You’ve got an ebook – you promote heavily all across the Internet and your sales are sort of okay but they could be better. So now what? Other than going out and mugging people on the street, how do you kick jump a short term revenue stream?
==> Get Bazaar’d
No, not bizarre – although as an author this might have some relevance – I’m talking about those events which happen near Christmas. Everybody and their sister go to bazaars to buy handmade gifts. Use this opportunity to hawk your ebooks.
Yeah right lady then you woke up. Bear with me a moment, it’s not as crazy as it sounds. Your ebooks are perfect for this type of an audience. Everybody is trying to sell handmade items and your ebooks on CDs will stand out because they are unusual. Maybe bizarre was the right word at that.
Anyway, the point is you will make money on your ebooks.
Consider this:
You can buy CDs with jewel cases on the Internet or at your local WalMart for approximately $1.
A Fellowes Neato 2000 Labeler Kit (at WalMart) is $19.95 and comes with software to make your CD graphic and insert labels. Plus you will also find packages of blank CD labels right next to the labeling kit.
You can also buy jewel insert labels but I’ve found plain old 20 stock printing paper looks just as nice especially if your graphic is colorful. We are not talking retail store here with UPC code requirement – this is a bazaar where people are into handmade items.
For under $70, you’re ready to get bazaar’d. So you ask around your local area and find out which bazaars have the most traffic. You sign up for a table (try reserving a card table because they’re usually half price) through different organizations for as many weekends as you can handle up until a week or two before Christmas.
You make sure you’re there at least an hour or two before it opens so you can set up and schmooze with other vendors (they could be your best customers).
A few flyers with your bio, your business card with your website address, a nice plain colored tablecloth so your ebook CD doesn’t get overpowered and you’re ready to rake in the dollars. And you will because people will stop by your table and chat. They won’t feel intimidated like they would if you were in a bookstore.
The novelty alone will make them stop and you know everyone who does might not own a computer; but, they do have friends or family members who own one and your CD will be that “perfect gift.” Hey it beats potholders, especially if you sign the back of the CD insert label.
Who knows, maybe a “print” publisher, an agent or a movie producer could be one of your customers. Stranger things have been known to happen – now that would be bizarre – oops make that bazaar’d.
Judith Tramayne-Barth’s site is http://www.agoodread.com which has free books, articles and link pages you’ll love. She also writes excellent “how-to” books.
