There is almost nothing more vulnerable than telling your story in the form of a book. You spend hours, days, months, even years, writing down as many details as you possibly can, filling up hundreds of pages with what are likely drawn from the most private corners of your mind. It’s the most nerve-wracking work you’ve ever put into the world, yet it simultaneously swells your heart with pride. But how do you get your audience to see what you see? How do you get them to love this book just as much as you do?
Nardi’s Take? It starts with you, my friend, and I’m not just talking about the words on the paper. You have to get people to fall in love with your book before they even read it!
Here’s how:
First, Learn to Love Your Own Book
I always teach that, as an author, YOU are your best secret weapon. It’s not your publicist, your publisher, or your agent. So if you can’t fall in love and get excited about your own book, how will others?
I understand that when it comes to telling your story, the process can evoke a wide range of emotions, from pride and joy to sorrow and shame. Sometimes telling your story can feel exhilarating while other times it can feel uncomfortable. Sometimes it’s easy to love your book while others times it’s not. This is all completely normal!
I can relate. I knew it was time to share my story when the world so desperately needed healing in 2020. I wrote Authentic Power: Give Yourself Permission to Feel to tell my own healing journey – from being chronically ill and bedridden years after experiencing childhood trauma to finding my voice and using it to help others share their story with the masses today as the CEO of Nardi Media.
I’ll admit, writing this book was really difficult for me. I had to unpack trauma that I had buried deep within myself for years and years. You might be going through the same experience in your book journey. No matter your story, know that I see you, my friend. You are not alone, and I am so proud of you!
So, now it’s time to be proud of yourself. You can start by remembering why you’re sharing this story in the first place. Maybe it’s a lesson you learned that you know can positively impact others. Maybe it’s a story that can change hearts and minds. Or maybe it’s groundbreaking research that could truly make a difference in the world. I often teach that you have a responsibility to share your story. Because not only is it healing for you, but you can heal and inspire others! Stories are what CONNECT us!
The truth is, we all have a book in us. I believe this in my bones! Why? Because we all have stories to share! And people love to listen, learn from, and grow from stories! Your story is no different, so be proud of your life’s work and celebrate how far you’ve come, wherever you are in your book journey!
Pitch Yourself to the Media
As a media relations expert, I can promise you that pitching yourself to the media is an amazing way to gain visibility for you and your book message. For the last decade, our expert publicists have landed thousands of placements for hundreds of authors across TV, radio, print, online, and podcast outlets, helping them reach their audience and share their book message with those who want to hear it. We’ve taken many of them from zero exposure to best sellers!
When it was time to share my book message with the world, I leveraged the power of the media to help me do so. With the help of my team, I pitched myself and landed numerous placements, including one of my favorite shows, Fox 5’s LION Lunch Hour!
So, where to start? When you’re ready to pitch yourself to the media, it’s very important to know your ask. Journalists and bookers on the other end of your email pitch want to know the unique insights that you can share with their audience. However, the key is to position yourself as an expert with important or helpful insights to share, not as an author trying to sell their book. This is very important!
You’ll also need to think about your hook. Simply sharing your book message alone isn’t going to cut it! Journalists and bookers want to know how your message and expertise relate to the current news cycle, whether it’s tying into breaking news (we call this “newsjumping”), seasonal news (i.e., “back to school”), or national holidays and awareness days (i.e., Mental Health Awareness Month).
This requires some research and brainstorming, but trust me, it’s worth the effort. Why? Because when someone says “yes” to your pitch and you’ve landed a placement, that placement becomes your social proof. Media placements build not only visibility for your book, but credibility for your message and expertise, as well!
Send Updates to Your Email List and Social Media Following
Communicating with your audience through email and social media is a great way to keep them updated. It also helps them feel more connected to you and your book.
If you landed a media placement, share it! If you have your book cover ready, share it! When your title is finalized, share it! Are you hosting a book event? Share it (more on that below)!
What if you don’t have a huge email list or thousands of social media followers? Or what if you’re starting from scratch? While, of course, having a massive audience is amazing, all you need to do is start with your network, from your family and friends to people you know in your community to the colleagues and partners you’ve met throughout your career.
And if you’re hoping to grow your audience? I asked Nardi Media’s email strategy and content writing partner, Nicole Gallo.
“It’s all about consistency,” explained Nicole. “Choose which platforms your book audience is already spending time on, whether it’s Instagram, YouTube, an email newsletter, or any other platforms, and consistently post content and book updates on those platforms. Encourage your audience to share it with others, hold a contest for a free book, tell people about your book event, post about your latest media placement. The more you share, the more visibility you’ll gain and the more your audience will grow over time!”
Host Local Book Events
Hosting an event in your area is a great way to connect with your community and share your book message! Not to mention, bookstores and libraries love hosting local authors.
Start by finding the contact information for your local bookstore or your town’s public library. Then, reach out to them to see if they’d be interested in hosting you for a book event! A phone call, and even better, stopping by in person, goes a long way. I did this myself, and I was able to book multiple local events for my book!
When you reach out, offer to share an excerpt from your book, do some Q&A with attendees, and prepare to sign books for those who are interested. Make sure to coordinate with your contact on creating signage for your book event as well.
A Final Thought: Sound Excited (Because You Are)!
The hard truth is, if you don’t talk about your book, no one will know it exists! But it’s not just talking about your book that matters – it’s how you talk about your book that will truly make a difference. Sound excited, because you are! Shout your book’s message from the rooftops because you believe in it! When you take this approach, I promise you, my friend, your audience will want to do the same.
Ready to share your message with the masses and generate excitement about your book? That’s what we do every day here at Nardi Media. Let’s chat!