I received a post card in the mail yesterday (and it’s been a long time since I last got a real post card). It was promoting an upcoming children’s book that will have its own booth at Book Expo later this month, encouraging me to come by the booth and get a taste of this written masterpiece. I guess I got it in the mail because I attended Book Expo last year, and the publisher rented the mailing list to promote their hot book for 2010. But it got me thinking…
What’s to stop any author from promoting their book and their website through print materials? Even though technology is an essential part of today’s marketing campaigns, that doesn’t mean that you should exclude old-school print products altogether! Here are a few ideas …
- Make your own promotional post card (it’s pretty cheap to do online) and send it to everyone you know. Then bring a stack to each of your local booksellers and ask if you can display it near the register.
- Get business cards printed. Talk to everyone you meet about your book, and if they seem interested, give them a copy of your business card. It shouldn’t look like an accountant’s business card, though! Make sure it fits the genre of your book and looks interesting and creative.
- Make bookmarks! After all, it is a book you’re promoting. Give out free bookmarks to booksellers, friends, people at book signings. Anything to really get your information out there.
- Have book signings or speaking engagements? Make up flyers! Then have them posted around the neighborhood in the weeks leading up to the event to get the maximum attendance.
And now for the most important piece … make sure to put your web address on every piece of printed material. It doesn’t matter if it’s a post card, flyer, bookmark or business card. People who are interested in you and your book will want to check out your author website or book website first to learn more before making the purchase. Making sure to include your web address on anything and everything is easy to forget, but can be a huge faux pas.
Ready to talk with us about a marketing plan for yourself and your book? Contact us today for a free consultation!