Who else serves, supports, teaches, leads, or cares for the people your book was written to help?

Most authors naturally think about reaching readers directly. But sometimes the better opportunity is to reach the people who are already walking alongside those readers.

For example:

If your book helps women walking through grief, your reader may be the grieving woman, but… pastors, counselors, grief-group leaders, hospice ministries, and women's ministry leaders are also worth thinking about.

If you wrote a children's book, children may be the end reader, but… parents, grandparents, teachers, librarians, children's pastors, and homeschool leaders often decide which books reach them.

If your book helps people navigate addiction or recovery, consider counselors, recovery ministries, support-group leaders, churches, and treatment organizations.

If you wrote about marriage, parenting, caregiving, leadership, or another practical need, ask yourself who is already helping people in that area every day.

These are not simply "people who could promote your book."

They are people who may genuinely be looking for good resources to put into the hands of the people they serve.

So, the way we approach them will look a bit different.

For instance, instead of saying: "Would you share my book with your audience?" You might try something more like: "I know you work with women walking through grief, and that's exactly who I wrote this book to serve. I'd love to send you a copy so you can see whether it might be a helpful resource for the women you work with."

I'm sure you see the difference. There's no pressure, and no awkward sales pitch.

You are simply putting a relevant resource in front of someone who is already helping the very people you care about reaching.