Why do I need a marketing consultation?

I think a better question is: Do I need a marketing consultation? They’re not right for everybody. They seem to work best for people who meet at least some of these criteria:

• First-time authors.
• Authors without a large online presence or following.
• Authors who want to break into the YA or kidlit world from a different genre.
• Authors looking to make the most out of their events or beef up their visibility in a specific market.

One more thing to consider: Publicists are trained in branding and in writing stories that will grab the attention of the media. The emotional heart of your picture book or novel and what will grab people’s attention first are not necessarily the same thing. As part of your consultation, I will give you that quick, juicy marketing hook and help you with messaging.

Why would I need outside publicity help? Shouldn’t a publicist at my publishing house be marketing my book?

There are plenty of knowledgeable in-house publicists, and one of them will probably do helpful behind-the-scenes work on your book that you may never see.

But publishing is a chronically understaffed industry, and many publicists have long lists of books to pitch and promote. They’re often pressured to prioritize certain “target” titles, and books with smaller sales goals can sometimes fall through the cracks. It can help to have someone to focus on your book alone and tell you how to promote yourself. You will always be your book’s best advocate.

When during the publishing process should I contact you?