This is a guest post by Mary Kleim, who works in the digital sphere. She is also a guest blogger who shares her online marketing experience on sites dedicated to creativity, self-development, writing, and digital marketing. Connect with Mary on LinkedIn.

I particularly like how she combines an online launch with a real-world event – something you don’t read about too often.

7 Author Ideas for an Amazing Live Book Launch

When you are about to release your writing into the world, you want to attract as big an audience as you can. But how can one prepare for an eBook launch and turn it into a success? One idea is to combine both a real-world event and an online one by inviting people to a venue such as a library or a bookshop on the day of the launch.

Having a good strategy can help you prepare for this, and taking advice from authors who know what it takes to launch an eBook can turn out to be just what you need. Take a look at my list of seven author ideas for an amazing live eBook launch.

1.      Give Your Book Away

If you are a new author, you surely want to build your brand so that your books will sell. In order to do this, you have to give something to your future fans.

According to Nicholas Rossis [ed: thanks for the plug, Mary], free is the new paid. Choosing to give out free books in order to make readers become your fans is a great way to start your book series’ launch. This strategy can be used to build a fan base.

Many authors give away the first book in their series, to entice readers to buy the rest. It’s best used once enough books in the series have been written or by new authors keen to build their brand.

Aside from giving out the first book in the series, you should also try out the other methods in Rossis’ guide.

2.      The Signing is Not the Event’s Focus

When organizing a real-world event, keep in mind that the signing should not be the event’s main focus, especially when you are launching your eBook online. As you already know, launching an online book limits you in terms of physical book presence. This means that the reader will not have the chance to touch your book and read your handwritten inscription.

Sure, you can always use tools such as Autograph for adding this feature to your eBook, but your main focus should not be the signing. Instead, you should be more creative and plan an interactive activity, such as a panel discussion, Q&A with your readers and some short readings of the book.

3.      Use Your Blog to Set up a Pre-Launch Post

An experienced author who simultaneously writes for AssignmentMasters has said that if you want to sell your new eBook, you need to set a pre-launch blog post. Surprising the blog readers with your new book is not as successful as you may think because, as we all know, waiting for something to come is always more fun. As Rossis stated in another eBook-launching guide, hinting fans of your new book is a great way to build anticipation.

4.      Make Sure the Book is Accessible

When the time for your launch comes, you need to make sure that the venue you choose has a wifi connection. Additionally, it is a good idea to ask your attendees to bring their Nooks, Kobos, and Kindles to the venue, so that they can instantly download the book without having to wait to go back home.

5.      Make Sure that People Have the Equipment to Order the Book

Even if you ask people to bring their laptops or Kindles, it is very likely that you will have some people in the crowd that do not have where to order the book from. Therefore, bringing one or more laptops to the venue is never a bad idea.

6.      Use a QR Code to Increase Sales

QR code is the best strategy to encourage attendees with smartphones to order your book on the spot. Even if your visitors do not have access to a laptop or a Kindle, they will have their phone. They can then use such codes to buy your new eBook. As  Shojai said:

Create a QR code and have it printed on your book poster or postcards, so they can order/buy from their smartphone.

7.      Offer Readers to Buy Ebook Access Whilst Launching the Book

Loading your book onto a password protected page and giving the visitors an opportunity to purchase a URL and password on the spot is not only innovative but very effective, too. Joanna Penn has done this by putting the information on a paper, placing the papers in envelopes and offering them to people whilst speaking at the launch.

If you are wondering how you can do this, WordPress offers this option.

Launching a book is a big deal, especially if you are a new author. And eBooks are the readers’ choice of today, so you must make sure that the launch goes successfully. Hopefully, using these tips will help turn your eBook’s live launch into a huge success!

All images: shutterstock

7 Author Ideas for an Amazing Live Book Launch

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