Christmas Sales for the New Author: 5 Things You Can Do Today

Thinking about Christmas yet?

I am.

But perhaps that's because I'm at the Simple Treasures show.

 Photo by: cassie_bedfordgolf, courtesy of Flickr 

Selling your books at craft shows is only one way to get your name out at the busiest time of the year. What else can you do?

1. Keep posting on your blog. If you're posting 3-5 times a week, you should begin to see some success, especially at Christmas when folks are looking for new book ideas.

2. Do some sales at the events you've scheduled. I make it a firm rule to have a sale on at least one of my books; this year if you purchase Scrambled, you'll save 50% off the book, making the book only $5; if you purchase The Feast and Conquering Your Goliaths as a set, you'll save $2. Especially at Christmas when folks are trying to save a buck or two, you'll find that nice sales bring in the readers you want.

3. Make sure that readers can easily find your book on your site, at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and wherever else you have it listed, and make doubly sure all of the information is there and correct. You want your readers to have easy access to your book. You want them to be able to learn more about you. You want them to be able to easily order your book.

4. Offer a free gift for every book purchase.

5. Carry postcards of your book wherever you go. Hand them out whenever you can.

Christmas can be a time of joy, but it can be a real pain, so planning ahead is a good idea. Decide what you're going to do now before December hits.

You'll be glad you did.