I found out wonderful news last weekend. Our second grandbaby is a boy!
At the gender reveal party, we were excited to see blue cream oozing from the center of our cupcakes. At their first reveal party more than a year ago, we squealed when pink flower petals popped out of an umbrella.
A reveal can be a fun way to involve others in your journey – and your book is no different. A book cover reveal is a great way to pique your audience’s interest before your nonfiction book is published. It kickstarts your marketing and builds anticipation.
Here are five ways you can reveal your nonfiction book cover.
Give a sneak peek.
Tease your audience with a peek at your book on social media. Show one small portion of your cover – just enough to grab your readers’ attention. You can add “Coming Soon!” or your release date to help them anticipate when they’ll get to see the whole cover.
Here’s a book cover sneak peek of Fiercehearted, by Holley Gerth.
Ask for book cover feedback.
Another way to generate buzz and engage your audience is to ask your readers for their opinions. Post two cover options as a poll on social media or on your website, and invite feedback on option “A” or “B.” Even if you make the final decision yourself, your readers will have fun and appreciate the opportunity to give input.
But before you do: Make sure you’re open to hearing many different opinions. For some authors, it can lead to perfection paralysis. Also, keep in mind that some who give feedback may not be your target readers.
Here’s a book cover poll that was presented by author Swati Singh. (She went with the first cover.)
Reveal your cover on video.
A video is a great way to draw your readers into your big reveal. You can share your reaction to seeing the final result. You can also share the inspiration behind your cover or tell about the cover design process.
Ann Reed Cedeno, author of Please Don’t Repeat That, unboxed her book cover live on social media.
Create a themed photo.
There’s nothing quite like a gorgeous photo to capture attention. Create an atmosphere that fits the vibe of your book and showcases your cover, then dazzle your audience on social media.
An elegant photo captures the essence of Only the Beautiful, by Susan Meissner:
Keep it a surprise.
You may have your reasons for keeping your cover a secret until release day. Roger Igo, the CEO of The Bell Tower on 34th, didn’t tell his team about his corporate history book – not even his wife! He waited until its release on a business anniversary to unveil Keep On Going in honor of his team and wife. What a surprise!
I didn’t keep a secret as big as Roger’s, but I did keep to myself the cover of my family history coffee-table book. I showed my family glimpses of the interior but waited until my grandparents’ 75th wedding anniversary party to reveal the cover. You can read more about that journey here. It was a joy to honor my family with the finished product on such a special day.
Seeing your book cover for the first time is a thrilling moment for an author. Pick one of these tips to share your excitement, engage with your readers, and kickstart your book marketing campaign!