by Francine Silverman

Created on: October 26, 2008   Last Updated: December 05, 2008

How to Prepare for your Book Launch

Don't wait until your book is published to research your markets. At that time, your book has already aged and you're in a panic about where to sell it.

Whether you write fiction or non-fiction know your audience before putting pen to paper. Then pull apart your book for possible markets. Let's say your crime novel is set in Dallas, Texas. Use your pre-publication time to compile all the emails, faxes and snail mail addresses of Dallas officials, police, newspapers, radio and TV stations, reading groups, associations, bookstores and any other folks you can find who are crime fiction fans.

Keep in mind that people love to read books about their hometowns. Once you've exhausted Dallas, reach out beyond your locality. There is simply no end to potential customers for your work.

Of course, it's easier for non-fiction authors to find an assortment of markets in their one book.

Ed Weinsberg is a retired rabbi, robotic prostate cancer survivor and first time author. The promotional plan for his book, Conquer Prostate Cancer: How Medicine, Faith, Love and Sex Can Renew Your Life (Health Success Media 2008), is commendable - except possibly for the money he's spent in the process.

Ten months before publication, he hired a marketing consultant who helped him set up his plan:

(1) After posting two of his articles a month on his blog, he noticed a spike on Google hits. Thus far, he's posted five 600-word articles and plans to hire the Blog Squad for $125 to "automatically have all my blog posts sent to 200 web directories to spread the word and up my SEO [Google] ranking," he says.

(2) With his book now on Amazon, Ed has started a blog/book tour and purchasers of his book will receive free bonus reports.

(3) He is contacting executives of five of the largest prostate cancer support and education organizations in the USA and getting them to feature his book cover and description in exchange for their receiving a portion of the book's proceeds. "So far two have followed through and I'm working on three others that expressed initial interest but are moving all too slowly," he says. "This way I'll have a targeted audience of nearly half a million viewers a year at least seeing my book, even if only five percent look at my blog and two percent buy. I think that's a good start."

(4) He contacted the robotic manufacturer of the da Vinci device that was used in his robotic surgery in 2007. "The CEO and his top people have requested my book, and are currently

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