If you’ve ever wondered how to integrate the holidays into your book marketing efforts, below are some useful tips to help you go about doing so.
Black Friday
Date: November 23, 2018
What you can do: Black Friday, perhaps more than any other holiday, is the one day where everyone is looking for the absolute best deals.
The allure of Black Friday sales is not only limited to brick-and-mortar businesses, but e-commerce and online stores are also getting in on the act.
Customers love getting percentages off their orders and feel they’re getting a deal, so you should strategize methods for including this in your campaign.
Ideally, have your book 50% off for the day and be sure you get the word out on social media and via your email list.
You can utilize book marketing approaches for both print and eBook for Black Friday, so take advantage of this opportunity.
Cyber Monday
Date: November 26, 2018
What you can do: Cyber Monday was created to capitalize on the craze of Black Friday for increased online sales, and this presents a wonderful chance to attract new readers.
For some perspective, Amazon hosted 59.2 billion unique visitors for Cyber Monday in 2016. Whoa!
To fit the cyber theme, we suggest simply focusing on your eBook for this day. Take the plunge and make it free.
Yes I know, free doesn’t make you any money, but it’s a book marketing strategy I stand behind.
‘Free’ will allow you to attract more readers and may gain repeat customers for your future books, so it’s integral to a long-term plan.
Hanukkah
Date: December 2 thru December 10, 2018
Hanukkah lasts 8 nights, and you can position your book as the perfect last-minute holiday gift, or if it’s available at a discount, you can pitch it as an affordable gift for one day of the celebration.
You could also team up with some of your favorite authors, or (if you have 8 titles), you could pitch one of your titles for each day of Hanukkah.
Christmas Eve
Date: December 24, 2018
What you can do: Here’s your opportunity to reach the procrastinator.
Remember, eBooks don’t require any shipping time.
We all know that one person who waits until the last minute to buy gifts, so advertising your eBook as an immediate, time-saving gift or virtual stocking stuffer is a creative method for catering to these types of shoppers.
An eBook also makes an excellent, no-clutter, fruitcake alternative to a host or hostess gift!
Boxing Day
When: December 26, 2018
What you can do: There’s a bump in eBook sales starting on December 26th through the New Year, so this is book marketing gold.
Many people are not only given new eReaders and tablets as gifts, but they’re eager to begin putting content and books on them the day after Christmas.
Additionally, people also receive gift cards to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Apple for Christmas and start redeeming them for merchandise and eBooks.
Advertise your limited-time discounted book as a great deal for new eReader owners!
New Year’s Day
Date: January 1st, 2019
What you can do: Online traffic picks up in the afternoon on New Year’s Day as people start to wake up and recover from the previous night’s festivities.
People are still in the festive mood AND as mentioned for Boxing Day, many have gift cards to spend.
Don’t forget New Year’s resolution season is in full force by now as well.
So get creative with your book marketing sales pitch!
New Year’s resolutions are always fantastic ideas to connect with your non-fiction subject.
If you’ve written fiction, go with the resolution to read more – it’s so common it’s almost always a sure thing.
BONUS Amazon Shipping Deadlines
Date: December 15 – 24, 2018 (depending on location and shipping options)
What you can do: This is yet another occasion to spotlight your paperback or hardcover books.
Position your promotion of ‘books make great last-minute gifts’ to emphasize to potential buyers that it’s not too late for their family and friends to receive them in time for Christmas.
And thanks to Amazon’s full-service approach, they can have it wrapped and even include a gift message.
The Bottom Line on Deadlines
Maximize your marketing campaign by incorporating these shopping holidays into your planning to not only increase your number of readers and followers but also to boost your sales.
So start planning and scheduling social media posts, pre-write emails, and secure any discount eBook promotions that are left ASAP.
A Final Note on Gift Guides
In addition to these deadlines we’ve discussed, there’s one more set of deadlines you should be aware of this holiday season – the deadlines for gift guide submissions. Gift guides are a valuable resource to increase attention to your book and even a single placement can give you a bump in sales and exposure!
National magazines often have early deadlines (think September), but regional media – magazines, newspapers, tv, and radio – often have shorter turn around times and later deadlines. Sometimes you can find gift guide submission information online, but if they don’t publish it, a quick call to their office may net you the information you need.
Another beneficial avenue to explore is the wealth of blogs out there. Many provide gift guides. If you know of any gift guides (featuring your book, naturally), reach out to your favorite blogs and inform them. This could provide you with additional exposure. A great place to start is by going online and searching “gift guide” along with your target demographic.
Some examples might be:
Gift guides for men
Gift guides for bookworms
Gift guides for romance readers
You’ll acquire better results with how much detailed information you input.
Your pitch should be brief, clear, and definitive. You’re not only the author trying to get attention for a book, so when reaching out to blogs, be creative and stand out from the competition.
Want even more helpful tips? Check out my new book available on Amazon, 50 Ways to Sell a Sleigh-Load of Books: Proven Marketing Strategies to Sell More Books for the Holidays.
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Author Bio: Penny Sansevieri, CEO and founder of Author Marketing Experts, Inc. (AME) and 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. To learn more about her company and services, visit www.AMarketingExpert.com.