Reaching Out to Educators on Your Author Website

What’s the purpose of your author website? It’s probably to sell books.

When you sell your book to an individual, you’re probably only selling one copy. But when you sell it to an educator — be it an elementary school teacher or a college professor — you could be selling a boatload of copies.

So if you think there’s the possibility that your book could be used by an educator as part of their curriculum, you want to make sure your website helps that cause. Here are a few ways to do just that…

1. Plant the idea in people’s minds. On your homepage, consider including a list of people who might benefit from your book. It could be comprised of any variety of groups, from “animal lovers” to “financial professionals.” But make sure to put educators on that list!

2. Create a “Just for educators” page. Someone who is considering using your book in their class is probably looking for different information on your website than a casual reader. So make sure you clearly direct them to the section of your site where you can speak to them directly on why they should consider using your book, how you think the book would enhance their curriculum, and …

3. Offer downloadable study guides. You want to make this as easy as possible for teachers or professors. So include tips on how to review the book in a class, questions to ask students, good topics of conversation/debate, etc… For concrete examples, see these examples of author websites with study guides.

4. Mention any discounts. If your publisher is willing to offer a discount for bulk purchasing and/or purchasing by an educational institution, make sure to mention that on the website. And make it prominent — so that it can’t be missed.

5. Offer to do personal appearances. For schools in your geographic area, you can offer to come by and discuss the book with the students. On a national level, offer to speak with the students via Skype or video conferencing.

Do you have any other ideas on how to make your book more appealing to educators? Authors (and teachers), share your thoughts here!

And don’t forget to contact us about developing your own author website. Register today for a free consultation!