FFs #36: Lessons From an 8-Day Book Launch
Tornadoes, Bookmarks, Starships, and Cindy
In This Issue
Hope You Weren't Worried
If you've been following my Substack Notes or read last week’s Fractal Fridays, you know I've been at Community of Christ's World Conference all week.
So I apologize for getting this to you a little later in the day. My obligations as a last-minute delegate put a crimp in my regular schedule. But the Conference is over now, so I’m back on the job.
Conference has been a noteworthy experience, from voting to approve the Church's first female Prophet/President (Stassi Cramm) to meeting the outgoing Prophet/President (Steve Veazey) in the basement fellowship hall where about 2,000 Conference-goers sought shelter from a nearby tornado. (You might recognize Steve's name from my Phoenix Your Faith series in which I discussed the Veazey Hexagon.)
I would have attended the Conference regardless, but it was an especially exciting trip because I was able to combine it with the launch of my new book—The Spiritual Life Writing Workbook: From Concept to Bookshelf.
How often do new authors get to spend an entire eight days on a launch?
Preparation & Execution
Traveling to the Conference by air, I took with me 20 copies of the workbook, plus 1,000 marketing bookmarks, all wrapped in Saran Wrap and bubble wrap, and neatly packed in a second piece of luggage. Bringing the books was a last-minute decision, but a good one.
I sold most of them. The rest I gave away to key leaders—influencers who are well situated to spread the message of this new resource. And I donated one to the library. Plus a stack of bookmarks.
We three co-authors (
, and I) will be the guest ministers for a retreat organized by church members in Canada. Since that retreat is coming up in just a few months, I got the chance to share the workbook with a sympathetic crowd of 70 or 80 people as part of the Canadian delegation's Lunch and Learn presentation.In Case You're an Author
Here's what I learned (for the benefit of those about to launch their first book):
A table sign with too much information won't be read—at least not while you're standing next to it.
People are looking around at person-height, not at table height. Consequently, standing there with bookmarks in hand is more effective than leaving them on the table—even with a "Take One" sign. Plus, we tend to take something we’re being handed, if only out of politeness.
For future me: A beautiful back-drop is good investment for garnering attention.
Also for future me: A less-expensive alternative would be a tri-fold poster board—and that set-up would allow me to tack up sample workbook pages.
Once they've heard your elevator speech, the next question is, "How much is it?" Find a way to prominently display the price, even if it’s a sticky note slapped to the front of the book.
Most people will have similar responses to your shpiel. But every so often you'll hear something new—some new concern or question. Take notes—these are new audience insights (i.e., worth their weight in gold).
I actually took notes on every purchaser, including topics of stories they chose to share, any mutual friends, why or what they wanted to write, etc. Here's my thinking:
They may just show up at one of my readers-only Zoom drop-ins.
Remembering what they told me will go a long way to turning them into a raving fan.
Blessings of Community
There is one thing I had going for me I doubt you’ll be able to pull off at your launch. But it makes for a good story.
As I alluded to above, this launch was not a carefully planned endeavor with multiple well-thought-out visual elements. In other words, it was not the sort of event you'd expect from a traditional publisher.
First off, we only published in March (three months ago). Second, because we went the hybrid publishing route, this adventure was left completely in my own, inexperienced, hands. In short, I was not well prepared.
Maybe God was looking out for me.
As it happens, my best friend in my local congregation is
. And Bill is a Trekkie. He started a Facebook group that meets weekly on Zoom to discuss how specific episodes of Star Trek reflect our faith community's Enduring Principles.Trekkies, as you might know, love to dress up as their favorite characters. And they love images of space and starships. Ted, another person in Bill’s group, dressed up as Captain Pike. And Ted had an attention-grabbing wall banner made.
Since Bill was in my congregation, he was happy to share his Star Trek table with me at the last minute. And, as I talked to people at other parts of the Conference, I was able to say, "Just look for the Star Trek banner." Worked like a charm.
Oh, and as for that suitcase I hauled my twenty copies in—I simply filled it with new purchases from the church's book store and the library's book sale like any sensible writer would do. 😊
Excerpt: Who's Your Mentor?
Returning to the scene of the crime 😉 triggered this reflection.
[This is the third article in my new series—The Wisdom in Our Breadcrumbs: a Trail Lit Mostly with Love.]
It came on gradually, our friendship. For the first nine years, I was too busy running a convenience store business to give her much more than a passing nod or a quick hug. I was barely aware she was First Son’s Sunday School teacher.
Not that I didn’t notice her presence from the moment I first stepped into the sanctuary…
…I was just visiting with my family. We were considering a move from Pittsburgh, PA, in search of economic opportunity. But first, I needed to know we would all be comfortable in the new congregation.
My fear, my prejudice, was colored by watching Southern televangelists. A minister with a Southern drawl. A white bread congregation.
Even familiar hymns and accoutrements wouldn’t overcome those very specific showstoppers in my Yankee brain.
But that fear evaporated the moment I stepped into the sanctuary…
[Click here to read the rest.]
Hope your week was as fun as mine! I’ll be flying back to real life tomorrow.
Happy D-Day!
If you know someone who needs to hear what I have to say, please share or restack.
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