Well, June is here and the kids are wriggling in their desk chairs waiting for vacation to begin. Teachers are frantically wrapping up units, completing testing, and writing up final report cards. Authors may be noticing a slow-down in appearance requests and school-library correspondence in general. Before you take your own break, consider one of the following promotional ideas:
1. Send a "Wishing You a Super Summer" newsletter/note to your "e-mailing list" or add a Summertime page to your website. Make your letter/page link sunny and fun. Include a book-themed summer recipe or craft, a vacation plan based on your book's setting, your own summer reading list, or some good book-biz gossip about friends and colleagues with new titles being published in the coming months. ASK FOR FEEDBACK on a question such as, "What is your #1 wish for your students this summer?" (Offer a signed book or other prize to be awarded to one or more feedback respondents.)
2. Offer a discount or other incentive (e.g., extra 30-minute writing workshop for up to 20 students) for 2010-2011 school year appearances booked before, say, August 15, 2010. Post the special on your website, blog and note in your newsletter, above, if you're sending one.
3. Support summer reading programs. Offer to stop by libraries, bookstores, museums, or other appropriate venues near your hometown (or perhaps locales where you'll be vacationing) to do a free book talk, signing or other special event in support of their summer programs. If you set these up, make sure once again to note the dates on your blog, website, Facebook page, etc.
Summer is also a great time to create some of those value-added elements for your website or author appearance programs, such as reading and activity guides and tips for preparing for an author visit. And, spend a couple of beach blanket hours thinking about fall promotions, such as contests. Speaking of which, next month I'll be posting information on my own first BLOG CONTEST. Get ready...!
1 comment:
Great ideas, Stasia. I will have to try one or more of them!
Post a Comment