7 Must-Have Items for Your Author Media Kit

7 Must-Have Items for Your Author Media Kit Youre finally done with your book. But youre exhausted. And vulnerable to making mistakes. Before you plunge ahead with marketing, dont miss a critical tool whose absence could push your book into the remainder bin. You must create a complete, well-written author media kit. This package of marketing materials brands you and your print or digital book. If built correctly, the media kit includes items that will help journalists, bloggers, reviewers, retailers, individual buyers, event planners and others promote, sell and buzz about your book. Here are seven things indie authors shouldnt do without in an author media kit: 1. Cheat Sheet for Book Reviewers Three out of four authors who ask me to review their books fail to send the bare minimum a press release. If I dont find one, I put the book on my bookshelf. A year later, when Im de-junking, your book ends up in a cardboard box I donate to the church rummage sale. Tuck a short note in your book with a link that leads me to your digital media kit. Help me find your press release, great photos and a cheat sheet that tie into your title, and Im interested. 2. Sell Sheet for Retailers Bookstore buyers dont want the same information youd give to a reviewer. They want whats referred to as a sell sheet. A sell sheet includes a short summary of your book. Additional information about your marketing plan will help buyers compare your book to similar books on their shelves, and shows them how hard you work to help them sell your book. This should be full-color, and professionally designed, printed on 100 lb. Text-Gloss paper. 3. How to Order Form for Readers Youll need a marketing piece that explains about the book, and includes several killer endorsements and a How to Order form. The order form must address issues such as bulk orders, sales tax, C.O.D. payments, shipping and how to pay with a credit card. Its similar to the sell sheet for bookstores, but its for individual book buyers, not sellers. 4. Press Release with a High-Res Cover Image Consumer and industry magazines love featuring books. The New Product Section of these publications could be the perfect home for your book if you can provide a high-resolution photo of your book cover. Editors tell me they are practically begging for good-quality photos for these sections. 5. Interview Topics or Questions If you write and deliver a pitch that gets you booked on a talk show, dont show up at the station without a list of questions the interviewer can ask you. Most talk show hosts will not read your book. Broadcasters rely on these questions as a crutch. 6. Author