Every book’s launch provides the most significant opportunity to gain attention and market it to target readers. When you do it well, sales will begin quickly. Finding the best book fulfillment company also matters if you sell online and take orders through your website. People today are spoiled with quick shipping and real-time order updates online. Ensuring you meet their expectations and make an excellent initial impression is crucial. Word-of-mouth promotion is one of the most potent bookselling methods, and everything you can do to make it work in your favor benefits your book in the long run.
Much thought goes into the timing of book launches, and the conventional wisdom is spring and fall. While those seasons offer many opportunities, they’re also fiercely competitive. Some authors who work and think creatively try alternative timing, and it can work, depending on your book. The dog days of summer and December holidays were considered taboo for many years, but that’s changed recently. The approach was pioneered by publicists and authors who realized the media and others are in business 365 days a year. Launching in a quieter period gives you access to more coverage options.
More in-person book launch events have resumed since the coronavirus pandemic is farther in the rear-view mirror. There’s every reason to consider one, often in a bookstore, to promote your launch. All events today can have afterlives online, so short videos and pictures can be taken at yours. It’s excellent content for social media and blog posts. You could release it as a podcast if you give remarks of any length. You can also plan virtual events and live streams to complement what you do in person. A multi-faceted program that reaches your target readers in various ways will be most effective.
Benchmarking against your competition is always a wise strategy, so check out other authors whose work you admire. If they’re planning and implementing successful book launches, can you be inspired by their ideas? Everything you do needs to be original, but you can do your version of their best ideas. It’s an evolving process, and your audience may be reading their books. Marketing is about being on-trend and just new enough to seem exciting while remaining understandable. More younger people than ever are interested in books and reading. It works in your favor when you also consider them.