Sophie had finally typed “The End.”
Her manuscript was edited, her cover looked amazing, and her launch date was just a few weeks away.
But now? Silence.
She’d told a few friends. Posted a teaser on Facebook. And then the creeping doubt arrived:
“What if no one’s waiting when it goes live?”
“What if I’ve done all this work and it just… disappears?”
This is where a solid pre-launch book marketing strategy makes all the difference.
The truth is, books don’t sell in a vacuum. Readers are inundated with thousands of new titles every week. Without a strategic pre-launch marketing plan, even great books can get buried.
What Happens in the Pre-Launch Book Marketing Stage?
This is your chance to build awareness, anticipation, and early momentum before the book hits virtual shelves. It’s about warming up your audience and signalling to both readers and algorithms that your book matters.
Book platforms—especially Amazon—monitor early engagement. Sales velocity, reviews, and clicks in the first 30 days are critical for boosting your book in search results and recommendation engines.
If you want the algorithm to notice you, give it something worth noticing.
Your Pre-Launch Toolkit: What to Focus on and Why It Works
Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) – With Plenty of Lead Time
ARCs are pre-publication versions of your book that go out to a select group of readers: beta readers, early reviewers, influencers, or newsletter subscribers.
Timing is everything.
Don’t send these out two weeks before launch and hope for miracles.
Ideally, you want to send ARCs at least 8–12 weeks before your release date.
That gives readers time to read, review, and share. You can also use their feedback to:
- Catch last-minute typos or inconsistencies
- Pull quotes for blurbs and promo posts
- Build authentic pre-launch buzz
Use platforms like BookFunnel, StoryOrigin, or even a secure Google Drive link.
Beta Readers – Your First Responders
Beta readers are the readers who test-drive your story before it’s polished. They aren’t editors—they’re your audience. Ideally, bring them in early, 2–3 months ahead of publication.
They’ll help with:
- Pacing or plot holes
- Character development
- Dialogue and tone
Bonus: Many beta readers become your most loyal fans and early reviewers later on.
ARC readers can’t leave reviews on Amazon or other retail sites until your book is officially published, but they can post early reviews on platforms like Goodreads (as long as your ebook is listed for pre-order on KDP or elsewhere – with an ISBN), BookBub, personal blogs, YouTube channels, podcasts, and social media. Encourage your reviewers to share honest feedback on these platforms, tagging your author handle and linking to your pre-order or launch page. You can also showcase early praise on your website or sales page to build credibility before launch. Just be sure to provide clear instructions and make it easy for them to spread the word.
Influencer Outreach – Small Voices, Big Reach
A few well-placed posts from trusted influencers can do more than a hundred cold ads, all of which helps with an effective pre-launch book marketing plan
Start identifying influencers early—ideally 6–8 weeks ahead. These might be:
- BookTok or Bookstagram creators
- Reviewers in your genre on Goodreads or YouTube
- Bloggers and podcast hosts
When reaching out:
- Offer them a free ARC
- Personalise your pitch—why should they care?
- Suggest a rough posting window near launch day
Be realistic. You don’t need a viral hit. You just need the right people saying the right things to the right readers.
Lead Magnets & Mailing List Growth – Attract, Don’t Chase
Your mailing list isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s your launch command centre.
Use your pre-launch period to grow it by offering lead magnets like:
- A bonus chapter, deleted scene, or companion short story
- A checklist, workbook, or resource if you’re writing nonfiction
- A sample chapter with a cliffhanger ending
Use platforms like MailerLite or ConvertKit to automate delivery and welcome sequences.
Start collecting interest before your book is even finished. The earlier you start building that list, the more launch-ready readers you’ll have.
Create Teasers and Countdown Content
The pre-launch period isn’t for silence—it’s for strategic noise.
Start sharing teaser content on your social platforms, blog, or newsletter at least 4–6 weeks in advance.
Ideas include:
- Cover reveals
- First-line Fridays
- Excerpts or character profiles
- Reader polls (e.g. “Which cover do you love more?”)
- Behind-the-scenes posts about your writing process
Use this time to test which content your audience responds to—and tweak your marketing accordingly.
Don’t Forget the Algorithm
Your launch isn’t just for your readers—it’s also for the bots.
Sites like Amazon reward books that get:
- Pre-orders
- Early reviews
- Strong clicks and conversions in the first 30 days
That’s why the pre-launch phase is crucial: the more engagement you have at launch, the more visibility you’ll get.
It’s not about tricking the algorithm. It’s about sending the signal:
“This book is alive. People are paying attention.”
A book doesn’t launch—it builds. The best time to start marketing is before your book is finished. The second-best time? Right now.
Don’t let all your hard work end in a quiet release day.
Let your book enter the world with energy, focus, and a crowd already gathered to cheer it on.
Need help building a pre-launch book marketing plan that works?
Harvard Ink’s team can deliver on everything from ghostwriting and editing to launch support and platform uploads.
Click here for the previous edition of the How to Publish Series.
