The first 90 days after your book launch

Set honest expectations

The Scribe Method, Scribe Media's book on writing and publishing, says in its chapter on realistic expectations that the average nonfiction book sells fewer than 250 copies a year and fewer than 2,000 over its lifetime. If you measure your book only in copies, the months after launch can feel like failure even when the book is working.

For most nonfiction authors the book is working when it does what they wrote it for: clients who arrive already convinced, invitations to speak, a reputation in their field. The same book's chapter on making money with your book notes that having one significantly increases speaking fees. Decide now which result you are watching, so the next 90 days serve it.

Some Scribe authors' published results from the months after launch: Paul Zak's Immersion took 1 month to book more paid talks than the book cost; Jawad Ahsan sold 1,000 copies in two months, well ahead of average; Wayne McCulloch's The Seven Pillars of Customer Success sold 2,000+ copies in the first few months. Each is one author, not a typical result.

Weeks 1 to 4: thank, follow up, use it

• Thank everyone personally. Advance readers, event guests, hosts, anyone who shared. People who feel thanked tell others.
• One review follow-up, then stop. A single polite note to advance readers who have not posted, with the link, asking for an honest review and a mention of their advance copy. Nothing offered in return; see advance readers and reviews.
• Put the book in your clients' hands. Signed copies with a note to your best clients and referral partners. Add it to proposals, your email signature, your sales follow-up. Michael Erath's coaching firm built this into a system: 75–100 books sent to prospects each month.
• Send your speaker one-sheet to the organizers of ten events your readers attend: the talk built from the book, who it is for, your bio, the cover.
• Share every interview as it airs, and keep pitching. See podcasts and media.
• Check your Amazon page. If the books ranked near yours in a category look nothing like yours, change it. See categories and keywords.

Weeks 4 to 8: one promotion, one test

A price promotion

A limited-time ebook discount, announced to your list and readers, reaches people who missed the launch. The options for self-published authors:

BookBub's pricing page lists Featured Deal prices that depend on category and deal price; for the Business category they run from $304 for a free book to $1,435 for a deal priced $3 or more. The launch budget guide compares other categories.

KDP Select is a real trade-off: while enrolled, the ebook cannot be sold on other ebook stores. If your readers buy on Apple Books or Kobo, or if you sell ebooks direct, weigh that before enrolling.

A small ad test

Amazon's Sponsored Products ads are cost per click, with a minimum daily budget of $1. That makes a careful test possible on a small budget:

1. Start from the keyword phrases you researched for your listing.
2. Set a small daily budget you would not mind losing, and run it for two weeks.
3. Compare what you spent with what you earned from the sales, and with any other result (a client, a talk).
4. Keep the phrases that pay their way, stop the rest, and stop the whole test if nothing does.

Ads amplify a book readers already like; they rarely rescue one with no reviews. Most authors get more from the same money spent on sending books to the right people.

Weeks 8 to 12: a rhythm you can keep

Pick a weekly rhythm that fits the time you have, and keep it. A few hours a week, done every week, beats a burst followed by silence. A rhythm might be:

• Send the book to three prospects or peers with a personal note.
• Pitch two podcasts or events, pointing to reviews and episodes already out.
• Turn one idea from the book into an article, a post or a short talk.
• Answer every reader who writes to you, and ask those who loved it whether they would leave an honest review.

If you are on BookBub, its New Release Alerts are free for authors with eligible books, so claiming your author profile there before your next book is worth doing.

The 90-day review

Twelve weeks after launch, set aside an hour with your notes and answer five questions:

1. What result did the book produce: clients, talks, invitations, reviews, sales?
2. Which activity led to it? Be specific: which interview, which email, which person.
3. What took time and produced nothing?
4. Is the book's Amazon page doing its job: right categories, honest reviews, a clear description?
5. What will you keep doing for the next 90 days?

Do more of what worked, drop the rest, and set the next review date. The launch planner fills the 12 weeks after launch with a weekly rhythm based on your goals, ending in this review.

Scribe Media, which makes this site, sells book marketing services to authors it has published. If you want to talk through what your book should be doing for you, book a free consult.