Beyond the Book: Creative Ways to Increase Sales
Author Tammie Polk has discovered innovative and FUN ways to increase engagement and sales
Have you stopped by your local bookstore or big retail store lately? Have you ever just wandered around Amazon’s book sections?
If so, you have a small sense of how many books are out there today!
Reading is bigger than ever before, and publishers (and authors through self-publishing) are putting more books on the market as a result.
This creates an interesting challenge for book authors.
Authors need to find ways to make their books stand out among others. Your book may be the best one in the world, but if no one can find it…then what good can it do?
One of the more interesting practices to emerge among authors in recent years has been the creation of multiple income streams for books by producing extra products, services and events in creative ways.
Tammie Polk is one author to grab hold of this creative marketing technique—and she loves sharing her ideas with other writers.
She’s the author of 200+ books (check some of them out here) and has turned them into everything from signature events to board games. She encourages her B.E.S.T. (Books, Events, Services, Trinkets) design to show how the method works, and has two especially successful book brands (“Girl, Go Eat a COOKIE” and “Every Woman is a Business Woman”) that showcases how well it works.
I recently talked with Tammie about her ideas for increasing book revenue, and also about her love of writing, faith and future plans.
How did you get started as a writer?
I started writing at the age of 11! After helping my sixth grade teacher complete her essay for Teacher of the Year, she helped me keep going by entering me in various contests. When I graduated from the sixth grade, she told Mom never to stop me from writing and she didn't! I went from writing fictional stories to entertain my friends in school to writing faith-based nonfiction and self-help books.
What books have you written?
I have over 200 books in my arsenal, but I get most about my "Girl, Go Eat A COOKIE" books.
When did you decide to experiment with other products to go along with your books?
I have always loved subscription boxes and wanted more for my books! It started with creating workbooks, but grew from there. My goal is for my readers to not only be inspired by what they read, but also to remember and process it!
What are some of the other products you've produced?
I have produced shirts, hoodies, clipboards, badge reels, hand fans, binders, lined journals, tumbler cups, coffee mugs, earrings, lockets -- just to name a few!
Which extra streams of income have been the most effective? and which ones do you think authors and writers can most easily do if they're just starting to experiment with it?
Speaking engagements, book clubs/groups, book boxes, and partnerships with subscription box owners have been the most effective for me. I tell any author to start out with a book group where they share and talk their books and not to let genre stop them! You can open a Facebook group and talk through a chapter a week. As for products, talk a walk with your book through your local dollar store and see what jumps out at you! A cute journal, pen, and mug can go a long way.
(Learn about her creative streams of book-related income here.)
Why is it important in publishing today to do these sorts of creative things?
It's all about product longevity and starting conversations. I get stopped often when I'm wearing a book based shirt and that gives me a chance to make a friend and possibly a sale. Plus, if we really pay attention to the things we watch and follow, most of them were based on books!
What are your plans for the future as a writer?
I just met my goal of having 200 published books on Christmas Eve 2024. My next goal is 300, but over time. I'm working on new book boxes as well and looking forward to doing more speaking around my books.
How does your faith influence your writing and writing life?
I don't write without God -- period! I let the world tell me to take God out of my writing one time and I still regret writing that book to this day. 99% of my books are scripturally based, mention God, mention, church -- all of that! My gift comes from Him and Him alone.
More resources on this topic:
How to create multiple income streams from your book
10 ideas to make money as an author besides selling books
My five year plan for my book business
(Tammie will be leading a workshop on this topic at the 2025 Southern Christian Writers Conference, which will be held on June 6-7 in Birmingham, Alabama. You can email scwritersconference@gmail.com for more information. And remember—paid subscribers to “The Ready Writer” get early registration notification for all SCWC events.)