Several years ago I ordered promotional hand fans for two of my Logan Hunter mysteries. Since it was summer and I attended baseball games nearly every day in temps up to 100+ degrees, I gave out hand fans to those other spectators melting alongside. The fans had the Just North of Luck cover and others the Hell Swamp cover. They went fast, with my web site and short excerpt on the back. Folks have already asked me this year if I have fans. As a matter of fact, I ordered Genesis Beach fans and Slightly Cracked ones also, although I'm holding those back until the book releases.
Does everyone zip over to buy a book? No, but many do, and it's a fun way to promote and keep cool. I do save enough to take to books signings and conferences so that I can give a fan to those who purchase that particular book.
What do you do for promotion?
5 comments:
Susan, that is a really clever idea! What company do you use for the fans?
Diane, I used Identity Links. They did a super job.
Susan,
Book fans! What a fantastic idea!
I've been trying a little bit of everything I can think of to promote my mystery novel, "Mixed Messages."
For one thing, I initiated contact with Janeen Coyle, a DJ from a local radio station who hosts a book club every month, and she asked me to be the local guest author for June. Free on air advertising through the 27th!
Something I do constantly is give out business cards wherever I go. Whenever the opportunity presents itself to strike up a conversation about books - even in line at Walmart - I do.
These days many authors work harder at Internet promotion than they do on face-to-face events. I do both, and, in my case, face-to-face often works best. Part of the reason for this is that each novel in my mystery series takes place at a top tourist destination in the state, and features events that might realistically take place there. Familiarity and interest breed sales.
I have given out packets of Carrie McCrite's Ozarks Rock Garden Seeds. (They are tiny rocks, a bit bigger than sand grains.) I always have racks of real advertising flyers from where the book is set, and I wear a shirt with the book cover depicted on the front. I do sales/signing events at some relatively unusual places like grocery stores (set up card table near entrance) and gift shops. For A FAIR TO DIE FOR, I'll be working at the War Eagle Craft Fair's management booth, autographing books for some portion of the 150,000 expected visitors over the four days of the fair.
Radine, that sounds great. Good luck with the fair. I hope to do a few signings at wineries and festivals this summer and take fans with me since it gets very humid here. Thanks for weighing in.
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