10
Tips and Tools For a Successful Book Launch
1. Start
at least six weeks before your target release date (2 months is even better)
and list your book for “pre-order”
at Amazon.
2. Create
a banner or “working” cover to use for blog posts in lieu of your final cover
(save the final cover for cover reveals)
3. Write
a blog post telling everyone about your upcoming release. Include sub-genre and
blurb (synopsis).
4. Ask
a few friends to post about your new release. Send them banner or “working”
cover, blurb, and your contact links. Be sure to link back to their blog in
some way, and offer to reciprocate.
5. Share
your blog post and those of your friends on all of your social media sites
(Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, LinkedIn, etc.)
6. Complete
review forms and send ARC’s (advance reading copies) to review sites and
individuals.
7. Use
Google forms to create sign-up for DIY (do-it-yourself) launch tour OR use an established
book tour service like MasqCrew,
Bewitching Book Tours,
etc. Offer hosts a choice of cover reveal, interview, feature with excerpt
(offer choice between 3 excerpts of various lengths). If you go the DIY route,
don’t forget to add a calendar to the sidebar of your blog with dates and links
for each tour host so interested readers can follow the entire tour and your
hosts don’t feel left out in the cold. I also like to create a post about each
stop along my tour.
8. At
least 2 weeks before release date (according to your word count, you might need
to do this earlier), offer ARC’s to your fan club members and list (e-mail,
newsletter) subscribers. Be sure to request that they post reviews to Amazon,
Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, and Shelfari, and send a copy or link to your
email.
9. Create
swag for your book using cover artwork (T-shirts, cover flats, keychains,
etc.). Try VistaPrints
or CafePress.
10.
Create a Facebook party. Although these
don’t generally get the turn-out they used to, they can still help get the word
out about your book. I’d suggest a 2-hr. party with a few games, questions, and
prizes, of course (GC’s, swag, and backlist books work great).
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