How Can Authors Work With Non-Profits?

  

Many authors are seeking different avenues to sell books, to go beyond bookstores and libraries, or their friends and families. One place to look more closely is the non-profit sector.   

Think houses of worship, schools, community centers, and charities for every cause, from helping the homeless, veterans, and the elderly to abandoned pets, literacy, and peace.

Here is what you can do or consider when contacting a non-profit: 

Fundraiser

You can sell the book to a non-profit at a low price and they can re-sell it and use the profit to fund their organization and programming. They can sell your book on their site. They can give it away to big donors or new members. 

Branding

If you develop a relationship with an organization, they may allow you to contribute to, or be interviewed on, their blog or newsletter. Maybe they can interview you on their podcast. Perhaps they will have you speak, in person or by zoom, to their members.  

Goodwill

Give back to your community and be in support of an important cause. Donate books — help others, get a tax write-off, and hope that posting about your donation on social media buys you some goodwill.

Testimonials

Ask those who get books or hear you speak to send you testimonials that you can post on your web site, social media, or marketing materials.

Lead Generator

Connecting with a group can help you sell other books, products, and services. Let’s say you donate 20 copies of a book. Maybe it serves as a loss leader and those who read the book then go to your site to purchase other stuff. 

Feel Good 

If for nothing else, let yourself feel good about helping others.   

Networking

Anyone whom you meet is a potential consumer of your book. And every person knows other people, people that you would love to be introduced to. Let's say you speak at a non-profit, or sell/donate books to them. Ask them if they can refer you to other groups who may want the same arrangement.  

Word-of-Mouth

This is the name of the game. Sure, sales are the bottom line, but word-of-mouth is what will power that. Getting more people exposed to your message and reading your book will only lead to more people telling their friends/family and social media networks about you.  

Which non-profits should you reach out to?  

Start locally, geographically, and if it goes well, expand regionally and nationally.

Look for organizations that have a high profile in the community or media.

Seek out smaller ones, too, knowing it will increase your chances of developing a relationship with them.

Try organizations that align with your values and the message of your book.  

What is the best way to reach them? 

Find their web site listing and see if you can find a directory of personnel. Find the executive director, president, or programming director.  Call them and see if you can pin down who is the right person to approach about speaking, selling books, making a donation, etc. Then, if they are nearby, learn when they will be around, and visit or call them. Only resort to email if necessary.  

Think ahead of your meeting of all the things you could ask for. Prioritize. Focus on getting to know them and letting them feel you care about what they do and show a willingness to help. From good intentions and good efforts come good results. 

Even if linking up with one or more non-profits does not yield a harvest for you, know that you are doing something helpful and positive and greatly contributing to the world that you live in.  

 

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres.

 

Please Contact Me For Help

Is Free The Way To Book Riches?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/08/is-free-way-to-book-riches.html

 

Can Authors Outlast Setbacks?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/08/can-authors-outlast-setbacks.html

 

Do Authors Want Permission To Fail?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/do-authors-want-permission-to-fail.html

 

15 Sales Secrets For Authors

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/15-sales-secrets-for-authors.html

 

How Can Writers Grow?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/how-can-writers-grow.html

 

Advice For Authors Who Say Nothing Works

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/advice-for-authors-who-say-nothing-works.html

 

Do Literary Agents & Authors Need Couples Therapy?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/do-literary-agents-authors-need-couples.html

 

Can You Say What Your Book Is About?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/can-you-say-what-your-book-is-about.html

 

How Can Writers Make $100,000 Annually?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/06/how-can-writers-make-100000-annually.html

 

Why Bad Books Outsell Yours

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/05/why-bad-books-outsell-yours.html

 

The Truth That Authors Need To Hear

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/04/the-truth-that-authors-need-to-hear.html

 

Book Publishing Expose For Authors From An Insider

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/04/book-publishing-expose-for-authors-from.html

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2022. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This blog, with over 4,000 posts over the past decade, was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Susan RoAne, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, IBPA, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. He has been featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. 

 

 

Mind The Book Gap

 

With all of the book choices available to consumers, are many people reading the same books? Have today’s readers read what a generation ago agreed to be the classics? Probably not, on both fronts. 

I was talking to my 17-year-old son about Marlon Brando the other day. He had heard the name but knew nothing about him. I told him about his role in The Godfather and On The Waterfront, but I realized that none of it means anything to him. Those movies are several eras removed from his world. I can’t fault him for focusing his attention on social media, streaming content, or any of the millions of websites, blogs, and podcasts circulating out there. That is his world. We are in the third generation of decentralization, which means fewer things connect and unite us.

The chances of common experiences have greatly decreased. Our recent past may no longer be accepted, understood, or even made aware of to our future generations. We are united by little when our reference points shrink in number and strength.

The first generation of TV had three networks and a few local independent stations. Then came cable and a huge expansion of viewing options. Then came the Internet with an explosion of sources for entertainment and information. Now, social media and streaming are the latest generation of content proliferation. We have reached the point of no return.

The days of 75-100 million people viewing the same show, save for the Super Bowl, are long gone. Few events or shows get even 20 million viewers. Our world is pieced together by a series of micro experiences, just separate, singular moments that rarely connect to, or overlap with, the fractured experiences of others.

This extends to books, too. Ask someone which book has sold the most copies this year and you will not get any consensus. Few can name any of the books atop any of the numerous bestseller lists. Books stay there for shorter periods of time than they used to and the number of copies sold for a bestseller has been shrinking.

Rarely do we see a book sell over a million copies in a calendar year. This means that no book is read by even one percent of all Americans. Think about that.

It is getting to the point that we have so few common reference points that it is as if we don’t speak the same language or use the same math. This is extending to our awareness and understanding of world events, history, and other major areas.

Sure, we watch the same stupid-ass cat videos making the rounds online and we all seem yo know when Prime Day is, but are these the things that now become the fabric of America? With all of this knowledge and experience at our fingertips, are we only going to be united based on the stupidest or most commercial of things? 

Ask 10 people which book they are reading. At least half will say “none.” The others will likely give answers that vary from one another. And that is our world today.

 Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres.

 

Please Contact Me For Help

Do Authors Want Permission To Fail?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/do-authors-want-permission-to-fail.html

 

15 Sales Secrets For Authors

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/15-sales-secrets-for-authors.html

 

Why Authors Outsource Some Book Marketing Tasks

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/why-authors-outsource-some-book.html

 

How Can Writers Grow?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/how-can-writers-grow.html

 

Advice For Authors Who Say Nothing Works

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/advice-for-authors-who-say-nothing-works.html

 

Do Literary Agents & Authors Need Couples Therapy?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/do-literary-agents-authors-need-couples.html

 

Can You Say What Your Book Is About?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/can-you-say-what-your-book-is-about.html

 

How Can Writers Make $100,000 Annually?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/06/how-can-writers-make-100000-annually.html

 

Why Bad Books Outsell Yours

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/05/why-bad-books-outsell-yours.html

 

The Truth That Authors Need To Hear

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/04/the-truth-that-authors-need-to-hear.html

 

Book Publishing Expose For Authors From An Insider

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/04/book-publishing-expose-for-authors-from.html

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2022. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This blog, with over 4,000 posts over the past decade, was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Susan RoAne, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, IBPA, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. He has been featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. 

 

 

Is Free The Way To Book Riches?

 

For authors to succeed and sell more books, they should consider giving their book away.

Just ask a few candy shoppers.

My older sister and niece met my son and I this weekend at a landmark candy store, Economy Candy, located at the bosom of New York City’s Lower East Side. This institution was turning 85, and to celebrate its birthday it advertised free candy. The promise was enough of an inducement for them to commute from Brooklyn and me from Westchester.

There was a line 90-deep around the block. People lined up to get five free candies. But these candies collectively would hold a retail value of maybe a dollar. Then, once you crawled into the store, their entire collection of retro candies was fully stocked and on display of floor to ceiling shelves. These delectable delights go for lots of money.  So, the lure of free but cheap candy, drove the masses to come and gobble up high-priced goodies. My sister spent $56 and I spent $30. Others in line would spend even more.

Authors, take notice.  “Free” is the way to riches. Everyone loves a good sale but nothing beats free, the best deal of all. So, why should authors just give their hard-earned work away? Because it can lead to lots of sales.

First, think about what you will give away and why.

For instance, if you give away your book, readers may feel compelled to post favorable reviews, share something positive on social media, or give good word-of-mouth to friends and family. 

Now, let’s say you published three books and you decide to give away an older book, maybe the first one. In addition to garnering good word-of-mouth for it, that giveaway can serve as a loss-leader introduction to your other books. People naturally look up what else you have published when they enjoyed one of your books. They may end up buying your other two books.

If your book is being used to draw people to you to become customers of other products and services, free is perfect. For instance, let’s say you are a financial advisor, lawyer, nutritionist, consultant, or a home decorator. A book, whether purchased or acquired for free, can serve as a great introduction to your more expensive services.

Same goes if you sell other products, such as seminars, courses, etc. Give the book away and use it as a tryout, hoping to win over new customers.

You can also use book giveaways as a means to get people’s contact information in exchange for the freebie. This allows you to build up a mailing list that can be called upon to sell other services, products, or books.

As evidenced by my candy experience, it takes a small giveaway to reap larger rewards. You have nothing to lose, but there is lots of positive upside potential.

Just give it away and good things will come to you.

 

 

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres.

 

Please Contact Me For Help

Do Authors Want Permission To Fail?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/do-authors-want-permission-to-fail.html

 

15 Sales Secrets For Authors

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/15-sales-secrets-for-authors.html

 

Why Authors Outsource Some Book Marketing Tasks

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/why-authors-outsource-some-book.html

 

How Can Writers Grow?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/how-can-writers-grow.html

 

Advice For Authors Who Say Nothing Works

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/advice-for-authors-who-say-nothing-works.html

 

Do Literary Agents & Authors Need Couples Therapy?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/do-literary-agents-authors-need-couples.html

 

Can You Say What Your Book Is About?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/can-you-say-what-your-book-is-about.html

 

How Can Writers Make $100,000 Annually?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/06/how-can-writers-make-100000-annually.html

 

Why Bad Books Outsell Yours

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/05/why-bad-books-outsell-yours.html

 

The Truth That Authors Need To Hear

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/04/the-truth-that-authors-need-to-hear.html

 

Book Publishing Expose For Authors From An Insider

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/04/book-publishing-expose-for-authors-from.html

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2022. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This blog, with over 4,000 posts over the past decade, was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Susan RoAne, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, IBPA, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. He has been featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. 

 

 

Can Authors Outlast Setbacks?

 

Resilience.

This is what keeps us going. It is the difference between success and failure, happiness and sadness, and even life and death.

Where do you find resilience?

It comes at that moment when you are tired of feeling scared, frustrated by setbacks and defeats, and exhausted by mental anguish or physical pain. You stare at the future and you feel less certain about it. Your dreams seem a little further away. You reflect back on the past, wondering if the best days are behind you, while also questioning just how good they really were. You hit a low point of pitying your plight and feeling insecure about everything. But then you get angry, even mad at life and your circumstances. You realize you are not ready to quit just yet.

Resilience comes when you focus on solutions, not problems. You move from complaining to acting. You don’t look at what you can’t do, what you don’t have, or what is missing from your life. You instead rally around your resources, strengths, and network of friends and family. You remind yourself of your abilities and desires. You gain back your faith and begin to run on energy. Hope replaces anxiety. Your brain begins to flow with positive ideas. Your muscles twitch, ready to be immersed in a productive activity.

Sometimes, resilience comes only when you sink low, falling into a blinding depression or when you actually reach a dead end in your pursuits. It comes when you feel least certain that things will improve. But you develop a sense of inner strength, if for no other reason, because you must. You simply cannot stare down the barrel of a gun and think that pulling the trigger will make anything better.

Resilience. Fortitude. Endurance. Confidence.

When you feel in the zone on any or all of these, you move from victim or loser or sickbay to a position of power, control, and empowerment.

It is all in your head. You are never as low as you think or feel you are; you are never as high and on top of things as your optimism makes you feel. But if you are going to plant a seed, let it be resilience. And may resilience not only enhance your life, but may it lead you to good fortunes as an author.

 

 

 

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres.

 

Please Contact Me For Help

Do Authors Want Permission To Fail?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/do-authors-want-permission-to-fail.html

 

15 Sales Secrets For Authors

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/15-sales-secrets-for-authors.html

 

Why Authors Outsource Some Book Marketing Tasks

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/why-authors-outsource-some-book.html

 

How Can Writers Grow?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/how-can-writers-grow.html

 

Advice For Authors Who Say Nothing Works

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/advice-for-authors-who-say-nothing-works.html

 

Do Literary Agents & Authors Need Couples Therapy?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/do-literary-agents-authors-need-couples.html

 

Can You Say What Your Book Is About?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/07/can-you-say-what-your-book-is-about.html

 

How Can Writers Make $100,000 Annually?

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/06/how-can-writers-make-100000-annually.html

 

Why Bad Books Outsell Yours

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/05/why-bad-books-outsell-yours.html

 

The Truth That Authors Need To Hear

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/04/the-truth-that-authors-need-to-hear.html

 

Book Publishing Expose For Authors From An Insider

https://bookmarketingbuzzblog.blogspot.com/2022/04/book-publishing-expose-for-authors-from.html

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2022. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This blog, with over 4,000 posts over the past decade, was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Susan RoAne, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, IBPA, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. He has been featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.