Who should be on your book launch team.

Clients often describe writing a book the way people describe having a child. Something new is created and brought into the world. The effort is intense, time-consuming, all-encompassing — and worth it. We agree: your worthy message deserves the trouble.

But because writing a book is so hard, we recommend authors build an entire launch team to maximize the return on all that effort. Here's the reality: most nonfiction books sell only about 250 copies in their lifetime. Some, of course, hit the New York Times bestseller list. Where you land comes down largely to your hustle — and who you have helping you spread the word.

Here's who belongs on the team.

Street team / insiders

Your "super fans" — the social media followers, friends, colleagues, and family who will share your message for you. They're the most cost-effective amplification you have. If you haven't set one up yet, start with what a street team is and how to build one.

Marketing team

This is where we come in — making the book the best it can be and guiding you on what to ask of your publisher, and when. If you're self-publishing, we help you coordinate the roles a traditional house would cover: editors, designers, and more. We love coming in early enough to advise on the pieces that matter most, like cover design and endorsements. Later in the process, we run targeted outreach to non-traditional publicity — bloggers and podcasters — for traditionally and self-published books alike.

Social media expert

Some authors come to us with tens of thousands of followers; others have no platform at all. Either way, you want someone who will study your voice and create posts that actually sound like you. Around launch, it's worth reviewing your messaging style, hashtag use, how you interact with other thought leaders, your visuals, and your overall presence.

One of the most valuable things a social expert can do is build targeted ad campaigns that grow and engage a list of real brand ambassadors. We don't chase vanity numbers — high follower counts with no engagement won't help you when it's time to sell the book.

Publicity team

We specialize in non-traditional media; other firms have a niche in traditional media — TV, radio, print. We've partnered with firms like Smith Publicity on the traditional side. If you're looking to make a national impact, a dedicated PR team is worth it.

Publisher

Knowing what to expect from your publisher — and where their help ends — is its own skill, which is exactly why the people above matter so much. You don't need every one of these roles filled to launch a book. But each one makes a real difference.

Clients often come to us after they've finished writing, hoping the hard work is over. From our vantage point, a lot of the work is just getting started. Writing the book is step one. A great team is how you get the message to as many people as possible.