Here's my book promotion thought for the day.
A book promotion campaign isn't an advertising campaign. Don't confuse the two.
Book promotion provides authors with opportunities to disseminate their messages and provide their expertise to potential book buyers. The goal is to establish credibility.
Advertising touts a book's assets and provides reasons why people should buy it.
As a point of clarification, book publicists do not conducting advertising campaigns. Book publicists conduct book promotion campaigns.
Book publicists let the media decision makers know about the messages their clients would like to deliver. If the producer, editor, host, or reporter is interested in hearing that message, then the book publicist will have a match. On the other hand, journalists do not want to hear or read advertisements for books. A book publicist who sends journalists ads in the guise of story pitches or guest pitches risks his or her reputation and stands to burn brides.
So, authors, keep in mind the difference between book promotion and advertising when you're working with book publicists. And please understand why, when you ask a book publicist to help you disseminate an advertisement for your books to the media, your book publicist must decline. Thank you in advance.
