?If you are a publisher tasked with marketing
a book, or a self-published author looking to promote your new work, you’ll
understand just how vital a book launch is. Getting the crowds there and buying
the book, be it fiction, non-fiction, or poetry, is a vital start in getting
the sales needed to be successful. To make your book launch truly special, you
need to make it as enticing as possible.
Venue
The first way to do this is through the
venue that you choose to hold it in. While libraries and book shops are the
obvious choices – and do work well – finding a unique venue that is a little
bit out of the ordinary can intrigue your potential audience so much that they
make a point of attending your launch. After all, if you regularly go to book launches,
it becomes easier to skip the odd one unless it really grips you. This is
particularly true for any press you are hoping will be in attendance. Hosing
your book launch in a café, bar, or even one of the church venues for hire in
London, can give your event an added gravitas. An interesting venue hints at an
interesting book.
Coordinate
If you are traditionally published but organising
your own launch, it’s important to ask your publisher about the help that they
offer authors. They may give you some marketing materials and other goodies to
hand out, as well as advertising the launch through their channels. If you are self-publishing,
then get in contact with your local arts centre to see if you could
collaborate. Maybe there is another author looking to launch a book at the same
time as you. If so, you could join up for the event. This will not only mean
splitting costs, but you are much more likely to gain a larger audience – who might
buy two books instead of one! Coordinating with as many people as possible is
always advised. The arts community generally wants to promote each other and is
always willing to help a new author.
Who to Invite?
The more people you can get attending your
launch, the better. Encourage friends and family to come along and support you,
as well as those from your writing group if you have one. You can even print
flyers and put them in your local cafes and arts centres. Getting the press
involved is always a good idea. Have press kits made up and don’t be shy about
getting interviews arranged. You can also invite book bloggers and reviewers to
the launch to encourage them to write about the book and generate even more
publicity.
Have a Bookseller
Make sure that you are in contact with a reliable
local bookseller from the very beginning. You need to make sure that they can source
the book, or that you can get all of the copies directly from the publisher.
The book selling needs to be able to look after itself on the night as there
will be times when it will be quite busy. You, whether you’re the author or the
publicist, are going to have your hands full with the rest of the event, so you
need to be confident that all of the sales will be going smoothly.
Publicise
Getting the word out there is the key to any
successful book launch. After all, no one can come if they don’t know that it’s
happening. Social media is very important for writers now, and the author needs
to use this to his or her full advantage. Making a Facebook event, promoting
it, taking pictures when the cover is revealed. Anything and everything they
can to promote their new work. Bloggers have already been mentioned. Many would
be happy if an author wanted to go on what’s known as a ‘blog tour’, answering
questions about their book and writing process or even their favourite authors.
Whatever the blogger wanted in exchange for some promotion for their new book.
Don’t forget about the importance of the phone call or even the text message.
If an author reaches out in person to ask people to attend, then they’re much
more likely to get a positive response.
Think About Your Audience
Some refreshments are expected, make sure
that you have someone taking care of this. It usually includes wine or soft
drinks – there’s no real need to offer anything more. Just something for the
audience to sip while they chat and mingle with others. When the author gives a
reading, it shouldn’t be too long. There should also be no long winded explanation
about how they found themselves writing the book. Brief is best, give the
audience a taste, but don’t bore them. After that’s done, the author needs to
be prepared to sign copies of the book and talk to the people who have so
kindly turned up to the launch. Time needs to be spent showing how much you
appreciate the turnout. Too many authors spend the time talking only to their
friends – it’s important to mingle with the people that you don’t know but who
obviously have an interest in the book. At the same time, it’s important that you
enjoy yourself. This is your night after all and it’s time to take the time to
revel in its success. This is true whether you are the author – or just the
organiser.
Launching a book is an exciting time for
any author. Whether it’s your first book or your fifth, the launch is just as
important to get right every time. By choosing a truly unique venue and
advertising the event well in advance and to as many people as possible, you
are sure to have a launch night to remember.
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