**CAMPAIGN STRATEGY DOCUMENT**
**Campaign:** "The Last Bookstore" Debut Launch  
**Client:** Riverbend Publishing  
**Date:** Q4 2024  
**Document Owner:** Maya Chen, Director of Marketing Operations  

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### 1. PRODUCT SUMMARY
We are marketing *The Last Bookstore*, a debut magical realism novel by Sarah Chen featuring a protagonist who inherits a bookshop that exists in the space between life and death. Key selling points: lush, Instagram-worthy prose that explores grief and healing; stunning cover art with gold foil and deckled edges creating immediate "shelfie" appeal; and cross-genre appeal to fans of *The Night Circus* and *Eleanor Oliphant*. The hardcover release positions this as both a literary event and a premium gift item for the holiday season.

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### 2. TARGET AUDIENCE

**PRIMARY: The "Aesthetic Reader"**  
- **Age:** 25-42  
- **Platforms:** Instagram (primary), TikTok, Goodreads, Substack  
- **Purchasing Triggers:** Visual cover appeal, emotionally resonant quotes, FOMO from BookTok trends, limited edition availability  
- **Emotional State:** Seeking escapism from digital fatigue; values "cozy" content and sensory reading experiences; wants to feel part of a literary community  

**SECONDARY 1: The "Professional Curator"**  
- **Age:** 30-55  
- **Platforms:** LinkedIn, literary podcasts, bookstore subscription boxes  
- **Purchasing Triggers:** Awards credibility, book club potential, gift-giving utility, discussion-worthy themes  
- **Emotional State:** Sees reading as self-improvement and cultural currency; wants intelligent conversation starters  

**SECONDARY 2: The "Grief Tourist"**  
- **Age:** 35-65  
- **Platforms:** Facebook (book clubs), email newsletters, bookstore events  
- **Purchasing Triggers:** Therapeutic/healing themes, recommendations from book therapists/librarians, book-to-screen potential  
- **Emotional State:** Processing personal loss; seeking narratives that normalize grief while offering hope  

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### 3. MESSAGING PILLARS

Every asset must reinforce one of these three pillars:

1. **"Where Books Become Portals"** – The physical book as a tactile escape from digital overwhelm; emphasize sensory details (paper texture, cover art, reading nooks).

2. **"Grief, But Make It Beautiful"** – Normalize difficult emotions through lyrical prose; position the book as company for lonely moments, not just entertainment.

3. **"The Anti-Algorithm Read"** – Curated, intentional reading experience; pushback against mindless scrolling; "slow literature" movement alignment.

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### 4. CHANNEL PLAN

| Platform | Content Type | Frequency | Owner Agent |
|----------|--------------|-----------|-------------|
| **Instagram** | Carousel quotes (aesthetic), Reels (unboxing ASMR), Stories (polls/quotes) | 5x/week | Zara |
| **TikTok** | "BookTok" transitions, "POV: you found the hidden bookstore," aesthetic shelf styling | 3x/week | Leo |
| **LinkedIn** | Author's publishing journey posts, "Why I wrote about grief," literary industry trends | 2x/week | Maya |
| **Email (Warm List)** | Nurture sequence: "Behind the Cover," character backstories, exclusive excerpt | 2x/week (pre-launch), weekly (post) | Zara |
| **Press/PR** | Review copies to Bookstagrammers (50K+), regional NPR, literary podcasts (*Literary Disco*, *Reading Glasses*) | Burst at launch, steady trickle after | Maya |
| **Goodreads** | Giveaway (500 copies), author Q&A, shelf recommendations | Daily monitoring | Zara |
| **Bookstore Partnerships** | Window display kits, signed pre-order incentives, indie bookstore Instagram takeovers | Pre-launch setup, launch week activation | Maya |
| **Podcasts** | Guest spots on grief/ wellness shows (*Terrible, Thanks for Asking*), writing craft interviews (*The Shit No One Tells You About Writing*) | 4 episodes pre-launch, 2 post | Maya |

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### 5. CAMPAIGN PHASES

**PHASE 1: PRE-LAUNCH (Weeks -2 to 0)**  
- **Goal:** Build anticipation and email list; establish aesthetic precedent  
- **Activities:** 
  - "Cover Reveal" countdown on Instagram (Leo)  
  - ARC distribution to 100 Bookstagrammers (Maya)  
  - "Secret Chapter" email opt-in incentive (Zara)  
  - Pre-order campaign with bookmark/art print incentive  
  - LinkedIn essay by author: "Why I Quit Tech to Write About Death" (Maya)

**PHASE 2: LAUNCH WEEK (Week 1)**  
- **Goal:** Conversion and cultural moment creation  
- **Activities:**
  - Daily TikTok/Insta content revealing different "portals" from book (Leo)  
  - Email blast to full list: "It's here" + exclusive author note (Zara)  
  - Press release to 50 outlets (Maya)  
  - Launch day Instagram Live: Author + Bookstore tour (Zara)  
  - LinkedIn article: "10 Books That Are Saving Publishing" (featuring our book #1) (Maya)  
  - Paid ads retargeting website visitors (Maya)

**PHASE 3: POST-LAUNCH AMPLIFICATION (Weeks 2-8)**  
- **Goal:** Social proof and community cementing  
- **Activities:**
  - UGC repost campaign: #MyBookstorePortal (Zara)  
  - Review roundup email: "What readers are saying" (Zara)  
  - Goodreads giveaway winner announcements (Zara)  
  - Book club kit PDF (discussion questions, recipes from book) (Leo design, Zara copy)  
  - Retargeting ads to engaged non-purchasers (Maya)

**PHASE 4: LONG-TERM EVERGREEN (Months 3-12)**  
- **Goal:** Backlist sustainability and community ownership  
- **Activities:**
  - "Bookstagrammer of the Month" feature series (Zara)  
  - Holiday gift guide pitching (Maya)  
  - Author newsletter takeover (guest posts from readers) (Zara)  
  - Paperback transition campaign (new cover reveal) (Leo)  
  - Reader Facebook Group moderation: "The Between-Worlds Book Club" (Zara)

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### 6. SUCCESS METRICS

| KPI | Baseline | Target | Measurement Tool |
|-----|----------|--------|------------------|
| **Pre-Orders** | 0 (debut) | 5,000 units | Publisher portal + Bookshop.org data |
| **Instagram Engagement Rate** | 2.1% (industry avg) | 6%+ | Native analytics + Sprout Social |
| **Email List Growth** | 12,000 subscribers | 25,000 subscribers (net +13K) | Mailchimp / ConvertKit |
| **Review Velocity** | N/A | 100+ Goodreads reviews in first month; 50+ Amazon | Manual tracking |

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### 7. EXECUTION TASKS & ASSIGNMENTS

**VISUAL CONTENT PACKAGE**  
- Cover asset adaptations for social (9:16, 1:1, 16:9 formats) → **Leo**  
- Aesthetic mood board for Instagram grid → **Leo**  
- "Unboxing" video templates (3 variations) → **Leo**  
- Book club kit PDF design → **Leo**  

**COPY & COMMUNITY**  
- Instagram caption bank (30 posts) → **Zara**  
- TikTok script outlines (15 concepts) → **Zara**  
- Email nurture sequence (5 emails) → **Zara**  
- Goodreads giveaway copy & author Q&A questions → **Zara**  
- Community management: Comments/DMs response protocol → **Zara**  
- Bookstagrammer outreach (50 personalized pitches) → **Zara**  

**STRATEGY & PRESS**  
- Press release draft (400 words, 2 angles) → **Maya**  
- Author LinkedIn ghostwriting (4 articles) → **Maya**  
- Media kit compilation (fact sheet, author bio, high-res images) → **Maya**  
- Podcast pitch emails (10 targeted shows) → **Maya**  
- Ad creative brief for retargeting campaign → **Maya**  
- Campaign timeline/Gantt chart management → **Maya**  
- Budget allocation & ROAS tracking → **Maya**  

**CROSS-FUNCTIONAL**  
- Weekly asset review meeting (all three) → **Maya** (facilitator)  
- Crisis comms protocol (review bombing response) → **Maya** (lead), **Zara** (execution)  

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**APPROVALS REQUIRED:**  
- Final cover reveal assets: **Maya** by EOD Friday  
- Email sequence sign-off: **Client** (via Maya) by Week -10  
- Ad spend authorization: **Maya** (threshold: $5K)  

**Next Steps:** Leo to deliver initial mood boards by Wednesday; Zara to begin influencer list curation immediately.