The end-user is your buyer when you focus only on single-copy sales of your tips booklet or any other form of your content. It’s a different story when your attention is primarily on large quantity sales to companies, associations, educational institutions, and the military and the decision-makers in each of those environments. They want to reach the same end-user as you do, though the path they take is other than the one you take and for reasons that serve them and ultimately you best.
Here are typical situations where it makes good sense to approach the producer to suggest they invest in large quantities at a time. You’ll see ways those producers can use your booklets or other formats of your content by distributing it to the end-user. In each case, it is added value for the producer, in one way or another, extending their reach and/or their bottom line while keeping you in front of both the end-user and the producer beyond the moment.
Conferences/trade shows/fairs
1. Give away printed or download as a bonus to all attendees.
2. Generate sponsorship revenue potential for the show producer.
3. Contact the event marketing/promotion/event planning person.
4. Give at the event or follow-up afterward to extend the event’s shelf life
Catalogs
1. Offer as a gift with purchase.
2. Include it with any purchase, a specific price purchase, or by a certain date.
3. Talk to the marketing department, not the merchandising department.
4. Suggest a license if it is a large enough catalog or they want it for download.
Speaking Engagements
1. Give a copy to every attendee.
2. Provide as either a download or in print.
3. Extend your presence beyond the presentation.
4. Realize your product can substitute for your speaking fee and be the larger payment.
Retailers/Manufacturers
1. Use it as a value-added gift with purchase to incent sales.
2. Give with any purchase, a particular price purchase, or by a specific date.
3. Talk to the marketing department, not the merchandising department.
4. Suggest retailers may use their co-op advertising money from manufacturers.
ACTION
Re-focus your attention on the producers rather than the end-user to substantially increase your reach and your bottom line, helping many more people along the way, including yourself! You have more contacts than you think you have, based on your professional and personal activities over the years. Look at your colleagues, vendors, places that have ever hired you for anything, the people you hire for your business and your personal activities, the events you have ever attended in any capacity, and the organizations in which you are or have been a member. Depending on your topic(s), you are likely to be happily surprised by who comes to mind as potential buyers of your tips booklets and other formats of your content once you start thinking about it. The end-users will be delighted to receive your valuable information to help them improve their lives, and the large quantity decision-maker accomplishes their goal through distributing your product. Everyone benefits when you reach out to the producers, whose reach is immediately wider than yours.
