Updated October 21, 2025

The holiday season is just around the corner, and a little planning now can set you up for great end-of-year book sales. Ready to make your book stand out from the competition? Here are five essential steps to maximize your holiday sales, along with some helpful resources:

1. Order Early

Anticipate increased demand for the season!

To ensure your titles arrive in time for the holidays, be sure to place your orders by the recommended dates below. 

• • U.S. Shipping: Order by November 22nd for hardcover  
  • U.S. Shipping: Order by December 6th for paperback
  • UK/AU Shipping: Order by November 28th for hardcover 
  • UK/AU Shipping: Order by December 6th for paperback

2. Get Discovered

Enhance your book’s metadata to boost visibility and capture the attention of holiday readers.

Metadata is the information that describes and differentiates your books from the competition. Making metadata a part of your sales strategy can be just what's needed to make your books irresistible! By fine-tuning your metadata, you'll help readers discover your titles and add them to their holiday wish lists.  

• Download our Title Metadata Best Practices Guide to master your title metadata and bring your book to the forefront.
• Use this checklist to ensure you have healthy metadata and strong keywords to increase sales for your books.
• Get this worksheet for tips on enhancing your book's metadata with Thema Subject Codes to make your book more discoverable in the Global Market.

3. Maximize Your Formats

Why limit yourself to just one format?

Make sure you have your titles available in as many formats as possible in order to capture more sales. We highly recommend that you publish in hardcover, paperback, large print, e-book, and audiobook. 

• For everything you need to know about formatting a print or digital book that retailers can sell on shelves and online, get our Book Formatting for Self-Publishers guide.
  
• Discover the three main book formats that self-publishers use to create and design their books.
• Take a closer look at the differences between hardcover and paperback formats.
• Have a print book you'd like to convert to an e-book? Check out our EPUB conversion process.
  
  
  

4. Expand Your Market

It takes a collective effort to get your titles to readers worldwide, and we're here to support you. 

This holiday season, spread your titles across the globe with IngramSpark. When you self-publish with us, you're plugged in to one of the publishing industry’s largest global book distribution networks, including access to over 45,000 indie bookstores, online stores, chain stores, e-book retailers, libraries, and universities.

Be sure to update pricing on your titles to ensure that they're available in all of our global markets.

• For insights into how to optimize your book distribution, download our book distribution guide, Indie Publishing: Beyond Industry Standards. 

• Get more information on our book distribution partners and our distribution markets.
• Discover metadata guidelines and suggestions for optimized your global discoverability, regardless of the content language.
• Learn more about the Global Connect program and what you need to know about translating your book.
• Looking to promote your book in the global market?  We've got some helpful tips for you.

5. Reach More Readers

Connect with readers across Facebook, Google, and our promotional email audiences, all through one platform.

Ingram iD is a powerful marketing tool that compiles data across our network of partner platforms, totaling more than 4 million active book buyers across 75+ genres. 

• Navigate the process of creating your first marketing campaign and discover the different advertising opportunities available to you.
• Using Ingram iD’s target audiences, you no longer have to worry about casting a wide net and hoping for the best results.

• Understand your advertisement’s impact with advanced metrics and detailed reporting.

According to wordsrated.com, almost 20% of all books are sold during the holiday season. Don't miss out on all of the opportunities available to you to this season to get your books into as many readers' hands as possible!