How To Successfully Self-Publish Books With a Small Platform (Part 3)
This is the third post in our series on how to self-publish a book when you’re not an A-Lister. We’ll continue in this free webinar I’m hosting on Tuesday April 22 at 8 pm CST/9 EST, details here. All your questions will be answered live!
Look, can you do this and do it well? Yes! You have to adjust your expectations and see this for the opportunity that it really is. Let your first book be just that, your first book, from there launch more books or more products and services, really build a business that supports your family.
Let’s pick up where we left off:
5. Form a launch team. You may have heard about this strategy but like everything we’ve talked about, we’re going to do it differently. We will form two launch teams: one will be bloggers who will review the book on their blog, share on social media and write an Amazon review, the second team will be people who don’t have a blog but will share on social media and write an Amazon review.
The point of having two teams is to keep things organized. You want to send specific instructions to each team and since they’re both doing different things, it wouldn’t make sense to communicate with them both at the same place. Usually with launch teams, there’s a Facebook group offered as a bonus, we’re not going to do that.
If you’re like me, you’re probably in twenty groups already and after a while, you lose interest and aren’t active anymore. This has been my experience when I formed Facebook groups for my launches and groups I’ve been a part for other launches, it’s not effective anymore. The way we will communicate with our launch team is through two separate email lists.
The purpose of the launch team is to use the power of numbers and bigger networks. When forming the launch team, we won’t just take anyone. They have to have a similar audience or something close. If they don’t, we’ll have them on the second launch team. This team will help let the world know your book and bonuses are out there and ready for people to get them.
To form a launch team, create a separate email list with your email service provider, create a form that asks the questions you want answered. Here’s an example of a form I created for my first launch team:
Your goal is to get as many people as many to help you promote your book during launch week, also get as many reviews as possible on Amazon. I’ll address this more in the free webinar I’m doing.
6. Start teasing the book. We’re going to let your audience and the launch team’s audience know it’s coming and we’re going to remind them regularly but in fun ways. Contests, giveaways, etc. The sooner you start promoting, the better the book will do, start making the book and your platform top of mind to potential buyers.
The launch team should start promoting three weeks before the book launches, have them promote the book causally. At the end of one of their blog posts or on social media, have them show the cover for the book and how excited they are to be reading an advanced copy of the book. Your goal is to plant the seed in people’s minds.
As the launch gets closer, have contests where you give away copies of the book for people who share, give away some of your other products and even coaching sessions. This will serve a duel purpose, you’ll get people excited about winning stuff for free and you’re also letting people know that your services and products are really valuable.
That way during launch week when you start packaging, people will see the real value in what you’re offering. Plus it’s a good chance to get some reviews and testimonials for your other offerings.
7. Prep the launch team. The launch team should read and have their review and promotions all set up one week before the launch. We will help with the social media promotion copy by setting up quotes and things we want the launch teams to share, all they have to do is copy and paste.
We will work on this two weeks before the book launches. We’ll put some time into thinking about what to say, good copy that appeals to your target audience. Prepping the launch team means really guiding them, letting them know exactly what you want them to do and when to do it.
8. Stack up guest posts and interviews. We want as many as possible two weeks before the book launches and during the four days of the launch. Use every connection you have, offer something for free to those willing to feature you, like a free book to one of their audience members.
Give people an incentive to feature you and again, highlight your story. Go to BlogTalk Radio, they have over 30 million listeners worldwide, Google the right sites to guest post for. One key is to give yourself enough lead time. Guest posts on larger sites or interviews are usually set up weeks and maybe even months in advance.
When you’re sitting down figuring out when to launch, plan enough time to work out the interviews and guest posts, they will be crucial. Reach out to anyone and everyone who speaks to your target audience.
This is the end of part three. I’ll be getting deeper in the free webinar I’m doing and we’ll end the series on Tuesday. You’re going to launch not only your book but many other offerings that will support you and your family, trust me!
What questions would you like me to answer about self-publishing a book with a small platform?
