How a book can drive public relations

The old model of public relations

PR agencies in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, and other markets in Asia Pacific still operate on a largely milestone-based approach. Whenever their client has a major announcement, the PR agency seeds a press release out to the media. Such news falls into a few common categories, like product launches, strategic partnerships, fundraising, mergers and acquisitions, and user or revenue achievements. 

These milestones are definitely worth celebrating to the general public. The problem is that this strategy lends itself toward extreme peaks and valleys. While the PR agency may nab you an outpouring of media pickups from your last announcement, they may bring you nothing for the next few months. Such public relations is all feast or famine. 

A book as the “hero” of your PR

In the old model, business leaders don’t have a platform that would warrant journalists coming back to them. A book can address this gap, functioning as a “hero” content in the hub, hero, and hygiene model. This is a critical need because most brands have the hub and hygiene content down pat, which are push and pull content respectively, but regularly fail when it comes to the hero. 

Either they have no idea what flagship content to create for brand awareness, or the entries they make in this category fall on deaf ears. In contrast, a book almost always makes for a strong piece of hero content because of its credibility. A book confers authority in a way that almost no other content type can: You can now justifiably say that they literally wrote the book on a particular subject. This should be a powerful reference point in your bio, your personal social media channels, and your organization’s communication materials, one that gets stakeholders to approach you. 

Bookshelf Pages helps brands leverage a book into a wellspring of public relations, and even collaborates with you on the writing, editing, or printing if you are a little earlier in the process. There are several strategic benefits to writing a book and structuring your public relations around yours. 

A book accelerates your business development.

When you’re out there graciously sharing your knowledge about the industry at large through your book, you will inevitably be top-of-mind when it comes to companies who may need your products or services.

In turn, you’ll generate more inbound leads and close deals at a higher rate, in no small part because you have more credibility as an industry authority. If journalists trust your word, it stands to reason, they should, too. 

A book attracts top talent.

You've got seats to fill. Fortunately, when people are looking for industry leaders to work for, they’ll inevitably knock upon your door, based on the breadcrumbs you’ve set in your book and public interviews little by little.

Who doesn’t want to work for an industry leader? This is a tale as old as time, and one that rings even truer in the digital age where who you are - and what you do - is paramount for personal branding.  

A book enhances your organization's culture.

Culture may be built in other ways than just internal communications and events. Another way is through the behavior you model. By showing the importance of providing value to your industry peers and the general public, you encourage them to do the same.

They may not necessarily take the limelight like you in the afterglow of your book, but they will strive to go the extra mile for all the stakeholders in your ecosystem because they see you doing so.

Hybrid publishing services

In addition to book-driven public relations, we offer several complimentary editorial solutions for authors and brands via Bookshelf Pages.

  • Writing

    Transform your brilliant idea into a fully realized book through our writing service.

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  • Editing

    Get your manuscript polished and print-ready with our developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading.

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  • Publishing

    Take your book from concept to product through our end-to-end editorial and design work.

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