Ask the Publisher: How to Successfully Launch a Book — Part 3
Hello again, and welcome back to this series on How to Successfully Launch a Book. With only two months to R-Day we are getting down to the short strokes in the book launch process!
Two Months to Launch
Send out review copies
Now is the time to send print books and digital ARCs to those bloggers and librarians interested in reviewing. Include such ‘swag’ as themed bookmarks or printed character cards.
Prepare a reader guide
If you haven’t already done so, prepare a reader guide for your book. Depending on your book, these will be appropriate for teachers/teacher librarians or book clubs.
Prepare creative graphics
Start preparing and releasing creative graphics that can be used on postcards or on publisher/author social media with quotes from the author, quotes from the book, digital character cards, or praise for the book. Remember, when posting on social media ensure pre-order links are included. Create bonus content
Readers love getting free content and tying that content to an upcoming release can help readers get excited for that book. The goal with sharing this type of bonus content is to simply give the readers more and build further engagement with you and your writing.
For example, two of our upcoming middle grade books are illustrated. I will be working with those two authors to build a series of blog posts that give bonus content around each of the illustrations.
Share early reviews
Early reviews can make great promotional graphics! These reviews might come from major publications, retailers, bloggers, Amazon Goodreads, or NetGalley. A publisher will also use these reviews to build out the retailer pages on Amazon and create early buzz.
One month before the book launch
Now’s the time to post more regular updates to create excitement directly ahead of the release!
Countdown to release day
Continue the activities above while building excitement by creating countdowns to the on-sale date on your social media This will regularly remind fans of the launch date (while encouraging them to preorder). One month, one week, and one day are good time frames to promote.
Love Pinterest? Create a book board!
Here is a fabulous way to include all the items you created in the last several months in one place for the book!
Share a book trailer video
Book trailers are a wonderful peek inside the book. If you or your publisher creates a book trailer — or any special videos or graphics — to promote your book, be sure to promote those on social media to build more buzz!
Create a personal connection
Share glimpses of your author life, and how excited you are about your upcoming release. To build engagement, offer a chance to win a prize in exchange for sharing their own content relating to your book!
Consider sharing personal details, what inspired the book, or who you dedicated the book to. Readers are always looking for more information, and any extra personal ties to the book you can share makes the content all that more engaging and meaningful for them.
Coming up next: It’s book launch day! How will you make the most of it? Then, you need to ride the wave and continue to engage in post launch activities. We will show you how.