Gini Graham Scott, Ph.D. is a nationally known writer, consultant, speaker, seminar, and workshop leader, specializing in business and work relationships, professional and personal development, and social trends.

She has published over 50 books, writes scripts and TV pilots, produces indy films, and helps clients write, publish, and promote their own books and films.

She has had extensive media and PR experience.

PROMOTING YOUR BOOK

If you are promoting a book, adapt your promotion to whether it is published or forthcoming and how long it has been out. Also, your approach will depend on the subject of your book and your background. Dr. Scott can help you decide on the best approach.

In general, take the following into consideration:

Tie your book and yourself as an expert into something in the news; then promote yourself as an expert who can comment on that topic, using your book as a credential, rather than promoting the book directly.

Send out a query letter or press release with information about your book and invite the editor or producer to request it if interested; this way you only send a copy of your book to those who seriously want to consider it for a story or interview.

Start any PR focused on your book three months before it comes out and for two months afterwards. Before or after that, promote yourself as an expert on the topic.

Send out a query letter or press release to thousands of contacts in the media yourself or work with a publicist who can do a more personal targeted campaign to selected media.

For more details, see Doing Your Own PR or Using LinkedIn to Promote Your Business or Yourself or set up a consultation on creating a campaign for your book.

To send out a query letter or press release to 1000s of contacts in the media, use our affiliate company, the PR and Networking Connection . If you want to find a PR person to make the initial contact or handle follow-up for you, we work with a few PR pros based in L.A. and can refer you to them.