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emerson consulting group, inc.
box 41
concord ma 01742
(978) 371-0442
(413) 521-0013 fax
business-building book promotion campaigns
Most authors of business and “how-to” books make a decision to write a book not primarily to become a best-selling author but rather to help solve some specific business problem or simply to achieve a level of notoriety in their specialized field. After all, there are more than 300,000 business books in print to compete against — if being a best-selling author was the driving force — and with more being written every day. The odds are against you!
But writing a book about one’s experience and knowledge as a consultant or professional has become an effective way to achieve specific business development goals including connecting with a targeted community of business leaders and influencers. According to emersongroup’s own informal research, there are five primary “frustrations” that business men and women have that compel them to write a book: Here are those motivations:
- They lack the necessary reputation and credibility to get their foot in the door with the best prospects and clients in their field, to break into new markets and/or to launch a new service.
- They have a hard time differentiating themselves from other providers and they cannot command the fees they deserve.
- Their business has been stuck in the same gear for years and they need to take it to the next level to meet their medium and long-term financial and professional goals.
- They are frustrated by the misinformation in the marketplace about their specialty and they want to set the record straight.
- They are annoyed that other, often less knowledgeable, professionals get the attention of the media and meeting planners, which prevents them from securing paid keynote speeches, workshops, and other income-producing activities.
The good news about writing a business book is that it can begin to overcome these frustrations as soon as it is published (and often even BEFORE it is published) and can continue to have an impact for years if the targeted markets are reached on a consistent basis with an awareness or promotion campaign. In fact, a business book’s relevance — and success for the author — can be sustained for many, many years if its promotion campaign is more than a one-time only, limited program and if it follows a specialized formula that is quite different from the traditional book publicity route.
The traditional book promotion and marketing tools recommended by most of the publishers in the US, we believe, no longer meet the needs of the business-book author.
That’s why emersongroup has developed a business-building book promotion program to generate publicity opportunities for authors and raise their visibility and credibility among their target markets, before the book is published, at the time of the publishing and long after the book has been in the market.
Following is a list of book promotion activities that emphasize these business-building objectives — and which do not.
Business Development Promotion Activities:
- Publishing excerpts and by-lined articles based on the content of your book in business and trade journals and on target market websites.
- Securing a regular column in a target market publication, to advance your ideas in your book.
- Issuing regular, ongoing news releases about the book’s ideas and aimed at business audiences. These releases will be distributed via customized press lists and news services, and linked to the author’s website.
- Issuing Internet news releases and email messages designed to drive traffic to author website.
- Launching an email campaign to author’s e-list, e.g., e-newsletter announcements and excerpts from the book as well as standalone announcements.
- Securing print interviews with business and trade press based on the book’s content.
- Identifying giveaways to SELECT clients, prospects, influencers.
- Promoting books for sale on author website.
- Securing radio/TV appearances on business talk shows based on the book’s content and how it related to current events.
- Landing speaking engagements before target market audiences and “influencer” markets.
Distracting Book Promotion Activities
- Book reviews (except in targeted journals).
- Book signings in bookstores.
- Speaking before general (mass market) audiences.
- News releases directed at mainstream newspapers (except business editors).
- Radio/TV appearances on non-business programs.
- Print interviews with mainstream press (except business section of newspapers).
- Giveaways to mainstream book reviewers.
Please call either Ken Lizotte (978-371-0442) or Patricia Coate (415-309-2231) to discuss how this program would work for you.