What Do PR Professionals Actually Do?

No matter who they’re working for, public relations professionals aim to inform and persuade the public by the thousands and millions through newspapers, radio, television and the internet. Many individuals – politicians, athletes, celebrities, authors, filmmakers, etc. – and almost every organization can benefit from hiring a PR professional to help get out their message.

PRs Can Help You Get Started

PR professionals aim to grow, guide and manage the consumer perception of your company, book, movie, self, or anything else. In regards to books, the hardest step after writing it is getting it published. PR professionals can work as publicists and help you get your book published, and then help it sell.

PRs Spread the Word

Even before your book is published, a PR professional can craft intriguing press releases and generate a positive buzz for you and your book. PR professionals spend a lot of time cultivating relationships with journalists and members of the media, so they know how to get your story published where it counts.

PRs also work to have your book reviewed in trusted publications, in addition to creating press materials for your website and to send directly the press, such as a bio, photos or a Q&A. The end goal is to secure as much media coverage as possible, as people can not buy your book if they don’t know it exists.

Keeping it Positive

Although coverage of your book is better than no coverage at all, PRs also work to keep your image positive. PR professionals are experts in media relations and are trained to manage crises, so they can help you stay prepared for interviews and can respond quickly and proactively if potentially damaging information is published.

They Understand the Market

In order to sell, you must understand your target market. Working with a PR professional early on allows you to work with a market expert, and someone who can help you plan how to best market and sell your book to your target audience. Who your audience is will greatly determine PR strategies, so it’s important to work with someone who is experienced and reliable.

Milton Kahn has a proven PR track record and provides affordable and unique PR services as a book publicist and publishing consultant. After years as one of the entertainment industry’s premier PR professionals, today Milton Kahn is helping authors and publishing houses achieve their book publicity goals. If you need help getting your book the attention it deserves, contact Milton Kahn Associates, Inc. today.

Effective Book Marketing Tips

Before you can sell your book and expect people to buy it, you need to market your book. We’ve come up with a few key marketing tactics to help you come up with a great strategy for promoting your new book.

Use Social Media

No, Facebook isn’t just for high schoolers and Twitter isn’t just for activists. Social media is versatile and in some way or another can be used for almost anything. Using social media to connect with consumers and promote your book is easy, cheap and effective.

When signing up for social media accounts remember to create a short, interesting bio and include a link to your website. You can use a photo of yourself or even of your book, and start interacting! On Twitter you should “follow” people, such as celebrities you like or fans you’d like to engage with, and you’ll get people “following” you back. With time, as you become more active and post more interesting tweets, you’ll receive more followers and “re-tweets” and your marketing efforts will expand without having to spend a penny.

Networking is Key

Like with almost anything, it’s all about who you know. Positive word-of-mouth is essential to any marketing strategy. You can start telling your friends and family about the book and ask them to share it, then broaden your reach to coworkers and acquaintances. Using social media to network is a great way to kill two birds with one stone, and the internet is full of organizations and groups interested in all kinds of topics, such as the topic your book covers. Utilizing the world wide web really does open up a whole new world of possibilities.

Put Yourself Out There

Although bookstores were once the most common venue for authors to set up meet and greets, many authors and publicists now realize people won’t go out of their way to go to a bookstore. Instead, it can be a good idea to plan events in venues such as a bar or restaurant where the event feels more social than formal and the turnout will almost certainly be high.

Hire a Professional

Yes, you can go on Twitter and tweet about your new book or sit in a bar and talk about your new book, but there’s an even easier way. Milton Kahn has years of experience as one of the entertainment industry’s premier public relations and marketing specialists. If you really want to get noticed, don’t take a chance with someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing. As a professional author you write, and as a professional marketer, Milton Kahn can promote your book. Don’t take the chance your book goes unnoticed, learn more about Milton Kahn today!

Milton Kahn Works PR Magic with Fried Green Tomatoes

The book Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe was published in 1987, and remained

on the New York Times bestseller list for 36 weeks. No one was surprised, then, when it was

announced the story would be adapted for the screen, with newcomer Jon Avnet to direct.

 

Starring the amazing Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy, Mary Stuart Masterson and Mary-Louise

Parker, the tale that celebrated the power of female friendship and love went on to become a hit

at the box office, ranking #11 for all U.S. films released that year.

 

Combining the stories of a harried middle aged housewife (Kathy Bates) and her friendship

with an elderly nursing home patient (Jessica Tandy) with the tale of two local young women in

1920s Alabama, the film combined a plot about romantic love with themes of friendship, loyalty

and the importance of community in everyone’s lives both today and in yesteryear.

 

As the premiere public relations expert in Hollywood, Milton Kahn was hired to promote the film.

His efforts led to Academy Award nominations for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and Best

Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, as well as Golden Globe and

BAFTA nominations for Ms Tandy and Ms. Bates. Aside from being enormously entertaining,

the film also was notable for earning its GLAAD Media Award for “Best Lesbian Content”, a

remarkable milestone for a popular mainstream film of that time.