Book marketing guru John Kremer, publicist Jill Lublin, and radio talk show expert Joe Sabah were presenters at a full-day seminar from the Nay Area Independent Publishers Association (www.baipa.net) March 15, 2003, in San Rafael, CA. Although it targeted at self-published authors, most of their tips applied equally to conventionally published authors — especially because the Number 1 complaint of authors is that most publishers do little to publicize their books.

Book publishers want all the publicity in place when a book hits the stores and won't put any more money behind a book that doesn't start making money in six weeks, says John Kremer, author 1001 Ways to Market Your Book. However, you have no such limitation. "Keep knocking on doors and persisting until people hear you," he says. Think of marketing your book as at least a three-week project.

Create a database of 100 key media contacts for your book and persistently contact them with new ideas. "90 percent of all news is planted news," says Kremer. "The media needs you. If one message doesn't click, come back to them with another angle, and another angle." Business, sports, features, surveys, and statistics, for example, are all publicity driven. Most writers quit trying in four months, Kremer points out, which is just about the time the media will start getting interested.

Publicist Jill Lublin, co-author of Guerilla Publicity (with Jay Conrad Levinson) and CEO of Promising Promotion, gave a lively presentation about how to present your message when interviewed. For example:

• Don't talk about your book or yourself — instead, give the audience take home, action tips.
• Practice telling in 30 seconds the problem you solve and your solution., preferably in three quick tips that relate to the listener's life.
• Don't over-promote.
• Understand that your role is to make the interviewer look good and stop people from changing the station.
• "Rule of 7": Connect with the media at least seven times. "It's about creating your message persistently and consistently," says Lublin.
• Put your message in a press release. When you follow up — and you must follow up — ask, "Did you get the information?" not "Did you get my press release?" You want to be seen as an expert resource with a powerful media message.