into the Food Network—pretty cakes distract me). Here are our picks for the best places to read. Have other favorites? Feel free to share in the comments.

 I'd say my favorite reading spot is in bed. You can cover up if it's cold, sit up, lie down and rearrange more easily than other places. -Shelby

My favorite reading spot is on a blow-up raft in the pool. I learned that this is also my least favorite reading spot depending on the presence of splashing kids. My copy of Good Grief is still wrinkly. -Brittany

 My balcony. I love Saturday mornings when I can sit on my balcony, read a good book and drink my coffee. -Lindsay

My favorite reading spot is definitely in bed, with a view out the window, coffee in hand. I get distracted trying to read somewhere in public like a coffee shop, and the times I'm able to read for pleasure are generally either at the end of the day or on weekend mornings. When I was younger, I was so bad about staying up to read in bed (when I wasn't supposed to) that my mother finally bought me one of those Itty Bitty Book Lights so I didn't have to use a flashlight to see the pages. -Amy

I am immediately picturing myself reading on the beach in Bali, or somewhere on the Mediterranean coast. Hell, anywhere in Europe.

In the meantime, reading at the springs or poolside will do for now. -Megan

I love to read outside, preferably in a place with more trees, bugs and birds than cars and pavement. When it’s really hot, sitting by the pool is my favorite so I can quickly jump in when the sweat gets distracting. If it’s not so hot, pretty much any porch or patio will do. -Peggy

]]>What Authors Should Blog Abouthttp://www.phenixpublicity.com/blog/2010/7/23/what-authors-should-blog-about.htmlPeggy Keefe2010-07-23T14:08:09Z2010-07-23T14:08:09ZNow that Shelby has convinced you that you need a blog you might be wondering what exactly to write about. A lot of authors focus their blogs solely on their books. “Best Book Ever is on Amazon now!” and “You should check out the website for my book!” and “Seriously, please read my book.” That’s not the best approach. Yes, you want your blog to promote you and your book. But think about it this way: how many people do you think are searching online for your book title and book name? Not that many. But how many are searching for your book’s genre or topic? A lot more. To have a successful (as in, read and enjoyed by your target audience) blog you need to appeal to them by providing information they are looking for – “news you can use.”

How do you determine this?

  1. Think about your target market. Who reads your books? (And, no, your target market is not everyone.)
  2. Determine what they are looking for online. What topics are they interested in? What entertains them? What problems do they have that you or your book can solve?  What keywords are they typing into Google?
  3. Use that analysis to determine what type of compelling content you can produce to entertain or inform your audience.


What to blog about
Not all books are the same, so not all blogs will be. However, here are some general ideas to help in your brainstorming of good content:

  1. Tips and How-Tos related to your book’s topic and your area of expertise.
  2. Comment on current events relevant to your topic.
  3. Information about the publishing/writing process.
    *Helpful hints for other authors
    *Your journey finding an agent, publisher, etc.
    *How your second book is coming along
    *Details on book events or other marketing you’ve done
  4. Review other bestsellers in your genre.
    Not only will this make the other author (and his or her publicist) happy, but it will attract potential readers to your site. Reviewing other books in your genre makes your site more useful to readers: you aren’t just discussing your own book, but others they might also be interested in. Big-name titles and authors are also great keywords to have in a blog post. Many people will be searching online for these books so having a post on them will help your site show up in their searches. Just be sure your site has good information on any current or future publications of your own book as well so readers know to look for it.
  5. If you have written a children’s book or fiction book, blogging as one of your characters is a great idea. You can recap your book events from the character’s perspective or continue your character’s story through the posts.
  6. Invite other authors or experts in your topic to write guest posts for your blog. They may reciprocate and allow you to write for their blog as well, helping you reach a wider audience.


What about comments?
Yes, please do allow comments on your blog and be sure to read and respond to them. When your blog is a two-way communication tool rather than just one-way it can help build a sense of community. I know I personally love when authors respond to me when I comment on their sites or send a message via Twitter. Otherwise it’s like talking to a wall, which isn’t fun.

In the spirit of community, feel free to leave further tips as comments to this post!

]]>Industry news: Transforming books for the digital agehttp://www.phenixpublicity.com/blog/2010/7/20/industry-news-transforming-books-for-the-digital-age.htmlLindsay Marshall2010-07-20T21:08:50Z2010-07-20T21:08:50ZToday marks the first day of our monthly industry news recap to keep our readers updated on the latest happenings in the book world. Here are a few of this month’s top stories reflecting changes in the publishing industry that capitalize on the increasingly digital future:

  1. The e-book revolution: Further proof that the popularity of digital books is growing daily, Amazon.com announced on Monday that e-book sales have surpassed hard cover sales for the past three months.  And even as they faced stiff competition from Apple’s new iPad, Amazon sold 143 Kindle books to every 100 hardcover copies during this three month window. This number does not account for the nearly 1.8 million free Kindle books that are in the public domain.

  2. A new online book review publication: Another sign of the digital convergence changing the publishing world, The Los Angeles Review of Books, an online publication featuring book reviews, author profiles and Skype interviews, is set to debut this fall.  Tom Lutz, chair of the creative writing department at the University of California at Riverside and director of the Los Angeles Review of Books, hopes the online project will eventually expand with a quarterly print edition, but the periodical’s online beginnings reflect the growing popularity of online media.

  3. Video book reviews: Another way book reviews are transforming to fit an online, interactive format is through video book reviews. Giovanna Calvino, daughter of author and Nobel Prize contender Italo Calvino, is raising money to produce an online book review show, Amateur Thursdays.  She is reaching out to her internet friends to help fund the project by soliciting donations through the fundraising site, Kickstarter.

  4. Shifts from traditional to online media: In media news, former CBS News correspondent Kelly Wallace’s move to NBC’s iVillage emphasizes traditional media’s move online.  Here’s what Brian Steller of the New York Times blog "Media Decoder" has to say about Wallace's switch: "In a shaky time for network news outfits like CBS (Ms. Wallace left there in April), Web jobs are the latest way for correspondents to redirect their credibility."

  5. Library promotion meets pop culture: And to end today’s post, a bit of comedy.  Brigham Young University's Harold B. Lee Library recently released a clever promotional video reminiscent of the popular Old Spice ads. Enjoy!
]]>Facebook fan pages: How better to connect with fans than make a page just for them?http://www.phenixpublicity.com/blog/2010/7/13/facebook-fan-pages-how-better-to-connect-with-fans-than-make.htmlBrittany Johnson2010-07-13T14:37:23Z2010-07-13T14:37:23ZPoor first-borns—seemingly forgotten as soon as something new comes along.  My little sister was born the day after my third birthday. Can we say party foul?

Don’t worry Facebook, all our recent Twitter talk doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten you. Facebook fan pages are a great way for authors to begin building their online platform, connect with readers and potential readers, spread news of upcoming events, and much more.

First and foremost, as I learned well at the Writer’s League of Texas conference last month, if you are planning on writing more than one book in your career, don’t create a fan page just for that specific book—your fan page should represent you as an author. This is especially important if you are planning to release a series. You may be thinking, “But, this is not about me! This is about my book!” Rather than make your fans re-find and re-fan a whole new page every time you release a new book, build your social media presence around yourself as an author. People who become fans on Facebook like your first book, so why shouldn’t they like your second book? Your third? The article you contributed to a magazine? Plus, you risk losing fans as they decide checking three different pages to find all your projects is too much work on their part.

Of course, your Facebook Fan Page is all about you and your book(s)—hence the name “fan” page— but the page is actually for your fans, and shameless self promotion is not the way into readers’ hearts. Make your book relevant by tying its topic to current events. Post links to these stories and comment on them.  Coming up with posting-ideas can be especially challenging for fiction books, so look for a non-fiction angle or current event that you can tie your story to.  We hear authors say that they haven’t posted in a while because nothing new has happened with their book. This makes us sad, 1. because they shouldn’t only be posting updates on their book, 2. if authors’ posts are few and far between, fans may get bored and stop checking the page altogether. 

Another rule to live by on Facebook, and all social media sites for that matter, is the 2/3rds rule. Only 1/3 of your posts should be promotional. The other 2/3rds— and arguably the more important posts—should be interacting and responding to others in the network, posting about related current events, helping spread industry news to other writers, engaging with writers’ groups, and other non-self-promoting posts.  This shows that you’re not only there to promote your book, but to provide relevant information to your fans and peers.

There is a sea of online resources offering tips and information on Facebook fan pages. Practice your surfing skills and keep learning! Here are “5 Fantastic Ideas” for making your Facebook Fan Page interactive and memorable courtesy of Mashable.  Also, check out this blog post discussing why you can’t put a dollar value on Facebook fans.

Lastly, don’t worry if you don’t have time to update all your social media sites. With sites like HootSuite you can post to numerous social media sites at once. That means one-stop-posting for you, and continuous updates for followers, friends, and fans on all your social media sites.

Happy Facebooking!

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