5 Tips to Market Your Book Around the Holidays

It’s no secret that getting the attention of media and book reviewers once December rolls around is difficult. Many have long lists of books to finish before the end of the year, which means strict deadlines on top of the always busy holiday season. Plus, research has shown that productivity typically drops in December, as the holidays prove to be a powerful distraction.

Despite the always popular “Top 10 Lists” and “Year End Reviews” that many media outlets publish as they are simply re-purposing their own content, many outlets still have space for new material. Newspapers and online media still have space to fill. Magazines and blogs are still looking for ideas as they plan their schedules for the new year. Radio, podcasts, and tv shows still invite authors on to discuss a wide variety of non-holiday related topics.

Thus, you should never stop your marketing efforts during the holiday season. In fact, following these 5 tips, you can take advantage of the fact that many authors slow down their marketing efforts around the holidays. Here’s how!

1) Increase Your Efforts

As so many authors think the holidays are the “slow season” for marketing, you can take advantage and increase your own marketing efforts. In such a competitive industry, it’s important to do anything you can do to stand out. With less competition and fewer authors vying for media attention, the holidays are a great time to get noticed.

2) Offer Media Something Fresh

Throughout the holiday season, it’s often common to see the same programming over and over. You can take advantage of this by offering media something fresh and different to feature during the often slow and repetitive holiday season.

3) Offer Book Giveaways

In the spirit of the holidays, when you reach out to radio and tv producers, offer to give away a few copies of your book to callers or audience members. This can work well, as producers are always looking for ways to keep their shows fun while keeping costs down.

4) Start New Year’s Promotion Early

With many people taking extended holiday time in December, schedules for January are often set far in advance. So, don’t wait until the new year begins to pitch your New Year’s Resolution angle related to your book, as you’ll be too late for many outlets. This is where doing thorough research and having a knowledgeable publicist can be a serious advantage.

5) Increase Your Social Media Content

With fewer people working during the holidays, they are more likely to be on social media throughout the day. This is a great opportunity to increase your social media activity to push e-book and online sales, and build your author platform.