How to Throw a Successful Book Launch Party

Congratulations on finishing your book! Now it’s time to celebrate. And what better way to celebrate than to throw a party?

When authors create their book marketing strategy, they often include elements like their author website, online book reviews, and social media campaigns. However, a book launch party is another fantastic book promotion method. A party is the perfect opportunity to show off your book presentation, so it’s an important element in your overall book promotion plan.

Why a book launch party is important for your book promotion

Whether you’re publishing your first book or have a few titles in your bibliography, you can probably benefit from some book marketing tips.

Much of the advice you’ll find will help you establish and maintain a strong online presence by creating your own website and promoting your book on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. And that’s great! Many people search for their next favorite author on the internet, so online presence is certainly important. Additionally, though, you can grab the attention of your potential readers by holding an in-person event: a book launch party.

What is a book launch party?

A book launch party is more than an excuse to brag about your success as an author. It’s an opportunity to build excitement about your newly published book, meet your target audience face to face, and even give them a preview of your masterpiece by reading a portion of the manuscript during the party.

In addition to being a great book marketing method, a book launch party helps you and your target audience get to know each other. When you’re able to connect to your potential readers on a personal level, they’ll appreciate you not just as an author but as a person. This connection can earn you lifelong fans that will eagerly purchase every book that you publish.

Book promotion and connecting with your guests are two reasons to host a book launch party. However, these are just two of the many benefits!

What are the benefits of a launch party?

Holding a book launch party is a great marketing method for you as the author—but it also holds benefits for your guests! In addition to promoting your book and meeting your potential readers, here are a few ways that a self-published author can benefit from a book launch party:

• Meet publishing industry professionals. People who love reading aren’t the only ones who attend book launch parties. You can also invite other authors, representatives from a publishing house, and even a literary agent or two. Sure, a successful book launch party can help you ring up book sales. However, when you invite the right people, you could ultimately sign a book deal and become a career author!
• Collect contact information. Your book launch party shouldn’t be the last time the attendees hear from you. Collect their information so that you can get in touch with them down the road. Connect with them on social media and plan an email marketing campaign to keep your target audience updated on your new books and upcoming events.
• Boost your confidence. Publishing a book is a huge accomplishment! However, some authors aren’t sure whether their book will be successful. When you celebrate yourself and your work with a book launch party, you can find a boost of confidence to keep writing!

As beneficial as a book launch party can be for you as the author, it can also be a wonderful experience for your attendees. They get to meet not only the author but people who love reading as much as they do. It’s a social networking event for many people! And if you read part of your book during the party, you give the attendees the once-in-a-lifetime experience of hearing the story read the way the author truly meant it to be.

There’s one more aspect of a book launch party that benefits both the author and the attendees: it’s fun! After all, who doesn’t like a party? Although it’s not a mandatory aspect of every book marketing strategy, a launch party can really boost your success as an author.

Is a book launch party necessary?

In order to become a successful self-published author, you need a strong book marketing strategy. The strategy should include a variety of marketing methods so that you can attract as many potential readers as possible.

Although it’s not entirely necessary to hold a book party, a celebratory event should be part of your overall marketing plan. Your book promotion plan should accomplish two things:

• Ring up book sales
• Increase your brand awareness as an author

Many indie authors only focus on selling as many books as possible. They might create an author website and market on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. They often sell their books through popular retailers like Amazon, Amazon Kindle, and Barnes & Noble. And while these are excellent book marketing and sales methods, they often rely on potential readers already knowing their names or book titles. Basically, you need to increase your author brand awareness in order to build your following and sell more books.

Without brand awareness, your target audience won’t know that you exist or that you’ve written a new book. Conversely, when people recognize your name, they might be more inclined to seek out your work. Having an online presence is a great way to get your name in front of people. However, reading is a very personal experience for many people, so an in-person event really can’t be beat.

In other words, holding a book party can earn you both book sales and brand awareness—you just have to hold a successful event!

How to throw a successful launch party

At some point in your life, you’ve probably thrown a party for your family and friends. A book party is similar—you just haven’t yet met all the friends that will attend the party! Here are a few steps to take as you organize a fun and successful book launch party:

• Start planning several months ahead so you secure the right venue and order the right food.
• Invite your friends and family and ask them to spread the word.
• Post about the book party on social media to create buzz about the event.
• Make sure you have enough hard copies of your books to sell and sign during the party.

In addition, one of the most important things to keep in mind when you plan your book launch party is that it’s all about you. You’re going to introduce yourself to many members of the book community, including potential readers and publishing industry professionals. It’s important to create a party environment that shows them who you are not just as an author but as a person. Organize a party that you’d want to attend—where you’ll be comfortable showing your genuine self.

For example, if you’re a casual person, throw a casual party! There’s no need to hold a black-tie event if you’re more comfortable in a T-shirt and jeans. Although it’s easier said than done, try to have some fun planning the event. You can even pick your favorite venue for your party!

Where should the venue be?

A book launch party doesn’t have to be at your local library or independent bookstore. Get creative to pick the venue that suits you and your book the best! When you research the ideal location for your book party, keep this question in mind: Where will my book presentation have the biggest impact?

Remember: your book party is all about you and your book. So pick the best venue that will highlight who you are and what your book is about. First, consider your book’s setting and theme, and then think about how you can connect your story to the venue itself. If you’ve written a historical or nonfiction novel, look into event options your local museums have to offer. And if your book is about a band or a sports team, check out the music venues or sports arenas in your area. Your venue should help put your attendees inside your book’s story. The party is an experience for your guests, so help them fully immerse themselves in your book by creating the right environment—and that starts with the venue.

Once you’ve chosen the optimal venue for your book party, it’s time to move onto the guest list!

Which people should you invite?

Determining who to invite can be a difficult aspect of any party. Here are a few tips to help ensure that the right people receive your invitations:

• Find out your party venue’s capacity so you don’t invite too many—or too few—people. You want the crowd size to be small enough for comfort but also large enough to fill the room.
• Invite your family, friends, and anyone else who supported you throughout your writing and publishing process. You can use your book launch party to thank them as much as you can use it to celebrate your work!
• Identify your target audience and invite them. This might include posting on social media groups, attending book club meetings, or putting up flyers at your local bookstore.
• Reach out to local publishing houses and literary agents. If they attend, you could impress them enough to earn a book deal! And if they don’t attend, they’ll understand that you’re serious about your writing career and might sign you on after you’ve published a couple of books.

After you’ve confirmed the venue and invited the attendees, it’s time to really have some fun: plan the entertainment and start promoting the party!

How should your book launch party be promoted and made entertaining?

There are many great ways to promote your book launch party. You can post about it on social media, especially if it’s open to the public. Send “save the date” cards and invitations to your invitees. And if your venue allows it, hang flyers and posters about the party there! Event promotion is similar to book promotion: the goal is to find your target audience and market directly to them.

Now for the really fun part: plan the entertainment! Remember, you’re creating an environment for your guests. Every detail should relate to your book. Start with the refreshments by serving food and drink that relates to your book. For example: if your book is set in France, serve French food and drink. Then create more ambiance!

Hire a band that’ll play music from the time period your book takes place in. You can even create fun photo opportunities for your guests. Have a backdrop of your book cover design printed so attendees can stand in front of it when they take their picture. If you have a substantial budget, hire a couple of actors to dress up in costumes described in your book so your guests can take pictures with the characters.

Finally, keep in mind that you are also a  part of the entertainment. The party attendees want to meet you, celebrate your work, and learn more about you as an author. Be ready to charm potential readers and industry professionals. And remember: a successful book launch party can help catapult your writing career!

Organize a great book party—and sell more books!

When your book marketing strategy includes a successful book launch party, you can increase your brand awareness as an author. And you can sell more books!

If you’re not sure how to start your book marketing strategy or just need a little push in the right direction, don’t worry. Elite Authors can help with everything from creating a full book promotion plan to beautifying your book presentation with professional cover design and back cover text. Visit our website to find out how we can help you sell more books!