Once again, the holiday season is rapidly barreling down on us.
As authors, we all know how time can get away from us. We also know the value of making the most of every opportunity. Well, that’s what the holidays represent in terms of book marketing: a not-so-little opportunity to seize a piece of a brisk book-selling season. To help you make the most of it, here are five tips to help you market your book painlessly and profitably for maximum impact:
- Plan ahead. Sure, you can wing it during the holidays, but trust us when we say that a little bit of planning now can save you time and boost your sales later. Take a few moments to set realistic goals for the holiday season. Examples of reasonable short-term goals might be to secure two interviews with local news organizations before Thanksgiving, sell a certain number of hardcopies at holiday events, or make a few new valuable professional networking connections before you’re too busy to think about it.
- Put a Personal Marketing Assistant to work for you. A Personal Marketing Assistant (PMA) can help tailor a specific marketing plan to your needs so you can capitalize on the annual holiday book-buying boom. That way, you can still make significant progress toward your marketing goals without losing valuable time and opportunities due to holiday obligations. There’s so many benefits to be gained from the service of a PMA, so be sure to take advantage of their assistance during these busy times!
- Remember it’s the giving season. Consider offering an incentive to potential readers who need that little, extra push, such as a limited, holiday-themed discount available to attendees of your book signings or speaking engagements. You can choose a buy-one-get-one gift bundle, or perhaps an attractive discount on all orders placed on or before December 15.
- Keep hardcopies on hand at all times. If you’re like most of us, you come into face-to-face contact with more people during the brief time between Halloween and New Year’s than you do the rest of the year. Family gatherings, company parties – even chance encounters at the mall – all present opportunities to get the word out about your book and make a sale. If there’s not a stack of books in the car trunk next to those holiday packages, order them now!
- Get the word out to willing ears. Every December, the New York Times publishes a special Holiday Books Edition targeted at more than 4 million subscribing book buyers. These aren’t casual shoppers. These are motivated bookworms, many of whom are actively looking for books to buy for themselves and as gifts to loved ones. By sharing co-op ad space and ad costs with a limited number of fellow Outskirts Press authors, you gain priceless, perfectly timed exposure at the lowest price possible. The New York Times co-op ad is only available once per year on a first come first served basis, so reserve your space now before it’s too late.
Now is the time to start planning your holiday book marketing efforts. With a little forethought, you can greatly boost your sales in the next couple of months. And as always, Outskirts Press is here to help when you need us.
| PURCHASE THE HOLIDAY BUNDLE NOW! |
Interested in the New York Times holiday co-op ad? You can get even more bang for your buck by taking advantage of the Holiday Marketing Bundle. This marketing package includes:
- ad space in the New York Times co-op ad
- a book spotlight on the Outskirts Press blog
- a holiday-themed book video trailer
- 2014 annual storage fee waiver
- 5 hours of Personal Marketing Assistance
- a free copy of the 2014 book marketing calendar, and
- Amazon Listing Optimization service, all in one low-cost package!
The only way you can lose with this amazing holiday marketing bundle is if you wait too long. This early offer is available on a first-come, first-served basis to the first 12 authors who order by October 31, 2013.
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| AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT & SUCCESS STORY |
“The total process was a true pleasure. Information provided answered most of my questions up front and anything that was unique was quickly and professionally answered. I had ordered the custom cover and I can say that when I first opened the proofs, it took my breath away. I had posted the two options on Facebook to get feedback and the responses were overwhelmingly positive. Now that the book is in print, I can honestly say that I have a product I can be proud to show off!”
Life’s most difficult lessons are often painful. They require sacrifice and cannot be learned alone. This testimony offers a unique insight into one man’s journey with his Creator. From the mission fields of Islamic Africa to the corporate structures of America, Jay Fernandez has seen God at work in many contexts. And his role within the church has taken many forms. He has served as a lay pastor, worship leader, youth leader and elder. For a time, Jay was happily married and earned in excess of $100,000 annually. Suddenly, and with little warning, his world came crashing down around him. Through his vices and circumstances out of his control, he was brought to his knees, and by the grace of God alone he was lifted up once more. Clearly God’s plan for Jay’s life was more radical than he could have dreamed, and he found his purpose in the rebuilding of battle-torn South Sudan. This stunning testimony seeks to share God’s message of love and forgiveness with all who are willing to seek Him out. It is about the greatest gift anyone could receive, a gift that is available to us all at any time or place, and yet a gift which so many of us fail to see.
Jay Fernandez, author of Grace Walk
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