Dr. Tyra Manning – Book Media Tour and Awards
Dr. Tyra Manning devoted her forty-year career in education to helping children achieve their highest potential. After her retirement, she continued her mission of bringing inspiration and hope to a wide audience by publishing a series of memoirs and self-help books. Through the lens of her own personal struggles with loss, mental health and addiction, she hopes to help others learn the healing power of storytelling.
The Challenge:
As an independently published author, Dr. Manning sought to keep full creative control over the publishing and marketing of her books. With no access to the marketing efforts that large publishing houses provide, she asked WCG to assist with the marketing and promotion of her books, including content marketing, media relations, and event support.
Our Solution:
Because of our smaller size and client-centric focus, WCG was able to develop a strong relationship with Dr. Manning, gaining insights into her priorities as a writer and her audience. We promoted not only her books, but also her as an author with subject matter expertise on mental health, resilience and education, and over time she gained an engaged and devoted audience.
Working in concert with Tyra, WCG developed editorial content calendars to expand the scope of topics, balancing a range of evergreen blog posts with timely articles based on current events. WCG then amplified the website content through Tyra’s social media channels, with a particular focus on Facebook where Tyra’s key stakeholders were most actively engaged. The steady drumbeat of content and strategic paid promotions established Dr. Manning as respected author with a devoted following.
The Impact:
WCG’s work to market and promote Dr. Manning’s books allowed her to keep full creative control over her books while actively engaging key stakeholders and building relationships with new readers. Tyra’s second book, Your Turn: Ways to Celebrate Life through Storytelling, culminated in a seven-stop tour organized by WCG and additional earned media outreach yielded over 20 media placements from across the country. WCG also researched, identified and vetted publishing award opportunities for independent authors, and as a result, both of Tyra’s books earned the Independent Book Publishers Association Benjamin Franklin Gold Award, the top award in her category.
