Many self-published authors approach their book launch by following a formula. You’ve probably seen it a hundred times online already. Tease a book release, build hype for a tight launch window, use scarcity and urgency to motivate sales, and then blast your network with calls to action and reminders to purchase.
This formula has become so commonplace that it can feel risky to deviate from it. But for most authors, this approach is not effective, and it risks alienating your network by asking too much of them without delivering enough value.
The main reason it fails is because it positions your launch as the release of a finite commodity instead of the continuation of an ongoing conversation.
We recommend scrapping the formula so you can craft a launch that cements you as a thought-leader in your space and helps you reach your business goals.
Common Mistakes of a Conventional Launch
A common mistake many self-published authors make when designing their launch is they try to replicate the book launches of big publishing houses. These launches often rely on manufactured scarcity, high-pressure sales tactics, and short-term visibility spikes.
They’re designed to maximize sales, but they’re not necessarily designed to strengthen the author’s connection to their audience or feed their sales funnel. For self-published authors, this model can be overwhelming and ineffective.
Common tropes of a conventional launch are:
- Artificial urgency: Countdown clocks, time-limited discounts, and “last chance” messaging that can feel pushy and insincere.
- Promotional overload: Excessive email campaigns and social media posts that exhaust your audience without engaging them.
- Short-term focus: Emphasis on a brief launch window instead of long-term development of your ideas, your audience, and your value beyond the book.
These tactics often pressure authors into marketing strategies that don’t align with their goals or values, and they risk alienating the audience the book is meant to serve.
The Rebel’s Approach
Your book isn’t a flash-sale product. It’s a long term asset that can fuel leads, sales, credibility, and opportunities for years to come. Instead of positioning the launch as a singular event, think of it as one point in an ongoing conversation with your audience.
Focus on using your launch to further engage your audience, deepen their trust, and reach new people who might be a good fit for your offering. This strategy will help you build momentum over time and let your book speak for itself.
- Focus on your ideas. Share insights from your book. Let your audience engage with the material and discover its value for themselves before you ask them to buy it.
- Get personal. Share excerpts, behind-the-scenes moments, and early testimonials to invite people into your process and let them invest in your launch before it even happens.
- Think beyond launch week. A book has the potential to be a powerful asset, a lead generator, and a way for potential clients to learn more about you. Keep promoting it, slowly over time, as another part of your offerings.
How to Put on an Anti-Launch
- Introduce the Book Early
Start talking about the book before it’s finished. Share working titles, concept development, possible cover designs, and even challenges you encounter along the way. People love to see behind the scenes so this approach invites people into the process and builds genuine interest so that by the time the book’s available, they’re already invested.
- Pull, Don’t Push
Release selected excerpts, frameworks, or key takeaways from the book in your blog, newsletter, or social media. Instead of promotional posts, lead with ideas. At the end, instead of a simple, “buy my book”, link to the book as a resource for further exploration. People can feel when you’re pushing them, so pull them instead.
- Demonstrate its Value
Readers want to know that if they take your advice, they’ll see results, so spotlight clients’ and readers’ wins that trace back to the information in your book. Collect and share testimonials and feedback from early readers, reinforcing your credibility and demonstrating the book’s value.
- Position the Book as a Resource
Your book is not a quick commodity, it’s a resource and extension of your offerings. Mention it in podcast interviews, include it in your email signature, and reference it when answering questions or writing articles. Integrate it into your larger body of work so it can consistently reinforce your expertise, open doors, and deepen your authority over time.
For a great example of a fellow rebel who self-published and anti-launched his book to tremendous success, check out Joseph Nguyen and his book, Don’t Believe Everything You Think.
Final Thoughts
Self-publishing gives you the freedom to launch your book on your terms, with the timing, format, and strategy that best serve your goals. So before handing over that control or defaulting to a playbook that doesn’t fit, pause. Ask yourself how you’d launch this book if you weren’t trying to follow anyone else’s rules.
Then do exactly that.
