Thirty days out from your Amazon book launch, the pressure is real. There's a mountain of tasks that all seem equally urgent, and it's easy to spend your time on the wrong things. This checklist cuts through the noise.
I've organized everything into a countdown format. Work through it week by week and you'll arrive at launch day with everything in place. Skip things at your own risk — every item on this list has a reason to be here.
Day 30: Lock Down Your Foundation
- Finalize your manuscript. No more editing after this. The book needs to be truly done — content locked, proofread, and formatted. If you're still making substantive changes at Day 30, you're launching too soon.
- Choose your Amazon categories strategically. Don't just pick what seems obvious. Research subcategories where the bestseller rank for the #1 book is 50,000 or lower. That's where you have a real shot at hitting bestseller status.
- Select your 7 KDP keywords. Use Amazon's autocomplete to find search terms real readers are using. Think like a reader, not like a marketer. Test terms in the Amazon search bar and note what comes up.
- Set your pricing. $0.99 to $2.99 for launch week if you want maximum downloads. $9.99 to $14.99 for perceived value positioning. Both strategies work; pick the one that matches your goal.
- Upload to KDP and set a publish date. Setting a future date lets you have pre-orders and gives you time to build momentum before the clock starts.
Day 25: Build Your Review Infrastructure
- Finalize your launch team list. You should have 30–100 people who agreed to read and review. If you don't have a list yet, reach out today via email and LinkedIn. Be direct: "I'm launching my book in 25 days. Would you be willing to read an advance copy and leave an honest review on Amazon?"
- Send your advance review copies (ARCs). Use a PDF or Epub via email, or set up a BookFunnel page for cleaner delivery. Include a note reminding readers of the launch date and asking them to post the review on that day or shortly after.
- Set up your NetGalley listing (optional). If your budget allows and you have time, a NetGalley listing can generate additional professional reviews from librarians and book bloggers.
- Create a review request email template. You'll need to follow up with your launch team several times. Write these emails now so you're not drafting them under pressure later.
- Identify 20 personal contacts to reach out to individually. Personalized review requests convert far better than mass emails. Write a short, specific note to each person. One paragraph. Make it feel human.
Day 20: Optimize Your Amazon Listing
- Write your book description as a sales page. Open with a hook. Use bold text for key benefits. Include bullet points. End with a call to action. This is not the place for a modest summary — it's your sales letter.
- Set up your Amazon Author Central page. Upload a professional headshot, write a compelling bio (third person, story-driven), and link your blog if you have one. A complete Author Central page builds credibility.
- Enable the "Look Inside" feature. Your first chapter is free marketing. Make sure it's your best writing. A compelling opening chapter converts browsers into buyers.
- Check your cover at thumbnail size. Zoom your cover image down to 100 pixels wide. Can you still read the title? Is it eye-catching? Most readers browse on mobile where your cover is tiny.
- Order author copies. Get physical copies in hand early. You'll need them for photos, for review requests, and potentially for giveaways.
"A great Amazon listing does the selling for you. Spend as much time on your description as you did on your first chapter."
Day 15: Build Your Marketing Engine
- Create your launch email sequence. Write 4–5 emails: teaser, cover reveal, who-the-book-is-for, pre-order announcement, and launch day. Schedule them to go out every 3–4 days.
- Plan your social media content calendar. Map out at least 14 days of posts leading up to launch. Mix: behind-the-scenes, quote graphics from the book, reader testimonials, your "why I wrote this" story, and countdown posts.
- Pitch 5–10 podcasts. Send personalized pitches to podcast hosts whose audience overlaps with your book's topic. Offer to time the episode with your launch. Most hosts appreciate the timeliness angle.
- Reach out to relevant bloggers and newsletter writers. Identify 5–10 people who write for your target audience and pitch them either a guest post or an interview about the book.
- Set up Amazon Advertising campaigns. Create at least two campaigns: a Sponsored Products campaign targeting relevant keywords, and an auto-targeting campaign to catch searches you haven't thought of. Start with a $10–$20/day budget.
Day 10: Activate Your Community
- Post about the book in 3–5 relevant Facebook groups. Not spam — genuinely add value first, then share your launch. Or simply ask for feedback or input related to the book's topic.
- Schedule a LinkedIn announcement post. LinkedIn drives book sales for business and nonfiction authors more than almost any other platform. Write a personal post about why you wrote the book and what readers will get from it.
- Send first launch team check-in email. Remind your advance readers that launch day is 10 days out. Restate the date and ask if they have any questions about leaving a review.
- Prepare your book launch social media graphics. Create Canva templates with your book cover, author photo, and key quote pull-outs. You'll use these across multiple posts so a consistent visual style matters.
- Record a short book trailer or video introduction. Even a 60-second video of you talking directly to camera about why you wrote the book can significantly boost engagement on social media and your website.
Day 5: Final Preparations
- Test your Amazon listing live. If you have pre-orders set up, click through as a customer would. Make sure the Look Inside works, the description looks right, the categories are correct, and the price is set properly.
- Send your launch day email in advance. Schedule your launch day email to go out at 8 AM on publication day. Don't rely on waking up and sending it manually — schedule it.
- Confirm all media appearances. If you have podcast interviews or press placements scheduled around launch, confirm the dates and make sure everything is on track.
- Prepare your "launch day" social media posts. Write and schedule your social posts for launch day across every platform you're using. Don't improvise these on the day — you'll be too busy responding to comments and messages.
- Send second launch team check-in. Remind your launch team: "Five days to go! Please remember to post your review on launch day or the day after. Here's the link to the book: [link]." Keep it friendly and excited.
Launch Day: Execute and Celebrate
You've done the work. Now it's time to execute. Here's your launch day action list:
- Send your launch email to your list (already scheduled).
- Post your launch announcement across all social platforms (already scheduled).
- Send a personal WhatsApp or text message to your 20 closest contacts asking them to buy, share, and review.
- Check Amazon every 2–3 hours and monitor your sales rank. Screenshot bestseller badges if you hit them.
- Respond to every comment and message you receive. Engagement today builds momentum.
- Send a personal thank-you to everyone who buys and lets you know. A genuine thank-you goes a long way and creates advocates.
Post-Launch: Don't Stop After Day 1
The biggest mistake authors make is treating launch day as the end of the campaign. It's the beginning. Here's what to do in the week after launch:
- Follow up with anyone who said they'd review but hasn't yet.
- Share any positive reviews or early testimonials on social media.
- Activate your BookBub Ads or Facebook ads if you haven't already.
- Pitch 5 more podcasts based on what you've learned about your reader.
- Write a "thank you for reading" blog post that links back to the book page.
The books that continue to sell long after launch are the ones whose authors kept showing up. One week of activity is a start. Thirty days of consistent activity is a successful launch.
Need a team to help you execute this checklist flawlessly? Talk to Hafiz Publications — we specialize in taking authors from manuscript to launch with full marketing support.