Planning & Promoting A Book Launch (6 months prior to Launch)

Identify my target audience for the particular book
- For example, it should include the types of people who would be most interested in your book as well as journalists who cover launches of books like yours. You might also consider influencers who share similar content on social media and publishing houses that might be interested. Start by creating profiles outlining the demographic and interests of the people who would most likely want to buy your book, such as age range, income, interests, and more. Also, consider their motivations.
- _________________________
- _________________________
- _________________________
- _________________________
- _________________________
- _________________________
Send ARCs to my VIP group to pre-read
Create a webpage for my book on my Author website, TKLynnBooks.com
Create a Trailer, adding to the website and YouTube
Make sure my book is added to the Amazon Author Portal
Setup a Newsletter Swap with other Authors
Prepare Social Media Post Calendar
FaceBook Ad for $20/day
Have VIP Team share and run an Ad on Social Media ($25 per Ad ran). Need to provide the Ad and criteria to each VIP member
Newsletter/Press Release Announcement (Ex. Lungs Like a Rock)
- Here are a few things you can include in the boilerplate section of your Press Release:
  - A link to your website or book’s landing page
  - Personal details or experiences if relevant to the book or to connect with readers
  - Your awards, honors, and recognitions
  - Links to positive reviews (pre- or post-launch)
  - How many copies this or your previous books have sold
  - Your background, if it supports your book (e.g., a former Fortune 100 CEO writing a book on a business strategy)
Create a Portfolio. (Canva Template Link) Your portfolio should have:
- Your photo
- The excerpt you plan to read at the signing
- Book summary
- Copy of your book cover
- Your author website
- Possible questions that can start conversation during Q&A portion of the event
- Your press release attached.
Create any desired Postcards. I like to print out a "Shoot, Tag, Share" and one for my Shop Link. Another for reviews on my book (Canva Template Here)
Distribute my Press Release & Portfolio
- Press release distribution service: The most effective way to mass distribute your press release is to use a platform like eReleases. It guarantees placement on thousands of media sites, distribution to the largest database of U.S. media and journalists, and targeting to ensure your story reaches the right ones. To find the best service to send your media release, check out the best press release distribution services.
- Direct outreach to media contacts: If you have an existing press contact list, reach out to them directly. If you don’t have a list, create one by identifying media outlets and journalists that frequently cover related topics. Then, get their contact information from websites, or submit your story through online submission forms. To pitch journalists directly by email, use an email finder like Hunter.io to get the email addresses you need.
- By mail to journalists and influencers: Sending a copy of your book and your announcement to people who blog or write about your topic can be a great way to get additional coverage. It gives these individuals a chance to review your work and pull out the information their audiences would be most interested in.
- Send to publishing companies: If you hope to be a professional author, sending a copy of your story and your book to publishing companies could be the best way to get the attention of these organizations.
- Post it on your website or blog: Post your press release on your website (or your book’s website, or both) to increase overall visibility. Unlike other types of content, having your press release on multiple websites isn’t considered duplicate content.
- Add it to the product page: Amazon has made it incredibly easy for anyone to self-publish through the Kindle platform. Add a link to your book’s media announcement to the product page and your author page on the platform if you’re selling books on Amazon.
- Distribute via social networks: Once you have a shareable link (from your website or your press release on news outlets), post a link to your social media pages so that your fans and followers can see, like, and share your news as well. You can even create social profiles for your book and use social media marketing campaigns to increase awareness and sales of your book on an ongoing basis.
- Use paid social media ads: Paid social media ads are another option for promoting your book, and individuals can use this tactic as well as businesses and organizations. Learn more about which paid social media advertising channels are best for your book and how to use them to increase book sales.
- Send to the mass media through press release distribution services like EIN Presswire. $99.99 gets your story guaranteed placement in major media outlets, including the Associated Press (AP) newswire.
Have another author send out my book release in their own Newsletter
Ask other authors in my genre to share about my book
Hand out your Portfolio when arranging any Signings.
Arrange necessary Signings at local (1) Bookstores, (2) Barnes & Noble, (3) Churches, (4) Hospitals/Medical Offices, (5) Book Clubs, (6) Writing Groups
- Ask Questions What you didn’t find in your research, should be asked upfront so you are well prepared for the next steps:
  - Books: Will they provide the books, or will you have to bring them?
  - Payment methods: Will they handle payment for books bought? If not, you will need to bring cash or another convenient payment method.
  - Marketing: How do they handle marketing for these events (and mention you are willing to help with providing any material needed)? If their marketing isn’t extensive, then you will have to do a bit more of your own marketing.
  - Equipment: What equipment will they use on the day of the book signing? You need to know whether you need to arrange your own equipment.
  - Best Media outlets: Ask which trusted media sources they use or would recommend you use to do some author marketing for the week of your book signing. Whether it be a local newspaper, radio station, or TV network.
SOI Promoting
- Create a Facebook Event for each event.
- Invite buddies: A handwritten note inviting friends, family, and author friends to attend will help make the book signing a more comfortable experience. And they’ll probably do some free promotion too since they’re your close supporters.
- Local promo: Contact the local newspapers, magazines, and radio stations and provide a promotional copy of the book, offer to do interviews, and invite those people to the book signing too.
- Fliers: Go to the community of the venue and meet the owners of coffee shops and retailers and ask to put your book signing fliers up.
- Get Social: Post book signing details on your Facebook Author Page, Instagram, Twitter, and other platforms to get the word out. Keep your followers up to date and encourage them to attend!
- Announcement: Write a few announcements for the venue to use, since they’ll circulate the details a few times before the day.
Add all Signing Events to the Google Events Calendar to be listed on the website
Prepare Event Checklist (See here)
Prepare for Actual Event (See below)
- Practice the excerpt you plan to read. If you want to make the experience more interactive you can ask the audience to pick a chapter for you to read.
  - Also, jot down some interesting questions for the staff of the venue to ask if the audience needs someone to break the ice.

Day of the Event

Have a Helper

If you don’t have someone part of your author team who will assist you at your table, ask a friend!

This person will invite people to the table, take pictures for you to post on all the socials afterward, make sure your books are stocked on the table, etc.

Reading

Introduction
- Who I am, Why I wrote, what inspired me to write the book and what I hope readers will take away from it.
Two chapter readings (15 minutes)
- Did they think I was a junkie trying to get pain medicine? Was I unimportant because I didn’t get my COVID-19 vaccine yet?…I was given medicine for my fever and instructed to buy a pulse oximeter, which… reads the oxygen saturation in your blood.(Introduction xxiii, suggested by Reader Connie K.)
- “When I tell people that I lost so much because of COVID-19, I don’t think they truly know exactly what I mean. I went from having everything to losing everything. I no longer have a home or a vehicle. Then I lose my identity, in losing my hair. I even lost my ability to breathe! I literally lost everything except my son, my faith and my love”. (Pg. 57, suggested by Reader, Melinda L-B)
- Wrap up by thanking those who helped you and thanking the location for hosting your event

Interview / Q&A (15 minutes)

Provide some suggested questions to help start the conversation.

Book signing (20 minutes)

Personalized Message

The best way to come up with original, personal messages is to work with the material you’re given…ask the fan questions! Learn about them.

Find out what’s going on in their lives and wish them luck in your message. For example, “Wishing you all the best for college!”

Catchphrase

Come up with a cool message that relates to your book. It could be a quote from the main character or related to the themes in your book.

For example, if you’re a lifestyle author, “Good luck on your self-improvement journey.”

Simple Go-To’s

Sometimes you need some quick go-to’s that never fail. Here are a few generic messages you could use when you’re stuck:

Thanks for reading
Thanks for your support
I appreciate your support
Enjoy reading

Details Of The Event

Add the date and even the name of the event or the location before your signature. This will remind the fan of that special moment.

Photo Opportunities

Create an event hashtag - Display it, announce it, and encourage your attendees to use it when they post pictures from your book signing.

Snap & Share your selfie for a chance to win! (Win Sloth, shirts, plant, etc.)

Stand next to sign with Author and book
Take a photo
Share to Social Media, such as Facebook, @TKLynn
Winner to be drawn the next day via Facebook Live

Before Leaving the Venue

Sign extra: Before leaving, sign some books for the store to keep for future sales