Thursday, April 29, 2010

Promo Thursday - The Bookmark

Bookmarks are designed to hold your place in a book.

But, are you using it to its fullest potential as a marketing tool?

From the obvious to the creative-

Hand them out at signings.
Send one to all fans and friends.
Send one in every letter!
Leave one signed for your waitress or waiter.
Leave a stack at the library.
Send stacks to school libraries.
Save postage-paid return envelopes and include one with a short note - "Thanks, but I'm not interested in ___, but perhaps you'd like to read my book?"
Leave them in doctor and dentist's offices.
Send stacks to bookstores.
Carry them everywhere and hand to those you tell about your books.
Leave one at every business you visit.
Include extra bookmarks with any book you sell or give away.
Include one with gifts.
And the totally unethical - stash one in your competition's book at the bookstore. (Yes, I confess, I've done this!)

What are some other creative ways you can use a bookmark to market your book?

23 comments:

Natasha said...

I love the last one. Unethical, but the competitor could always reciprocate, so two books get marketed at the same time.

I sent it to a friend who is self-publishing, and was thinking of using bookmarks as her sole marketing material.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Thanks - some stuff I'd not thought about. And that last one is funny.

Mason Canyon said...

What about tourist and welcome centers. Especially in your hometown. That was they can promote they have an author living in the town.

Mason
Thoughts in Progress

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Great marketing ideas here!

I'm tweeting this...

Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder

Helen Ginger said...

If you live in a small town, see if local shops and touristy places will let you put a stack on their check-out counter. Love the last tip!

Helen
Straight From Hel

Christina Nabity said...

I love these ideas, quite useful. Here's my question though, where do you get said bookmarks in the first place? I've tried googling book mark print-on-demand services and so on. I'd prefer print-on-demand because I could order a few when I can afford them for my writing and I could then also put my artwork on bookmarks and make them available for purchase on my site. I've turned up less than useful results which is disappointing.

Christina Nabity said...

By the way I found this because Elizabeth tweeted it :D

Jai Joshi said...

I've done them all except the last!

Jai

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Aurey, glad to have you here!
If your publisher doesn't supply promo materials, I recommend GotPrint.com. They have the best prices and the best quality.

Yes, I know - bad Spunky for the last one!

Lisa_Gibson said...

I love bookmarks! Great post. I should get busy. ;)

Nancy J. Parra said...

Great advice! I use bookmarks instead of business cards. People are more likely to put them in a book and remember me. LOL Cheers~

Anonymous said...

Love the last one LOL! I never thought of using book marks, but now that I see all the useful purposes I'm going to add this to my marketing and promotional ToDo List. Thanks.

Stephen Tremp

Elana Johnson said...

I love this post. That is all. :)

Marvin D Wilson said...

Great ideas. I haven't used bookmarks with my pub's before but I plan on using them in a BIG way with my new release this year.

The Old Silly

Arlee Bird said...

Bookmarks make total sense and you really covered most of the bases I think. Let's see-- drop them over the city from an airplane? No--too messy and to much waste.

Lee
May 3rd A to Z Challenge Reflections Mega Post

Jane Kennedy Sutton said...

I would have never thought of that last one – I love it!

Jemi Fraser said...

Awesome ideas - the last one cracked me up completely :) Great idea!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Bookmarks are the #1 physical marketing tool for an author!

I imagine there will be lots of the last idea ocurring soon...

Kathi Oram Peterson said...

I'm guilty of the same thing (sticking my bookmark in another author's book). But the store manager told me to. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Great ideas!

Roland D. Yeomans said...

How about sending one to your local newspaper human interest reporter or book reviewer? Roland

Roland D. Yeomans said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Roland D. Yeomans said...

Sorry about the cyber-missfire. Another thought. Leave some at the magazine rack at your local airport. Roland

Allyn Evans said...

Like the new layout. :)
Allyn