For the last two months in From the Editor’s Desk – A No nonsense Approach to Non-Fiction, I’ve been sharing tips to prepare for a successful book launch party.
If you missed the posts, you can read Tips for a Successful Book Launch Party Part 1 and More Tips for a Successful Book Launch Party.
This month I’d like to share three more tips for planning and executing a successful event.
Tip #6: Have a registration table.
On this table you should have
three things: a place to enter for a prize giveaway, a guest book, and an
eye-catching item.
To build your email list, you
want to collect emails from those who are interested in your book. A giveaway
drawing is a great way to do this. In advance, prepare pre-printed slips of
paper with room for someone’s name and email address. When your guests
approach, have one of your helpers invite them to enter the drawing to win an
autographed copy of your book or some other prize.
To add interest to the table, I
placed my antique typewriter with a sheet of paper rolled into the cartridge.
In bold letters, the paper invited guests to ENTER TO WIN A FREE COPY OF LORI’S
NEW DEVOTIONAL BOOK. It was the focal point of the table and a real
conversation piece. Brainstorm your own centerpiece item based on your book.
After guests register for the
giveaway, thank them for coming and invite them to sign your guest registry.
Instead of a blank guest book, however, use a copy of your own book and
encourage your guests to sign the front pages. Signing your new release will help
your guests create a treasured keepsake of your special day and make them feel
valued.
Another fun decorating idea is to
take an item that captures the essence of your book and use it to create a
decorating theme. Because my book, Hungry
for God … Starving for Time, is
directed toward busy women who are always watching the clock, I gathered eight
or ten different tabletop clocks and arranged them among the books and food.
Tip #7: Draft a member of your tribe to be the photographer
and historian.
Like your wedding day, your
launch party will speed by like a Metro train in D.C. You’ll be focusing so
much on your guests that you won’t have time to admire the decorations, sample
the food, or even remember who came. A photographer can capture all those
details so you can look back later and savor the memories.
It’s also important to enlist
several of your tribe to share real-time photos and updates on social media. My
friends took and posted photos of my first book sale, special friends who
dropped by, and the beautiful table decorations. They captured images of me
signing books, hugging readers, and chatting with my editor. As the pictures
popped up all over Facebook and Instagram, they created a buzz that reminded
people about the event and motivated them to come on out.
Tip #8: Thank your tribe of helpers with personally
inscribed books, great big hugs, and words of appreciation. Be sure to pose for a picture with your team and post it on
social media. Thank your readers, too, and all who came out to the event. Soon
after the event, write good old-fashioned thank you notes to everyone who
helped. Let them know you couldn’t have done it without them, and that you’re
committed to paying it forward.
I don’t believe it takes a
village to raise a child, but I do believe it takes a tribe to launch a book.
What about you? What are your best
tips for a successful book launch party? Leave a comment below and share your
ideas.
TWEETABLES
Lori, thanks so much for these great tips. I especially appreciate you mentioning all the different ways others can help make the launch successful...and less hectic.
ReplyDeleteSandy,
DeleteSeveral friends generously shared their experience and great ideas, so I'm just paying it forward! Thanks for stopping by.
This is a great post! I love the idea of readers/visitors signing the front pages of the book. I'll file these special tips away for the future, when my special day comes. :)
ReplyDelete