What makes a literary success? Advertising or public relations?
You’re also thinking that word of mouth can go a long way toward making a book successful, which is true. But here, public relations plays a key role. Never advertising.
Sure, ads can be an important reminder to potential buyers (showing that a book is available at a certain place or is on sale). But advertising isn’t the secret of its success. And it’s not how the word got out on that book in the first place.
I’m not anti-advertising—quite the opposite—and I make full use of Facebook, Instagram and even LinkedIn on occasion to spread the word about the services of the NATA PR SCHOOL.
But think about it: why do you buy a book?
- A journalist gave it a glowing review in a publication you regularly read.
- You go and check the New York Times’ bestseller list.
- You’re curious, and you follow what Oprah picked for her Book Club.
- A friend raves to you about a book they just loved.
Odds are, that friend found out about the book in one of the above four ways.
In the United States, if you think about those lucky books that have been chosen and discussed by Oprah Winfrey, it’s easy to see the PR and promotional role she’s played.
And each of the books in the Harry Potter phenomenon also had a well-crafted PR campaign that got all of the world’s major media talking about it.
It’s also reported that when the character of mafioso Tony Soprano, beloved by Sopranos fans, mentioned that one of his favourite books was Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War,” that book shot up to #6 on the USA Today bestseller list. The publisher had to crank out 25,000 copies in a hurry.
Of course, these are exceptions; not all books can fit on that path. Still, it’s really interesting to see what makes them a success, isn’t it?
There’s a recurring theme with every one of those phenomenally successful books, and advertising has nothing to do with it. Public relations does, though.
Some authors are minor geniuses themselves when it comes to PR.
Remember that book: Who Moved My Cheese, which sold more than 30 million copies? The author Spencer Johnson had been sending excerpts from his previous books to the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, banks, and so on – for years. Then many companies bought thousands of his books because they’d been exposed to his work.
ATOMIC HABITS
This is the standard if you want to learn accessible techniques for changing your habits. I became familiar with this book through one of the professional coaches I worked with. Today, social media and podcasts are bringing these authors to a highly targeted customer base that demonstrates great interest for this type of book.
CONCLUSION
Can you think of any bestsellers that have got that way thanks to advertising? No? Me neither. It’s always public relations that generates the buzz for them.
I hope that you enjoyed and were inspired by this little public relations break.
Join me and sign up to our lists and training sessions where I show you step-by-step public relations tactics that you can implement immediately.
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