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Book Launch 101: Why Aspiring Authors Should Serve on Launch Teams

Posted by Elizabeth Thompson on Feb 27, 2015

If you engage with other writers on social media, you’ll soon have the opportunity to serve on a Book Launch Team. Some writers turn down these opportunities unaware of how useful they are to aspiring authors.

What is a Book Launch Team?

A Book Launch Team is a team of influencers who help promote the book, primarily through social media and websites that sell books directly to readers. Launch team members read the book prior to its release and post reviews, photos quotes and impressions on social media and online booksellers.

How does it Work?

Usually the author or a Launch Team Coordinator will recruit potential team members via social media or email, using the author’s email list. For some launches, there is an application process and only those with relevant and significant platforms are included on the team.

Information is emailed to team members at regular interval--often daily. Communication escalates during the peak promotional period of the launch. The author will usually create a private Launch Team Page on Facebook for easy interaction with the team. This also provides a great forum for team members to network with other influencers.

The author or coordinator will post frequently to the page, guiding team members through the promotion process. Each launch team is unique, but most include the following: Chapter by Chapter interaction about the book, questions, suggested promotional activities such as:

  • Tweet a quote from each chapter.
  • Talk about your impressions of the book on Facebook.
  • Post the cover on all social media outlets.
  • Review the book on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, ChristianBooks.com, GoodReads.com.
  • Blog about the book and/or interview the author on your personal website.
  • Share the book with your book club/Bible study or other small group (where appropriate.)

Why should you serve on other authors’ book launch teams?

1. The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you. You’ll need help launching your book, so hey, it stands to reason other authors need help with theirs. Keep in mind that helping others doesn’t obligate them to help with your launch. I serve on launches because I believe in a project and the author. Period. No strings. Go and do likewise! It’ll come back to you when it’s your turn.

2. It helps get books into the hands of readers! Ministry can’t happen until a reader receives the written words. You are part of the author’s ministry team when you help launch a book.

3. You’ll gain a better understanding of the author/reader relationship. Watch how the author engages with her tribe. How frequently does she engage them? What does she give away? What does she not give away? How does her tribe receive her? What steps is she taking to grow her contact list?

4. You’ll grow! Every time I participate in a book launch, I grow. On Michael Hyatt’s Platform Launch Team, I gained skills for building my personal platform. On Kathi Lipp’s Clutter-Free team, I spent 21 days de-cluttering my home! On Michele Cushatt’s Undone team, I’m learning to accept the life I have, even when it doesn’t turn out how I expected. As part of Joanne Kraft's The Mean Moms Guide to Raising Great Kids  team, I’m becoming a better mom and being encouraged by the moms with similar struggles. All while learning how to launch my own books! I love it!

5. You’ll network with other team members, some of whom may become friends or may be interested in helping you with your future launch.

6. You’ll experience the abundant joy that comes with helping others.

7. When you serve on launch teams and you’ll be much better prepared to launch your own book. You’ll have the opportunity to interact with the author and the launch coordinator. They’ll be available to answer questions, make suggestions and guide you through your part of the launch process. This is invaluable! You’ll see what they do and can ask why (if it’s not obvious.) You’ll get to see the results of the team’s efforts. The launch coordinator will usually share Amazon stats for the project, so you’ll see what works for a particular project. Then you can adjust what you learn to fit your own book when you’re ready to launch.

Watch for my next post on Writing Great Book Reviews, a crucial skill for anyone serving on book launch teams.

 

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