Book Marketing: 1 Easy Way to Reduce the Stress of a Book Launch Event

• Keen to kickstart the marketing of a new book by staging  a physical book launch but nervous of how much work it might involve?  
• Like to celebrate the birth of your book with a party but nervous of standing in the spotlight?
• Want to hold a launch event but just too exhausted from writing and publishing your book to take on that additional challenge?

(Image by pippalou via morguefile.com)

It Takes an Author…

Read on for one easy solution to all of those problems…

Let's think back a moment – what did you do with any tasks in the self-publishing process that you didn't feel were your areas of expertise? You delegated? Right answer!

In the same way that you farmed out your editing, proofreading, design, formatting, etc, you can also spread the load of your launch event by engaging another person.

This doesn't need to be expensive. We're not talking wedding planners here. In fact, you probably already know someone who'd be willing to step in and help you: a fellow indie author.

Are you happy in the spotlight? (image by dijbo via morguefile.com)

It Takes an Author…

A fellow indie author will know exactly how you are feeling, will probably have been to quite a few book launch events themselves so be familiar with the protocol, and maybe even have hosted their own. But, unlike you, he or she won't be wracked with nerves due to emotional investment in the book to be launched, nor be battle-weary from writing and publishing it.

While indie authors who are introverts may not be keen to take on such a role, there are plenty of extravert authors who would jump at the chance to share the stage with you.

How They Can Help You

Ask your chosen author buddy to do any or all of the following to lighten your load:

• brainstorm ideas to help you plan the right format for the event
• come along on the day to welcome guests on arrival while you concentrate on preparing your presentation
• take the stage to act as MC, introducing you, fielding questions from the audience, etc
• take pictures or videos on your behalf
• help you clear away at the end

They say virtue is its own reward, but all of these actions would bring your collaborators other more tangible benefits:

• raise their own social media profile before your followers
• give them useful experience for when their own turn comes to stage an event
• help them build their own relationship with the bookshop or other venue where you stage it
• score brownie points that they can reclaim from you to help at their own launch when it happens

And if you're willing to reciprocate next time they have a book to launch, even better.

Useful ALLies

Chances are, if you're an ALLi member, you'll already know some indie authors in your neighbourhood who might be interested. If not, you can always post a request on our members' forum (one of the many benefits of joining ALLi).

But if you're still not convinced that you should hold a physical launch event, that's fine too. It's not compulsory, and there are so many other ways you can launch it online instead.

Ah, the joys of being indie!

OVER TO YOU What's been your experience of physical book launches? Do you plan to hold one for your next book? Do you have top tips to share about launches? We'd love to know!

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