Dr. Barry Lycka, a cosmetic dermatologist from Alberta, British Columbia writes:
“I recently wrote the book ”Restoring Youth: How To Keep and Restore Your Natural Beauty.” It’s about how our skin is at the mercy of the sun, harsh weather, our own bad habits and our age.
“It discusses the myriad of procedures and treatments such as peels, liposuction, facelifts and many other procedures, and which are the best ones for you. I advise people to see a costmetic surgeon only after they’ve read this book.
“Can you give some ideas for promoting it?”
Issue Press release which Canadian politician has best skin tone.
or
Tips for canadian Muslim women on looking healthy without benefit of sun exposure.
I would first of all-NOT make it sound really scientific! I am very involved in this industry, and know women are very emotional about beauty. Some dermatologists books, although great info are just not very appealing to the trendier women of today! I would tie it into celebs by maybe using celebs names/pictures for different types of skin factors. For example, For clear blemish free skin like that of (celebs name) you can do a, b & c. For even toned skin with no brown spots like (celebs name) do a, b or c.
I would do the celeb thing & send it in to magazines like Life & Style, In Touch, Us, Star or People etc.
A more healthly way might be to take a scalpel to the book title and add more juice to it.
Sometimes just by having a jock strap grabbing title is all you need to suck up (um) more media attention.
Here are some suggestions just to get the juices flowing.
“Beauty Sucks…The Stupid Things Women Do That Make Them Look Older Than They Really Are”
“Get Beautiful. Get Happy. The Natural Way.”
“A Wrinkle A Day Keeps Your Beauty Away”
“Stop Wrinkles The Natural Way”
“Why The Sun Holds Your Looks Hostage”
I’m not saying use these but think about having a more daring title as a way to get publicity. If you find the right one the press will look for you not the other way around.
One of the best ways to promote your book online is through article marketing. There are many online publications, and ezines that target women and health issues, including http://www.healthywealthynwise.com and About.com, which is one of the top 50 sites on the net today. And, guess what? These sites are begging for well-written, expert articles. I have written an article on selecting the best sites and ezines for your article marketing campaign. You can check it out at: http://www.refresher.com/aergbest.html
Through the PR LEADS Article Marketing Service (http://www.prleads.com/article.htm), I have helped Mark Hyman MD’s book, UltraMetabolism, hit the #2 spot on the New York Times Best Seller List.
Hi Joan —
My thought is something you’ve discussed: a call to action. In writing a pitch, suggest — “Before you visit a plastic surgeon, read this!” Some of the items that Dr. Lycka suggests in his books may be made into briefs or tips that condense his message for media and those who seek advise on skin care.
People want to help themselves and save money so if they think that there’s one more bit of information that they should read before seeing a plastic surgeon, they just might do it by purchasing Dr. Lycka’s book.
Gail
Where to promote it depends on what you want to get out of it.
If you’re using the book as a way to attract patients to your practice, then it’s about getting it in front of the local audience.
But if you really just want sales volume out of it, and the book is impartial enough that any derm or med-spa could use it to promote their own services, you might look at them as strategic alliance partners. Another derm or med-spa owner (who doesn’t have a book) could create a talk around it that would sell books and position themselves as affilliated experts.
1. I’d look to partner with people who already have visibility–maybe a natural skin care/cosmetics company? A local spa? A newspaper or radio station sponsoring a large public event that attracts women?
2. There are some very good resources out thee on promoting books, such as John Kremer’s 1001 Ways to market Your Books and my own forthcoming Grassroots Marketing for Authors and Publishers (which you can learn about at http://www.grassrootsmarketingforauthors.com )
Don’t stop writing articles that support our book.
Our client, http://www.ModernSage.com is an online resource that offers hundreds of articles along the lines of ‘Sage Advice for Practical Living’. They’re always looking for exceptional articles and opportunities to connect with experts. So pitch your short, educational articles to online sources like these.
While you’re at it — to help people find you, you might consider creating a blog on the very subject. The articles you write and pitch to people, you would simply post on your blog. People over at http://www.BlogSquad.com have been finding such great success in blogging.
Another idea is to scour the Internet for ebook authors in your industry who isn’t a direct competitor… Typically, an online book promotion usually offers ‘Bonuses’ for purchasing their book during a limited timeframe. Yes, you’d have to offer your book up -or- maybe just a few chapters. If they have a large list, it’s a great way to start the buzz around your book, gain testimonials and capture a whole new audience who might purchase your book, too.