The Publishing Performance Show Isabelle Knight - The PR Secrets That Made JK Rowling Famous (And How You Can Use Them)
Aug 14, 2025
45:53
Isabelle Knight is a celebrity publicist turned author branding expert who has worked with literary icons including JK Rowling and major organizations like the BBC. As founder of Build Your Author Brand, she brings insider knowledge from the world of high-profile publicity to help everyday authors develop powerful personal brands, connect with their ideal readers, and dramatically increase book sales. Her unique background bridges traditional PR with modern digital marketing strategies.
In this episode:
- The celebrity publicist's approach to author branding that actually works
- How to identify and magnetize your ideal readers (not just any readers)
- Traditional PR vs. digital marketing: when to use each strategy
- The newsletter and social media tactics that build genuine fan bases
- How to pitch yourself like the pros (without feeling salesy)
- Strategic partnerships that amplify your book launches
- Real case studies from successful author branding campaigns
- The consistency secrets that separate amateur from professional authors
- Why most author marketing fails and how to avoid common pitfalls
Resources mentioned:
- Build Your Author Brand course
- Facebook groups for author networking
- Newsletter platforms for reader engagement
- Bookshop partnerships for book launches
Book recommendations:
- "Enough" by Dr. Catherine McAleese
- Books by Pauline Tate
- "The Big Leap" by Gay Hendrix
Connect with Isabelle Knight:
- Website: https://buildyourauthorbrand.co.uk
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isabelle.knight.pr/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelle-knight-pr/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@isabelle_knight_pr
Connect with Teddy Smith:
- @teddyagsmith
- Website: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtc
- Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/publishingperformance/
- Pinterest - https://nz.pinterest.com/publishingperformance/
- Instagram - https://instagram.com/publishingperformanceinsta
- Youtube -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHV6ltaUB4SULkU6JEMhFSw
- Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/publishing-performance/
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