Angie Pederson of Kansas City, Missouri writes:
I recently completed a Virtual Book Tour for my third book, which is a guide to scrapbooking about relationships. I sent out press releases to local local papers. My publisher sent releases and press kits to trade and consumer magazines in the scrapbooking industry. Even though this tour was the first ever done in the scrapbooking industry, we didn’t get one bite from any of those outlets. The tour went well regardless, with enthusiastic response from all participants. Several site owners have indicated they would like to participate in future endeavors.
The entire tour is now archived on my book website. I also blogged about each “stop” on the tour, so those entries are also archived.
How can I publicize:
—The archived content.
—The concept of a Virtual Book Tour (it’s still a rather new idea) and plans to do another tour in November.
I’d appreciate any thoughts your Hounds might have to offer.
Relationships are BIG, too… I would zero in on a particular aspect, with stats and quotes, (research), and share a specific story or two about how a group is using scrapbooking and helped a number of people, such as one million people, or one thousand, or one hundred people, going through a divorce or has helped families reunite, or how a school or therapist or some creative charity group is utilizing scrapbooks to benefit the poor in Louisiana or ? You have to be specific, tell a story, humor works, too!
Write a short article about a Virtual Book Tour, so we know what it is and would be useful for others who are writing books. Next, you could get bookings at AC Moore, Michaels or Joanne’s which are the major arts stores in the east (NC, SC, Virginia, et. al.). Women especially flock to their classes about scrapbooking and other arts and crafts topics. Offer a copy at each place as a door prize. I expect your sales will certainly pick up then. Many wishes for success to you!
Don’t limit yourself to scrapbooking or crafting groups. Write (and photograph) instructions for a highly specialized scrapbook that appeals to a certain market–like a puppy-themed child’s birthday keepsake, or a year-in-review scrapbook that children can send to distant relatives and friends, or “scrapbooking with scraps” for a simplicity group, or scrapbooking for your grandkids for AARP, or scrapbooking a family reunion. Then market to children’s sites, women’s sites, senior magazines etc. based on your appeal to subscribers’ emotions and values, and mention your virtual tour as a news hook. And for local news media, your local site host may be better to initiate contact than your national publisher.
The Publicity Hound® says:
–Pitch a story idea about scrapbooking that ties into the upcoming holidays. If you can tie your topic into Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s, the story will appear more timely.
–The only way to get scrapbooking fans to your website is to give them a reason to go there. Offer articles, free tips, and information from other people who love scrapbooking.
–Are you pitching photos along with your story ideas? Sometimes one good-quality photo can get the attention of an editor who has an odd-size hole to fill on a newspaper or magazine page.
–Make your site a one-stop-shop for statistics on this fascinating hobby. Collect as many stats as you can, then promote your website to lifestyle reporters who write about things like scrapbooking, families and tracking our ancestors.
Have you considered teaming up with scrapbooking bohemeth Creative Memories? (Unless you’re in direct competition, of course.) Maybe you could write an article for their magazine. Or, you could your local salespeople (to start) and ask to give them a presentation and get them psyched. After all, these people are earning their salaries from the type of efforts you describe, and if they know about your book, they can refer their customers to it.