Launching our books doesn’t have to be a formidable task. We begin our book launch as we develop our book. While in the creative process, ideas of how the book would resonate with the reader pull in marketing and promotion ideas. Writers meet the challenge head-on with three essential P’s: Passion, Purpose, and a Plan.

Passion to launch a book begins with the project’s idea. The fervor and enthusiasm to share a fiction or nonfiction work refuses to leave us alone. The words flowed from love and an obsession to complete the work as perfectly as possible. Revisions and edits had their moments of frustration, but we are pleased with the outcome. Our zeal for our book must shine through our book launch.

Purpose is the writer’s reason for releasing the project to the world, the goal of spending hours alone weighing words. Motivation fuels our interest because we believe our book can entertain, inspire, encourage, and educate the reader. We will stretch ourselves to find ways to promote and market our book.

The plan to market our work has many layers, but with one objective in mind: to place our book into the hands of readers. The truth of a plan is the same as our writing habits. Our brains work uniquely, according to our personalities. The components of our book launch must be present, but the plan’s specifics depend on the writer.   

A timesaver from book to book is to analyze what works and what doesn’t. Don’t be afraid to discard something that no longer works or try a new method of promotion.

The following are several tips to help launch your book.

1. Organization. We can’t move forward if we don’t know how to navigate marketing and promotion. Consider a spreadsheet that the writer can assign tabs and divide the areas of tasks.

2. Research our readers. To discover who they are, we must understand the readers who prefer our type of book. What are their interests, wants, needs, problems, and goals?

Finding Our Readers

• What does my target audience read?
• What age is my target audience?
• Where does my target audience live - city, suburbs, or rural?
• What matters most to my target audience?
• Is faith a part of their lives?
• On which social media platforms does my target audience spend time?
• What are my target audience’s fears?
  
  • Aging?
  • Financial?
  • Health?
  • Relationships?
  • Loneliness?
  • Politics?
  • God?
  • Media and news?
  • Past behavior?
  • Children and grandchildren?
  • National debt?

• How is my target audience attempting to solve their problems and meet their needs?

• What is my target audience’s income?

• Does my target audience use a worldview or faith-based view in decision making?

• What is my target audience’s age bracket? Socio-economic level? Where do they hang out in person or online?

3.  Develop a professional website.

4.  Update all social media platforms.

5.  Consider a new professional photo.

6.  Update your bio.

7.  Social media is today’s handshake. We find out where our readers are online and then we join in the conversations. Social media is not an opportunity to raise a buy-me banner but an opportunity to form relationships.

8.  Master and memorize your elevator pitch. This can be used to create interest in your book, ad copy, pre-sales, garnering an agent’s or editor’s attention, and anytime someone asks: “What is your book about?”

9.  Enlist loyal and trusted readers to become a part of your street team.

10. Use a chronological plan to ensure the tasks of promoting your book are done effectively and efficiently.

11. Pinterest is an excellent way to attract new readers. While creating your book, develop a secret board that includes a variety of images according to the book’s topic. Quotes, food, charts, and additional helps for the reader add another layer to our marketing and promotion. Then make it public during book launch.

12. Develop speeches that connect to the book. If speaking is not your gift, you can learn. Consider podcasts as another option.

13. Book reviews are recommendations by readers for others to purchase our books. Various methods work. One way is to be a part of the Blue Ridge Reader Connections group. This is a free site for readers to explore fiction and nonfiction topics and an inexpensive way for writers to advertise their books in a relational environment.

14. Use a blog or newsletter to keep readers updated with information that benefits them.

15. Make sure online retailers have an updated bio and headshot. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christian Book Distributors, Kobo, independent retailers, and your publisher’s website are hotspots for readers.

16. Bookmarks are an amazing method to create interest in our books. Writers can have their publishers design them or you can create one yourself using an online tool like Printrunner.

17. Readers appreciate personalized bookplates. We can’t always sign a copy face-to-face for our readers, but we mail or email our heartfelt thanks.

18. Draw attention to the work through blog posts and/or guest blogs. Write the posts in such a way that it addresses a need or topic in your fiction or nonfiction book.

19. Short videos that are about the book, the writer’s passion for writing the project, or the inspiration behind the project can be uploaded on your website, Amazon Author Central, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc.

20. Book clubs are in the business of finding the next great read for their members. Devote a menu item or tab on your website dedicated for book clubs. For an example, look at mine on diannmills.com. Lots of giveaways, discussion questions, games, menu ideas, and fun facts help book clubs engage with your book.

21. Giveaways show we care about our readers.

22. Live Facebook and Zoom events allow the writer to connect to readers all over the world.

Need more help with your book launch? I’m only an email away.