3 Budget-Friendly Book Launch Tactics
Some authors believe that the best time to launch a book is after you the publish button. The reality is that launching your book begins before it's available to readers.
Regardless of your genre, the number of books you've released in the past, or how long you've been an author, the methods below are universal. More importantly, they can help you get the word about your book to readers.
If you're making a run for a bestseller list, then you'll want to use other strategies because making a list run requires a larger budget. If you're looking for ways to launch your next book release without breaking the bank, however, then keep reading.
1. Website
As soon as your pre-order is available, add the book to your website. If you have a books page on your site, you will definitely want to add it there. You can also add it to the homepage so that readers are sure to see it. Other things you can add to your website are an excerpt of the book, a music playlist, or any other type of free bonus content.
2. Newsletter
Having a newsletter plan is essential to a book launch. Here are some suggested times when to send newsletters to your readers. You can adjust as needed based on your current newsletter plan, how many newsletters your plan allows you to send, and so forth.
- The day the preorder goes live
- A week before the book releases
- The day the book releases
- One week after the book releases
- One month after the book releases
3. Social Media
The trick to updating your social media to let readers know about your upcoming release is timing. If you do it too soon, then readers might get tired of waiting and stop believing that you'll ever release the book. The last thing you want to do is lose the trust you've worked so hard to build with them.
You will want to formally announce the book's release when the pre-order goes up. If you aren't doing a pre-order, then you can announce when you get the final round of edits back from the editor and have a firm release date in place. In the meantime, be sure to post content related to the book's setting, plot, or theme.
Some examples of related content include…
- Facts and trivia
- Engaging questions
- Videos, live or otherwise
And finally, you can always host a giveaway to promote your new book. Select a prize related to the item instead of giving copies of the book away. When you promise a copy of the book as a prize, readers could hold off on buying until they see if they've won. This increases the risk that they'll lose interest by the time the giveaway ends, and nobody wants that to happen.
If you need help with your next book launch, then the Novel Publicity PA services team is only a message away. Head over to www.novelpublicity.com/hire to kickstart the process!