Create a Marketing Explosion: Use Holidays to Bolster Book Sales

Plan to market the book as the perfect gift. - Lori Piotrowski

Looking for an innovative idea to promote your new book? Or maybe spark some life into an older title? I fell into an idea that may work for you. Holidays!

Many of you have written and planned for a Christmas/Holiday Season release. Maybe the books is about that holiday, its origin, its traditions. But what if your book isn’t about the holiday, can you still take advantage of it? Of course! You’ll need a plan to market the book as the perfect gift, and I know you can do that.

I’m thinking along the lines of other holidays. With my first book, Revolutionary Heart, my first signing was at a Constitution Day event. The following year, I did a two-day event over the Independence Day weekend. At both events, I sold lots of copies because the book’s topic (American Independence) was tied into the holiday and/or event. This year, I wrote two children’s books and timed them according to holidays. Riglee Celebrates Thanksgiving came out just in time for the Fourth Thursday in November holiday, and Riglee Rolls an Easter Egg was published 6 weeks before Easter. I sold 22 copies in 15 minutes of my Thanksgiving book when I attended a luncheon that month.

Oh, I get it. You’re thinking that you don’t have a book for any of those holidays either, right?

Have you tried doing an Internet search for holidays? We all recognize federal holidays and state holidays, but a quick look on this site is sure to give you some ideas that may tie into your topic: https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/. Is your book about women’s health? Plan an event or book debut party for February 1, National Wear Red Day. Does your book (or a chapter) discuss airplanes or aviation? Consider timing your release for National Aviation Day (August 19, also Orville Wright’s birthday).

Or, you could go crazy and explore the National Day Calendar. I wrote this on June 17th, and according to this calendar, we’re celebrating National Eat Your Vegetables Day, National Apple Strudel Day, National Cherry Tart Day, National Stewart’s Root Beer Day, and Global Garbage Man Day. The fun you could have with those ideas!

National Donut Day is the first Friday in June and honors the Salvation Army women who baked donuts and delivered them to servicemen in World War I. Maybe a book signing at a donut shop? A book on fashion? Tie into National Dress Day on March 6. Put on your favorite dress, take a selfie with your book, and social media-ize the heck out of it. (Guys, I’ll leave this idea up to your discretion.)

Are there any animals featured in your book? National Cat Day is October 29th (not to be confused with National Black Cat Day on the 27th of that month), and I’d be remiss to not remind everyone that National Garfield the Cat Day is June 19th. Dog lovers, your day is June 21st, National Take Your Dog to Work Day.

You’re creative individuals — you write books! Extend your talent to holidays and see what magic develops.

AUTHOR: LORI PIOTROWSKI

READ LORI'S BOOKS: https://www.coffeehousetours.com/lori-piotrowski

FB: @LoriPiotrowski