As a former visitor to the Nova Scotia Ice Wine Festival, I am getting newsletters and invitations from several wineries. One of these invitations struck me and ever since I am thinking about converting it into something similar for authors.
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Nova Scotia Ice Wine Festival Sweepstakes – Prize Details
You and nine friends! are invited to experience the ultimate evening of wining and dining on the Perfect Pairings Progressive Dinner and Wine Tour with Go North Tours. Enjoy private winery tours at three Nova Scotia wineries in the Annapolis Valley. A three-course meal prepared by a talented chef, perfectly paired with Nova Scotia wines. Each course will take place at a different winery along the tour.
“First enter your name, email address and then comes this site up:
Congratulations! Your entry was successfully submitted.
Thanks for your entry. Now invite the 9 friends you would like to share your gourmet winery tour with.”
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Why Not Copy this Idea and Create Something Similar?
Book authors might think that their hard work is done once they completed the manuscript. But to find readers and customers for your masterpiece is often more complicated than the process of writing one.
There’s a great potential in the fact that people love free stuff and can’t get enough of sweepstakes, giveaways, and contests. Sweepstakes or an online giveaway, if executed properly, it has the power to:
- Generate positive buzz around your book
- Provide you with pre-order sales
- Increase engagement on your social media pages
- Help you build and expand your audience
- Sell more books
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Come up With a Sweepstake Prize that isn’t your Book
Think about an experience or event that can be done in a group of friends, such as in the example above. In the best case, it should have a reference to the topic of your book. Most important is that the winner of your sweepstake or giveaway brings as many people as possible to this event!
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Let it Go Viral!
Contact the sweepstake winner: “Congratulations! You won! Now invite five (or more) of your friends for the following event…” At the same time as she/he invites her/his friends, the winner introduces your book(s) to as many people as possible. Getting more readers for your books is the reason you started the sweepstake in the first place.
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Suggestions HOW this Prize Helps You to Get Your Books Viral
- Promote your Sweepstake extensively through articles, blog posts, submit it to local media, in your email newsletter, and certainly on social media
- Announce the winner of this contest at the same platform once it concluded
- Take or let take images of the prize event and write/post about it – especially on Instagram, Pinterest or Facebook
- Contact each participant of the events and invite them and ask for a review of your book on Goodreads and Amazon. And at the same time announce your next sweepstake.
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Examples of Prizes
Create a theme-based event giveaway that perfectly fits your readers and the genre of your new book:
- Aviation-related books: Organize a short sight-seeing flight or an introductory session in a flight simulator.
- Sport-related books: What about a standing-paddle or kayak tour, horse riding, or an introduction into golfing? Or a survival tour in the back-woods?
- Suspense fiction books: Organize a ghost tour or if you know people in the police force ask for a “forensic introduction” tour or presentation.
- Cook Books: A group cooking experience with a professional chef or a confectioner would be great. Maybe a guided tour through a herb garden or a wine tasting?
- If all participants are coming from your own city, you can invite them for a book signing/reading and a wine/cheese party wrapping up your event.
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Well, I could suggest many other events that are book-theme-based. Just pick each of the topics of your manuscript and find events, courses, and outings your “winners” might like. And stay in touch with them via email newsletter! Most important: ask the winner to invite at least five to ten friends to participate in the event in order to get your book viral.
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