• Creativity. Book publicity should be about more than just your book. Your P.R. pro should go beyond traditional book reviews to positioning you as an expert spokesperson, securing by-lined articles and looking for opportunities for you to provide commentary on the news of the day.
• Understands news and news cycles. The media will not be interested in the fact that you wrote a book. But they will be interested in how your book addresses a current trend, offers a new twist on an old theory, or fits into the news of the day. They will also be interested in you as a personality.
• Media contacts. Even if your P.R. pro doesn’t have media contacts in your area of expertise, she should know how to generate them and build relationships.
• Availability. Yes, you want a P.R. pro who is available when you call, but more importantly, she should be available when the media calls. Your P.R. pro should check email frequently, even when on the road, and list after-hours phone numbers for the media to reach her.
• Persistence without being a pest. When it comes to media opportunities, maybe always means maybe yes, and no could mean maybe later. Your P.R. pro should know how far to pursue a potential opportunity and when to accept no for an answer.
• Guarantees are a red flag. Do not believe a P.R. pro who guarantees she can get you on Oprah or the cover of Time Magazine. Someone who promises to make every effort to get the best media coverage possible and leave no stone unturned is a true professional.
• Regular updates. Your P.R. pro should provide a monthly status report on tasks completed and what’s coming up for the next month.

What the P.R. Pro Expects From You:

• Do your homework. Work with your P.R. pro to develop new and unique story ideas. Just like you did with your book proposal, think about what makes you and your book different from all the other authors and books on the shelves and in the news. And stay involved throughout the campaign. If you have an idea, call your P.R. pro to discuss it.
• Don’t try to run the campaign yourself. You hired a P.R. pro for her expertise. Let her do what she does best. Re-writing every press release and micro-managing every media contact will ruin your relationship and leave you without a P.R. pro or a campaign.
• Relax and be patient. Give your P.R. pro enough time to read your book, understand who your market is, and lay the groundwork for a successful campaign. \Give the campaign a chance to succeed. P.R. is by nature a foundation-building endeavor. Often times, results are not seen for several months.
• Expect results but be realistic. P.R. offers no guarantees. Not everyone is Oprah material. There are lots of other wonderful P.R. opportunities out there that may be better suited to your book.
• Be available. Media opportunities can come any time, any place, and often have short deadlines. Sometimes we’re talking hours, even minutes. Tell your P.R. pro how she can reach you day, night and weekends, whether it’s via email that you check hourly or a cell phone that is always on. And be willing to jump on an opportunity when it arises.
• Take direction. Even if you’ve done dozens of interviews, listen to your P.R. pro and take media training from her if available. No matter how honed and well-rehearsed your message points are, each interview is slightly different.
• Pay your fee in a timely manner. No elaboration necessary.