Great Article! I am in marketing and like to have as many creative ideas as possible. Can you share with me your source for the monthly “events” that you quoted? You mentioned a couple that were new to me.

Thanks,
Susan

I think your article is excellent. There are certainly many “seasonal observances that you can tie your book into during” the year other than Christmas. If there weren’t, marketing would be much more difficult. A book marketer must be creative and you display that trait through your recommendations.

However, the point I attempted to make was a bit different. I agree with your premise that other marketing seasons exist; I just question whether the true Christmas season exists prior to 12/25, as your article attests and most people assume. I have a hunch, though no data yet to prove it, that with book certificates and exchanges, the real “book selling Christmas season” is post 12/25. I believe this may be when most “final” book sales are made, thus it may be the “true” holiday book marketing season. As a result, as you recommend, book marketers should increase their efforts subsequent to Christmas, not take a break.

I don’t mean to butt heads. I just wanted to clarify my point. I felt I may not have been clear in my earlier post. Thank you for providing me the space to refine my view.

Sincerely,

Mike Maranhas
http://www.mikemaranhas.com

Yes, the whole point of this article IS that Christmas is not necessarily the only game in town. In fact, sales for my books slow down in December.

You have provided another perspective toward book promotion, though–why not accelerate your holiday promotional program to include those weeks after Christmas in hopes of enticing folks eager to spend their gift cards to use them on your wonderful book.

Have you read my article “Novel Ways to Promote Your Novel?” It is currently posted at http://www.matilijapress.com under publishing articles.

Best wishes in 2007
Patricia Fry
visit my blog at http://www.matilijarpess.com/publishingblog

You wrote: “The major holidays are over and we’re tippy toeing into 2007. Your greatest seasonal opportunity to sell books ended last month.”

I question whether this is accurate. I had assumed the same, frustrated that some media chose to post feature articles about my novel AFTER the holidays, due to staff shortages (i.e. on vacation) and myriad other reasons.

However, I soon realized through observation that many people receive, in lieu of books, certificates to buy them both on-line and off, thus maintaining an author’s window of sales opportunity beyond the holiday season. How long? Well, how long have you and your readers waited, in the past, before using a gift certificate received? I’ve gone months. While thinking about this, I must admit that, though I appreciate the sentiment, I loathe when someone buys me a book as a gift, for I usually receive one I don’t wish to read. Though giving someone a certificate is considered less personal, I prefer it. I can get something I want without the hassle of exchanging it, given an exchange is even permitted.

I would love to see statistics regarding how many people exchange books received as X-mas presents plus the number of books purchased post Christmas with a certificate. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the week or two immediately following Christmas is actually an author’s best window of sales opportunity. Just a thought. As mentioned, I don’t have any data to prove it. However, in either case, your point is fortified: an author should maintain a marketing campaign seamlessly through, and subsequent to, the holidays.

Sincerely,

Mike Maranhas
Author of the novel, Re’enev
http://www.mikemaranhas.com