Thursday, August 7, 2008

Popular Promo Items

We're not endorsing or encouraging these particular items. But looking around the office, here are the items we most often get handed as promo for books.

1. Bookmarks (and more bookmarks, and even more bookmarks)
2. Pens
3. Pencils
4. Emery boards
5. Magnets
6. Excerpt booklets
7. Sampler CD or mini-CD
8. Little candies
9. Keychains
10. Mirrors
11. Buttons (pins)
12. Letter openers
13. Notepads or small notebooks

12 comments:

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

Hee. After RT this year, I was going to do a post about the promo items that I found most effective.

Sadly, no one gives time as a promo item...

Spy Scribbler said...

I love the little tiny handcuff keychains. :-)

BriteLady said...

Emery boards? So if the book is really bad you can sharpen your nails before scratching the author's eyes out?

What goes on a sampler cd? Graphics or book samples. But what else? A few pics and a chunk of writing might take a whole MB of that 800 of space....I guess the author could pirate a few of the songs that s/he listened to while writing....

And Mirrors. Do you see a lot of books written backwards that you need a mirror to read (might be a nifty promo item for some sort of mystery with that kind of a clue I guess).

Ah, the strange ways of the publish-ed....

Kimber Li said...

14. Fangirls to throw Cyber-Launch Book Parties for you. We're throwing one today for Linnea Sinclair at the Enduring Romance blog.
;)

Debra Glass said...

I picked up a jar opener at a conference once. I can't tell you whose name is on it but I use it nearly every day. :-)

Belle Scarlett said...

I'm thinking the plethora o' bookmarks have got to come in handy for all of the ebooks just taking up space around the office. Or just line three of those suckers up and, viola, you've got yourself a darn nice, colorful coaster.

ECPI Editors said...

Actually the sample CDs can be quite creative. Use the business-card size ones, put a label on it with your name/website/logo/whatever. Then on the CD have your book covers, excerpts, blurbs, maybe a free short story, any little articles or such that you've written. As long as it is not something copyrighted to someone else.

Raelene

Angelia Sparrow said...

I find matchbooks and a sampler booklet/newsletter are pretty effective.

I had people at Pride track me down and ask if I had a new sampler out this summer. (I didn't)

Anonymous said...

About 15 years ago (or maybe more) an enterprising author distributed phone cards to those who attended her workshops at RWA. They had the cover of her book on them, and were good for 15 minutes of calling time.

Anonymous said...

Could you tell us, please, which of this variety of things you most like to receive, and which ones prompt a "oh, no! not more of . . ." What type of thing really catches your attention, and you'll be most likely to keep?

Thanks!

Angelia Sparrow said...

My favorites:
Pens (I never have enough pens)
magnets
notepads
samplers
totebags

Terry Odell said...

Emery boards are a 'always pick up' item for me (because I'm always snagging a nail and always need one). I left out chapter booklets at RWA and they disappeared quickly.

Right now, in my desk drawer, I have a "matchbook" of mini emery boards. They're obviously 'commercial' products with the authors' sticker on the back with book info. (Two authors apparently combined efforts on this one.)

I'll pick up magnets, too. And chocolate.



I also grab pens because they walk away.