Non-profit organizations are always looking for books they can offer as a resource for their members/donors, to use as a premium (to thank members for a donation), or as a fundraiser.

Here are some success stories from WinePress authors who have sold bulk copies of their books to various non-profits:

Marvin Michaels was involved with Missionary Aviation Fellowship and dedicated a chapter or two to his experiences with that ministry. When WinePress published his book, A Passion for Flying: Exciting Stories of a Boeing Test Pilot, he negotiated a sale to the ministry for 1,000 copies. This helped offset the cost of his initial printing and gave his story some great exposure. The ministry offered the book to their donor base for a stated donation so it helped them with their fundraising efforts at the same time. A win-win situation all the way around.

Janice Lemke, author of Five Loaves and Two Bowls of Borscht: Discovering God’s Power in Ukraine, made a contact with the headquarters office who managed the United Methodist Women’s Reading & Discussion Groups around the country. They had an interest in books about missions and agreed to review her book for their Suggested Reading List. They were so encouraged by its message; they listed the book for their 2003 list of recommended books and ordered over 1,000 copies.

Carol Vandesteeg’s When Duty Calls: A Guide to Equip Active Duty, Guard, and Reserve Personnel and Their Loved Ones for Military Separations, has been a great resource for many military ministries around the world. An online ministry, Military Wives, ordered large quantities to offer to the women they minister to. Also, because it is such a tremendous resource to the military, we have sold tens of thousands of copies to military bases around the world, in lots of 100, 500, 1,000 and 1,500!

If you’re interested in developing a ministry marketing plan, ask yourself the following questions:

• What ministries have mission statements that align with my book’s message?
• What non-profit organizations have a membership that would be most blessed by my resource?
• What church groups meet the needs of those who most need to read my book?
• What groups need new resources for their membership?
• Do I mention specific ministries in my book?

Most ministries expect at least a 50-60 percent discount when buying quantities in excess of 100 copies. Price your book so you are able to offer the discount and still cover your costs and build in a profit.