Promotional Items
Posted by Cynthia on 15 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: Chit Chat
I’m in charge of coordinating the promotional items for my local chapter’s upcoming Silken Sands Conference (April 11-13th in Pensacola, Florida). And I have to admit–I’ve started to really look forward to my daily mail delivery. 
So far, I’ve received some gorgeous postcards and bookmarks, clever coasters, buttons with truly snappy phrases, surprise bags, books that I would love to read, notepads, pens, scissors, magnets, excerpt CDs, and rulers. (Okay, I’ve actually gotten a lot more items, but I think you get the idea.) When it comes to promotion, authors take the business very, very seriously.
My first Kensington Brava novel, HOTTER AFTER MIDNIGHT, is scheduled to be released on April 29, 2008, so I am paying particular attention to these promotional items–and I wonder…what works the best? The quality of the materials that I have received is truly outstanding–and all of them have certainly caught my attention. Is there one supreme promotional item? I don’t know…I do know that I love opening these packages and seeing what great items the conference attendees will have in their goodie bags.
Do you have any advice on promotional items that you’d like to share? Any particular items that you love? Or perhaps a story about the most unusual item you’ve seen?
Oh, and, hey–if you’d like to donate some of your promotional items for the Silken Sands Conference, just send an email to cynthia@cynthiaeden.com and I’ll give you mailing instructions.
Thanks!
Cynthia Eden
www.cynthiaeden.com
HOTTER AFTER MIDNIGHT–05/08, Kensington Brava
“Wicked Ways” in WHEN HE WAS BAD–06/08, Kensington Brava
I’m a big fan of bookmarks, they are reasonable value and easy to give out, I get through a lot
February 15th, 2008 at 9:38 pmI’m not great on all the other stuff, it can get very expensive!
Kate, you are so right–I’ve seen what I thought were some pricey items. Staying on a budget is so important!
February 15th, 2008 at 9:54 pmIn the FWIW department, take a hint from what business trade shows do.
For the masses, there are cheap gimmes – bookmarks, for example. But usually, under the table, are more expensive trinkets for giving out to the “important” people. You could use this same sort of theory – doling out the “good stuff” to reviewers and sending to conference goody baskets or whatever, while being able to hand out bookmarks without mentally tallying out how much money is going to waste.
February 17th, 2008 at 12:05 pmI also coordinate the goody bags for my chapter’s conference, and one thing that strikes me is how many bookmarks we always get. I’m sure that’s because they are cheap. Unfortunately, since most writers are on a budget, your fabulous bookmark gets lost in the pile and becomes one of hundreds.
So then you have to ask — is it worthwhile to spend a lot of money on pens and other gimmicks? In my Jan. 19th blog I posted the results of a poll I found online about what influenced people to buy a book. Promotional items were WAY down on the list, with only 3.5% of people who responded citing that as a reason they bought a book. So for the money invested, I can’t see that magnets and pens are very effective. On the other hand, they might increase name recognition, so that is a positive thing. And they do stand out amidst the bookmarks….
February 18th, 2008 at 7:42 amI think, Gail, that’s what it’s all about – name recognition. You’re right – the bookmarks aren’t going to do much, but maybe a really nicely designed one is going to stick around a bit. And I’ll see that name often.
The same with a pen that I like – the name hits my eye every time I use that pen, even subconciously.
So, while “stuff” isn’t going to make me buy a book, it does build the brand of the author. So maybe when I’m cruising the bookstore aisles and I see that person’s name, I’ll be tempted to read the back cover blurb. And maybe buy it.
You don’t get a return on investment with trinkets, that’s true. So you have to chose wisely.
February 18th, 2008 at 1:51 pmplease someone, can tell me what this about?????????????????
February 19th, 2008 at 10:17 pmI’m a postit junkie. I love postit notes, or even small rip off a page notepads for jotting things down. The ones that stick are better, but I’ll take what I can get. Of all the things I’ve ever gotten in a goodie bag, the only things that have “hung around” in my house are notepads, a nail file, (I really needed one at the conference.) and the occasional pen. I’d probably keep a magnet too, I’ve just never received one.
Bookmarks in a goodybag are one in a million. I’ve only kept bookmarks that authors have put in my book during a booksigning, mostly because as I read the book, hey, it’s right there.
Out of courtesy, I always look through my bookmarks because I know people invest in them, but I hardly remember what I see.
February 21st, 2008 at 1:09 pm