Don't let your newborn book be born dead.  
 
   
October 18th, 1997 at 1 PM
 you'll learn about literary public relations from the pros.

Come to this publicity panel.  Can you really AFFORD NOT TO?

Marymount Manhattan College, 221 East 71st Street, New York, NY 10021.

Register or get info: [212] 517 - 0564

Saturday October 18th: Learn the art/heart of poetry and literary P.R.

The Art & Zen of Public Relations
as seen in Non-Stop NY

         It's a riddle.  If a tree falls in a forest and there's no one to hear it, does it still make a sound?  If there's a news story that the media don't know about -- and that therefore goes unreported -- is it still news?  And if it weren't for that much aligned and misunderstood public relations professional, how many trees would fall without anyone hearing?   If your book is published and few know about it, how many will buy it?  If very few readers learn about your title, can your book sales really buzz?   No buzz =   


                               

        There are many people, members of the media among them, who discount the importance of public relations. There are also a surprising number of people who aren't quite sure what public relations is and what it's supposed to do. Many write off p.r. as nothing more than a self-serving luxury for people with big egos.    In fact, a well-crafted public relations program can provide much more than vanity press.

        According to Webster's Dictionary, public relations is defined as "methods and means by which a person or organization seeks to promote a favorable relationship with the public."   Publicity is defined as "information issued to attract public attention."    Look under "advertise" and you find, "to call public attention to, especially to increase sales."   The definitions, although accurate, are somewhat misleading.    An effective public relations program can be as persuasive, if not more so, than advertising and therefore greatly impact a company's bottom line.   A magazine's recognition, expressed through an editorial placement or profile, is often perceived as a greater endorsement than a paid advertisement.

        A good public relations campaign can also be more cost effective than advertising. Check out how much a 4-color, full-page ad in a woman's magazine costs these days.  If you get only two public relations-generated placements a year by a PR firm which charges $5,000 an month, you are still way ahead of what it would have cost you to advertise.   Publicity can also generate excitement in a variety of ways for the cost of one monthly retainer.   Promotional events serve to drive in-store traffic, while a well-executed direct mail "image piece" can alert potential customers to a product and/or service and create a stronger brand image.   Are you looking for profile stories? Placements in regional magazines?  Local TV? National radio?    You'd have to pay to advertise in each of these places. One public relations pro can do it all.

        There are two catches, of course.  

        The first is that there are no guarantees and any publicist who promises coverage is being, at best, an optimist.   If the publicist is a good one, there's a very good chance that you'll get results.  In order to do that, he or she must know your product / your book/ your service as well as you do and love it as much.

        The second catch is that getting results requires patience.  Monthly magazines work 3-4 months in advance.  Even if you get a placement tomorrow you might not see it until March. You'll find the best results are achieved with a long-term plan. Give any new agency a year to prove itself, with reviews each month to make sure everyone is on track.

        Is a publicist an essential person to have around?  Well, as described above, the most basic of a publicist's responsibilities might be handled by anyone with time on their hands.  And in some cases it might just work.  It would not be accurate to say that hiring a p.r. professional is the only way to get p.r.  But a publicist works for years to gain something that a novice does not have.

        And that's credibility.

        A good publicist will know  what's possible to sell [and to whom] and what is not. A "PR" pro doesn't just hand a story to an editor; she finds what's most compelling about it and determines to wbom it will be compelling.  Not every story is right for every outlet. Publicists do not make friends by sending releases to every press person with a fax machine.

        Public relations, like many things in life, is ultimately about sex.  Even if the product is motor oil, the right publicity will make a product sexy -- and therefore desirable -- to the consumer.  ln fact, many products, names, and bestsellers have been created by hype alone. There are limits though.  If there's nothing to back it up, old news fades out.  And even too much good press can backfire.

         So, what's hype got to do with it?  It's not a required element in order to achieve success, but the right publicity goes a long way towards informing the customer of your existence.  The rest is up to you.  And in the end, what distinguishes a good publicist from a great one is her media contacts.  Whether you deal within a large public relations firms or within small ones, you will discover this:   the only publicist worth paying for is the one who can sell the right story to the right person -- no extra charge for the smoke & mirrors.

Saturday October 18, 1997 at 1 o'clock you'll learn about literary public relations from the pros and you'll get to ask all the questions you want.

Don't let your newborn book be born dead.      

Come to this publicity panel.   Can you really AFFORD NOT TO?  

Marymount Manhattan College, 221 East 71st Street, New York, NY 10021.
Register or get info: [212] 517 - 0564  
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