10 Components of a Successful Facebook Live Book Launch Party

By Lori Hatcher @LoriHatcher2
In April’s post,  “5 Reasons You Should Host a Facebook Live Book Launch Party – Pandemic or Not,”  I shared how my in-person launch party for  Refresh Your Faith, Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible  suddenly morphed into a Facebook Live book launch party because of the nationwide shelter-at-home order. 
In May’s post,  “15 Tips for Hosting a Successful Facebook Live Book Launch Party,”  I gave you my best suggestions for a stellar virtual event.
Today, I’d like to share ten components of a successful Facebook Live Book Launch Party.

1. Use an agenda and script. There’s no need to write a word-for-word script. You’ll appear more natural and conversational if your eyes are on the camera, not on your notes. You will want to make sure you have an order of events, an engaging opening, and a strong close. A cheat sheet will help you with nervousness and brain freeze, keep you on track, and eliminate dead spots in the broadcast.

2. Begin with a strong hook. Because you’ll post the video on your page after the party, viewers who didn’t attend will encounter your video while scrolling through their feed. The first minute of footage will help them decide if they want to keep watching. Give them a reason to stay.

3. Share the what and the why. Tell viewers why you’re having a party and what they can expect if they stick around. “I’m Lori Hatcher, and we’re here today to celebrate the launch of my new devotional, Refresh Your Faith, Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible. We’ll be playing games, sharing conversation, and giving away prizes, including several signed copies of my book, gift cards, and other goodies. We’ll laugh, have fun, get to know each other, and be refreshed in our faith.” Repeat this several times throughout the event for people who have just signed on.

4. Explain the giveaways. I awarded an entry for each person who watched, every time they participated in one of the discussions, shared the event on social media, and played a game.

5. Tell people where they can purchase your book. Many publishers will offer a special launch week price if they know you’re planning an event. Ask your publicist. My publisher, Our Daily Bread Publishing, offered a 40 percent discount the week of my launch.

6. Ask several questions that relate to your book’s theme. I asked, “During this shelter-at-home season, have you found it easier or harder to have regular devotions?; and During spiritually-dry times, what have you done to refresh your faith? I awarded an entry into the door prize drawing for each answer.

7. Play a game. I created a “How Well Do You Know the Author?” game with 15 questions about myself with multiple choice answers. Everyone kept track of their own answers, and I awarded a prize for the person who got the most questions correct.

8. Thank those who have helped make the book (and the launch) possible. There’s no nicer way to acknowledge your spouse’s, family’s, friends’, editors’, publishers’, and publishing house’s dedication and commitment than to thank them publically. Mentioning them on air is a great way to send kudos their way.

9. Thank guests for attending. Just like you’d express appreciation to friends for attending an in-person party, thank your viewers for taking time out of their schedule to attend your virtual party. Commend them for joining in the conversation, supporting you on your writing journey, and praying for you. Don’t take their attendance for granted. They could have done a hundred other things during that hour, but they chose to spend it with you.

10. Close in prayer. I asked my pastor/husband to end the evening by asking God to bless the book and those who will read it. Ending with prayer is a sweet way to pay tribute to the God who orders the events of the universe, including the timing of pandemics and book launches. 

I never imagined I’d be launching a book in the middle of a pandemic. Proverbs 16:9, “A man’s heart plans his way. But the LORD directs his steps,” brought me comfort as I watched my plans for an in-person party disappear like hand sanitizer and toilet paper.

But God is sovereign. He knows what’s best. Once I surrendered my plans to Him and asked Him to guide me, I realized a Facebook Live party would be the best way to launch my book. Looking back, I’m glad I did. I suspect you might be, too.

Now it’s your turn. What’s the most unusual way you’ve ever launched a book? Share your story and join the conversation.

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10 Components of a Successful Facebook Live Book Launch Party - @LoriHatcher2 on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Lori Hatcher loves to teach, train, and encourage writers by sharing what others have generously shared with her. She’s the author of several devotional books including   Refresh Your Faith – Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible   and  Hungry for God … Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women  , the 2016 Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year. The editor of  Reach Out, Columbia  magazine, she’s also a blogger, writing instructor, and inspirational speaker. You’ll find her pondering the marvelous and the mundane on her blog, Hungry for God. . . Starving for Time . Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter (@LoriHatcher2), or Pinterest (Hungry for God).