Obviously, if you've written a Christian children's book, you want people to read it, and in order to do that they have to buy it. You may find yourself asking how you can sell the Christian children's book you've written. Perhaps you've tried and received poor results. While there is no definitive best way to sell a Christian children's book, there are several things you can do to help promote your book that will give you a better chance of actually selling it.
Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing
While there are a number of Christian publishing companies, they tend to operate very similarly to secular publishing companies--which can sometimes pose a problem for an unpublished author no matter how well you can write. If you are willing to submit your manuscript, and if it is accepted by a traditional publishing company, quite a bit of the marketing and promotion of your book will be handled by the company, although you will need to participate in promotional events and actively promote your book yourself as well.
If you choose to self-publish your book, there are several options available. E-books or Kindle books are becoming very popular, but be aware that a children's book, especially one with a lot of illustrations, may not sell very well in these formats. Having your book printed can be more costly, though, and so you may want to consider finding companies that will allow you to order only a small amount of books initially and place more orders later as people request copies of your book. If you decide to self-publish your Christian children's book, you will be solely responsible for marketing and promoting your book. Consider carefully whether you have the time and resources to commit to such an endeavor.
Remember, however, that whether you choose to self-publish or go through traditional publishing channels, there is never a guarantee that your book will sell successfully. You have to choose the option that best meets your needs and will promote your goals better.
Marketing and Promoting Your Book
In some ways, it can be easier to sell in a niche market such as Christian children's books because you know immediately who your customer base is--children and parents. Additionally, this kind of niche market contains a plethora of opportunities to reach your customer base. If you've chosen to self-publish, the best idea is to start locally. Take a copy of your book to the local Christian bookstore and offer it a percentage of the sales. Speak with leaders in local churches, and demonstrate to them how your book can be useful to their Sunday school or children's outreach programs, or simply ask them to let you leave a few advertisements so that parents can order your book on their own.
Websites are another great marketing tool, and some traditional publishers will even set up a website for you. Even if you are self-published and do not know do this, you can hire freelancers through a number of online companies, such as Elance.com or Rent-A-Coder.com, for very reasonable rates, and the freelancers can build a website for you and teach you maintain it. You also need to promote your website, however, through activities such as blogging or social networking on sites such as Facebook.
While many writers may not consider it as such, continuing to write and having other works published is excellent marketing. Consider writing articles for submission to Christian children's magazines, parent's magazines or homeschooling magazines--or for local church publications or children's outreach programs.
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