It’s hard to believe but the holidays are only six months away so it makes sense to start thinking about how to sell more books during the shopping season.
Now is a good time to get ready to hit that market.
As an author, your success isn’t just about writing a great book; it’s also about effectively marketing it. And when it comes to marketing, timing is crucial.
Planning your promotional activities around the holiday season can significantly boost your annual book sales, so let’s cover some key strategies to prep your book for the upcoming holiday rush and get it in front of more readers.
1. Strategic Planning:
It’s essential to approach your book marketing with a strategic mindset. Just as you plan your writing and editing schedules, plan your marketing activities in advance.
Use tools like our monthly planner to map out your promotional activities for the holiday season.
2. Discount eBook Promotions:
Schedule discount eBook promotions well in advance.
Identify dates for promotions and leverage both free and paid platforms to maximize visibility.
Many promotion sites allow you to book slots months ahead, giving you ample time to plan and execute. And keep this in mind: holiday promotion dates fill up quickly because a lot of other authors are planning out how to sell more books during the season, so the sooner you can grab these, the better!
3. Rotating Book Promotions:
If you have multiple books, rotate them in and out of promotions.
This not only keeps your backlist active but also diversifies your marketing efforts. Plan which books to promote when, and schedule promotions accordingly.
4. Multi-Holiday Anchoring:
I know we’re focused on year-end holiday marketing, but there’s no reason you can’t target and focus on other holidays as well.
If you have a book that ties into other non-major holidays, take advantage of those opportunities as well.
You can easily capitalize on holidays, both conventional and offbeat, to promote your book.
Whether it’s National Dog Day or World Chocolate Day, find creative ways to tie your book into these events because it gives you an excuse for some shameless self-promotion.
Think outside the box and leverage trending topics to garner attention.
5. Goodreads Giveaways:
Participate in Goodreads giveaways to reach avid readers and expand your audience.
While giveaways may not guarantee reviews, they offer valuable exposure to a dedicated book-loving community. Plus many authors don’t realize that everyone who enters your giveaway but doesn’t win, gets your book added to their “want to read” shelf – which is huge for long-term exposure and pulling people back into your fold.
Plan and budget for giveaways strategically throughout the year but definitely plan for one in the fall to get back on everyone’s radar.
6. Social Media Planning:
Use this time to plan your social media content in advance and start creating and banking images.
Schedule posts around eBook promotions, giveaways, and holiday tie-ins. You can easily create a bank of images using tools like Canva to streamline your social media management.
Planning this content in advance lets you “warm up” your potential buyer market, start dropping hints and reminders about your book being the perfect gift or Christmas vacation read NOW, instead of waiting until the last minute, when people are overwhelmed and overstimulated.
7. Plan Events Early:
If you’ve always wanted to do a bookstore event, or any other kind of author event, start planning these early if you’re hoping to get one leading up to the holidays that might help you sell more books before the end of the year.
You should also consider things like local holiday fairs, markets and special shopping events, where folks are always eager to get gifts for the upcoming holiday. In that case, you might want to network with another local author and share a table (and a special discount for buying both books).
By implementing these strategies and planning ahead, you’ll not only streamline your marketing efforts but also ensure consistent visibility for your book throughout the holiday season.
Remember, effective marketing is about leveraging existing resources and staying true to your brand.
Embrace the planning process, stay proactive, and watch your book level up this holiday season.
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