The biggest marketing mistake authors make isn't a bad ad or a weak cover — it's waiting until launch day to start. A book's best marketing window opens 1–3 months before it's available, while there's still time to build an audience that's ready to buy the moment you go live. Here's exactly what to do and when.
📑 What's in this checklist
90 days before launch
- ✓Set up (or refresh) your author website with a clear book landing page
- ✓Start or grow your email list — even a simple "get notified" signup form works
- ✓Draft your book's core messaging: one-line pitch, back-cover copy, and 3 key talking points
- ✓Identify 15–20 potential ARC (advance reader copy) reviewers in your genre or niche
- ✓Begin teasing the book on social media — cover reveals, behind-the-scenes writing content
60 days before launch
- ✓Send ARCs to your reviewer list and ask for honest feedback and early reviews
- ✓Set up your Amazon pre-order page so early buyers can reserve a copy
- ✓Build a simple one-page media/press kit: your bio, book summary, high-res cover, and headshot
- ✓Reach out to 5–10 podcasts, newsletters, or bloggers in your niche about a launch-week feature
- ✓Recruit a "launch team" of 10–20 supporters who'll help spread the word day one
30 days before launch
- ✓Finalize your Amazon listing: title, subtitle, keywords, and categories
- ✓Schedule a content calendar for the 4 weeks leading up to launch
- ✓Confirm any podcast or press features are booked for launch week
- ✓Prepare launch-day email sequences (announcement, reminder, thank-you)
- ✓Plan a small giveaway or bonus (bonus chapter, workbook, signed copy) to reward early buyers
Launch week
- ✓Send the official announcement to your email list and launch team
- ✓Post consistently across social channels — don't post once and go quiet
- ✓Ask your launch team to leave honest reviews within the first 72 hours
- ✓Track sales rank and adjust ad spend or outreach based on what's working
- ✓Thank everyone publicly — supporters who feel appreciated will help with book two
The 30 days after launch
Momentum doesn't stop when the book goes live — what you do in the following month determines whether it keeps selling or fades quietly. Keep these going:
- ✓Continue asking new readers for reviews — aim for steady reviews weekly, not just launch week
- ✓Repurpose launch content (quotes, reader reactions, behind-the-scenes) into ongoing posts
- ✓Follow up with any podcasts or press that couldn't fit you in during launch week
- ✓Test a small paid ad budget on your best-performing organic post or keyword
Tools worth using
🧰 Simple tools that make this easier
- Email: a basic newsletter tool for your signup list and launch announcements
- Scheduling: any social scheduler so you're not manually posting every day of launch week
- Reviews: a shared spreadsheet of ARC readers with a simple "reviewed / not yet" tracker
- Analytics: your Amazon dashboard, checked daily during launch week to catch issues early
Mistakes we see authors make
🚫 Common pre-launch pitfalls
- Starting marketing the same week the book goes live, with no built-in audience
- Skipping ARC reviewers, which means launching with zero reviews and lower trust
- Spreading effort across too many platforms instead of going deep on 1–2
- Not having a clear "ask" — every post should tell people exactly what to do next
You don't need a huge following to launch well — you need a plan that starts early and builds real momentum. If you'd rather have a team build and run this checklist for you, that's exactly what our marketing team does for every author we publish.
Frequently asked questions
QWhat if my launch date is only a few weeks away?
Compress the checklist — focus first on ARC reviewers and your Amazon listing, since reviews and a clean listing matter most in the first 72 hours.
QDo I need paid ads to launch successfully?
No — a solid launch team and organic reach can carry a strong first week. Paid ads work best as an amplifier once you know what messaging is already converting.
QHow many reviews do I actually need at launch?
Aim for at least 10–15 in the first week. It's less about volume and more about consistency — a steady trickle looks more genuine than a single day spike.