Best PR Practices for Publishing a Business Book

Publishing a business book is one thing, but drumming up ample publicity to entice people to purchase it instead of a different book is another thing altogether.

In fact, the publicity campaign should begin long before your book hits the shelves. Here are a few pointers.

Take Advantage of Your Network

Reach out to colleagues or fellow industry leaders who can vouch for you by giving endorsements of you as a leader in your area of expertise. Ask them to post on their social channels to drum up excitement for your book and extend your campaign’s reach.

You should also reach out to companies in your field which may be interested in purchasing large quantities of your book for company-wide initiatives or having you speak or conduct workshops on the topic of your book — where, of course, your book will be sold.

Be sure to engage with your social followers — engagement is much more valuable than just numbers of followers — and drum up excitement by offering them exclusive content or swag as an incentive to preorder your book.

Lastly, network with other business authors, so they can share what’s been most helpful with their readers and sales.

Get Your Name (and Book!) Out There

If you are one of the rare authors who has a newsletter, include a plug for your book. But make sure it’s not so often that it annoys your subscribers. According to Campaign Monitor, on average, the best frequency for newsletters is no more than twice a week but at least once a month.

Most authors will rely on third-party media for visibility and coverage. Secure interviews on business podcasts, business radio shows, in print publications, and on news outlets, like CNBC and Cheddar.

Offer excerpts of your book for publication on business websites, like Fast Company and Inc., timed as closely to the publication date as possible. Submit bylined articles on the topic of your book to business outlets that will hopefully mention your book in the author bio section of your article.

Journalists are always looking for experts to interview or comment on various topics. Use these opportunities to weigh in on the news that is relevant to the topic of your book to establish yourself as an expert. In the PR business, we call this “newsjacking.” If your interview is on TV, make sure you’re identified on the omicron as “author of [TITLE].”

Needless to say, books don’t sell themselves. But if you support your new book with a robust publicity and social media promotion campaign, you can improve both your own visibility and that of the book itself.