Either you have written a book or you are thinking about it! Let me help you out.
Yes, you can strategically tie your book to a good cause and sell more! Always remember that the key to selling is not to sell! This is why linking to a cause is so effective.
Cause related marketing is often used by big corporations to sell more of their products and services by donating a portion of the profits to a charitable organization. This tactic has a two-fold effect on you and on your potential buyer. One, cause-related marketing allows you to sell and give back to the community simultaneously. Two, cause related marketing also allows your buyer to make a purchase and support a worthy cause at the same time.
Toms Shoes and Bomba Socks are two examples of how independent business owners use cause related marketing to help grow a business. Toms Shoes donates a pair of shoes for ever pair they sell. Bomba Socks donates a pair of socks for every pair they sell. This marketing tactic works for them and helps them grow. It can work the same way for you as an independent, self-published author. You can engage in cause related marketing by choosing to support an organization you feel passionate about or you can choose to support a cause your ideal reader supports. Either way, you’ll open up a whole new marketing avenue.
For self-published authors, supporting a good cause is a clever way to market your books. Here are a few reasons why. It allows you to hone in on your target market. One of the keys to selling more books is identifying your target market or ideal reader. This helps you narrow your marketing focus and choose the cause you’ll support. The best way to do that is to investigate who they are, where they live, what their income is, what they do for fun, their shopping habits, and what causes they believe in and support. Once you know the answer to that last question, you can make arrangements to support that cause. Doing so creates another way to reach the people who want and need your book.
Cause related marketing can take many forms and doesn’t always mean donating a portion of your sales or profits. You can support a cause simply by raising awareness of their needs and soliciting donations on their behalf. You can further support a charitable organization by sponsoring an event or hosting a drive that raises funds or solicits in-kind donations. Another method of cause related marketing is asking readers to donate an additional dollar (or other pre-determined dollar amount) per sale to be contributed to the charity of their choice.
The secret to good cause related marketing is to choose a reputable organization to support. This can work in two ways. By choosing a well-known organization, you increase awareness of your book among a larger group of people. By choosing a lesser known cause or organization to support, you help yourself while increasing awareness for the charitable cause at the same time. Your readers will appreciate your willingness to help others while you help yourself, they’ll happily support the causes they believe in, and they’re more likely to share your book and your purchase options with others who support the causes they support.
What cause will you tie your book to? There is a strategy to doing this, so make sure you do it properly. Of course, we can assist you with creating content that is effective and helps you make partnerships and sell more.
Contact us for a one-on-one session and see how we can help you reach your writing goals.
Much Love,
Crystal