Promote Your Cookbook with a Satellite Media Tour

A guest post by Denise Vivaldo

After your cookbook comes out, the real work begins. You have to sell it. Have you tried a satellite media tour? I’ve done a couple to sell my cookbooks.

If you don’t know about this valuable tool, let me explain. An author or spokesperson gets paid to sell a product in a studio equipped with a worldwide satellite connection. An experienced or polished author can give as many as 36 interviews in five hours. The interviews will be broadcast across the country on radio and television segments.

The time and money saved from touring in person, and the hundreds of thousands of people you can reach with your message, is outstanding on a satellite media tour. It’s like the biggest class you’ll ever teach.

Now, the studio and producer who book all the radio and TV segments are expensive. It will set you back around $30,000. That’s the catch. But, if you have clients, or friends in high places, talk to them about becoming a sponsor.

I styled this satellite media tour for nutritionist Michelle Dudash. Sunkist was a sponsor.

Here’s how you might put together a satellite media tour (SMT) for yourself:

1. Ask your publisher to chip in.

They might invest in your tour. Ask what their marketing budget is for your book.

2. If you are self-published, find sponsorship money.

Ask a rich client, an organization that you run, or a relative who isn’t looking to be paid back. If you can bring in one sponsor, others will follow. 

3. Pitch a corporate sponsor.

Are you an influencer? Corporate sponsors will not flinch at the cost of an SMT, especially if you have an excellent presentation and are an expert in your field.

4. Contact SMT houses.

Research SMT production houses in your area. They must have the satellite equipment called BIRD, as it’s known in studio. Ask if they ever book talent or have clients looking for new voices. Send them a link to your website, videos, blog, or book page. If you can’t find one, ask your publisher for contact info for SMT producers.

5. Sell your tour to a potential client or vendor.

Make a fun, polished, iPhone video and send that to an existing or potential client, or a vendor that is a good match for your book.

As an example, I wrote several entertaining books, and sent a tape of myself to a huge sparkling water company. They came on board after a phone call. I already had a studio and producer lined up, so it made their participation easy. Two more local vendors known by the producer joined, and I had a tour. I kept a small fee for myself. I was there to sell my books, and that was my payment.  

6. Pitch publicists and public relations agencies.

They hire people for SMTs. Put together a presentation and email it to the head of each company. Write ideas for your SMT — do their work for them. They will like you.

7. Get on television.

Do you have great, natural presence on TV? Television shows need ideas. TV is like a hungry bear that needs constant feeding. Use your TV clip to create an SMT. It will show potential sponsors that you could handle a tour.

These tips are an effort in creative marketing and perseverance. If you have a cookbook coming out soon, I hope you’ll try them.

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