3 Ideas to Prepare for Holiday Selling

If you're like me, the fact that stores have been hanging Christmas ornaments since the beginning of October drives you crazy. What happened to those long-ago times when stores waited until after Thanksgiving to bombard us with winter sales? 

There are two groups that should be thinking about winter holidays before turkeys start ducking for cover: crafters and indie book sellers. If you want to get your book(s) out there as holiday gifts, you’ve got work to do! The farther ahead you can start your prep work, the more in control you’ll feel when the actual season hits.

Author Newsletters/Giveaways

Do you know other authors who send out newsletters? Consider teaming up with writer friends to swap interviews, or do giveaways. This usually works best with authors who write in your genre to make sure your readers will be interested in those books, but that isn’t a hard and fast rule. Sometimes mixing things up can be fun! If it’s too late for you to get started for this year, keep your eye on the newsletters you receive. Chances are a few of them will have versions of holiday swaps going on in November and December. Take notes when you see something you like-because you won’t remember the idea next year!- and then you have a year to build your network.

For giveaways, don’t just think newsletter swaps with authors. What about baskets themed around your book (with a free copy inside, obviously) that you can donate? The holiday season is a time of year when non-profits and other organizations are looking for raffle drawing prizes, so why not a book basket? Can you find a way to make yours connect to your book and the holidays? Think outside the box and get creative!

Bookstore signings

Have you talked to your local independent bookstore about your book yet? Many indie bookstores will take books on consignment; check their websites for details. If you’re not up for a full book signing and talking engagement, you can still sell signed copies. A “Signed By Author” sticker is always a draw for book lovers buying gifts. And don’t limit yourself to bookstores! What does your book connect to? Is it about your local area? Talk to local gift shops, welcome centers, even restaurants that might carry them for the holidays. For example, the book I’m writing is about butlers. What do we connect butlers with? Wine. So, if my book was ready to sell this holiday season (sadly, it isn’t) I could check with local wineries to see if they’d carry it in their gift shops.

Holiday Markets

We all think of holiday markets as great places to find gifts- and these are the places you want to get ready for as far in advance as possible. The more impressive and eye-catching your table or booth is, the more people will come to see what you’re selling. So don’t just put your books on a table and leave it at that! What decorations can you add? A tablecloth that shows off your books or a specialty banner that shouts your brand! A posterboard sign that highlights your latest amazing cover!

 What can you give away? Flowers? Candy? VistaPrint, Canva, and other websites let you create swag ranging from bookmarks to pen designs (and so much more! You can get seriously creative on these sites). Think about your budget and what you’re willing to give away to make people think of you later- it’s why bookmarks are always popular. If they’ve got your book and website on them, there’s a good chance someone’s going to go online and see what you’re about.

If renting a booth is too much for your budget, do you know another author who would go halves with you? Don’t forget to have a credit card reader you’ve practiced with before you get to the event so there’s no stress for you or the people paying you for your books. If you’ve released your book as an ebook, consider having a card for different stores (at least Amazon and Bookstore.org) and a URL code they can scan. Have an easy way for them to sign up for your newsletter right at your table.

Have a checklist with everything you’ll need with your supplies to help you keep it all together, and note when you need to reorder things like bookmarks. If you have someone with you, get them to keep track of what gets the most positive or neutral responses so that you can make adjustments over time.

These are tips that work in any market or event, not just holidays. The more you think and plan, the less stress you’ll have to deal with, and the more fun you’ll have. And maybe you’ll sell some more books!

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