Hello Authors and Emerging Authors!
A launch is a huge endeavor and so many people make it possible.
Here are a few of my tips:
1) Put together a team. You cannot do this on your own.
2) Pace yourself: I overdid it in December and got sick. Give yourself plenty of time to get things done with room for things to go wrong.
3) Don’t try to do it all. At least in my case, trying to do everything conventional-wisdom-wise was way too much. Figure out the activities you enjoy and focus there. Of course, when it came to the actual launch I (mostly) did pace myself better and it helped. I’m still healthy!
4) Ask your friends (social and business) to help you. People love to help. Sometimes it’s hard to ask for favors. Or uncomfortable. But if people can’t do it, if timing’s not right for them, they’ll let you know. If you don’t ask, you deprive them of an opportunity. Trust your friends to have good boundaries and trust the relationship to be a place where you can both be authentic.
“People love to help. Sometimes it’s hard to ask for favors. Or uncomfortable. But if people can’t do it, if timing’s not right for them, they’ll let you know. If you don’t ask, you deprive them of an opportunity.”
5) ENJOY yourself. Maybe this should be number one. If you’re stressed, you will stress the people around you. The you have fun the more everyone else will too–and the easier it will be to share your message and your gifts.
6. It isn’t about the book. Yes, we’re excited. We have a book out! We are dying to share it with the world. BUT when you’re on that podcast or Instagram interview or TV show, you are going to reach many people who never buy your book, and you have an opportunity to have an impact and inspire those people as well.
7. Chill. The more relaxed you are, the more your true gifts and authentic nature will shine forth. When you relax, love can flow through you and that is the most powerful message of all. Everything you say can be powered by that love. It’s a beautiful thing.
8. Pick your platforms. Don’t try to be everywhere.
9. Have someone monitor your social media and let you know if there’s anything urgent to respond to. Especially on launch day, you won’t be able to monitor everything all at once.
Have someone monitor your social media and let you know if there's anything urgent to respond to. Especially on launch day, you won't be able to monitor everything all at once.
10. It’s a long game: I let myself have an “imperfect” launch. There are many colleagues and friends I still haven’t contacted yet. I just couldn’t get to it all. That’s actually a good thing. It helps me sustain the launch momentum and keep reaching new people.
11. Be Generous. I’m giving away tote bags, donating to my library and losing money on these giveaways if we just look at a cash flow perspective. But the energy of giving is a powerful one. It makes you feel good and it makes others feel good. Focus on abundance rather than scarcity. (Of course, don’t spend money you can’t afford).
12. Rest. I wasn’t great at this and I’m pretty tired today. So I let myself do a little less today. Don’t let social media or amazon bestseller lists dictate your life.
13. Do check bestseller lists and hot new release lists frequently and get screen shots. These help everyone get excited and know that they are having an impact. It’s your whole community that creates for your book’s success, not you alone! Acknowledge everyone.
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14. I said it before but pace yourself. I still have so many people I want to tell about the book, thank, send tote bags too. There’s too much to do. Take it Bird by Bird a Anne Lamott would say.
Well I could go on but maybe that’s for another day.
Thanks for being there for me.
I hope these lessons are helpful for you too!
