Whether you are signed with an agent, contracted with a book publisher, or took the independent self-publisher route, a marketing plan that includes large quantity book sales to a single customer is a profitable proposition… and more doable than you might think. It’s done successfully every day with a wide range of book types, from how-to nonfiction books, gift books, hobby and cookbooks, to poetry and fiction. Pursuing large quantity book sales is often the “wealthy writer’s” best kept secret. So, who’s buying all these books in one fell swoop?

• Corporations
• Foundations
• Catalogs (book and specialty)
• Book clubs
• Associations
• Mass Market and Discount Stores
• Specialty and gift stores

The practice of selling books in large quantity is an age-old marketing practice. Did you ever receive a free book for joining a club or association? How about getting a free children’s book in exchange for sending in a certain number of cereal box tops or UPC codes? Many magazines entice new subscribers by promising a free book with a year’s subscription. And companies often send their customers books during holiday time as thank you gifts.

These organizations rarely self-produce or commission production of these books. They buy them in quantity from someone else. That “someone else” can be you.

Like every other aspect of your marketing plan, you will need to invest your time to research opportunities, contact potential large quantity book buyers, and prepare contracts to seal the deals. However, the payoff for your efforts includes selling a truckload of books with an iron-clad no-returns policy.  And that’s music to any publisher’s ears.

If large quantity book sales (sometimes called special sales) sounds like something you should add to your marketing mix, here are two resources that I personally own and recommend:

The Insider’s Guide to Large Quantity Book Sales, by Jerrold Jenkins of the Jenkins Group. This is not a cheap publication but one of the most thorough I’ve seen. You’ll find details about each of your potential markets, ideas and case studies for the type of books that do well in special sales, contact information for specific buyer markets, and sample contracts and agreements. Comprehensive and easy to understand, you can find more information at: http://www.specialmarketbooksales.com/

How To Make Real Money Selling Books (Without Worrying About Returns), by Brian Jud. Brian is a well-known speaker and promoter of non-bookstore book sales. If there is an outlet for selling in large quantities, Brian will find it and let you know about it. In How To Make Real Money Selling Books, Brian leads you through the development of a special sales plan, guiding you to find and pitch contacts for quantity sales. For more info, click here: How To Make Real Money Selling Books (Without Worrying About Returns): A Complete Guide to the Book Publishers’ World of Special Sales