Pre-orders have become an increasingly popular strategy in book marketing, but they aren't right for every author or every book. In this guide, we'll explore when to consider pre-orders, their benefits and drawbacks, and how to determine if they're right for your publishing journey.
Understanding Pre-Orders
A pre-order campaign allows readers to purchase your book before its official release date. While your book is in pre-order, retailers collect orders but don't fulfill them until your launch date. This strategy can be powerful, but it requires careful planning and consideration.
The Benefits of Pre-Orders
Pre-orders offer three key advantages for your book launch:
First, they help build momentum. When readers pre-order your book, all those sales count on your release day, potentially boosting your book's ranking and visibility right out of the gate.
Second, they extend your promotional window. Instead of concentrating all your marketing efforts on release day, you can spread them out over weeks or months, giving you more time to build anticipation and reach potential readers.
Third, they act as a market testing tool. The number of pre-orders provides valuable insight into how your book might perform, allowing you to adjust your marketing strategy accordingly.
Potential Drawbacks and Risks
Although pre-orders are a great tool for marketing, they come with specific challenges.
Production timing is the first hurdle. Your final book files - including editing, formatting, and cover design - must be completed well before launch. This can be constraining for authors who work with tight schedules or want flexibility for last-minute improvements.
Understanding your audience is crucial. Consider whether your readers are likely to pre-order books or if they prefer immediate access. Some genres and audiences are more pre-order friendly than others - for instance, series readers often eagerly await new installments and are happy to pre-order, while readers of standalone books might be less inclined. Reader psychology also plays a role, as many prefer immediate gratification and may hesitate to purchase a book they can't read right away, especially during longer pre-order periods.
The pre-order deadline itself creates both motivation and stress. While this accountability can help authors maintain focus and complete their work, missing the deadline has serious consequences. Platform penalties and damaged reader relationships are real risks, especially if unexpected issues arise during final production stages.
Who Should Use Pre-Orders?
Pre-orders work best for:
- Authors with an established platform and engaged audience
- Series authors with existing fans eager for the next installment
- Authors with strong marketing plans and resources
They might not be suitable for:
- Debut authors without an established readership
- Authors preferring spontaneous marketing
- Those with limited time or resources for extended promotional campaigns
Making Pre-Orders Work
If you decide to use pre-orders, here are key strategies for success:
Set a realistic pre-order period. While major publishers might open pre-orders months in advance, independent authors typically find 4-8 weeks more manageable and effective.
Create compelling incentives for early buyers, such as exclusive content, special pricing, or bonus materials.
Plan your marketing calendar carefully to maintain steady promotion throughout the pre-order period without exhausting your audience or yourself.
Consider early-bird pricing. Many authors find success offering a special pre-order price that increases on launch day. This creates urgency and rewards early buyers, though be sure to clearly communicate the price change to avoid any confusion.
💡 Bonus tip: Upload your files for pre-order with sufficient lead time—at least 2-3 weeks before launch date. Since StreetLib distributes to multiple platforms, each with their own processing times and requirements, this buffer ensures your book will be properly set up across all retailers, avoiding last-minute technical issues affecting your launch.
Launch Your Pre-Orders with StreetLib
Pre-orders can be a powerful tool when used strategically. With StreetLib's Pro Plan ($99/year), you get access to pre-orders along with other premium features to optimize your book launch.
With our platform, you can set up pre-orders on Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, and Kobo—all from a single dashboard—for up to 9 months in advance. This broad distribution helps maximize your pre-order campaign’s reach, ensuring readers can buy from their preferred store.
Whether you decide to use pre-orders or not, what's most important is choosing a strategy that aligns with your capabilities and goals as an author. StreetLib is here to support you every step of the way.
👉 For more details on how to set up a pre-order with StreetLib across different platforms, check out this article.