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The Promotional Timeline: A Step-by-Step Guide to Launching Your Book - Smithpublicity1 - 12-10-2025
Timing is everything in book promotion. Do it too early, and people forget. Do it too late, and you miss the crucial "new release" window. A successful campaign is a choreographed dance that begins months before the book hits the shelves.
Phase 1: Pre-Launch (3-6 Months Out)
This is the "quiet" phase of book promotion.
- Review Outreach: Send Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) to trade reviewers (like Kirkus or Publishers Weekly) and long-lead magazines. These outlets work months in advance.
- Build the Foundation: Update your website, start your email list, and claim your social media handles.
- Cover Reveal: 3-4 months out, reveal your cover. This is the first public splash.
Phase 2: The Warm-Up (1-2 Months Out)
Now you start making noise.
- Podcast Pitching: Pitch podcasts now so the episodes air during launch week.
- Launch Team: Recruit your street team and get them the digital ARCs.
- Pre-Orders: Push for pre-orders. Emphasize that pre-ordering helps the book get noticed by algorithms.
- Teasers: Share quotes, character art, or behind-the-scenes photos on social media.
Phase 3: Launch Week (Release Day)
This is the Super Bowl of book promotion. The goal is to concentrate as much activity as possible into a short window to spike the sales rank.
- The Blitz: Email your list. Post on all social channels. Ask your launch team to post their reviews.
- Live Events: Host a launch party (virtual or physical).
- Ads: Turn on your Amazon and Facebook ads.
- Newsletter Swaps: Have other authors shout out your release.
Phase 4: Post-Launch (The First 30 Days)
The launch is over, but the book promotion must continue to keep the book from disappearing.
- Share Success: Post about hitting a bestseller category or share a glowing review you just received.
- Guest Posting: Your blog tour articles should be going live now.
- Interviews: Continue doing the interviews you pitched months ago.
Phase 5: Maintenance (The Long Tail)
This is where the real work begins.
- Price Promos: 3-6 months later, do a limited-time price drop to inject new life into sales.
- Holiday Pushes: Promote the book as a gift during the holidays.
- Awards: Submit your book for relevant literary awards.
- Evergreen Content: Continue to mention the book in your bio and social content, even as you start writing the next one.
Book promotion is not a singular event; it is a lifecycle. By understanding the timeline, you can pace yourself and ensure that you aren't shouting into the void, but rather building a crescendo of interest that results in sustained sales.