Hello, marketeers!
Happy New Year, and welcome back to the Books On Tour Substack newsletter! I’m celebrating its 1-year birthday this month. Yay! Thanks to you for sticking around to read about my musings on marketing - some of which were carefully curated whilst others may have taken a more spontaneous tangent. I feel like this year could be a bit of the same, but I’m excited to let the journey lead us and let you lead me (if that’s what you want!).
As it turns out, I’m re-creating my very first newsletter to set us up for the year ahead. Remember how we planned the upcoming national and international literary events? This is so you can harness your book marketing powers on these special days. Are you ready for 2024?
But first…
We’re reminding ourselves of the main purpose of book marketing. I always love this quote from Joanna Penn:
‘Marketing is sharing what you love with people who want to hear about it.’
It’s about making connections. Being relatable, enthusiastic, passionate and understanding of your audience. Be YOU.
Take, and make, opportunities to connect.
Through special literary dates over the course of the year, 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.
Plan your online and offline pursuits. Here are some ideas:
· 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 2024 literary calendar* (choose the most relevant literary events for you and check what’s on in your local area):
January
· Until 31st – Nation-wide Summer Reading Club Local Library Challenge
· 26 – Australia Day / Survival Day
February
· 4 - 10 – Children’s Authors and Illustrators Week
· 7 – World Read Aloud Day
· 9 - March 3 – Perth Writers Festival
· 14 – Library Lovers’ Day
· 14 – International Book Giving Day
· 14 – Valentine’s Day
March
· 1 - 17 – Adelaide Writers’ Week
· The Australian Reading Hour (now retired)
· 19 – International Read to Me Day
· 20 – World Storytelling Day
· 21 – World Poetry Day
· 25 - 27 – Somerset Storyfest (QLD)
· 29 - April 1 – Good Friday / Easter
April
· D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything and Read) Month
· 2 – International Children’s Book Day
· 8 - 11 – Bologna Children’s Book Fair
· 25 – ANZAC Day
May
· 6 - 12 - Melbourne Writers Festival
· 9 - Australian Book Industry Awards
· 20 - 26 - Sydney Writers Festival
· 22 - National Simultaneous Storytime, 11am, Bowerbird Blues
· 30 - June 2 - Brisbane Writers Festival
July
· 6 – CYA Conference (in-person), 13 - 14 (online)
· 29 – August 4 – National Library and Information Week
August
· 16 - 18 - Bendigo Writers Festival
· 17 – 23 - CBCA Book Week, Reading is Magic
September
· 4 – Indigenous Literacy Day
· 8 – International Literacy Day
October
· 7 – Love Your Bookshop Day
· 16 – 20 – Frankfurt Book Fair
December
· 24 – Jolabokaflod, Iceland’s Yule Book Flood
· 25 – Christmas Day
*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 2024 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 a wonderful year in book marketing!
#thanksfortouringwithus
Romi x