What's the Best Way to Promote Children's Books?

by Dana Lynn Smith

The first step in promoting any type of book is to understand your target audiences and develop a written book marketing plan. For tips, download my free report, Create a Book Marketing Plan That Sells Books. 

Books for younger children are usually purchased by adults, including parents, grandparents, other relatives and friends, teachers, and librarians. Teens often choose their own reading material, but keep in mind that a large percentage of the readers for young adult books are adults, many of them parents.

When promoting books for young children, interaction with kids and parents can be very effective. Look into school visits, library reading programs, book fairs and other events where families congregate. Also check out the Mom's Choice awards program.

To learn more about promoting children's books, check out my author training program, How to Sell More Children's Books.

Authors, what are your favorite ways to promote children's books? Please share in the comments area below.

Comments

[Barbara Techel]

If you can find a theme in which to talk to elderly audiences, like senior groups, they are great places to sell childrens books because they buy for their grandchildren. You could do a little talk on what inspired you to write or how a book is put together. They don't pay a lot in terms of a speaking fee, but I always did well selling books at these type of venues, beside school visits.

Barbara Techel
Www.joyfulpaws.com

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Barbara, thanks for sharing this great tip!

Authors, you can find more book promotion advice from Barbara on my children's book resource page at http://bit.ly/ChildrenYA

[Fiona Ingram]

I do school readings and incorporate show and tell and a quiz - very easy because my book is set in Egypt so there's lots to share. I also find that blog tours with moms as the target audience are fantastic. Moms being the primary book buyers for kids, the surest way to get your book into kids' hands is to appeal to moms first. I also look for book reviewers that specialise in kids' reading material. This can include some enterprising youngsters who have their own book review sites. Writing guest blog posts about child literacy and reading, although not a direct sell for your book, will help convince parents that you know what you're talking about. Most parents then visit the book site.

[Dana Lynn Smith]

Great advice, Fiona - thanks for sharing.

[Barbara Techel]

Fiona, great idea about blog tour with mom bloggers! I've had the honor of having a few kids do book reviews for my books also, and there is nothing better... and more authentic. Thank you for brining up great points about this.

I also wanted to add that speaking to senior groups has led to the grandparent then telling their grandchild's school about me and getting me in for a school visit. Good stuff!