The launch of your new book is not all about social media! In this article, we’ll highlight how you can engage your close connections—whether personal friends or newsletter subscribers—through email on launch day.
1. Connect with your community personally.
It might be hard to redirect your sales-pitch-focused brain in the throes of a launch week, but if there’s any place to get personal, it’s here. Be genuine in your excitement and fully introduce the book, but don’t forget the personal element. What inspired you to write this book? What do you hope readers will find in it?
Remember: No matter what genre you write, you’re a storyteller. This is your chance to tell your own story of how your book came to be.
2.Ask directly for support!
As authors, we can sometimes be shy about reaching out to even our closest friends. That feeling is completely natural, but at the same time, friends, family, and close contacts want to know exactly how they can support you. If you’re reaching out to a mailing list, remind yourself that these readers want to hear from you.
Often, there are multiple ways a reader can help, so give them plenty of options. Some examples include buying your book (of course!), attending a live event, posting about the book on their social media, or amplifying your existing launch day posts.
3.Include simple buy links for them to use—and to share!
For a Penguin Random House author, your PRH.com page is one of the easiest ways to point your contacts to all your buy links at once. Every person you reach out to might have a different preference about how they read or buy books. Having links to every major retailer for each format will make sure everyone gets the information they need.
Though your PRH.com page is a one-stop shop, you might also consider adding links to your local indie bookstore, especially if they include any incentives (e.g., signed copies) or are hosting you for an in-person or virtual event.
4.Consider including early praise or media coverage of the book.
Think about which blurbs and interviews really work to describe your book. Did you have a podcast interview that led to a wonderful conversation? Did one of your blurbers capture the essence of your book better than you could yourself? Though you’ll want to keep this section relatively short, this is the place for you to show your friends, family, and/or newsletter subscribers where your book fits in—and how it stands out—on the shelf.
5.End with gratitude!
This might sound obvious, but the people you email on launch day are often your biggest supporters. Whether you’re contacting a mailing list of eager fans or a small list of author colleagues, your family, and a few close friends, let them know how much you appreciate their continued support.
Phil Stamper-Halpin is Director, Author Development at Penguin Random House.