A Valentine’s Day Book Promotion

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A Valentine’s Day Book Promotion

February 6, 2012 by cafegirlchronicles

I launched my book, Any Color but Beige, with a solid public relations program last September. The combination of my modest budget and previous professional experience enabled me leverage this into some good coverage that included two TV interviews, print and digital coverage in several newspapers, blogs and e-zines, and a couple of speaking engagements. I also learned that, although several of the media were interested in the book, they felt no sense of urgency to write about it. The reason: memoir is a genre they call “evergreen.”

Evergreen is both a good and a bad label. It’s good because the media can make use of (promote) your book at any time. It’s bad because they could put your book on a pile underneath copies of more current evergreen books. So when it comes to generating lots of coverage for your book, your story has to be two things: topical and urgent.

With that in mind, I have decided to make a second attempt at a PR program – this time promoting the book as a life story, love story and an international dating story – just in time for Valentine’s Day. Of course, this time I will put a slightly different spin on it.

This year, author Cat Larose suggests sending yourself a dozen red roses or a bottle of pink champagne on Valentine’s Day. It’s the colorful thing to do, says Larose. After all, you cannot truly love anyone else until you love yourself.

I’m hoping that relationship and lifestyle editors and program directors in search of a fresh angle for Valentine’s Day will seize upon the story and feature it on or around the big day. In conjunction with that, I have secured a “Meet the Author Sell and Sign at Chapters on St. Catherine Street in Montreal on Saturday, February 11th at 2:00.

It will be interesting to see if this new spin generates some additional media coverage and results in sales.

Timing, as they say, is everything. Let’s see if that’s true.

Posted in Cafegirl Books, Chapters - condensed, Color, Self Publishing | Tagged Books, love, relationships, self publishing, Valentine's Day, Writing | 8 Comments

8 Responses

on February 6, 2012 at 09:14 | Reply Sonia Ribaux

Congratulations on securing a “sell and sign”! You should be very proud of yourself. Your promotion efforts are creative and interesting.
on February 6, 2012 at 10:51 | Reply Ann Marquez

Good luck with the event! Today I am smack dab in the middle of reading your book and couldn’t wait to say that I LOVE it!!! Excellent job, Cat! 😀
- on February 11, 2012 at 08:10 | Reply cafegirlchronicles
  
  Thank you Ann! I’m so glad you enjoyed the book. No need for luck, you’ve already made my day! xCat
on February 6, 2012 at 13:24 | Reply Manage Better Now

I would curious to know what worked well in your PR program and what you would do differently with your next book. I appreciate any words of wisdom that you might want to share.
- on February 11, 2012 at 08:11 | Reply cafegirlchronicles
  
  Hmmm, I think I might have a lot to say on this subject – so thanks for the idea for a new post. I’ll be working on that shortly once I get the results back from this last campaign.
on February 6, 2012 at 20:51 | Reply Jacqui Murray

Good luck. It sounds like a great idea.
on February 7, 2012 at 04:05 | Reply lostupabove

I hope it works out as you planned it. I do not know if wishing you success would be good or bad in this case. I know it brings bad luck to actors, so I’d maybe better say “Break a leg”. You choose what you like.
Love
Steph
- on February 11, 2012 at 08:09 | Reply cafegirlchronicles
  
  Steph,
  
  Thanks for thinking of me. However it ends up really doesn’t matter. As they say, it’s not the destination, it’s the journey that counts and I’m so happy you’ve come along on mine!
  
  Love returned,
  Cat