Berrett-Koehler Publishers

Berrett-Koehler’s three-person PR team knows that one-size-fits-all strategies don't cut it in today’s publishing industry. Each of its book launches, about 50 a year, comes with unique publicity needs that require strategies tailored to each one’s distinct topic, angle, and audience. Along with creating customized media outreach lists and identifying target trade outlets for each title, the team also needed social and traditional media monitoring sophisticated enough to support its authors and collaborate with any external publicists they may hire. As a small team managing a high volume of books, efficiency is key. Without the right tools, these efforts would be time-consuming and fractured, risking the viability of its growing catalog. 

Meltwater Media Intelligence and Media Relations

“Meltwater media monitoring helps us stay really ahead of the game. It's a lifesaver,” says Christy Kirk, Associate Director of Marketing at Berrett-Koehler Publishers. She and her team use the media intelligence solution to identify coverage of all of their authors that they can then share on social media channels and include in newsletters. “We know what's hit, what's landing, and we know about coverage that we didn't even pitch or know was coming, giving us some follow up opportunities. It keeps us on top of our work and lets us know our effectiveness.”

Daily email alerts keep the team on top media coverage that they can then quickly share with their authors and collaborating publicity teams. Meanwhile, unlimited keyword searches allow Berrett-Koehler team to track interest in its entire catalog, including backlist titles and perennial bestsellers, so it can proactively assess how they correspond to sales trends.

The media relations solution enables it to efficiently build custom media lists for each launch. “We love the AI function in Meltwater that helps us see and find outlets that maybe we wouldn't have found otherwise,” says Christy Kirk, Associate Director of Marketing at Berrett-Koehler Publishers. “That was really a crucial point when we renewed because it's a great tool, it's really helpful, and it works.” 

Powered by AWS Compute architecture and storage solutions, every solution in the Meltwater Suite scales instantly, ensuring data durability and availability, which helps Berrett-Koehler stay agile throughout its many, busy launch cycles. High performance and low latency enhance the overall user experience, while AWS advanced security features protect data and applications against potential threats.

Results and Benefits

Meltwater is a core part of Berrett-Koehler’s publicity operations, allowing it to centralize and streamline workflows. That capability has been critical as the team has grown, enabling it to execute more campaigns and maintain a high level of support for all of its authors. Cross-functionally, the Berrett-Koehler sales team also benefits. With PR reports in hand, it’s able to show proof of media coverage and audience interest that strengthens retailer confidence and supports sales efforts. 

Additionally, Berrett-Koehler uses Meltwater to uncover new opportunities in podcast marketing and identify programs with relevant, established listenerships. “For our authors, podcasts have just become more and more important,” says Kirk. “I know that if we find a podcast in Meltwater, it's worth the time for our authors and for our team. That's really helpful for winnowing down the massive amount of information out there.”

Meltwater gives Berrett-Koehler the capabilities it needs to do more with less and do it strategically. Whether streamlining workflows, enhancing collaboration, leveraging media wins, or staying ahead of emerging trends, the company has the suite of solutions it needs to stay at the forefront of an ever-evolving industry.