Policy Press

Events

Thanks very much for your interest in organising a launch for your book.

We can support our authors who wish to organise an event for their book with the following:

  • Social media promotion of the event to encourage attendance;
  • Creation of a promotional code offering attendees a discount on the book when purchased from our website;
  • Creation of a pdf of a promotional flyer for the title which you can print and distribute at your event;
  • Creation of a presentation slide which advertises the promo code and ‘how to buy’ information for the title;
  • Providing digital copies of the book to any panellists/participants of the event.


Please note that we need at least 8 weeks’ notice ahead of the event to provide the above support.

Launches and other book events can take a variety of formats, but in all cases it is essential to keep in mind:

  • It is best not to plan any events before the book’s official publication date. This is to ensure that attendees can easily order the book online during or after the event.
  • If you are planning to bring together a group of panellists or speakers for the event, it is essential to keep diversity in mind.
  • If your event is virtual, we recommend that you plan a ‘test’ session with all speakers shortly before the event to ensure that all technology is working as expected and everyone understands how to join the event when the time comes.
  • If you plan to have a ‘question and answer’ session at the end of your event, we recommend asking a colleague to think of a few questions to spark discussion in case the audience is slow to submit theirs.
  • If you are planning to approach a bookshop to host your launch, it is good to keep in mind that bookshops are still quite wary about hosting events post-COVID, and they will want to know who you will be inviting to the event and how many people are likely to attend.
  • Your university department may be interested in helping you with your event, and it is worth asking them if they would be able to offer any support.


Finally, if you find that you are struggling to plan an event, or you and your speakers can’t seem to make your calendars line up, please do not panic. While launch events are nice, they are not necessary for your book to be successful. Book sales and reach will be very largely achieved through other marketing activities, such as e-campaigns and promotions, which your Marketing Coordinator will have been working on from before your book reached the printers.

If you have any questions about any of the above, please get in touch with your dedicated marketing contact, or email bup-marketing@bristol.ac.uk.