| March is the month to promote! With that in mind, here | | | | The other authors can join in the events, which may |
| are 31 ways you can leverage Small Press Month, one | | | | lead the bookstores to be more interested in |
| for each day of March. Time to get started!Mar 1 - If | | | | scheduling it (even on such short notice).Mar 16 - |
| you do not have enough author's copies on hand, | | | | Contact all the local radio producers in your area. The |
| contact your publisher and order more so they arrive | | | | Outskirts Press author's center makes it easy, with |
| in enough time to pursue these other tips throughout | | | | free contact information in your local area.Mar 17 - |
| the month.Mar 2 - Contact other independent published | | | | Think St. Paddy's day thoughts. Then make sure your |
| authors in your area (through local associations you | | | | online listing is all it can be.Mar 18 - Contact the major |
| may belong to) and combine your resources to fully | | | | newspapers about Small Press Month. They're likely to |
| exploit the opportunities during this month. There's a lot | | | | write up something if enough authors contact them, |
| to do, and four hands are better than two.Mar 3 - | | | | and you will want to be among the piles of information |
| Contact your local bookstores and suggest they offer | | | | they have received:THE NEW YORK TIMES: 229 W |
| discounts on Small Press books. Bring in yours and | | | | 43rd Street, New York NY 10036-3959 (212) |
| offer it to them at a discount to get them started. | | | | 556-1234USA TODAY: 1000 Wilson Blvd, Arlington VA |
| Show them the rest of this calendar as a way of | | | | 22209-3901 (703) 276-3400 and 535 Madison Avenue, |
| indicating your commitment to making their event | | | | 20th Fl, New York NY 10022-4212 (212) |
| successful. Offer to leave a free copy with them | | | | 715-5410WALL STREET JOURNAL: 200 Liberty |
| along with a sales sheet.Mar 4 - Contact your local | | | | Street, New York NY 10281-1003 (212) |
| newspapers and inform them of Small Press Month (in | | | | 416-2000WASHINGTON POST: 1150 15th Street NW, |
| case they don't know about it). Suggest they write a | | | | Washington DC 20071-0002 (202) 334-6000Mar 19 - |
| small article or events calendar for Small Press events | | | | Contact your local community center and inform them |
| in the area, specifically the ones you secured on March | | | | of Small Press Month. If you have gathered a band of |
| 3rd. Tell them you will be sending them a press release | | | | local authors, this will be more affective. Schedule an |
| on the 5th.Mar 5 - Send a press release to the local | | | | impromptu event, celebrating Small Press books.Mar |
| media (newspapers, radio, television) mentioning Small | | | | 20 - This may be the month to switch independent |
| Press Month and your independently published book. (If | | | | publishers if you have published elsewhere. Is your |
| you secured some events on March 3, mention them | | | | retail price too high? Is your profit too low? Is your |
| in the release.Mar 6 - Follow-up on your press release | | | | author's copy price too high? Compare and save by |
| from yesterday with the local media via telephone. | | | | using this free pricing calculator at 21 - Join a Yahoo |
| Reiterate Small Press Month, your planned events in | | | | Group devoted to the newspaper trade, which includes |
| the community, and your Small Press book. Offer to | | | | tactics for writing articles in papers as well as contacts |
| compose a review that they can use as a foundation. | | | | for promoting your book. Send a blank email to: |
| (Less work for them).Mar 7 - If you haven't yet | | | | Mar 22 - Register for the Outskirts Press |
| published your book, today is the day to start. Go to | | | | tele-seminars on "Signature Book Signing Tactics" from |
| for the future in book publishing today.Mar 8 - Contact | | | | within your free author's center by signing up at 23 - |
| your local libraries and suggest they feature Small | | | | Contact the Learning Annex (or similarly themed Adult |
| Press titles, including yours. Offer to leave a free copy | | | | Education Program) in your area and offer to teach a |
| with them, along with a sales sheet. Your free author's | | | | class on the subject of your book. As a published |
| center generates your sales sheet automatically if you | | | | author, you are qualified to teach on your subject since |
| have published with Outskirts Press. You can even | | | | you are an expert. Your book may even be required |
| change it and update it first.Mar 9 - If you haven't yet | | | | reading for each student!Mar 24 Start writing online |
| sent out review copies for book, now is the time. The | | | | reviews. Write reviews for every book you have ever |
| free Outskirts Press author's center has many book | | | | read. Mention that you are the author of your book at |
| reviewers listed in the Author Resources section, | | | | the bottom of each posted review. If people like the |
| available no matter where you have published your | | | | writing style of your review, they may investigate your |
| book.Mar 10 - Contact local schools in your area and | | | | book, especially if you write reviews for books within |
| tell them about Small Press Month. Mention that you | | | | the same genre as yours.Mar 25 - Contact the public |
| are a local published author and offer to speak to their | | | | libraries in each state and mention your involvement |
| assembly about how to accomplish their dreams of | | | | with Small Press Month. Send them information about |
| being published. This is particularly effective if you have | | | | your book. Here's a link that will get you started: 26 - |
| a children's book you can then sell after the | | | | Start preparing for April (National Poetry Month), |
| assembly.Mar 11 - Contact local universities and | | | | especially if you have a volume of poetry you have |
| colleges. Same concept as yesterday -- promote | | | | published.Mar 27 - Help other writers you know get |
| yourself and your book by sharing your knowledge of | | | | published and earn a 10% commission for the referral |
| how to write a book and get it published. Sell copies of | | | | after their book is published. Register for the exciting |
| your book in the back of the room.Mar 12 - Schedule a | | | | Outskirts Press affiliate program at 28 - Start a blog |
| seminar or tele-seminar on "How to Write and Publish | | | | and keep it active and up-to-date. Register it with blog |
| a Book" and offer a "Small Press Month" discount on | | | | directories so others start reading it and participating. |
| the registration fee. Send out a local news release | | | | There are many blog programs to help you get |
| about your class.Mar 13 - Contact other sales channels | | | | started. Conduct a search on Google for the one that |
| outside of the bookstore that may be likely to sell your | | | | works for you.Mar 29 - Submit your published book to |
| book. This may include websites related to your book's | | | | the Google Base listings. It's free. 30 Publish a "Large |
| topic, gift stores, hardware stores, grocery stores, | | | | Print" edition of your book. With the world's |
| boutiques, etc. Look at your book and ask yourself | | | | demographics growing older, "large print" editions are |
| where your readers may be shopping.Mar 14 - | | | | becoming more and more popular. Featuring 14 or 16 |
| Contact local art studios, design boutiques, or other | | | | point fonts, these editions appeal to the aging |
| small independent businesses in your area. Give them | | | | community because they are easier to read. You've |
| the opportunity to share in co-op on some advertising | | | | already written the book, now re-publish a new "Large |
| initiatives (plus, if applicable, offer to conduct some | | | | Print" edition to increase your revenue and double the |
| events in their venues).Mar 15 - Join with other | | | | effectiveness of your marketing initiatives. It's easy to |
| independently published authors and arrange a co-op | | | | get published here.Mar 31 - Take a breath. It's been a |
| advertisement in the local media, using any dollars | | | | busy, productive month.Brent Sampson is the President |
| secured from local businesses you spoke with on the | | | | & CEO of Outskirts Press Publishing at and author of |
| 14th. In addition to simply promoting your book, promote | | | | Self-Publishing Simplified. |
| your upcoming events, so people show up at them. | | | | |