Publicist Ron Longe works under contract with publishers and individuals.
Want to know more about cookbook launches and how to work with your publisher?
Chef Craig Priebe and I are working with our publicist Ron Longe on promotion for The United States of Pizza (due out Sept. 22, 2015), so I took the opportunity to interview him on your behalf. Even if you are already a published author, you’ll be interested in Ron’s insider perspective.
Ron is the founder and president of Ron Longe Public Relations, a boutique PR agency. With more than 25 years of experience (I know, he looks so young! ), he has worked in the publicity departments of many New York publishers. Some of the heavyweights he has promoted include Alton Brown, Steven Raichlen, and Rick Bayless. Here are his thoughts about promoting cookbooks:
Q. When should authors start generating publicity for their cookbooks?
A. A year in advance if they want a feature in a national food magazine. Usually magazines photograph one year and run the story the next. But I don’t always know which books I’m working on a year in advance, unless an author hires me.
If you’re a writer and you have a relationship with these national publications, use it to get a review or pitch articles that would come out around the same time as your book.
Q. Is it good to blog about the book in advance of publication?
A. I think it is. Anything that gets buzz going. But you have to work with your publisher because they may not want details coming out too soon. They might also control the photography.
You don’t want to put so much out that people think it’s old news. Just do teasers to let them know, three to six months ahead of time. Share one image and recipe and do tiny nuggets through social media. You could say, ” Today I tested a recipe for my upcoming book” and that doesn’t take away from publicity.
Most publishers restrict authors and media to three recipes, three photos and a book cover. They often make people work within a pool of ten recipes.
Q. What kind of publicity support should an author expect from a publisher?
A. Long lead time is three to six months in advance, then six weeks before publication to contact media and follow up. Once the book comes out, for the next month and a half, the publicist will be active and following up with contacts, and then they move on to the next book.
Authors should expect a press release, a pitch letter sent to media outlets such as magazines and specialty media (a Mexican cookbook sent to Latin magazines), outreach to food editors of newspapers and key food sites, and an email blast to food bloggers to see who’s interested.
Q. What about getting an author on television?
Alton Brown qualifies as someone Longe could get on TV and radio.
A. Publicists don’t do television and radio unless it’s a bigger author. If authors live outside the US, I only pitch TV if they are coming over here, or we get enough press to garner a trip.
Not a lot of national TV outlets still do cooking.There’s the Today Show, the Chew, and the Rachael Ray show, but most of those are driven by celebrity chefs, a friend of the host, or a best-selling cookbook author.
I do pitch fresh faces sometimes, but they have to have a lot of local television experience and a great television presence with great video links. I factor in things like: how entertaining are you, how photogenic are you, how simple are your recipes — five to six ingredients made in 30 minutes or less — and can you interact with the host of the show?
Q. Under what circumstances should authors hire an outside public relations person?
A. If an author wants more than what the publisher’s going to give them, like they want someone to set up cooking tours and demos around the country, help them get into grocery markets, or set up events and get more media for them, or make a concentrated effort to get on national TV shows, or they want more publicity after the publisher is finished.
Q. Where can authors find a good freelance publicist and what should they expect to pay?
A. Several publicists specialize in food and lifestyle books. Depending on what you want, very few take on work for than less than $5000. I am on a monthly retainer for some publishers. For individuals I give a project fee based on their goals, with two or three payments.
Q. What kind of publicity doesn’t work anymore?
A. I’m not a big fan of the book launch party where you rent a space. Years ago publishers would pay for these parties and each one was bigger and more extravagant than the next. But unless you’re a celebrity or your friends work on food publications, the expenses can add up very quickly. Try to find a sponsor or host it in someone’s restaurant, if you must have one.
Q. If the invitees are bloggers, would they be likely to promote the event on social media?
A. You could bring in a targeted group, do a demo and serve a few dishes. But I prefer a ticketed event where people sign up, including the public. A restaurant would host and there would be a tasting menu where the book is part of it. If you get 30 people, that’s a decent turnout.
Q. Are book signings at bookstores still a good way to sell cookbooks?
A. Yes, if you do it locally where you know people, and you can spread the word through an evite or friends, but to travel to a strange city could be a little tricky. You could be sitting at a table and no one will be there. Think small and take baby steps. Start in your own backyard and keep moving out. If you see success, go to Texas and the Midwest.
Q. What else works well?
A. If you teach classes at well-established cooking schools, you will get paid and it gives you an outlet to speak and get on local TV shows that do cooking segments. Local TV is a very valid way to build your name. It gives you experience and video links you can use for the bigger shows. If you can get Central Market in Dallas, the publisher may fly you in and out and Central Market pays for the hotels and your expenses. While you’re there you can do television and build your name.
Q. What are some of the most unusual ways to sell cookbooks?
A. Some people pack up their trunk and go to farmer’s markets.
I worked on a cookbook where the authors did 15 little parties in people’s homes. They gave a talk and served food from the book. They had contributors who hosted parties around the country.
Q. What do most authors forget to do?
A. Write thank you notes to the people who write about or feature them. Especially if you are a newer author, it gives you another opportunity to say, “Oh and if you’re ever doing a story on such and such, I’d love to give you a recipe.” They might remember your book, and that you were so nice.
Q. Any last advice for cookbook authors?
A. Magazine coverage is a challenge but there are so many opportunities online. I really value working with food bloggers and websites like The Kitchn. They know what the trends are, what people are cooking at home, and they give much more coverage to a cookbook. They test the recipes and show the pictures.
This all sounds right on to me. The only time I suggest doing a book store/ cooking shop signing is when they have built up a loyal following. Otherwise, the author can be completely ignored–in which case, I suggest spending the time talking up the book to the store staff. (This sometimes means they will hand sell it to customers later.)
Hah! Good point.
I had a good turnout at Omnivore, partly because the charming Irvin Lin interviewed me, I suspect. Now I have another one coming up this Saturday and I made sure some friends are going so I would be speaking to more than 1 stranger. These things are very stressful. I just had a bookstore owner send me a Facebook message that she didn’t think anyone was going to show up for a talk she had arranged tonight.
Nice insight.. what does one get for the $5000 retainer? How does that break down hourly?
I wish I could tell you the answer, but you will have to click on Ron’s name to get his email and ask him, Babette!
Great piece. Good advice.
I’d add a few things.
Get some media training before interviews. Will help you be your best and not be reactive
Remember your niche markets and focus some on those media, social media and appearance opportunities.
Look for partnerships that make sense (for example if your book is on lemons, work with the lemon marketing board. )
These are terrific. Thanks Faith, for adding some great tips.
Great advice, especially because my book is coming out soon. Al lot of it I already gathered from working in advertising, but you make a really valuable point about not going just anywhere to do a book signing. I get bookstores in tiny little places contacting me to come and do a workshop and signing, I just can’t do that, travel for hours and then do a free workshop and signing, it just wouldn’t pay out. I am doing lectures all over my country after the book is out though, but these were events people had to sign up for and I am being paid which is good. I’m looking forward to see what my English language publisher is planning. I would love a book launch, I understand what you are saying about hiring a location and indeed a restaurant would be a better fit. Here in Belgium you sometimes – not very often – see publishers organise a dinner as a book launch, people can sign up and pay a fee for the dinner, the author is there and will do a short talk/workshop and signing. I have been to one, it was sold out in a jiffy and it was very nice. I don’t know how often is charged for a dinner party/launch like this, but here people were quite happy to part with money for a dinner prepared by the chef/author.
Hi Regula
We hosted our book launch party in a local Wine Warehouse. Ron and I cooked a few dishes from the book and we hoped a few friends and family would turn up.
There were over 170 pp in attendance and we sold 250 books alone that night, some pre-packaged with a bottle of wine. People are still talking about it – a great night of fun, food and wine.
Looking forward to reading your book (the English version!) when it launches.
Móna x
Hi Mona!
So you didn’t make people register beforehand? You were lucky you had enough food and books! :))
Can’t wait to hear what you think of the book :))
That is an incredible turnout, Mona! Congratulations.
How very smart to do paid lectures, Regula. I hope that pays for your travel expenses. And yes, I’ve seen people do dinners at restaurants where they partner with the chef to make dishes from the book, and people do pay for that and buy books.
Thank you Dianne, as always!
Excellent! Many thanks for sharing this, Diane. Knowing Ron’s take on The Launch Party and ballpark of publicists fees are especially interesting. Me, I value bookstore events, even when turnout is small (as in for me, almost always). It means the store gets your book in, multiple copies, and you have the opportunity to connect with the booksellers, as was mentioned. If it’s a good indie bookshop, they likely have an active website with events listed or even a newsletter, and showing up on those with photo of you and bookcover and some background, and being featured in the store before the event with displays; I think these put the book forward in a meaningful way. This is much more important to me about the event than the (miniscule number of) people who show up for the event. It is no fun at all to be all alone at that table, but since nobody’s there, nobody knows that except the kindly staff who know this rodeo. I get my picture made with a stack of books, post it on FB and twitter, and move on to the next one. I strive to make it mostly about the surrounding publicity and connection, and least about the throngs who will someday come thronging, but maybe not yet.
This is so valuable Nancie. I feel like each person I can connect with that shows up at a bookstore event is one more person who is going to give my book a go and I love getting to meet other book lovers in the bookstore employees / owners. I see my job as a cookbook author as helping support their job as the owner and together, we support the book.
What a great attitude, Annelies. I was thinking (afterwards, of course) that after my Omnivore talk I should have said something like, “so stick around and buy something to support the bookstore.” Maybe I will try that this Saturday, if anyone’s still left in their chairs.
Yes, I hear you. I’m doing a signing on Saturday and I have invited some friends to come so at least I will be talking withe someone! And as you saw on Facebook, a bookstore can be a big supporter for you if you happen to know them (I put a photo of a big stack of books featured at my local bookstore where I know the owner.)
Great interview, Diane. Lots of helpful advice!
Thank you Susan.
Terrific article and advice. Thanks to you both. And good luck on Saturday Dianne!
Thanks Maureen. I know at least 6 friends who are coming, so that makes me feel a whole lot better!
This is very helpful advice, including in the comments, and especially the writing of actual thank you notes, those are so rare!
I would add that it helps attendance if you write (an email in most cases) to friends and contacts individually in advance of the book event and personally invite them to the event as opposed to a general/mass email. A person is more likely to attend and engage if he/she feels more personally connected to you, the book, and the event!
Thanks Tania. Good tip.