This is it! It’s the most exciting day in your life and career as an author. After months, even years of writing the manuscript, it now rests in the palm of your hand. What do you do next? Launch it, of course! Now that you have solid evidence of your writing efforts, it’s time to let the avid readers out there know that there is something more to add to their library. One of the best marketing techniques that you can use is to host a book launch event. So how do you go about doing this which also helps market your book? Let’s find out.

What is a book launch?

Book launches refer to any form of activity that is created to promote the release of a book. It’s a nifty marketing technique that is mainly done to create awareness for a book and help initiate sales of the book.

Various ways to launch a book

Today’s generation of authors have access to hundreds of marketing channels thanks to the age of the internet and social media. The challenge lies in how well an author can utilise all the methods at his/her disposal. The secret to effective book marketing is consistency and a well thought out and executed strategy. Here are a couple of interesting ways to launch your book.

Offline methods:

• Go on a book tour: Touring is common practice among most professionals in the arts and crafts field. Writing is an art form that is universally appreciated, so if you’ve got the right resources, pack your bags and head out for a world tour. Touring ensures worldwide exposure for your novel as well as yourself, plus a chance to release your novel in multiple languages should the experience pay off.

• Organise a reading session: Book reading sessions are a great way to give early access to potential buyers of your novel.  All you have to do is approach potential venues like bookstores, libraries, places of worship, parks and schools. Reading sessions invite the chance of a very personal moment between author and reader; you may even build a loyal fan base. You can also host reading sessions at various book clubs across India.

• Join a writer’s club: Needless to say, writer’s clubs are the best place to find other aspiring authors who have either released or about to release their first book. If you fall into either category, joining a writer’s club will help you generate more interesting writing, editing designing and marketing ideas- the complete package. Café spots are known to be great places for writers to meet up.

• Design and promote merchandise relating to your book:  Merchandising, especially in an excessive manner in normally done after a book gets highly rated and popular. However, you still opt for merchandising in a smaller scale- printing your character or certain dialogues of your book on T-Shirts, mugs and wallpapers.
• Enhance your PR with radio broadcasts, TV talk-shows, press events and workshops: Classic offline media like TVs, newspapers and the radio still hold strong value in today’s internet savvy world. Take advantage of these mediums by making an appearance. Attending workshops as a guest host will give you a chance to connect with a niche audience.

Online methods:

• Create a website: Creating an author website should be the first thing you do when you plan to build an online presence for your book launch. The website will serve as the base for all other types of online promotions plus it adds credibility to your image as an author.

• Go crazy with blogging/vlogging: One of the quickest ways to make your presence felt online is to update content in the form of text and video regularly. Set up a blog on WordPress and a channel on YouTube and start sharing informative and entertaining content that hints the release of your book. The more you share, the better exposure and credibility you will build up.

• Share on your social media pages: The easiest way to share all sorts of information today is through social media. Each platform has something unique to offer, so pick the one that fits your novel’s theme and start promoting your book. As you build more steam and increase your follower base, you can start expanding your marketing strategies across other social media platforms. Also, make sure to avoid common social media marketing blunders.

• Contact influencers: Influencers are people who have established a strong follower base due to their expertise in a certain subject. There are lots of influencers who share book reviews on their pages; contact as many as you can and request them to review and promote your book as well.
• Sign up with Amazon and Ingram: Even after your book is launched, it is highly recommended to convert your book into an eBook. EBooks are cheaper to make and easier to promote and the best platforms to distribute your eBook are Ingram and Amazon. If your eBook gains traction on these sites, you’ll have more confidence in promoting the physical copies.

Planning a book launch

Let’s assume that you’ve managed to build up quite a lot of attention by marketing the launch of your book online as well as offline. Do you stop there? Obviously not! The ultimate way to boost your credibility as an author and be recognised among the best authors on the planet is to host a book launch party. Here’s how to plan a successful book launch.

Pre-launch

• Gather an email list: E-mails are the best way to send out reminders to your follower base about an upcoming book launch party. If your book launch marketing strategies both offline and online were done well, you should have gathered a good number of emails.
• Choose a good venue, day and time: Search and research for possible venues for your book launch. You can contact event management companies for a better understanding. It all boils down to how much you are willing to spend and how much space is needed. The best day and time to choose would be mid-week after 7 pm or Sunday afternoons.

During the launch

• Take photos and live feeds: You are the host as well as the celebrity at the book launch party, so it is important to be camera ready! You must hire professional photographers and videographers to capture every moment during the launch. Followers who could not make it to your event will still be treated to a live show of it, giving you traction on social media.
• Entertain the crowd: Your guests are here to have a good time, so don’t bore them with a long session of a book read. Instead, opt for more entertaining ways to talk about your book like the story of how it all began, slide-shares of your days while writing the book or even a live acting performance of a chapter in your book. Nearing the end of the party, make sure to sign free giveaways of your book for each guest personally.

Post-launch

Following up is an essential element after the completion of any event. The best way to follow up is to post photos of the event on your website, blog and social media pages. You must also make it a point to thank every attendee through emails personally.

Benefits of book launch marketing

Remember, a book launch is not meant for selling your book; it is means of generating publicity and interest among readers and critics about a newly released book and a potentially great author. Here are a few benefits of book launch marketing.

• Creates an author brand: The world’s most successful authors think beyond simply writing and releasing books year by year; they think about creating an author brand and establishing themselves as the best in their genre of writing. Hosting a successful book launch takes you a step closer to creating an author brand. Now that people are aware of your existence, they will expect more from you, which gives you a reason to exceed those expectations.

• Boosts book sales: People who have attended your book launch party are definitely going to talk about it. This will directly help in boosting the sales of your book.
• Notifies high profile publishers: Independent author who has successfully hosted a book launch are closer to getting tie-ups with major traditional publishing houses. This can prove to be a boon as it will enhance your rating and credibility as an author as well as give you more than enough resources to host bigger book launches for future titles.

If you’re planning a book launch and need a little help in doing so, contact Notion Press. Our Book Marketing packages will pave you the best road on your journey to becoming an international bestselling author.