Congratulations on completing your book and/or deciding to become a speaker. That's both exciting and terrifying, right? Now that you know you are ready to get out there. It's time to start promoting yourself. The best way to do that is to create a media kit. With a great media kit, you will end up with various promotional bits and pieces to be able to use as needed.
What is an Author Media Kit and Why Do You Need One?
An author media kit is a collection of promotional materials that podcasters, journalists, bloggers, event planners, and other media outlets (as well as bookstores) can use to learn more about you and your book/services. It should include all the essential information that potential media contacts need to know, such as your bio, book synopsis, and contact information.
A well-crafted media kit can be a valuable tool for promoting your book and getting it in front of a wider audience. It can help you get book reviews, podcast guest spots, media coverage, and even book signings.
What should be included in an author media kit?
Here are some of the essential components of an author media kit:
Author bio: This should include your name, contact information, and a brief overview of your background and experience.
One-Sheet Information: If you've done a one-sheet already, you can either include this as part of your full media kit or you could pull the questions/topics for speaking off the sheet and create a separate piece for that.
Book synopsis & ISBN: This should give a clear and concise overview of your book, including the plot, characters, and themes. You will also want purchase information.
Book cover: A high-resolution image of your book cover is essential for any media kit.
Reviews & Testimonials: If you have any positive reviews for your book, be sure to include them in your media kit. If you have a lot, pick your favorites.
Social media handles: Be sure to include links to your social media profiles so that media contacts can follow you and learn more about you and your book.
Press release: A press release is a great way to announce your book and generate media interest.
High-resolution photos: Include high-resolution photos of yourself and your book so that media contacts can use them in their articles or blog posts.
Click HERE to buy four templates for author one-sheets that we use for our clients for just $7.
How to create an author media kit
There are a few different ways to create an author media kit. You can either create it yourself using a template or hire a professional to create it for you.
If you're creating your own media kit, there are a few things to keep in mind:
Make sure your media kit is well-organized and easy to read.
Use high-quality images and graphics.
Proofread your media kit carefully before you send it out. You certainly don't want to tell everyone you are a great author and then provide them with a media kit full of typos.
If you're hiring a professional to create your media kit, be sure to get quotes from several different companies before you make a decision and make sure you know what they are including.
How to use an author media kit
Once you have created your author media kit, you can use it to promote your book in a variety of ways:
Send it to people who might be interested in talking and writing about your book.
Share it on social media.
Include it on your website.
Hand it out at book signings and other events.
Send it to shops, libraries, and event organizers to get speaking and signing events set up.
The more people who see your media kit, the more likely you are to get media coverage and book sales.
Conclusion
An author media kit is an essential tool for any speaker or author who wants to promote their book and get it in front of a wider audience. It's a great way to generate media interest and get book reviews, and book signings. If you're serious about promoting your book or your speaking services, you need to create an author/speaker media kit.
I hope this blog post has been helpful! If you have any questions or would like to chat about what it would look like for us to produce your media kit, please feel free to contact me.
Rebecca Paciorek is an Online Business Manager specializing in assisting in the growth of your business through traditional and digital means.