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Thoughts on books, publicity, and the media from our Cave Henricks staff.

What’s a Platform and Why Do I Need One?

PlatformsAuthors in search of everything from a publishing deal to greater sales or more media attention are increasingly being told to “build a platform” – or create a stronger one.

In theory, this strategy makes complete sense. The difficulty is in implementing.

What is a platform, and how do I develop one?
Simply put, a platform consists of three key elements: evidence of expertise in a particular subject, a forum for others to gain exposure to that expertise, and a location for those interested in that expertise to interact with the author or thought leader.

Expertise
Media and publishers are both looking for people who are exceptional in their field. As an author, you must learn to present not only your professional credentials, but their context as well. How have you used your advanced degree or your experience from serving in the Peace Corps?

Noting that you hold a Ph.D. in psychology is a great start. More compelling, however, is a description of exactly what you do with that degree. For instance: “I earned a Ph.D. in psychology and have spent 10 years working with Fortune 100 executives on how to effectively lead large organizations. I specialize in helping leaders build teams among their diverse workforce and overcome generational issues in those team building efforts.” These details make your credentials relevant and create a more persuasive argument for why the media, publisher, and reader should be interested in your opinion.

Exposure
Along with the ability to contribute bylined articles to traditional news sites, experts now have the opportunity to expose their ideas via Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Vine, and various other social media platforms and forums. These social platforms allow quantification of interest in a person or subject. For example, having a certain number of Twitter followers or a large number of hits on a TED video can provide anecdotal evidence to the media that people trust and care about what you have to say.

Opportunities here are ripe and growing daily. Previously, one waited for a handful of influential media outlets to cover a book, an idea, or an individual, and then used that coverage to encourage others to follow. Now, authors can take an active role in both creating content available to the public. If the content gathers a following, that is tangible evidence that the subject is relevant to the masses right now.

Interact

Getting involved in conversation with an author or even addressing one directly was not so long ago restricted to a very brief chat at a book signing or an event hosted by a local organization. Those days are gone forever. Along with Twitter and Facebook and other forums designed for interaction, authors have become savvy users of book-specific sites such as GoodReads, where readers start discussions that authors are free to join, and BookShout, where authors are encouraged to set up a hub for their readers to check in and speak to them. Extending reach is the end goal of this interaction. As the bricks and mortar locations fade, the live forums may recede along with them. But these virtual forums ensure that passionate authors and readers alike have a place to keep the conversation going.

As a publicist, working to attract media attention in an environment where the traditional, large outlets are fracturing into hundreds and even thousands of small niches, an author’s platform is the best place to assess the possibility of growth as it pertains to gaining media attention, general awareness, and readers.

Barbara Henricks is CEO and Founder of Cave Henricks Communications, a full service public relations agency representing authors and their books.