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Promote Like a Pro |
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 Promote Like a Pro byLinda F. Radke Five Star Publications 184 pages, 2000 ISBN 1877749362 Reviewed by PJ Nunn In today’s chaotic publishing industry, authors who hope to sell a reasonable number of books must get actively involved in promoting those books. Even the largest publishing houses don’t have large promotional budgets to spend on anyone. Linda Radke knows the industry and calls on a variety of experts to offer their perspectives. Part One begins with the nuts and bolts of publicity, describing the difference between publicity and advertising. After discussing the perks of hiring a publicist, she provides a checklist of how and when to undertake advance promotion. This part of the book is bare bones but necessary. Part Two is more colorful and diverse. Publicist Suzi Prokell leads the section with How to Publicize Your Book. Then Kerry LePage details planning a marketing strategy. Much of this information is presented in outline form and provides a handy guide for what to do and when. LePage also addresses establishing an effective marketing budget, a helpful tool. Joan Stewart offers the top three ways to snag free publicity and Charlene Costanzo discusses raising awareness and good will. Since Costanzo’s self-published book has already sold more than 250,000 copies, one can assume she knows what she’s talking about. Carol Starr, an entrepeneur, talks about the dreaded cold-call in marketing and Vickie Sullivan tells how public speaking can create credibility, visibility and sales. What follows is a section about print media, filled with good information about getting names in print. It addresses ways to make publicity material "editor friendly" and how to make a killer press kit. There is also an informative section about book reviews and columns. Another segment deals with broadcast media. It contains basic information about television and radio, along with detailed directions for arranging and participating in successful interview programs. Of course, no book would be complete without a section on Internet marketing. This one covers the bases in concise and informative detail. What sets this book apart is the collection of experts who write about their own areas of expertise. Who better to tell a struggling author "how to" than someone who’s done it and done it well? PROMOTE LIKE A PRO is short and straight to the point. Although much of the information has been written before, it bears repeating. Part Two is filled with pertinent information and arranged in an easy to access format. This is a definite "keep on the desk" handbook for those interested in beating the odds. |
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