Key Discovery Call Questions for Author PR Clients

Why Discovery Calls Are Non-Negotiable for Author PR Pricing

Unlike selling a standardized product, author PR services are highly customized. Each author, book, and goal is unique. Relying on generic pricing or quick estimates without a deep dive will inevitably lead to scope creep, client dissatisfaction, and lost revenue.

The discovery call allows you to:

• Qualify the Lead: Determine if the author is a good fit for your firm’s expertise and if their expectations and budget align with the reality of media relations.
• Uncover True Goals: Go beyond surface-level desires (like ‘becoming a bestseller’) to understand the underlying motivation and long-term vision (platform building, speaking engagements, sales targets).
• Assess the PR Asset: Evaluate the book itself, its marketability, the author’s platform, and any existing media presence.
• Identify Challenges & Opportunities: Pinpoint potential roadblocks or unique angles that will impact strategy and effort.
• Build Rapport: Establish trust and position your firm as a strategic partner, not just a vendor.

This information forms the bedrock for developing a value-based pricing strategy rather than simply quoting an hourly rate or a fixed fee based on assumptions. Understanding the value of media exposure to the author’s specific goals is key to justifying your fees.

Essential Areas to Cover During the Call

To ensure you get a comprehensive picture, structure your author pr discovery call questions around several key themes:

Specific Author PR Discovery Call Questions to Ask

Here are concrete examples of author pr discovery call questions within each category:

Regarding the Author:

• Tell me about your journey as an author. What led you to write this book?
• What is your background or expertise related to the book’s topic?
• Do you have any prior media experience (interviews, articles, podcasts)? How comfortable are you speaking publicly?
• What is your primary motivation for seeking PR at this time?

Regarding the Book:

• What is the title and subtitle of the book? Can you give me a brief overview?
• What genre is it, and what makes it stand out?
• Who is the ideal reader for this book?
• What is the publication date? (Or, if already published, when was it released?)
• Are there any specific timely hooks or news angles related to the book’s topic?
• Have you secured any endorsements or blurbs?

Regarding Goals, Objectives, and Expectations:

• What are your top 1-3 goals for this PR campaign? (e.g., increase book sales, build author platform, secure speaking engagements, become a recognized expert in field)
• How will you measure the success of the PR campaign?
• What types of media are you most interested in (print, online, radio, podcasts, TV)? Are there specific outlets you dream of being featured in?
• What is your understanding of the PR process and timeline?
• Have you worked with a PR firm or publicist before? What was that experience like?

Regarding Target Audience and Messaging:

• Describe your ideal reader in detail.
• What is the core message or key takeaway you want the media (and their audience) to understand about your book?
• Are there any specific themes or topics from the book you feel would resonate most with the media?

Regarding Past Efforts:

• What marketing or PR activities have you already undertaken for this book or previous books?
• What were the results of those efforts?
• What challenges have you faced in getting media attention on your own?

Regarding Budget and Decision-Making:

• To ensure we propose a strategy that aligns with your investment capacity, do you have a budget range in mind for this PR project? (Note: You might provide example ranges based on past projects to help guide them, e.g., “Clients typically invest between $X,000 and $Y,000 for campaigns like this, depending on scope.”)
• Who else is involved in the decision-making process?
• What is your timeline for making a decision and starting the campaign?

Listen carefully to the answers. The author’s responses, tone, and clarity will provide valuable insights into their readiness, potential as a client, and the potential value you can deliver.

Translating Discovery Insights into Pricing Strategies

The information gathered from your author pr discovery call questions directly informs your pricing.

• Goals = Value: Ambitious goals requiring national media or specific high-tier placements justify higher, often value-based, pricing. A client focused solely on local media or niche podcasts might fit a more modest scope.
• Scope & Complexity = Effort & Cost: A book requiring significant platform building for the author, complex topic positioning, or targeting challenging media outlets will require more resources and strategic effort than one with a clear, timely hook and an author with an existing profile. This helps define project scope for fixed fees or estimate hours for retainer models.
• Budget Alignment = Qualification: An author’s stated budget helps determine if they are qualified for your standard packages. If their expectations significantly exceed their budget, it’s an opportunity to educate them on the realities of PR investment or gracefully decline the project if the gap is too wide.

Based on the call, you can structure your pricing using models common in author PR:

• Project-Based: A fixed fee for a defined scope and duration (e.g., a 3-month book launch campaign targeting specific media types). Insights help you accurately estimate the effort.
• Retainer: A monthly fee for ongoing PR efforts. Discovery helps determine the appropriate monthly investment level based on activity and goals.
• Value-Based: Pricing tied to the potential impact or outcome for the author (e.g., targeting specific high-value media mentions that directly boost author authority or sales potential). Discovery is crucial for identifying this value.

Avoid quoting a price on the spot during the discovery call. Thank the author for their time, explain your process (e.g., “Based on this conversation, I will develop a customized proposal outlining our recommended strategy and investment options, which I will send to you by [Date].”), and use the insights to build a detailed, justified proposal.

Presenting Your Proposal and Pricing Options

After the discovery call, you’ll synthesize the information to create a compelling proposal. This document should recap the author’s goals and challenges, outline your proposed strategy, and present your pricing options.

When presenting pricing, especially if you offer tiered packages or configurable add-ons (like media training, speaking engagement PR, or social media support), clarity is paramount. Confusing spreadsheets or static PDFs can make it hard for authors to see the value or compare options easily.

Tools exist to help. Comprehensive proposal software like PandaDoc (https://www.pandadoc.com) or Proposify (https://www.proposify.com) are excellent for creating full proposals with e-signatures and contracts.

However, if your primary focus is specifically on providing a modern, interactive way for clients to explore and select their pricing options before the contract phase, a dedicated tool like PricingLink (https://pricinglink.com) can be very effective. PricingLink allows you to build configurable pricing pages where authors can select packages, add-ons, and see the total investment update live, making the pricing conversation much clearer and more engaging. It’s a laser-focused solution for presenting complex service pricing transparently, designed to save you time and help clients visualize their investment.

Choose the tool that best fits your overall sales process, but remember that how you present your pricing significantly impacts the client’s perception of its value.