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BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”
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A lot of authors go to conferences to pitch their books. But I hear a lot from my media training clients that they’re not quite sure how to prepare.
Often, pitching at a conference is like speed dating. You only get a couple of minutes and you really want to make a good impression.
Here’s how to prepare to make the most of pitching your book at a conference.
1) Use the Accordion Method to figure out your “book hook.”
The idea here is to prepare something between a media pitch and a soundbite. The Accordion Method is a tool I developed for speaking in the media in soundbites. You come up with a short, medium, and long answer to the questions you think you’ll be asked. The same method works for talking about your book.
You want to come up with a short, medium, and long version of the pitch you’re giving at the conference. Each version of your pitch should focus on the “book hook” that makes your book unique and attractive to readers.
2) Walk the walk (and talk the talk).
First impressions matter. So it’s important that you come across as friendly, confident, and knowledgeable. A professional appearance and manner goes a long way with establishing a good first impression.
Here’s a quick primer:
- Bring layers (you never know what the temperature will be!) and clothing that travels well. If you need a steamer, pack one!
- Set yourself up to feel good throughout the day with a water bottle, breath mints, and granola bars
- Don’t forget business cards! (People trade those again.)
For a complete guide, my blogs about speaking at a conference and attending a conference go over how to make sure you’re fully prepared — from what to wear to what to pack.
Tip: If the conference is virtual, most of the same rules apply — but tailored to a video call. Make sure your audio words and set up a professional and simple background (no blurred backdrop, please!). Here are all my tips for creating a home video studio for meetings and recordings.
3) Practice (but don’t memorize a speech).
Practice really does make perfect. Go over your notes enough times that you feel like you can hit the key points without speaking verbatim from a memorized speech. Recording yourself and listening back can help too. Even if it’s just on audio. Hearing yourself say the words outloud is very important. Reporters and anchors do this before they shoot any videos to fully prepare. The goal is to come across as ready and natural. And the more times you practice, the easier it is to get into that flow.
And don’t forget to quit the “ums” and “likes” and get right to the point! Those filler words take up precious time that you can’t spare.
It’s okay to have notes, but you don’t want to be reading from a page. And that’s because you should always…
4) Make eye contact.
This seems like such a small thing, but it’s actually huge. People will feel an instant connection when you look them in the eye. Eye contact is powerful and it can make the difference between someone remembering your pitch and getting lost in the crowd.
This holds true even if it’s a virtual conference. Look right into the camera (not at yourself!) because that will come across as eye contact on a video call.
For even more tips on how to talk about your book, check out my training Media Ready Author.
5) Learn from those who have done it before.
I loved reading this story in Writer’s Digest from Julia Bogart, an author who successfully pitched at a conference. Turns out we share the same agent! Rita is my agent for Listful Thinking and Listful Living.
Julia wrote:
“I entered the room and made a beeline for the agent who topped my list: Rita Rosenkranz. I stood in line repeating my pitch to myself silently. Each person in front of me made their pitch and walked away without Rita’s business card. Finally, it was my turn—I drew a deep breath. I approached her desk. Rita wore those glasses that slip down your nose and she held a firm line for a mouth. I began—my pitch came forth as I had practiced it. As I neared the end, I watched Rita crack the slightest smile. She held out a card and said, ‘Send me your book outline.’”
You can read Julia’s whole story to learn how she prepped and landed an agent at the Writer’s Digest Conference Pitch Slam.
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BONUS FREEBIE: I have a resource for you that will help you prepare to talk with media and audiences. It’s the 10 Questions Every Author Needs to Answer. You can grab the fiction and nonfiction lists here.
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