## OBJECTIVE
Achieve 1,000 pre-orders for "The Whispering Woods" (psychological thriller by Alex Rivera, themes of betrayal, hidden family secrets, and small-town suspense) within 90 days via a targeted Amazon Ads and email nurture campaign, measured by total units sold through the book's Amazon pre-order link.

## TARGET AUDIENCE
- **Primary segment**: Women aged 35-55, US-based, active on Facebook and Amazon, in the "aware but researching" buying stage (have read 5+ thrillers in past year per Goodreads data), feeling intrigued yet hesitant about unproven authors amid economic caution.
- **Key insight**: They need to feel the emotional pull of relatable betrayal narratives (e.g., "What if your perfect family is a lie?") validated by trusted peer reviews to overcome risk aversion and click "pre-order."

## TACTICAL PLAN
- **STEP**: Set up Amazon Sponsored Products ad campaign targeting keywords like "psychological thriller betrayal," "small town suspense books," and ASINs of similar titles (e.g., "The Silent Patient" by Alex Michaelides); bid $0.50-$1.00 CPC with auto + manual targeting.
  - **OWNER**: Agency (Leo)
  - **TIMELINE**: Days 1-3 (Phase 1: Setup)
  - **TOOL/PLATFORM**: Amazon Advertising Console
- **STEP**: Build a 5-email nurture sequence for ad clickers: Email 1 (welcome + book teaser), Email 2 (ARC reader testimonial), Email 3 (behind-the-scenes betrayal theme excerpt), Email 4 (urgency: limited pre-order bonus chapter), Email 5 (final CTA with discount code).
  - **OWNER**: VA
  - **TIMELINE**: Days 4-7 (Phase 1: Setup); automate sends starting Day 8 (Phase 2: Launch)
  - **TOOL/PLATFORM**: ConvertKit
- **STEP**: Create Facebook lead gen ads driving traffic to a pre-order opt-in landing page (headline: "Unlock the Family Secret in The Whispering Woods – Pre-Order Now"); target lookalikes of Gillian Flynn fans + interests in "domestic thrillers."
  - **OWNER**: Agency (Leo)
  - **TIMELINE**: Days 8-10 (Phase 2: Launch); run continuously through Day 90
  - **TOOL/PLATFORM**: Facebook Ads Manager + Unbounce for landing page
- **STEP**: Recruit 50 ARC reviewers from targeted Facebook groups (e.g., "Psychological Thriller Addicts," "Crime Book Club") by posting a custom callout with free PDF ARC in exchange for Amazon review.
  - **OWNER**: Author + VA
  - **TIMELINE**: Days 11-20 (Phase 2: Launch); follow up Days 21-30
  - **TOOL/PLATFORM**: Facebook Groups + Google Drive for ARC delivery
- **STEP**: Monitor and optimize weekly: Pause underperforming keywords/ads (<0.5 ACOS), scale winners (e.g., double budget on top betrayal-themed keyword), A/B test email subject lines.
  - **OWNER**: Agency (Leo)
  - **TIMELINE**: Weekly from Day 15-90 (Phase 3: Optimize)
  - **TOOL/PLATFORM**: Amazon Ads reports + ConvertKit analytics

## CONTENT REQUIREMENTS
- **Pre-order landing page copy**: 400 words, Unbounce HTML template, includes book blurb (150 words), testimonial placeholder, pre-order button; written by Agency (Leo).
- **Email sequence copy**: 5 emails, 200-300 words each, ConvertKit template with hero image + CTA button; themes tied to betrayal excerpts; written by VA (author approves).
- **Facebook ad creatives**: 5 variants – static images (1200x628px, Canva thriller aesthetic: foggy woods overlay on family photo) + video (15s teaser reading blurb voiceover); 100-char headlines like "Your Family's Darkest Secret Awaits"; written/designed by Agency (Leo).
- **ARC recruitment post**: 250 words, Facebook-optimized with emoji + PDF link button; copy: "Thriller fans! Beta-read 'The Whispering Woods' FREE – review on Amazon?"; written by Author.
- **Amazon ad copy**: Locked keywords only (no custom text); product image optimized (use 3D book mockup from Canva).

## SUCCESS METRICS
- **Pre-order sales**: Track via Amazon KDP dashboard Author Central; baseline 0, 90-day target 1,000 units.
- **Ad ACOS (Advertising Cost of Sale)**: Calculate (ad spend / ad-attributed sales) in Amazon Ads reports; baseline N/A (new campaign), 90-day target <40%.
- **Email open-to-pre-order conversion rate**: Measure clicks to Amazon link / opens in ConvertKit; baseline 2%, 90-day target 8%.

## RISK & MITIGATION
- **Risk 1: Low ad relevance causing high ACOS**: Mitigation: Launch with $50/day budget cap and strict negative keywords (e.g., exclude "children's thriller") from Day 1, reviewing daily.
- **Risk 2: ARC reviewers not delivering Amazon reviews**: Mitigation: Use automated Booksprout follow-up emails post-ARC delivery, requiring review link click confirmation before full access.

## BUDGET ESTIMATE
$3,000-$5,000 (low: minimal scaling; high: aggressive optimization); single biggest cost driver: Amazon + Facebook ad spend ($2,500-$4,000).