What’s on my iPod: “Fader” by The Temper Trap
The last person I followed: @womansday
What I’m reading: Possession by Elena Johnson

Book Business featured a great article about marketing stunts and whether those shocking tactics some authors use actually work.

According to the article, over 3 million individual book titles were published last year – that means a little less than one percent of the U.S. population published a novel. That’s a huge number of people.

In an attempt to break away from the bogged down options, some authors have used creative and surprising methods to get their books noticed including creating funny YouTube videos, hiring actresses to read the book on the subway and tying banners to flies (see image). For more examples, read the full article. And while these methods are crazy and exciting, do they actually result in book sales?

The answer, according to the article, is maybe.

With PR stunts like these, authors may find success, but they may also alienate an audience as well. Here are some tips for creating a successful PR stunt from the article, with a bit of our suggestions added in as well:

1. Let your personality shine

The stunt should relate to the topic of your book, and you should plan the stunt in an area where you can target your key readership. The idea of a publicity stunt is to let your voice shine above the rest. Don’t fake it by trying to impersonate or become anyone else.

2. Be genuine

If you’re trying too hard, people will recognize it and be turned off by your efforts. Keep the stunt light and playful to avoid alienating your audience. People will be able to recognize it if you aren’t being genuine. You don’t want to come across as a used car salesman who only wants the money. (See #3)

3. Connect

When your selling a book, you aren’t just selling the story. You’re selling the experience. Make your audience feel as though they are part of a community. The stunt will not automatically result in sales. But it can encourage the start of a conversation that can lead to building and fostering relationships. Use a stunt to build momentum and then use other methods like social media and press releases to keep the momentum going.

4. Entertain

The stunt should spark a conversation and encourage word-of-mouth sharing in a positive way. While most stunts shock people into paying attention, that doesn’t necessarily have to be the tactic used. As long as it elicits enough curiosity that people want to learn more then the stunt has done its job.

What is the best publicity stunt you’ve seen? What points would you add to this list?