Week 2 of 10 Weeks of Holiday Book Sales

By Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor for Southern Writers Magazine

My blog previous post, 10 Weeks of Holiday Book Sales gave us some insight to Holiday Book Sales and some ideas how you can increase your book sales during the Holidays. We are now in week two of the 10 weeks and it is apparent many authors are on the right rack to an increase in sales.

The obvious sign for us here at Southern Writers Magazine is our Southern Writers Magazine's 2018 Holiday Catalog. It’s a great place to choose those holiday gifts for family and friends. You can check it out at Over 40 authors have taken this opportunity for an increase in Holiday Book Sales. 

Our Holiday Catalogs highlights each authors book or books but the catalog is shared many times over through Southern Writers social media and the social media of each author. Your effectiveness of a single ad is multiplied many times over through authors sharing with their followers. If you missed this opportunity be sure to sign up for the Summer 2019 and Holiday 2019 Catalogs. They will be announced in the Spring and late Summer.

Watch and be aware of other authors use of the Holiday media to make additional sales. Decide which methods interest you and be prepared to jump on board. Here are different ideas and remember it’s not too late to start. We are just into week 2.     

Start Today with a Social Media Blitz – Those following you on social media are already fans, readers and followers. Start with putting them in the Holiday Spirit. Many will welcome your recognition of their favorite time of the year. This lets them know you too are on board with the Holiday Cheer. Present them with a daily contact for the next 10 weeks. Each message should be different.

Begin with the thought of Giving – Help them with their search of those needed gifts for family and friends. Remind them of how much they enjoyed your book and they would want to share that with others.

Giveaways- Begin giving away a book a day. Have them enter for the drawing with their name and email address. Then notify them and thank them for their interest and inform them if they won. When you notify them tell them, if they are not opposed, you would like to add their name to your contact list and notify them of future giveaways. You may also offer them a discount should they want to buy the book. You now have an additional contact to reach out to with each promotion.  

For the perfect example of this giveaway concept author, DiAnn Mills has a 12 Days of Thanksgiving give away which she promotes on all social media links and via her email list of website subscribers. Here is the link to enter for a free giveaway from DiAnn Mills. 

  

Change your approach as we near Black Friday / Cyber Monday – As we near Black Friday November 23rd and Cyber Monday November 26^th we need to step up our approach. Begin various promotions to draw interest and sales.

Discounts- Expectation of discounts are a given this time of year. Some are waiting for them which tells them now is the time to buy.

BOGO- Buy one get one. One for yourself and one to give as a gift. Or you could offer buy one title get a second title free.

Cyber Monday – Now is the time to discount your eBook. Expectations dictate this with your readers/customers.

Hanukkah (Dec 2-10) - Have a promo each day of Hanukkah. A book giveaway or if you have 8 books give a different one away each day.

Christmas – Last minute gift giving is the approach going into Christmas. Sell that sense of urgency and offer a solution. After Christmas their gift cards may be used for additional book purchases. This could be a book they did not receive or discovered at gift giving time.

New Years – Have you made you New Year’s resolution to read more? Gear your promotion towards that.

Happy Holidays!