Authors need to get their “quacker” in gear …15 Tips to shout out good news!

Authors Need to Get their “quacker” in Gear …15 Tips to Shout Out Good News!

As summer marches on, many of my Book Shepherd authors who entered their books in award competitions this year and are getting news … CONGRATULATIONS … you are a winner! Type news. Some are Finalists; some are Winners; some get a Gold, Silver or Bronze or a Finalist honor.

What are they going to do with their kudos? How about quacking about it!

If you are a winner of any book award, here’s what you need to do … get their Quacker in gear. Tell the world … book buyers … your friends … your family … let retail outlets know that you’ve got national recognition … let the local media know … quack, quack, quack. Here’s 15 ideas for you to noodle over. Pick a few that you should be doing if you have any NEWS that could be worth a shout out!

1. Write a media/press release—include a book cover on it as well as a website that reporters and producers can get more info. Make sure you have an email, day and cell phones on it. Send it to every contact you can thing of. Include:

• Any associations you are a member of.
• The local media … if there is anything in the news going on that connects in any way with your title or expertise—pick up the phone and make an immediate pitch.
• The national media—print, TV, radio.
• Key Internet resources, such as the HuffPo and Slate—especially if you can tie it into anything that is remotely related to your topic.
• Groups that are connected with your topic.

2. Social media is your pal—get it up on your Facebook pages, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok and anything else you are connected with. Not be shy—ask your friends to tell their friends … and either link the notices to your website so that they can see the book is available for sale or the Amazon link.

3. Add it to every email that goes out. If your email Signature doesn’t have your book cover in it, add it and make sure you say include award-winning in description.

4. Write a Blog on it … make sure you now include that you are an award-winning author.

5. Create a celebratory photo op. If you have anything framed or attended a ceremony, include that as a photo. Otherwise you and your book are a lovely photo op duo. Even a selfie will do!

6. Post the news on your Amazon book details page. And if your friends haven’t given you a review, this is a great time to pick up the phone and share your news … and ask them if they would—then, follow up with an email that includes the link to your book’s Amazon page. Make it easy for them!

7. Ditto for your IngramSpark account. Post the news on your book details page.

8. Post the news on your Author Central page on Amazon. And make sure you add a photo of you with your award.

9. Consider do a special award celebration and drop the price of your book on Amazon to its “deal” range for a day or two. Make sure you say that it’s a celebration of its national award. And let EVERYONE in your social media connections know. Even if they already have the book—for a couple of bucks, they just may pick up another or the eBook that they don’t already have to support you.

10. Send your media release to a PR service for national distribution—this is part of your marketing dollars. There’s a variety of media/press release sites—check out Google for a list.

11. Immediately add to your website … it should shout the news. If you haven’t created a media tab on it yet, this is the time. If you have already received book reviews, this is a good spot to add them so others can read them as well. Don’t forget to post book reviews on your Amazon page as well if the book reviewer hasn’t.

12. Use it as a “Pitch tool” for anything you do. If you are a speaker, or a desire to be, meeting planners like “award-winning”—use it … as when you talk with them, “I’m thrilled that my book was recently honored with the Gold Medal in _______ with the _______ book awards.”

13. Add “Award-Winning Author” to your book cover for next printing and for future books. Either or your name or under … but it’s not part of your “credentials”.

14. Shout out to your local book stores … suggest an author event. Email the manager … suggest doing an author event … make it a party!

15. Keep on marketing … you as the expert … and your book.

Quack, Quack, Quack …

If you don’t, you will turn into one of those little “Peeps” that pop up in grocery stores at Easter time … and those get eaten!

PS … My news. Brian Barnes and I are delighted to share that Book 3 The Secret Rise just picked up the GOLD from the American Fiction awards in the fantasy-Historical Fiction category. It was also the GOLD WINNER in both the Readers’ Choice and Readers’ Favorite. It was also a Finalist in the Paris Book Festival. My Cooking with Judith cookbook has also picked up several wins as well.

Dr. Judith Briles is the award-winning and bestselling author of 49 books and calls Colorado home. When she’s not in the kitchen or in the garden, she’s working with clients as The Book Shepherd, a book and publishing consulting and project management firm that works with authors at all stages of their book to create and publish a book they never regret! She’s the founder of the first Authors’ Hall of Fame exclusively dedicated to ensuring the legacy of authors connected in some way with Colorado.

Judith’s books have been translated into 17 countries with over 1,000,000 copies sold! They have been featured in over 2,000 radio and TV shows including repeat appearances on CNN, CNBC, and Oprah. She has worked with over 1,500 authors and created 500 plus bestsellers. Print publications include Newsweek, People, Time, The Wall Street Journal and … The National Enquirer! Her popular podcast, AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing is dedicated to authors and writers and their success and is ranked in the top ten in four categories on GoodPods.