LAUNCHING: Planning Is A Priority
Developing a Book Launch Plan Get's Your Book Off To A Great Start
TUESDAY
As I mentioned in Monday’s Writing article, I believe Launching is the Second Secret to book publishing success and it involves creating a plan to launch your book. Most people just worry or think about writing and publishing. I can’t tell you how many posts or comments I have seen over the years in different forums, where people say I published my book on Amazon, why is no one is buying it. I just shake my head.
Book Publishing and any other form of publishing is a business like any other business. You need to engage in the business if you want to be successful. That means investing time, energy and yes money. You must spend time learning and developing a plan of action. How will you sell your book?
So what is a Launch Plan?
A Launch Plan is basically a mini-marketing plan. As a self-publisher or indie author, you need to start developing that Plan at least 3 to 6 months before you plan to publish your book. Most people write their book … then they publish their book … then they go “oh!” you mean I have to market my book? Yes and more than that you have to Launch (get it off to a bang up or winning start) and then you have to learn all of the distribution opportunities (who will actually buy your book) besides your sister or your neighbor.
A LAUNCH Plan includes:
creating a budget for your book launch
knowing your audience and where to find them
building a list of potential buyers before you publish
connecting with those buyers through newsletter, social media, a website on an ongoing basis not just when you are trying to sell them something
deciding on a launch date (so you can back out the following tasks)
developing an email sequence
writing copy and designing social media or other graphics
deciding if you will discount your book for a short time period
creating a street team (5-10 people) who will help you or share your information with their friends, family or audiences
tracking your results once you actually launch … hit the publish button.
All these activities and any other like a local book signing, or online zoom party or other activities depending on your genre, budget and creativity, need to be done before you publish. So how do you do that? You have to simultaneously engage in these activities while you are editing or formatting your book. I will discuss each of these tasks more fully in future articles.
The reason you have to develop this plan is because it takes time, energy and sometimes money to get these tasks done.
You can’t call someone up even a GOOD FRIEND and say “Hey, I am publishing my book tomorrow will you send an email out to all your family, friends or list?” The answer is NO!!! People are happy to help you but they have their own plans and activities. Show them some courtesy by giving them time to work this huge FAVOR into their schedule.
Maybe you can design your own social media graphics or flyers to promote your book or maybe you need to pay someone to do it for you. This takes usually a minimum of 3-5 days if not longer depending on if you have a relationship, how many other projects they are working on and the budget you have to spend. The quicker you want it the more it cost!
As I always say, book publishing has a lot of moving parts. Most writers enjoying learning and there is plenty to learn about book publishing especially if you have never done it before. But … there is nothing like holding that published book in your hand and feeling the sense of accomplishment that you did it! You wrote that book you dreamed of writing and now you are putting it out there … so do it RIGHT!
CREATE A LAUNCH PLAN! If you have questions please place them in the comments or ask in the chat and I will try to address them at the time, through email or in a future article. I look forward to hearing what you are working on.
Cheers to your launching success, Liz