Finding Your “Hook” for Mother’s Day Coverage – May 14

Mother’s Day is one of the biggest shopping holidays of the year and everybody who has something to offer consumers wants to demonstrate how their product or service is an appropriate for Mother’s Day. How do you ensure that your book is at the top of the shopping list?

By pitching you book to the media with plenty of lead time (3 weeks, minimum for big holidays), using a creative hook, and doing some of the media’s work for them, you can build buzz for your book so that people recommend your book as a great gift. Buzz means that people are talking about your book, which means they’re telling a story—exactly what you want publicity and promotions to accomplish.

When you send an e-mail (or a letter, or call) to media, your objective is to capture their attention in a way that makes them quickly decide to act on the information. The idea that captures their attention is summarized as a headline on your press release, is like a thesis statement in an essay. The more specific and compelling it is, the more likely it is to be read and acted upon.

Which of the following is seems more interesting?

“New Book Includes 20 Recipes for Cooks on the Go”

“Single Mother of Seven Changes Life, Simplifies Mealtime with Quick and Easy Recipes”

“New Cookbook from Table Talk”

“Table Talk Cooks – Local Cookbook Now Available”

Two of these don't say anything unique about what a cookbook is or does. The other two are attention-grabbers, but only one gives the media person a story. The “single mother” headline says something intriguing. How did she change her life with recipes? Where did the recipes come from? Who is she? How does she manage seven children alone? The reader is instantly drawn in. It is also the only hook that indicates that the person sending it has done some homework, and has an idea for a story that might work.

Every single cookbook tells a story. To get the publicity you want and need, you have to be creative, persistent, and willing to go the extra mile to find and tell new stories. Think not only about what is included in your cookbook, but how it connects to people. Consider the stories of people involved with the cookbook: what have they found interesting, how have they used recipes, why do they use the book, who are they? Think about what the cookbook means to the community. Think about communities that the book is involved in: does the book have a sponsor or sponsors? Are you a member of professional organizations? Does the cookbook benefit charities, and if so, who are their members?

Remember, publicity is all about telling stories to give your book a life of its own and getting others to carry on those stories. If you can think of a thousand stories that relate to your book, you’re a thousand times more likely to get the coverage you want over time.

Send a draft of your Mother’s Day pitch to swilliams@frpbooks.com before Friday, April 14 and I'll help you revise it for maximum impact—FREE.

THIS MONTH’S SPECIAL OFFER

Are you ready for Christmas? In the retail world, it’s almost time to start thinking about the biggest shopping days of the year. What is your promotional plan for the holiday season? Simply ensuring that your wholesalers are well-stocked won't get you the best results. Call Senior Publicist Stephanie Williams (toll-free 866-569-6925) now and together we'll develop a promotional plan to give your book the best Christmas ever!