From the start, successful authors have in mind what media to target for their book publicity. When it comes to how to market a book, publicity in the right places makes all the difference. Often, it will flow directly (or at least closely) from the book's topic. It's also crucial to have in mind a target audience of readers for the book. It might be executives and CEO, adult fiction readers, baby boomers, or expectant parents. But whoever it is, keeping them in mind throughout the process is essential. Once you have a clear idea of the readers who will be interested in the book, it's possible to make a media plan.
Reaching the target media, your readers consume can be a strategic process. For example, parents, teachers, grandparents, and librarians are the ones who buy children's books. A media plan targeting them would include a variety of outlets with an appeal to each group. If you've written a business book, it's crucial to target editors and producers in the business media. Professional publicists also remind authors that corporate types are often interested in podcasts. They open up an additional avenue for publicity. It's okay and often wise to go for niche media with smaller but highly interested audiences.
Established authors and those who aspire to write a book are well-advised to check the publicity other competing writers are receiving. Knowing the competition and setting reasonable goals for book marketing are both recipes for success. Having a good understanding of other successful writers in the same genre is an advantage for any author. Others' success can inform proper publicity campaign planning and what media found them and their books interesting. For anyone whose primary goal is book says more than notoriety, highly targeted media is often more effective than mass media.
While it's customary to aim high and set lofty goals, don't overlook the possibility that creating awareness among core readers may lead to more book sales. Often it means highly focused outlets are especially beneficial places to be interviewed or mentioned in stories. Small-market local media is an excellent place to begin, with progressively larger outlets over time. Editors and producers of national shows want to see an author on tape being interviewed, and the local guest shots provide those opportunities. Many successful campaigns have started small and grow larger in time.
