Last Friday I had an in-person VIP day with one of my all time favorite clients. Not part of her package but we live close-ish together and I offered it since she was coming into town.

We met at my favorite co-working space and even though we’d just met in person, it felt like catching up with an old friend—SO much fun! Then we got down to business.

And can I tell you: It. Was. Amazing.

I hadn’t done an in-person VIP day before (no one seems to live near me!) but the energy was so high, ideas just flowing.

Not only were we able to map out her entire book launch—including both the giveaway details and the launch event—but I planned her social media campaign for the launch, we worked on templates for a companion journal, went over press releases, contacts for affiliate promo, I even set up her email list and planned her emails for her because, until now, her business had been entirely in-person.

In just 3 hours, we got through 3 weeks of work, plus had time to build out extra experiments for her book launch.

Feels like nailing the Wordle on the first guess.

And gotta tell ya: I’m a convert for in-person events now.

(btw, before we all start thinking I give free VIP Days out like unwanted advice, I have boundaries in business. Years of burnout taught me that. But when clients show up well and treat you with respect, I love giving back. This was one of those moments that I was excited to add it in just because. If you’re in South Carolina or the Southeast and we’re working together, maybe I add one of these in.)

The Foundation vs. The Experiments

But what made this day so productive wasn’t just the in-person energy. It was knowing exactly where to focus our time.

Everything I have my clients do for their books + launches is backed by years of experience and updated for current market trends + particulars, but we also like to experiment with new ideas for the 🍒 on top.

How do you know when to experiment on your book launch?

You want to make sure that you have a solid foundation, because while a flopped book launch can be fixed, it’s not something you want to HAVE to fix, ya dig?

So we build our launches on what works (right now and even in a low-trust buyer economy), but we experiment with the extras: the bonuses, the formats, the advertising, and so on.

When I launch with my clients, we focus on two main elements that, when done right, consistently drive results for my authors:

1. A thoughtful giveaway that includes more than the book

Think: book + a mini-course, or book + a workbook, or book + a 30-minute strategy session and a few other nice-to-haves. Something that gets them implementing immediately and positions you as the guide who shows up with solutions. We always personalize this.

The key word here is thoughtful. I’ve seen authors throw together a giveaway that’s just “everyone who buys gets entered to win a signed copy!” and wonder why it didn’t move the needle. That’s not a giveaway—that’s a lottery ticket.

A thoughtful giveaway does three things:

First, it lowers the barrier to buy. When someone’s on the fence about a $20 book, adding a $47 mini-course or a $97 strategy session makes the decision easier. They’re not just buying a book anymore—they’re getting a complete transformation starter pack.

Second, it qualifies your buyers. The people who get excited about a workbook or strategy session are the same people who’ll actually implement your book’s advice. These are your future high-ticket clients showing you they’re serious.

Third, it gives you a reason to talk about your launch beyond “please buy my book.” You can promote the giveaway, the bundle, the limited-time bonus—all of which feel less pushy than just asking people to buy.

One client did book + a 90-day implementation tracker + a private podcast with extended interviews. Her book sales tripled compared to her first (DIY) book launch where she’d just offered the book alone. Same author, same audience size, but this launch turned into three new high-ticket clients in the first month of the book’s launch.

The book she’d written and published a few years earlier all by herself… well, that one didn’t get the results she was hoping for, so she was absolutely thrilled when the launch we did together was so successful, not just in book sales, but in new leads, new clients, and new opportunities.

Read This Next: Why Most Nonfiction Books Fail After Launch Week

2. A launch event that can change formats but always delivers specific value for the author and attendees

This could be a live workshop, a Q&A, a masterclass, even a book club-style discussion. The format shifts, but it always gives attendees immediate value and gives you a room full of warm leads who just experienced your expertise.

The mistake most authors make? They think the event is the launch. It’s not. The event supports the launch.

Your event should do four things:

Give attendees a quick win. Something they can implement immediately that proves your methodology works. Not theory, not inspiration—actual results.

Showcase your book as the natural next step. When someone gets a result from your 60-minute workshop, they’ll want more. Your book becomes the obvious “how do I keep this going?” answer.

Create urgency without being gross about it. Launch-week only bonuses, early-bird pricing, limited giveaway entries—all of these work when tied to an event because the deadline feels real, not manufactured.

Build your email list and warm up cold audiences. Even people who don’t buy during the launch are now on your list and have experienced your teaching. They’ll buy later or refer others.

I’ve seen this work as a 3-hour intensive workshop, a 2-day challenge, an in-person event, a single 90-minute masterclass, and even a casual “let’s talk about the book” Zoom call. The format matters less than the value and the clear path from event to book.

Pin for later ↓

Where the Experiments Live

The rest is where we test.

(I should turn this into a jingle, haha.)

With different clients we’ve experimented with things like:

• Adding surprise mid-launch bonuses vs. front-loading everything (mid-launch momentum can be wild when done right)
• Giveaway entry mechanics—one entry per person vs. bonus entries for social shares vs. one entry per book purchased (we’re still testing this one, but bonus entries for shares tends to increase reach without cannibalizing sales)
• Free audiobook chapter vs. free ebook chapter as the pre-sale opt-in (audiobook chapters have been converting better lately, especially for business books where people are listening during commutes)
• Launch content formats—reels vs. carousels vs. Instagram lives vs. long-form posts (this changes constantly with the algorithm, but right now carousels with strong hooks are outperforming everything else)
• Pre-sale timing—starting 8 weeks out vs. 4 weeks vs. 24 weeks (shorter timelines create more urgency, but longer gives you more time to build momentum with partnerships)
• Hybrid launch events—in-person with a Zoom link for virtual attendees (we’re testing this with a client next month and I’m curious how the energy translates since the setup for the in-person room will be different)

These are all extras that amplify what’s already working. None of them will save a launch missing the two core elements and preparation.

When You’re Ready (And When You’re Not)

With my client last week, one of the things we needed to account for was the size of her list. In fact, she hadn’t even started her list because until now, her business had been in-person only.

Well, as of our VIP day, she’s got a list. I set it up for her because while I am a book coach, I’m also a certified business coach and my job is to help you write and publish a book that grows your business, and talking business strategy always lights me up, especially when we’re building it around a damn good book.

And that’s why some of my clients stay with me long after their book has launched—so we can keep growing that business off the back of their new book.

Because a book isn’t a one-time event. It’s an asset that keeps working when you treat it right.

She didn’t need to be worried about her brand new list. Because we built the foundation first—the giveaway that makes the book irresistible, the event that creates urgency and delivers value—the size of her list mattered less.

I never want my clients to be stuck. Ever.

You don’t need 10,000 people on your email list to have a successful book launch. You need the right structure and the right partnerships with the right people. I’ve seen authors with 5,000-person lists sell 100 books. I’ve seen authors with 500-person lists sell 500 books (obviously NOT to every single person on their list, but to people who weren’t on their list as well as a high-normal conversion rate from the list itself!)

Smart foundation + smart experiments = book launch you’re pleased with.

If you’re writing your book and want some focused momentum with other authors who get it, I’m testing out a new free monthly co-writing event. Join my email list if you’re interested; I’m gauging interest to make sure I have a good setup for the number of people who would join.

The foundation matters. The experiments come after. But both together can be really fun when you’ve got the right support.