12-08-2025, 12:24 PM
In the world of book promotion, "Secured Media"—TV spots, radio interviews, and print features—remains the gold standard. While digital marketing is effective, there is an undeniable prestige associated with seeing an author sitting on a morning show couch or hearing them on NPR. However, the landscape of traditional media has shrunk, making the competition for these spots fiercer than ever.
Understanding the Producer's Mindset
To secure media, you must stop thinking like an author and start thinking like a producer. Producers are under immense pressure to fill airtime with content that is entertaining, visual, and relevant right now.
When emailing journalists or producers, brevity is king.
Radio requires a different approach. Hosts look for articulate guests who can speak in soundbites and keep the energy up.
It is important to understand that media exposure does not always equal instant sales. A 3-minute segment on a national morning show might result in 500 sales, or it might result in 5.
Understanding the Producer's Mindset
To secure media, you must stop thinking like an author and start thinking like a producer. Producers are under immense pressure to fill airtime with content that is entertaining, visual, and relevant right now.
- Visual Potential: For TV, you need a visual hook. A "talking head" is boring. If you wrote a cookbook, can you do a live demo? If you wrote a fitness book, can you show three exercises? If you wrote a thriller, is there a real-world crime location you can visit?
- The Segment Hook: Your book is not the segment. The topic is the segment. A producer will not book a segment titled "John Doe discusses his new novel." They will book a segment titled "Local Author reveals the hidden history of our city's landmarks."
When emailing journalists or producers, brevity is king.
- The Subject Line: This determines if your email is opened. It should be punchy and timely. "New Book Release" is a bad subject line. "Why 50% of Local Small Businesses Fail (and how to fix it)" is a good one.
- The Lead: State the hook immediately. Connect your expertise to a trending topic.
- The Credentials: Why are you the expert? Mention your book here as your credential.
- Media Assets: Include a link to a "Media Kit" on your website. This should include high-res headshots, book cover images, and a "suggested interview questions" document.
Radio requires a different approach. Hosts look for articulate guests who can speak in soundbites and keep the energy up.
- Media Training: Before you pitch major outlets, practice. Can you answer "Tell us about your book" in 30 seconds without rambling? Can you handle a curveball question?
- Local First: distinct from national media, local radio is often easier to crack and can be incredibly loyal. A "hometown boy made good" story is an easy win for local stations.
It is important to understand that media exposure does not always equal instant sales. A 3-minute segment on a national morning show might result in 500 sales, or it might result in 5.
- The "As Seen On" Badge: The real value of secured media is the logo. Once you have been on CNN or NBC, you put that logo on your website, your book cover, and your bio. It validates you forever.