November 12, 2021– Yesterday, we paused our posts to remember those who gave their lives to protect our freedoms. We will never forget and will always be thankful.
We’re talking about a tip a day for authors to help promote themselves and their books. Today we have a really fun yet very effective tip that we hope you’ll enjoy!
Do you have a book wish list? Not books that you want to read or buy, but a list of the celebrities that you wish were seen with your book or gave a shout-out to your book on their platform? We know the age of the influencer is here, and when we think of the original influencers, Oprah Winfrey comes first to mind. Oprah still has a lot of pull even though her show isn’t on the air anymore. Take, for example, Robert Kiyosaki (author of Rich Dad Poor Dad); originally, he self-published (the now international bestseller) and quietly released around 1,000 copies of his book at his private birthday celebration. His book had slowly climbed to the top of the New York Times Best Seller List by word of mouth, and a little while later, Oprah Winfrey came calling and said she wanted him on her show. Being on the show catapulted Robert to success, and his book ended up selling over 22 million copies in over 100 countries and has been translated into more than 50 languages. That is the power of the Oprah Influence.
Remember when Victoria Beckham was seen stepping out of the airport with 50 Shades of Grey tucked under her arm? Or when Emma Watson of Harry Potter fame hid free books around London as gifts for unsuspecting readers? Have you seen Reese Witherspoon’s book club selection at your local bookstore? You get my point.
Today, I’d like you to make a wishlist of celebrities that you would love to see carrying your book out in public. Dream big! And then take action. The best way to contact the celebrities on your list is by emailing the celebrity representative. Celebrities receive so many messages directly on their social media platforms, especially from fans meaning that your message could easily get lost amongst them. You can usually find contact information on their websites, agent websites, and by doing a Google search.
Best of luck! You never know what can happen and the answer will always be no if you don’t ask.