SPA Girls Podcast – EP162 – How To Launch Like A Pro

In response to a few recent questions we've been asked on this topic, we decided to talk through the basics of launch strategies for first-time or early career authors, or for authors starting off a new series or pen name. 

It's sometimes difficult to know what you should do when you're launching a new book. We all want to make sure our book babies do as well as they possibly can when we launch, but there's also a whole lot of often contradictory advice out there on the best way to do it. 

This episode is about distilling the best of the best launch advice out there for authors, so that you can make the right decisions about your launch strategy. Go forth and conquer! 

In response to a few recent questions we’ve been asked on this topic, we decided to talk through the basics of launch strategies for first-time or early career authors, or for authors starting off a new series or pen name.

It’s sometimes difficult to know what you should do when you’re launching a new book. We all want to make sure our book babies do as well as they possibly can when we launch, but there’s also a whole lot of often contradictory advice out there on the best way to do it.

This episode is about distilling the best of the best launch advice out there for authors, so that you can make the right decisions about your launch strategy. Go forth and conquer!

Questions to understand:

KU or Wide
How fast can you write?
How fast are other top sellers in your genre publishing?
The more books you have, the more power your promotions and options are, so focus on production of at least three in a series.

Slow and Steady Launch, Single Book Exclusive to Amazon/in KU

KU enrolment is three months (90 days) and you can set your book your book to free for five days promotion.

Month one:        Upload at full price (see others in your genre for price guide), promote on social media, friends’ newsletters etc

Month two:        Use 3 free days and book ads where you can to promote those three free days – goal is to get readers and newsletter signups

Month three:     Use final 2 days promo – repeat as above.

Day 89: decide whether KU worth staying in or not (Temper expectations: probably won’t make much money at all with just one book up.)  If not, then uncheck the enrolment box.

Slow Wide Launch with Permafree & Pre-Orders

Publish three books in series, make first in series permafree and direct all advertising to that. Books can be published either together, fast release (one month apart) or slower with pre-orders.

99c Faster Launch of New Author -Amazon Exclusive

(inspired by Susan Kay Quinn)

Prep:

Write book and accompanying short piece in the world – upload short piece (novella, short story) to Prolific Works and Bookfunnel gather subscribers.

Create paperback version of book and get as many reviews as possible (friends’ arc teams, booksprout) so that when epub is uploaded, there are 5 – 10 reviews.

Launch:

Upload to Amazon in KU at 99c price for 7 – 30 days, then raise to full price

As soon as live, book ads in first week after official release over the next 5 – 7 days; do facebook ad

Repeat books 2 – 3 and onward

Upsized Launch with fries (KU or Wide)

Write freebie magnet to get mailing list subscribers

Write all three books in series and launch together, with pre-order for #4

Discount or permafree first in series; full price other books

Book ads for discounted first book – ongoing in bookbub, facebook, ad lists

Points to Remember

There are two schools of thought re launching all together vs one week apart to stay in Hot New Releases list longer – for some it works best all together, and others it works best one week apart. No-one can tell you what will happen for your books.

Experiment, be willing to try different things, don’t let the stress of launching stop you. Just pick one way that feels best for you and go for it.

Load your book 2 to 3 days BEFORE your official announced launch day to allow retailers time to make “live”.

If you have a mailing list, spread your launch announcements out over a few days to different segments of the list to spread purchases out

Links:

Draft to Digital Holiday Deadlines:

https://www.draft2digital.com/blog/winter-holiday-is-coming/

Susan Kay Quinn : http://susankayequinn.com/2017/08/how-to-launch-a-new-author.html

Bookbub Launch Guide: https://insights.bookbub.com/ultimate-guide-promoting-book-launch/

Mark Dawson Launch Podcast: https://selfpublishingformula.com/spf-013-how-to-launch-a-book/