How creating a Press Kit for your book will make your life easier (and what to include)
Are you scrambling to put together some efforts to launch your new book? Or maybe your sales have dropped and you need a push. Wait, I know, a fabulous and easy promo opp has dropped into your lap. Any which way you need to do some marketing. Maybe a blog tour can help or you’re going to reach out to journalists in your area with a press release. Maybe it’s as simple as updating your website social media and blog with your book’s information so readers can easily learn about and buy it.
I know the first time I tried to do some book marketing I was eternally hopping from folder to folder on my laptop and website to website to get all the info compiled into an email or upload. By about the fifth time, I finally saw the light and created my own little press kit.
Yay! Now I had everything I needed to let the whole world (including all those lovely book bloggers) all about my book. One zip file, or a couple of clicks and I had blog posts drafted, excerpts posted, and marketing plan chugging along like a well-oiled tin man.
Now whenever a new promotional avenue opens up I’m ready to send out my message without the fuss of scouring my files only to remember the latest copy of my cover is saved in the cloud.
Book marketing is hard work, so make your life easier by creating your own press kit. It won’t exactly be the same as the ones say a new car company puts out. But, when you’re ready to reach out to blogs and groups and readers (oh, my!) having your kit put together will save you time and tears.
I suggest creating a special folder on your computer specifically for your press kit. You may also decide to have a page on your website with the same information available for download, except, of course, the PDF, mobi, or epub file of the actual book.
Here’s what to include.
PDF, mobi, and epub file of your ebook
Book cover image in both a high and lower resolution
Book title
Book Blurb
Your author name
Page count
Genre
The book’s first chapter
3 separate shorter excerpts
URL/link for your book’s page on your website
URLs/links for your book’s page on the bookseller sites
ISBN or ASIN
Name of publisher (if you have a publishing company or DBA) and publication date
Prizes/awards for this title (only if it was the grand-prize winner)
Stupendous blurbs and/or awesome review excerpts
Your bio
Your headshot in both a high and lower resolution
Your blog or website URL
Upcoming personal appearances or events
Contact information
A Q&A sheet with easy items for media or interviewers to get headlines and details about you and your book
For more lessons on marketing, promo, and everything else you need to self-publish your book successfully check out my class Zero to Self-Published in 90 Days.
Questions or do you have more ideas of what to include in an author press kit or what to do with it once you have one? Post them in the comments below. I love hearing from authors, but I love learning new tips and tricks from them even more!
Happy Writing,
–A
Amy Denim
