For an author, one of the most invigorating times in your book’s publication journey is that immediately surrounding its launch date. It’s also the most opportune time for marketing—while your book is considered frontlist. Frontlist titles are books that are about to be or have recently been released. There are several reasons frontlist titles are easier to market. They’re “fresh, exciting, and ripe for promotion;” if published via the traditional publishing route, these titles are part of that publisher’s frontlist catalog, which “is crucial for driving sales and capturing the attention of readers, booksellers, and librarians who are eager to discover fresh, contemporary works.” Essentially, new means newsworthy, and newsworthy means easier to promote.
Of course, focusing all your marketing efforts during your book’s frontlist era doesn’t guarantee successful sales—consistency is key, as is maintaining momentum. If you’ve been following the earlier entries in this series, How to Market Your Book: Prepublication Preparation and How to Market Your Book Part 2: Prelaunch Promotion, you’ve learned what foundational marketing tools you can develop—an author platform and network—and how to employ those tools strategically to generate buzz for your book leading up to its release. Now, the focus is on leveraging the tools and momentum you’ve been nurturing to amplify the excitement surrounding your book’s release, boosting its sales, visibility, and audience engagement.
Celebrate Your Launch
Your book’s launch date isn’t just a target or a deadline; it’s a reason to celebrate! Invite your audience to join the celebration through social media posts, email campaigns, your newsletter, and other media or network outreach opportunities. Sharing your joy with with your audience can amplify their excitement. You may even choose to host a celebratory launch event, online or in person, to strengthen your connection with your audience and further their engagement.
To avoid overwhelming your audience—and yourself—with a sudden onslaught of launch-day content, consider turning your launch “day” celebration into a launch “week.” Dispersing your promotional efforts over a week rather than solely on your launch day also grants you the opportunity to hold multiple launch events—such as Q&A sessions, book signings, and panel discussions—both in person and online to reach a broader audience.
Apply for Awards
Your work deserves recognition. What better way to earn that recognition than submitting your book for an award? “Book awards offer a powerful opportunity for independent authors and publishers to build credibility, increase discoverability, and gain new readers.” Some award contests offer monetary prizes; all offer the opportunity for publicity and prestige. Winning an award tells prospective book buyers that your book’s excellence has been recognized by industry experts, encouraging those who may have been on the fence to give your book the chance it deserves.
As with everything else in your marketing endeavors, it’s important to choose the awards you apply for strategically. There are several reputable book awards out there, but not all are going to be the right fit for your book. Make sure you read the award contest’s submission guidelines and follow them meticulously. Check for submission windows in relation to your publication date and what criteria the judges consider. Look at previous winners to see if any titles are comparable to yours, helping gauge your book’s fit for the award.
To peruse some of the contests open to indie authors and publishers, see Indies Today’s List of Book Awards Contests. Keep in mind that applying for award contests often involves a cost, whether that means sending in copies of your book or paying an entry fee; be strategic with where you focus your resources.
Amplify Early Praise and Publicity
While you may have gathered some early reviews from distributing ARCs, now that your book is publicly available, more reviews may begin rolling in. And, if you’ve applied for an award, you may have received some updates from the contest holders. Share any and all of your book’s well-deserved praise across your author platforms to entice new readers.
To expand your reach, you can also write a press release announcing your book’s publication and any upcoming events to distribute to your local newspapers, radio stations, magazines, and other relevant media outlets. If you’re new to the realm of press releases, check out Marketers Media’s Book Press Release Guide for tips on crafting, formatting, and distributing your press release, including effective examples.
Engage With Your Network
We’ve mentioned this before, but it’s vital to maintain consistent engagement with your network. Your network comprises your book’s strongest initial supporters—those who have been following you and your book for some time now and want to see it succeed. There’s a decent chance the majority of your book’s early praise and publicity came from members of your network, as well—consider taking a moment to express your gratitude for their support.
There may be a lot of marketing work surrounding your book’s release, but that doesn’t mean you can’t allow yourself to enjoy the moment too. Your book’s publication is a massive achievement—congratulate yourself and bask in the excitement of sharing that accomplishment with the world.
Drop your questions about marketing your book in the comments, and keep up with our blog for more tips on how to market your book after its time in the frontlist passes.
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