The Marketing Plan for 2023

A Literary Calendar

Hello! Welcome to the first Books On Tour Substack newsletter!

Today it’s all about national and international literary events, and how YOU can harness your book marketing powers on these special days. Are you ready for 2023?

But first…

I want to share one of the most significant points about marketing; it’s about ‘connection’. I love this quote from Joanna Penn:

‘Marketing is sharing what you love with people who want to hear about it.’

Be bold enough to share your knowledge, your uniqueness, your passions, your talents. Allow your tribe to add fuel to your fire. And remember your WHY – WHY do you write or illustrate for kids? What are you sharing that will benefit them?

Be bold enough to share YOU. Your audience want to know YOU, and what you stand for.

That is how to connect.

Take, and make, opportunities to connect.

Next month (and every month) there are some brilliant opportunities to get involved in bookish events to celebrate and support the children’s book industry and those young readers who’d love to get to know you.

Make a plan to create digital content, encourage a collaborative network to join you, or organise in-person visits to some book and reading events happening in 2023. Some ideas to get you thinking:

·       Plan visits at libraries, schools, daycare centres, markets, festivals, and so on. Find out about upcoming events and get in touch with organisers to see how you can get involved

·       Start a conversation on social media about a particular event or topic related to that special day. For example, post a survey question, a quote or meme

·       Use the correct, related hashtags in your posts to start / follow a movement

·       Write a blog piece about what the bookish event means to you, or create a follow up article with photos of your experience

·       Create a short video about the event and share it on your socials. Perhaps a book reading, share an important message or something completely fun!

·       Run discounts, giveaways or book gifting initiatives, or release bonus content on your website / socials. For example, fun downloadable activities, videos, your favourite reads, interviews with other authors or your own book characters, etc.

And now for the 2023 literary calendar* (choose the most relevant literary events for you and check what’s on in your local area):

February

·       1 – World Read Aloud Day

·       5 - 11 – Children’s Authors and Illustrators Week

·       14 – Library Lovers’ Day

·       14 – International Book Giving Day

·       14 – Valentine’s Day

March

·       6 – 9 – Bologna Children’s Book Fair

·       9 - The Australian Reading Hour

·       19 – International Read to Me Day

·       20 – World Storytelling Day

·       21 – World Poetry Day

April

·       D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything and Read) Month

·       2 – International Children’s Book Day

May

·       24 - National Simultaneous Storytime, 11am, The Speedy Sloth

July

·       31 – August 6 – National Library and Information Week

August

·       14 – Love Your Bookshop Day

·       19 – 25 - CBCA Book Week, Read Grow Inspire

September

·       7 – Indigenous Literacy Day

October

·       18 – 22 – Frankfurt Book Fair

December

·       24 – Jolabokaflod, Iceland’s Yule Book Flood

*Dates and events may be updated where applicable throughout the year.

Be sure to write down all the popular literary dates and special days, weeks or months in your own 2023 event calendar. Set a reminder in advance to ensure you have enough time to plan and create your promotional ideas for the special day.

Have you started planning your book marketing year?

#ThanksForTouringWithUs!

Romi x