Swag - what works?

Status
Not open for further replies.

ARoyce

Hopeful romantic/hopeless pedant
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 8, 2012
Messages
401
Reaction score
63
Website
www.amararoyce.com
I've heard that authors should have business cards, and I've seen mixed commentary on whether bookmarks are worth buying/distributing.

And I've seen a variety of swag suggestions on blogs--pens, sticky notes, lip balm, mirror compacts, etc.

So, as a newbie author with an ebook, I'm wondering what types of swag get the most "bang for your buck."

Any ideas?

What has worked for you, either as an author doing promotions or as a reader at conferences/readings, etc.?

And what stuff are you likely to just throw out or not even pick up?
 

Filigree

Mildly Disturbing
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 16, 2010
Messages
16,441
Reaction score
1,529
Location
between rising apes and falling angels
Website
www.cranehanabooks.com
One thing I think is a dangerous idea: flash drives loaded with novel excerpts and extras. It sounds good on the surface. Anyone with any security knowledge would never load one onto an important computer without wiping the flash drive.
 

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman
Super Moderator
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 12, 2005
Messages
22,454
Reaction score
4,956
Location
In chaos
Expensive stuff, swag. And I can't say it's ever induced me to buy the book it's promoting.

I do use bookmarks (and postcards, which I use as bookmarks). So I like them. But I don't buy books because of them. I buy books because they're well-written and interesting.
 

JoNightshade

has finally arrived
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 29, 2007
Messages
7,153
Reaction score
4,137
Website
www.ramseyhootman.com
I think swag doesn't so much promote your book as reward those who are already interested. So, take bookmarks. If you hand them out willy-nilly, they're going to end up buried in the bottom of people's purses or in the garbage. But if you have a conversation with someone about your book and they express interest, a bookmark helps them remember to order it when they get home. It's also a tool they can use to tell others. So I think the best tactic is to think about your target audience and what would best help them - to remember your book and share with others. That's gonna look a little different for each audience.
 

Polenth

Mushroom
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 27, 2007
Messages
5,017
Reaction score
735
Location
England
Website
www.polenthblake.com
As a reader, there are only two things I might take. The first would be a card or bookmark, if I want the details to look up later (or you're an author I like and the card is pretty). The second would be a signed bookplate, when it's an author I like but I didn't have a book to get signed.
 

Kerosene

Your Pixie Queen
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Messages
5,762
Reaction score
1,045
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada
I buy books because they're well-written and interesting.

I cannot stress this enough.

The best advertising is word of mouth. If I read a good book, I'll tell someone else about it.

I can see for advertising, but I'd be more incline to buy someone's book after knowing them, rather than buying it because I had a bookmark or other stuff advertising it.
 

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 9, 2005
Messages
16,768
Reaction score
4,663
Location
Scotland
Remember how many books you are going to have to sell to make back whatever money/time you spend on swag.
 

sarahdalton

Banned
Joined
Jun 12, 2012
Messages
927
Reaction score
71
Location
UK
Yeah, I think it's important to keep it simple. But I thought I would add that a few relatively inexpensive bits - bookmarks, trading cards etc - could bump interest in a giveaway.

I've got designs for bookmarks but I've not printed any yet. I'm waiting until my book has brought in more revenue.
 

ARoyce

Hopeful romantic/hopeless pedant
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 8, 2012
Messages
401
Reaction score
63
Website
www.amararoyce.com
Thanks, everyone, for the suggestions and advice. I totally agree that the writing...and continuing to write...are what counts most. And swag can be expensive.

I think I may do a fairly small order of postcards just to have something tangible (for an ebook), perhaps with one of those scan codes for smartphones. But I won't spend much time or money that could certainly be focused elsewhere more effectively.

Thanks again!
 

MumblingSage

Inarticulate Herb
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 15, 2008
Messages
2,308
Reaction score
349
Location
in a certain state of mind
You can get bookmarks relatively inexpensively through places like VistaPrint (I made my own from Vistaprint postcards and a paper cutter). A friend who's a design major helped format the cards with pictures of my book covers, the logline, and a link to my website. I passed some out at a convention and got a brief hit uptake, and one or two sales. Upon reflection next time I'd like to pass the bookmarks out more systematically, to people who express interest and want to follow up, rather than just leaving them out for anyone--or no one--to take.
 

areteus

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 4, 2011
Messages
2,636
Reaction score
183
Location
Manchester UK
Thanks, everyone, for the suggestions and advice. I totally agree that the writing...and continuing to write...are what counts most. And swag can be expensive.

I think I may do a fairly small order of postcards just to have something tangible (for an ebook), perhaps with one of those scan codes for smartphones. But I won't spend much time or money that could certainly be focused elsewhere more effectively.

Thanks again!

Do you know how to do one of those scan things for smart phones? Cos I would really like to know so I can use it myself...
 

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle
Absolute Sage
VPX
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
25,582
Reaction score
3,785
Location
New Hampshire
Website
madhousemanor.wordpress.com
Business cards are for handing to people with whom you plan to do business when you meet them face to face, so they'll have your name, email, and phone number (without having to look for a scrap of paper to write it on).

If you aren't going to meet people with whom you might do business face to face, you don't need 'em.
 

ARoyce

Hopeful romantic/hopeless pedant
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 8, 2012
Messages
401
Reaction score
63
Website
www.amararoyce.com
Do you know how to do one of those scan things for smart phones? Cos I would really like to know so I can use it myself...

I haven't actually gotten one myself yet, but if you search online for "QR code" there are apparently some online code generators.
 

CH1

AW Addict
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 31, 2008
Messages
267
Reaction score
51
Location
Ireland
I was looking into QR codes too, I noticed that both Vistaprint and moo.com are now offering these.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.