I Need Cookbook Marketing Ideas

[mattiew]

I belong to a volunteer organization that sells a cookbook as one of our fundraising projects. This cookbook has been out for a couple of years so we are looking for new and creative ways to sell it....any ideas?

Thanks!
Carrie

[Wife_and_mommy]

This isn't innovative, by any means, but I bought one from my church that was several years old simply because I saw it existed. I didn't attend when it was originally put out but saw it out after a service and love those fundraiser cookbooks. I actually bought a couple to give away too.

My point is maybe you could put in a newletter/bulletin or similar a blurb about the cookbooks and let people who might not have had the oppty to buy them know that they're still available and as wonderfully helpful purchases(for you and them) as they've ever been.


Hth,


Elizabeth

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Our second morsel due early February 2006!

[Mommy_Again]

Let me guess...The Junior League?

We go around to our little boutiques (clothes, home accessories, etc) and even some larger stores and ask them to carry it. Most have no problem doing so. I've seen local flavor cookbooks in our Publix grocery store (our JL book isn't in there - but I've always thought if someone would just ask them they'd do it).

Also, try eBay. Just make sure you have the write key words in your title. Maybe approach Amazon and see if they would carry it.

I'll think on it and add more ideas later.

[August Mom]

My suggestion was going to be to see if local stores would carry it. However, in my organization, we always go round and round about how we should handle this approach, so I was hoping you had a suggestion. Do you just sell the books at slightly over cost outright to the stores or do they just collect money for you without a cut or what?

[kensjen]

I would definitely contact local business, especially local bookstores or cooking stores. Also, can you set up a table somewhere to sell them...at a grocery store? I would do a lot of word of mouth advertising too, to family and friends. Seems like people always want recipes.

[Mommy_Again]

you know, I really don't know how they do it. I'm not on that committee. Ours are really not that expensive, like $12 or $13 I think, so I'd be willing to bet the stores marks them up and keeps the difference for profit. They'd have to cover credit card fees.

OK- just asked my friend who is chairing it this year- she says they mark them up, but that we give it to the stores at a lower price so we can recommend the selling price.

[mattiew]

Ashley - you made me laugh!!! Yes, it is Junior League....I was trying to be discreet : )

For those of you wondering about selling at stores; we sell the book to stores at a lower price than to individuals and recommend a sales price (but they can make it whatever they want). The local bookstores, grocery, boutique, and cooking stores have been pretty receptive about selling it and you can find it in a number of stores (even the airport gift shop and Williams-Sonoma).

Thanks for the suggestions so far and keep them coming!
Carrie

[Mommy_Again]

What about selling them at local craft fairs and art festivals?

Approach schools to see if they'd purchase a large quantity to sell as their own fundraiser (i.e. instead of selling candy bars or wrapping paper).

See if local businesses wanted to sponsor the book and buy them to use as gifts - you could have stickers imprinted with something like "compliments of ABC Mortgage Company" and put them on the cover. Similar to how Zagats personalizes their city guides. A great industry for this would be realtors because most of them give gifts to clients when they sell them a house...and what better gift for a new homeowner than a cookbook?