Why Every Bookstore Should Have a Publicity Kit

by Nicki Leone & Candice Huber

The NVNR Publicity Speed Dating event is currently full, but there is a waitlist. Bookstores considering whether to attend should go ahead and sign up, just in case a spot becomes available. And brush up the store publicity kit!

Any bookstore with an active events program, or that is looking to enhance its events program and bring in more authors, should maintain an up-to-date publicity kit. Its purpose is to connect with publicists and show them why the bookstore is an excellent event partner for their authors. It presents what is unique about the store and what makes it stand out.

A Publicity Kit Checklist:

• Keep it short: A two-page document in PDF format
• Include your store name, website, and logo
• Include the store's contact information and the specific event coordinator contact if you have one
• Include your store's location, proximity to universities, schools, and major cities, and potentially a map
• Include reporting information - meaning where you report your store's sales (New York Times, Bookweb, etc.)
• List any venues you work with and capacity information for each venue
• List any community partners you work with: libraries, schools, churches, civic organizations
• If your store has a niche, make sure to include it - what makes your store unique/interesting?
• Add any information on non-author events your store does
• Provide marketing information - how do you promote your events? Newsletter, social media, media list information, etc.
• Include a list or grid of your best events in the past year, including attendance, sales, and venue

How you arrange all this information is also important. Be concise! And make the vital information pop. Be conscious of colors and contrast. Make sure everything is easy to read and scannable. Avoid large blocks of text, try to break things up with photos. If you need inspiration, try looking at some publicity kit examples listed in the SIBA Peer Bookseller Resource Library.