by Penny Sansevieri
It always happens when November rolls around. Authors come to us wanting to promote their books around the holidays to capture holiday sales.
This leads to the first important bit of advice: Start planning and pitching during the summer. Don’t wait until November!
That’s why I created my newest book, 50 Ways to Sell a Sleigh-Load of Books, to help those of you who are ready, eager, and willing to work hard to get your book out there in time for the holidays.
But before you start down this road, we need to take a hard look at whether your book is viable. Although holiday shopping feels like a free-for-all, the truth is, some books work better than others.
In addition to having the appropriate book, topic, and core audience, you also need to be creative when marketing. Brainstorm creative ideas before you throw yourself headlong into promoting your books during the holiday shopping season.
Is Your Book a Good Candidate?
Is your book right for this kind of promotion?
I’m going to walk you through some things to consider, starting with your book cover and topic. Because it all matters.
And it also matters whether you’re willing to make the time coming up with the ideas, because brainstorming ideas will take some time.
I hope you start early enough so you can spread some of this work over months instead of weeks. If you just discovered this post and it’s already November, you might be too late for a big holiday push this year.
Still, there are some smaller pushes you can make for the holiday market. Be realistic about what you have time to do, and be realistic about the appropriate strategy for your book.
The other consideration is the book itself. If your book suffers from a sales slump or a visibility issue, you should look into the reason before you jump headlong into the holiday sales funnel.
If reader response isn’t great, figure out why. Maybe your cover needs tweaking, or your blurb on Amazon isn’t strong enough, or your description is too wordy.
When did you last review your book description?
Department stores get ready for the holiday shopping season. They check stock, product placement, pricing, and product descriptions on flyers and online. They consider every single element to make sure everything is right.
I address many of these considerations in 50 Ways to Sell a Sleigh-Load of Books to help you make sure you’re ready!
It’s All about Timing
I used to laugh at the “Christmas-in-July” ads until I promoted my first holiday-related book. We actually started the promotion in July, and July turned out to be the perfect time.
Why? Maybe no one buys or thinks about December in July, but the holiday buying season is tough. To make any kind of headway, you must start early. Capture the December sales, and get in front of the early shoppers. When those “Christmas-in-July” ads start to hit radio and TV, consumers—those who like to shop early—start gathering ideas for their shopping list.
When is it too late to start thinking about storming the holiday market? November is definitely much too late. October is iffy. If you’re staring September in the face and haven’t done a lick of marketing toward holiday sales, now might be your last chance.
It’s better to start early—mid to late summer is ideal.
In 50 Ways to Sell a Sleigh-Load of Books we look at timelines a lot, particularly regarding mediat. How early should you start pitching? When should you do promos? Plus, we look at key dates to be aware of and plan around.
Remember that if you want to do this, you need to plan ahead, even down to booking eBook promotion dates.
Wrapping
No, I’m not talking about gift wrapping. I’m talking about how you “wrap” every element together.
The holiday sales market isn’t a typical sales funnel. You need to present your book as a gift or novelty, and you need to create a connection between your book and the holiday. For example, you might update your Amazon book page to say something like, “A Perfect Gift for Mom this Holiday Season!” or, “A Perfect Gift for a Young Reader!”
The thing is, for all of the retailers out there, holiday sales don’t just happen. You have to work for holiday sales.
Consider using custom imagery to suit the holiday, which is discussed in this book. Or actually put a decorative bow on your book cover to add a special splash to your Amazon book page.
The point is, holiday sales require packaging, planning, and knowing your readers. When you finish reading 50 Ways to Sell a Sleigh-Load of Books, you’ll know exactly what to do.
Penny Sansevieri, CEO and founder of Author Marketing Experts, Inc. (AME) and an adjunct professor at NYU, is a best-selling author and internationally recognized book marketing and media relations expert. Her company is one of the leaders in the publishing industry and has developed some of the most cutting-edge book marketing campaigns.