Making sure your book launch is a success is easy! Promise! You need the steps (and maybe some dedicated sharing partners) and I’m about to give them to you.
You don’t just want to know how to launch a book. You want to know how to launch an Amazon bestselling book, how to sell as many copies as possible, and how to keep your book out in the world selling copies and creating your community forever.
If you start to Google for this info, you’re going to quickly be so overwhelmed you’ll stop. I know. I’ve done that.
Why not take a strategy that has worked for us over 75 times in a row, follow the steps, and create success?
Book marketing starts with pre-launch activities. Hopefully you’ve been working on your email list, building your platform long before you read this blog, but have no fear. If you need resources to help you with those things, come peek in The Brave Healer Resources Vault. I got you!
Or maybe you’ve decided to do a book cover launch first, to build buzz. Great idea!
Whatever the book launch strategy or book launch timeline, remember that you begin marketing a book for a successful launch the day you think of the book idea!
I’d like to breakdown a simple book launch checklist for you today. If you’d like a more detailed version, don’t forget to get the Brave Book Launch Playbook (kinda like a book launch blueprint) in the resources vault.
Whether you’re figuring out how to launch a self-published book, or you have a publisher helping with your project, this strategy is key!
The Book Launch Checklist: 7 Steps to Success!
Your book files (both exterior and interior) are edited, complete (or being finalized) and you’re headed toward getting your brave words into the world! Congrats! Here’s a basic checklist we follow to get our titles to bestsellers on Amazon, as well as build a community of fans that help us build our business after the launch!
- Reverse engineer your launch by choosing a launch date. This is the day you’ll announce the book to the world!
- Create a book launch team registration link where fans can opt-in and sign up to be on your book launch and advanced reader team. This is the key to a successful launch.
- About four to six weeks before the launch date, start inviting people to sign up for your launch team. Share this everywhere you can think of. The more the merrier, however, the more private the book launch invitation, the better. This private book launch invitation email (or text/voice message) goes a long way on launch day when your success will depend on your team coming through for you.
- Send out the ARC (advanced reader copy) for your team to read two weeks before launch day.
- Do your Publisher Rocket Research for the best and most advantageous keywords and categories for your book. This is how you all but guarantee your bestseller status on launch day.
- Get your book loaded into Kindle Direct Publishing with all appropriate keywords, categories and book data ahead of time. Double-check your design files for any red flags. You don’t want surprises on launch day!
- Make your announcement to the world on launch day and make sure you protect time in your calendar to engage with your launch team members, email lists, and social followers with a reminder to get into action to purchase and review your book! Oh, and call your mom!
Seven steps—I make it sound easy, right? It is. There are so many book launch ideas out there that when you dive into this world it can feel too overwhelming. Many people don’t have the success they could have because of this overwhelm. I get it. I self-published and hybrid-published two of my book babies to less-than-desired results because I didn’t know what I didn’t know.
Well, now I know how to do it. And it makes me sad when people come to me after a disappointing launch because they didn’t have the tools. No excuses! You have the strategy and the tools to do this!
Remember, you’re not alone. I’d be happy to chat with you about your book and we offer special book launch strategy services if you need them!
Here are some answers to some common questions we get about launches:
Q: What’s the best day of the week to launch a book?
A: We launch on Tuesdays. It’s what’s working for us. Sometimes, due to a special holiday or event, we choose other days of the week. Bottom line, do what works for your schedule and don’t pick a major holiday. The best day to launch a book is the day you have time to engage with fans and connect with people!
Q: What are the best places for a book launch party?
A: We love to partner with local small businesses to help us host parties. This is a win-win for everyone. For a full blog on the how-to of book launch events, go HERE.
Q: What’s the best time to launch a book?
A: We do them early morning Eastern time. But like the day of the week – pick what works. A book launch is really “launch week” not launch day. You’ll run your launch for 48-72 hours after the announcement and the sales will come in weeks after. Make sure you remember to send notes out to your email list to remind them of the launch, and remind them to review your book.
Q: Do I need book launch hashtags?
A: Why not! Whatever makes people finding you and your book easier, do it! We do a combination of book title and branding and business hashtags for each of our launches. We have an amazing resource for hashtag research and service (Maria Oliva Social).
Got more questions? We can’t wait to answer them! Comment or reach out to support@lauradifranco.com
Your words change the world when you’re brave enough to share them! Congrats on launching your big, beautiful, brave book!
