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For any author, launching a book is one of the biggest events of their life. It’s filled with an array of emotions, from excitement to stress to elation to letdown and more. As the founder of Weaving Influence, Becky Robinson knows how to market a book but she discovered firsthand what it takes to launch a book and she shares her experience in a series of podcasts recorded daily during her own launch week for her book, Reach. Below are recaps of each of those episodes.
Episode 84: Making Space for Launch Week
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Launch week began by making space to savor the process and reflect on the journey. Becky talks about the working phase of a book launch and all the ins and outs of preparing for launch day.
KEY POINTS FROM THIS EPISODE:
- Becky explains the importance of having support for a book launch and gives an overview of the people on her team who helped her manage the various aspects of her book launch.
- Showing up strong to your launch week is important. Becky shares the gift she gave herself during launch week: blocking time and making space to really just focus on launch day.
Action Steps:
- Block your calendar. If you have a big event coming up, give yourself the space to savor everything that comes along with it.
- Ask for support. Launching a book or any other major event is a big deal. Don’t hesitate to reach out to your team, your network, and others to get the support you need to make it a success.
Resources:
- If you have any questions about how Weaving Influence can support you in your book launch journey, email becky@weavinginfluence.com.
- To create the largest possible audience for your message, book, or cause, pick up a copy of Becky’s book, Reach.
Episode 85: Launch Day
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The big day is finally here! Becky shares all the activities and emotions of the launch, and what to expect on your launch day when you’re promoting a book.
KEY POINTS FROM THIS EPISODE:
- Becky shares a behind-the-scenes look at what happens on launch day and gives a shout-out to Team Buzz Builder, the Weaving Influence launch team members.
- If you want others to support you, you want to offer support to others. Becky shares how amplifying the work of another author can have big rewards for your own special day.
ACTION STEPS:
- Amplify others. Look for ways you can boost another author’s work.
- Sign up to be a launch team member. You’ll get to experience a launch in advance of your own.
Episode 86: What Do You Do After Launch Day
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Launch day may be over but the work has only just begun! Becky shares how to evaluate your traction on Amazon, especially related to reviews and sales rank.
KEY POINTS FROM THIS EPISODE:
- Becky discusses the importance of Amazon reviews and how marking reviews as helpful can amplify those positive reviews, letting other buyers see the value of the book through those reviews.
- Everyone wants to be a bestselling author but it’s not that simple. Becky walks us through how to rank as a #1 New Release on Amazon and shares the number of sales needed to rank on a bestsellers list (like The New York Times).
ACTION STEPS:
- Practice asking people to buy your book. It’s not the most comfortable ask but if you want to accelerate your ranking, you’ll need book sales to support that ranking.
- Consider ways to increase participation. Do you have a special offer that can encourage your book launch team and others to leave a review or share on social? A signed bookplate, a special download code, etc. are all ways to get others excited about the book.
Episode 87: Letdown Is Normal
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When you feel let down or notice that your momentum is slowing, what can you do? Becky shares her personal experiences with letdowns and how you can sustain energy for your book marketing over time.
KEY POINTS FROM THIS EPISODE:
- Marketing a book doesn’t stop once the launch day is over. Becky shares why launch day is just the starting point to the long-term success of your book.
- Experiencing letdown is normal in the post-launch days. The noise may soften and your Amazon ranking might drop but there are still a lot of ways you can amplify your message. Don’t be discouraged!
ACTION STEPS:
- Content is Queen! Look at the content that’s performing well and create more of it if you want to expand the audience for your book.
- Feel all the emotions. Give yourself space to feel the different emotions because you’ll go through them all: joy, disappointment, letdown, etc.
Episode 88: How Will You Measure the Success of Your Launch
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How do you measure the success of your book launch campaign? Becky shares some typical metrics and introduces a few metrics you may not have considered.
KEY POINTS FROM THIS EPISODE:
- Let’s talk metrics. Becky shares some common metrics that authors use to measure success: book sales, Amazon reviews, media placements, and social media sharing.
- How else can you measure success? Becky asks you to consider measuring other ways you benefitted from the book launch through interaction, inspiration, and joy.
ACTION STEPS:
- Share the value of your book daily. If you’re post-launch, try one activity per day to share the value of your book with others.
- Think about who you didn’t reach. Think about who you might have missed during your launch week in terms of outreach. Take five minutes and make a list of people for whom you think your book might make a difference.
If you found value in these launch week episodes, we hope you’ll take a moment to share it with someone else who might benefit from it. If you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, please email Becky Robinson here.
Click here for our free resources.
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I am the founder/CEO of the Weaving Influence team, the author of Reach: Creating the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause, and the host of the Book Marketing Action Podcast. I’m a wife and mom of three kids, and I enjoy running, reading, writing, coffee, and dark chocolate.