Sallie Dawkins

I know all the publishing experts recommend developing a launch plan months in advance, but I must confess that I didn’t do that in this case. I rarely feel like I have that much figured out ahead of time. When authors start recruiting launch teams months out, I’m more likely to forget about it. Oh, and please don’t be one of those authors who dribbles out one chapter per week by email for 20 weeks before the launch date. We're adults. Can't we be trusted to buy a book and read it in a few days before leaving a review? 

 

Every author and book is unique, and every book launch is slightly different. Flexibility is essential. In this case, it wasn’t until my final formatted copy was in the hands of beta readers that I felt I could shift gears to start planning the launch. Because this wasn’t my first book published, all essential accounts had already been established. I've walked through this process before, and the only stress I felt came from within. 

 

Even though this article is titled “Unveiling the Secrets,” there are no secrets. I followed my own advice regarding pre-planning the book launch (outlined in Chapter 14 of The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Self-Publishing for Christians). Above all else, remain flexible. My original anticipated publish date was August 4th. I tried to rush a few things to maintain that date, but this added unnecessary pressure. Launching on August 21st allowed more breathing room. I believe in keeping things simple. Typing up my launch plan details, then adding dates and deadlines for completing tasks made implementation easy (Chapter 17). Most days, my goal is to accomplish three simple tasks, and I generally start the day by asking God to order my steps. Book launch is a time for celebration and can be enjoyable.  

I prefer to publish the eBook version at least a week before the paperback version. A few days before the eBook was launched, I reached out to my FB contacts.

Celebrate with me! I’ve just tweaked my final manuscript and ordered a paperback proof copy of “The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Self-Publishing for Christians.” This project has been in the works for an entire year. A whole community of writers, authors, editors, and proofreaders have contributed to this work to create an essential self-publishing guide, and the advanced editorial reviews are great!

Are you a Christian writer looking to share your message with the world but don’t know where to start? This book will assist you in making informed decisions, allowing you to avoid wasting money, time, and energy.

The eBook launches this week, and the paperback version will launch before the end of the month. I still need a dozen more people on my launch team (it’s a party, and gifts are involved!). Launch team members agree to purchase the book during launch week (at a reduced price), leave an honest review on Amazon, and share the book with friends on social media. If you’re a writer, know a writer, or God is nudging you to write a book, I’d love to have you on my launch team.

 

Following the steps outlined in The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Self-Publishing for Christians, I posted videos and posts on three separate FB pages inviting people to join the launch party. Specifically, I asked people to do three things: buy a copy of the eBook for $0.99 during launch week, leave an honest review, and share it on their social media pages (plus contact me immediately if they notice any errors).

 

To encourage people to join my launch party, I offered an advance PDF of the book and a unique PDF book-related handout to everyone who volunteered to be on the launch team. I also scheduled a date/time for giving away prizes (a drawing for a free book, a free PDF handout of something-or-other that I can’t recall at the moment, free mock-ups, and a grand prize giveaway of one 15-minute ask-me-anything call). The prizes you give away can add value without draining your finances.

 

My goal was to have 35 people follow through with making a purchase, plus leaving a review during the first week. During the book launch recruiting period (ten days), 17 people joined my launch team. I sent each person an email outlining the launch plan and their responsibilities. The email also included book mock-up graphics for them to share on social media.