Tomorrow is my Facebook Book Launch party for my newest release, New Duet. This is my second time doing a launch party. I thought I’d share for those who’ve never had one or never participated as a guest in a Facebook Book Launch Party what it’s all about.

What is it

Launch Parties are an opportunity to both celebrate and sell your book. It’s a party without refreshments but full of fun. Like any party it needs planning. Invitations, prizes, decoration (a banner) and games.

Invitation-Event page on Facebook and social media announcements on all platforms

Create an event page and share it with all your friends. FB gives you step by step instructions for creating the event. Design a banner to grab attention. There are templates for FB size banners.

Be sure to send out the invitations to the event at least a week ahead. Then announce it a few more times before the event. Send out ticklers by talking about the prizes and show the cover.

Create a meme for twitter and other social media to announce your party also.

What to do during the Facebook Party

Here are the kind of games that make the party fun: Book trivia questions, drawings, author trivia, and background about the creation of the story. These games get the guest to comment. And comments are what make a Facebook party.

Be sure you have trivia questions or talking points already typed out, so you can cut and paste in comments to create interaction with your guests quickly. Cut and paste eliminates typos due to nerves.  Take pictures of each item that is being given away in advance too. Every fifteen, twenty or thirty minutes (depending on the length of your party) have prize drawings.

Trivia questions are easy to do. I usually do multiple choice or true/false questions. My guests don’t need to have read my book before they can answer questions. The idea of the party is to pique interest in my book and add followers.

Help

Have someone keep track of all those who commented so their names can be entered in the drawing. At the end of the party or the next day on the party site post the winners. Request the winners send you a PM or email with their address or email (depending on the prize).

Have your street team comment and ask questions during your Q & A in the last portion of your party. This keeps the other guests engaged. Think through possible questions and have answers prepared so you can cut and paste the answers and worry less about typos or foggy brain.

New options

This time I’m planning on using Facebook Live to visit my guests in person and read a portion of New Duet.  We will see how that goes.

I’ll be showing my book trailer as well. It’s is awesome.

Hope to see some of you there tomorrow too.

Those of you who have had experience with Facebook Book Launch parties tell me how you party and engage your guests in all the fun.