Bob Baker's Book Promotion & Marketing Blog: Book Launch 2.0

What can authors and book publishers learn from software developers and major motion pictures about introducing something new to the public? Maybe a lot.

But it's probably not what you think ...

According to the 37 Signals web site, it boils down to three steps:

1) Tease

2) Preview

3) Launch

First, in the Tease phase, you blog for months about the topic of your upcoming book. Make people aware that it's coming soon. Build a mailing list of readers who want to be the first to know when it's released.

Next, during Preview, you make sample chapters available to your list. Leak advance copies to key influencers in your field. Ask for testimonials from experts and your biggest supporters.

Finally, when you Launch, the book is available for sale from your own web site, Amazon, BN.com. You make a special offer to your mailing list. You alert the industry influencers and experts you contacted earlier. You ask other bloggers and ezine publishers to write about it and perhaps earn affiliate commissions. You send review copies to as many sources as make sense.

Read the entire 37 Signals post for more details, but I think there's a lot that can be applied to book promotion here.

Bottom line: Promotion shouldn't start the day the books arrive from the printer. A whole string of activities can take place in the weeks and months leading up to the "for sale" date.

-Bob

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