So You Want to Self-Publish: Stage Thirteen

STAGE THIRTEEN: RELEASE PROMOTION

So you’ve finished a book, and you are getting ready to launch it – this is the time when you need to decide exactly what promotion you will be utilizing for the release of your book. Some avenues I’ve taken:

·         Release Blitz/Blog Tour – I’ve hired companies who have set this all up for anywhere between $30-$80. I’ve also found that having my PA set this up and creating the HTML post and Facebook post myself works just as well and doesn’t cost me any extra money. My PA uses Google docs for the sign-up form and utilizes her blogger list she’s built up over time.

·         Thunderclap – I’ve launched multiple “successful” Thunderclap campaigns in my time, however, I haven’t seen many results immediately after. Thunderclap is an app that has supporters sign up to either tweet or FB message a preset message of your choosing the day you set the campaign to go live. Most people use these in the case of a sale or new release. I’m sure it can be successful if utilized in the correct way. I haven’t quite figured that out yet.

·         Newsletter blast – Letting your newsletter subscribers know when you release a new book is one of the easiest and most effective ways of release promotion. I use Mailchimp for my newsletter distribution. It’s easy to understand and follow.

·         Reviews – setting up reviewers ahead of time to post release day and release week reviews is also an effective marketing strategy. Generally, I like to have at least 10 release day reviews. I have a review team I enlist for this every release.

·         Recruit Street Team Members – Find Readers/Reviewers who really connected to your words and ask them if they’d like to join a street team/reading group! You’d be surprised how many people are actually interested in something like that.