Millions of shoppers are looking for the perfect gift, making the holiday season a prime selling opportunity for your book. But the true spirit of the holidays is more about giving than buying, and you can give back to your community while marketing your book to new readers.
Here are a few suggestions for donating your book, time and expertise to the community while generating interest in your book:
>> Contact local schools and libraries and offer to conduct an author event. You can speak about writing and publishing your book, read passages from your work or answer questions from the audience. Many schools already have an adult reading program in place, and would be happy to have an author read from their own book.
>> Donate signed copies of your book to a local school, library or non-profit organization. Contact the organization ahead of time, and offer to do an author event. In some cases, you may be able to coordinate the donation ahead of time so the audience has a chance to read your book and ask pertinent questions.
>> Run a holiday promotion for your book that includes donating a percentage of the sales to a local charity, school or library. A number of AuthorHouse titles donate proceeds to charity year-round. Leah Orr, author of Kyle’s First Crush and Kyle’s First Playdate, donates all profit from her books to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Debbie Alferio, author of A Forever Kind of Love, donates a portion of her profits to the American Cancer Society. If possible, quantify the results with a phrase like “10 books sold will help feed a local child for a month.”
>> Sell or donate copies of your book as gifts or incentives for fundraisers. Local NPR radio stations, PBS TV stations and a number of other organizations can give away copies of your book when patrons pledge to support the organization. Ask to appear on the TV or radio program with your book, and make sure your book is included on all marketing materials for the fundraiser.
>> Donate copies of your book for military personnel stationed overseas. Non-profits like the United Service Organizations can accept your donations and coordinate the final delivery to the troops. AuthorHouse has donated more than 4,000 books to the USO for soldiers stationed overseas.
>> Offer to read passages from your book to patients in a local hospital. Bring extra copies to sign and donate. You can also donate copies of your book to be placed in the waiting rooms and other areas.
These charitable ideas not only give back to the community, but they are also a natural magnet for local media coverage. Coordinate your donations and events with a press release and invite local media members, especially photographers, to join you at the event. At the very least, you can have a friend or family member attend to document the event so you can write about it on your Web site or blog. Writing off the cost of your donation as a tax deduction is another golden lining, but make sure to speak with an accountant before finalizing any plans.
