Mark Dawson's Self Publishing Launchpad

We get into the weeds. I'll show you what you need - and don't need - in the front and back of your book. I'll show you how to format your book for all of the relevant platforms. My own genius cover designer, Stuart Bache, (he's worked for John Le Carré and Stephen King), will explain what you should be looking for when it comes to your cover. Bryan Cohen, the man I go to for my blurbs, will teach you everything you need to craft killer hooks that will have readers dying to read more. We'll look at metadata to help make your book more visible in searches, and examine pricing strategies. I'll show you how to build your Amazon Author Page, and how to make your book's Product Page sing. I'll teach you about the incentives you'll need to offer to get readers onto your mailing list, and then I'll show you the landing page that you'll need to make sure they sign up. I'll show you how to automate a series of emails that will greet your new subscribers as they join your mailing list, and I'll throw in my own copy that you can use as a jumping-off point.

Amazon is the biggest single platform, but by going exclusive you'll be leaving readers behind. I'll lay out the pros and cons of exclusivity and tell you what I would do if I was starting again.

I'll show you how to use the tools that Amazon makes available in exchange for exclusivity and I'll share some thoughts that will help you to optimize your book for the retailer's powerful algorithm.

We'll look at a powerful model that you can deploy if you have (or will shortly have) more than one book ready to sell. And we'll look at the merchandising opportunities available at the other retailers – and how you can get them to sit up and take notice.

I'll teach you the equation that underpins my business – how to take a browser and turn them into a reader, then a fan, then finally a friend. I'll show you tried and tested methods of driving traffic to your page and the best tools you can deploy to turn readers into buyers and subscribers to your mailing list. This module also includes a session from BookBub on how to use their Deals and Ads platforms to add rocket fuel to your career.

The question I'm asked most often by other authors is this: "How do you launch your books so successfully?". I'll break it down for you, with timings and email copy for you to run with. I'll also show you how to establish an advance team – the powerful group of superfans who will provide you with advice, reviews and motivation.

"How can I get reviews if I can't get sales? How can I get sales if I don't have reviews?" It's the ultimate chicken and egg question, and I'll show you how I answer it.

Every single technical process that you'll need to master is broken down for you. Want to know how to build a WordPress site yourself? We have a fifty-minute video that will take you from A to Z, with a clear focus on the content a writer should consider. Want to set up a Prolific Works promotion to blow up your mailing list? We worked with Prolific Works to produce a detailed video. Want to deliver your books to your advanced readers so that they can provide reviews, but avoid the headaches of teaching them how to sideload the files to their Kindles? A session from market-leading specialists BookFunnel will help. Want to format books for yourself? I'll show you how. And on and on and on. We've got you covered.