Offer Extras to Journalists

Issue #917 May 19, 2015
Publisher: Joan Stewart

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

In This Issue

Offer Extras to Journalists
Why Authors Should Blog
FAQs on Email Marketing
Hound Video of the Week

This Week in the Hound House:

I can look out my office window right now and see my favorite flower in bloom: bright red Oriental Poppies. The delicate blooms look like they’re made of crepe paper. I even hang artwork of Oriental poppies on the walls of my office and living room. What’s your favorite flower?

1. Offer Extras to Journalists

The next time you’re interviewed by a journalist or blogger, consider offering these “extras.”

An infographic that ties into the topic of the interview.
A list of frequently asked questions they can run as a sidebar to the main story.
A one-page cheat sheet or checklist their readers will find helpful.
A how-to video.
A list of industry definitions.
An invitation to contact with you again if they need background, story ideas or commentary.

These will position you as a helpful source. Don’t be surprised if you hear from them again.

2. Why Authors Should Blog

No more envious thoughts that others people’s blogs are more successful than yours.

“These thoughts do nothing to move you closer to your goal,” writes author Jeff Goins, who admits wallowing in his own pity pot until he realized he had to change his entire attitude about blogging.

He did. And he wrote. And wrote. And wrote.

Within a year and a half, he had built an audience of more than 100,000 blog readers. And he signed a book contract.

“I didn’t write a book proposal, hire an agent, or do any of the stuff the ‘experts’ tell you to do,” he writes. “I just started a blog, and the publisher came to me.”

I told that story during yesterday’s webinar on “How to Sell Books Using an Author Blog.” Joel Friedlander joined me, and we gave attendees three ideas for templates they can use over and over again for blog posts. If you missed it, you can watch the replay.

We also made a killer offer that’s good only until 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on Friday, May 22. Don’t start making plans for the long Memorial Day weekend and miss this important deadline. Go here now and watch the video.

3. FAQs on Email Marketing

Several hundred authors have claimed my free Cheat Sheet on “10 Profitable Ways to Use Email to Create SuperFans Who Help You Sell Books.”

I’m getting so many questions about email marketing that I’m still answering them. I promise to get to yours.

I compiled a list of some of the frequently asked questions, and my answers. You can find them at my blog.

Feel free to send me your questions. Reply to this email or add them in the Comments section of the blog post.

4. Hound Video of the Week

Here’s a funny compilation of dogs doing dumb things, with some cute kittens at the end.

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