Bookstore owners are all too familiar with the struggle to bring authors to their event programs. The stores that are most successful with this have built relationships with publishers and publicists, and have learned how to present their stores as attractive destinations for authors on tour.

For newly opened bookstores, or stores gearing up their events program after the pandemic's hiatus, NVNR's Publicity Speed Dating event is an important first step in making/revitalizing those relationships with publishers. Every store has about fifteen minutes to talk to a group of publicists about your store, your strengths, your audience, and how your creative approach will make events with their authors a success. The Speed Dating event can put your store on publishers' radar.

REGISTER HERE And start now to prepare for your fifteen minutes of fame:

1. Create or Update your Store Press Kit
This simple one sheet of facts about your store tells a publicist everything they need to know about your store and your location. You can see some examples posted by stores to NVNR's "Bookstore Row." Click on a store's detail listing link to see if they have a press kit uploaded. (Here is an example from Eagle Eye Book Shop).

You can't participate in Publicity Speed Dating without a Store Press Kit, so it is worth getting started early to create one for your store. Watch Maribeth Pelly's press kit webinar to guide you while you create or update your marketing materials.

2. Practice your Pitch
Go into your "speed date" prepared with what you want to say. There isn't time for much back and forth questions with publicists, so you will need to make an impression right out of the gate. Decide what are the most important points you want to get across, and practice your pitch ahead of time. Watch "Making the Most of Your Pitch" with Bren McClain for useful tips on giving great, engaging presentations.

A little prep can go a long way in making the most of your "Speed Date!"

Wednesday, March 3 at 3PM EST!

Are you signed up for the NVNR Publicity Speed Dating event in March?  If not, we still have a few spaces left! For those attending, Bren McClain of McClain Communications wants to help you put your best self forward during your fifteen minute pitch to publishers.

From Bren: I’ll tell you right off the bat, here’s the key: YOU. You are your biggest asset in this pitch. YOUR energy, YOUR passion, YOUR enthusiasm, YOUR belief in what you’re saying. Yes, words matter, and we’re going to talk about that, talk about all the cool details you can equip yourselves with – knowing what your store is good at, for example. But words carry no power if they’re not backed by passion, by belief. And how do you show passion? It begins with knowing what you believe, and, from there, letting your physicality express it with your eyes, your voice, etc. I invite you to join me, and let’s talk about how you can set yourself up to be an even stronger communicator and have fun doing it.

Bren's Bio: Many of us know Bren McClain as the author of the debut novel, One Good Mama Bone. But there’s a second hat she wears – she’s a communications coach with her own business, McClain Communications. Bren’s been helping speakers across the country for thirty years make the most of their opportunities – be it a speech, talking to reporters, serving on a panel or doing a town hall. Her clients run the gamut of industries and include AT&T, Equifax, Cincinnati Reds, Turner Broadcasting, Marriott, Kentucky Department of Education and even publishing. Back in the day, she helped many Algonquin authors make the most of their TV appearances. Larry Brown, for example, on The Today Show. Before Bren became a coach, she worked in television news at various stations in Southeast.

Register for Making the Most of Your Opportunity to Pitch to Publicists