You know I used to laugh at the "Christmas in July" ads until I promoted my first Christmas-related book. We actually started the promotion in July and it was the perfect time. Why? Well, maybe no one is buying or thinking about December in July, but the holiday buying season is tough. In order to make any kind of headway you must start early, not just to capture the December sales but also to get in front of any early shoppers. Once those Christmas in July ads start to hit radio and TV, consumers (those who like to shop early) start to gather ideas for their own shopping lists.
When is it too late to start thinking about the holiday market? November is definitely much too late, October is iffy, but if you're staring September in the face and haven't done a lick of marketing towards holiday sales, that might be your last chance. Better to start early - mid to late summer is always great. Here are some tips to help you get a head start on the holiday buying season.
- Events: Start early. If you'd like to do events in December I suggest you start calling stores now. Many stores don't do in-store events after Thanksgiving, but if you have local connections or some independent stores they might be open to this. Speaking at non-bookstore venues falls under the same category: start early.
The key to successful holiday promotion is planning along with enough advanced marketing so that you're not spinning your wheels in the fall wondering why you're not making any traction. If you're ready to explode your holiday market start early, it's the best way to make sure you have a spot waiting for you when the busiest shopping season of the year comes around again!