Please indulge me a little as I share the secrets to the success of the recent launch of the book Women on Top, which I have project managed for authors Sally Healey and Terri M Cooper (left). We had over 170 very happy guests, so we were thrilled with the event! Judging by the buzz on Facebook over the last week, we know our guests were too.

I have blogged previously that we have Lois P Frankel in the pages of the book – a fabulous addition for women reading the book for its business advice and strategies. We were also able to coordinate the launch event for the book with Dr Frankel’s visit to Australia and so began the task of bringing together an event that was professional yet warm and fun for our guests.

Book launches can take many forms so it is a matter of deciding what will work best for you. You might run various small events in various locations, or a larger event where you carry the cost.

You might invite a group of industry peers or influential people to gather for lunch or a high tea and gift them a book, as you speak on a topic relevant to your book content and their industry.  You could do something similar across several cities over a series of months.

There is no set ‘book launch’ formula – be creative and come up with a concept that suits you, your book and your intended readers.

Because Dr Frankel (left) was available as a guest speaker, we decided to create a sit-down launch event around the key messages in her books, which marry beautifully with the theme of our book, ‘women on top, against the odds’. We charged $97 per head, and were aware that some people would not attend because of that price point. We also knew the people we hoped would attend would see that as an indication of value, which we made sure we delivered.

We gifted all guests with a copy of ‘Women on Top’ and Dr Frankel’s latest book, ‘Nice Girls Just Don’t Get It’, and we were confident our guests would go home knowing they had received great value.

We also ensured there was plenty of time for drinks, food and networking prior to the formal part of the evening – and we had follow-up ‘thank yous’ from people who had made new and strong contacts.

The event took place on 14 June, so we started organising the event several months before that date, once Dr Frankel had confirmed her availability.

I then sourced a venue – The Pavilion in Breakfast Creek – with an events manager who was delightful to work with.

In order to promote the event we put the following in place: a website page, a pdf of the  invitation for email use, online payment systems, and a facebook presence. We did not do a lot of paid advertising, and sought some media coverage in the weeks before the event. Contributors to the book were also asked to invite their own special VIP guests, so it became a real celebration and an opportunity for all of us to extend our networks.

We began inviting guest four weeks prior to the event, and received several bookings immediately, always a great sign that the event is hitting the mark. Bookings came in until the final hour, but one week prior we knew we had a great event on our hands.

The not-for-profit, Bravehearts Inc, organised and ran a fund-raising raffle on the night, which was very well supported. Founder, Hetty Johnston, is also a contributor to Women on Top, and tells the story behind its foundation.

As a result of the launch and the buzz about it, several opportunities for media coverage have already arisen, with much more to come. The launch is just that – a beginning: the next phase of the journey is underway.

Women on Top is available HERE.