CONFERENCE PREP Part Two
October 5, 2023 by Tracy Reed in category Pink Pad by Tracy Reed tagged as book signing, business of writing, Conference prep, SWAG
Happy Fall. Let’s get right into it. I am enjoying sharing with you what I learned about preparing for a book signing.
Picking up where I left off last month.
I got a sign.
I have been putting this off for quite a while. Side note, I had no idea how expensive signage could be. I really like my sign. Shout out to Office Depot. They hooked me up. It took approximately a week to get my retractable banner. Here again, I had questions. Should I use a book cover or an image that represented my brand. I chose the latter option.
Let me explain why I chose a generic image. Change. I like to change my covers every couple of years. If I’d gone with a cover, the sign would have a limited lifetime.
Back to the cost. There are a lot of banner/sign companies. However, I chose an Office Depot. They aren’t necessarily known for making signs. But they were my source for one reason…money. I had approximately $40 Office Depot rewards, plus I took advantage of a 25% sale. When I finished, my sign was less than than $40. It also included the stand, carrying case and free shopping. Advice, give Office Depot a try for some of your marketing materials.
Marketing Materials.
This is one of those areas where I was a little confused. There are so many paper options…bookmarks, postcards, stickers, business cards, etc. I like digital products, but, I love paper products more. I’m that person who still sends greeting cards, notes, uses a paper planner and makes paper lists. I also keep birthday cards. I look at paper products as part of my history. It brings a smile to my face when I come across a card or letter from a loved one. And I like to display artistic postcards from a brands I like.
When it came to my paper products I wanted to give the reader something they would want to keep. For me the only company to help me achieve my goal was Moo.com. I have been using Moo for quite a while. Their products and customer service are phenomenal.
Over the years, I’ve learned how to create items from their categories that work for me. In my lingerie business I offer a bra fitting guide which I printed on rack cards. The front has my logo and a bra graphic. The back are the instructions on how to find your bra size. I saw on their IG page how someone used a post card as a branded notecard. I copied that idea using some of my book covers.
Another reason I love Moo.com is Printfinity. Printfinity is the ability to load up to 50 different images on one side and another for the back. If you aren’t using Moo.com, Printfinity is reason enough to do so. Here’s what I did. I selected seven cover images and one with my tagline, for the front and my information on the back. Then I order 250 post cards. So here’s another cool thing about Moo…they give you paper options. For my postcards, I used the original paper, which for some printers is considered premium. Since I’ve been working with them for a while, I understand they are known for offering special pricing. I was under a time crunch, and took a chance hoping for a sale or special discount. I gave myself a deadline to place my order, sure enough a 25% discount popped up in my email. I jumped on it.
I also ordered a larger postcard and turned it into a church fan with some sticks from Amazon.
When it was said and done, I ordered all of my paper products from Moo.com. You may ask why didn’t I get traditional bookmarks? Simple…I wanted to stand out. I gave readers a card with all of my books. It also works as a shopping list.
FYI: Moo.com is good about replacing defective items without an additional cost to you.
I ordered swag that worked for my brand.
There are a sea of options when it comes to swag. I also know, the longer you shop the more confused you are likely to get. I ordered swag that was multi-purposeful for me. I know that sounds selfish, but I’m still looking at buttons that are five years old. And don’t get me started on paper swag vs. tchotchke. That debate alone will give you a headache.
When you attend a huge signing one of the goals is to stand out and gain the attention of the reader who doesn’t know you. When selecting swag I tried to stay within my brand. In the past, I tried buttons, stickers, magnets, bookmarks, free downloads and lip balm. Some were winners and some fell flat. There’s nothing wrong with those items, but some of them weren’t right for my brand. I used SLC to rid myself of a few sag items.
So what did I give away? In addition to the reading list card, I sprinkled the table with the left over buttons. (FYI, even after the signing, I still have buttons.) I ordered stickers and coasters from StickerMule.com. Of course I caught a sale. StickerMule.com is another source for great marketing products. I got 50 3” round stickers and round coasters for $19 each. Plus, I got 50 large poly mailers, which I used as shopping bags for $29.
Purchasing tip: Every Tuesday, StickerMule.com features a product at some insane price. And sometimes they run a surprise weekend deal.
The other thing I gave away, was an exclusive sampler. This sampler is only available at signings or when you order signed books direct from me. (I also gave away the ebook version to my mailing list.) I weighed the cost of the various swag options and this was cheaper. It also acts as an introduction to my library. How much was this freebie, using KDP $2.30. The look of delight on reader’s faces when they realized it was free with each purchase, confirmed I made the right choice.
I’m stopping here. I told you this was a long series of posts. I’ve included a 25% discount link for Moo.com if you want to try them (https://refer.moo.com/s/pinkduchess8).
Next month, I’ll share a few more tips on what I did and how you can prepare for your next book signings.
Tracy’s Books
I Came Up Blank
September 5, 2018 by Tracy Reed in category Pink Pad by Tracy Reed tagged as AutoCrit, deadlines, Self-editing, SWAG
Happy September. Hope you had a wonderful holiday.
I am stumped. I’m in the middle of cleaning up a book which is due in to my editor by Saturday morning. I thought I had a post I could replay, but when I checked my archive, I came up blank.
I couldn’t believe I didn’t have a post I could use. Of course, I’m kicking myself, because it’s almost midnight and this will be going live in a few hours. I could panic, but what would that accomplish…nothing.
So what should I talk about? I could talk about the book I’m working on, but that could stress me out. Although, I am very excited about this story. I’m working on A Southern Gentleman Book Two. It seems like the past couple of days I’ve been hit with quite a few interruptions or divine distractions as I like to call them.
I could talk about AutoCrit.com, but would anyone really want to read how excited I am about using it? Elena Dillon told me about this software. I was a little hesitant at first, but now it’s my new best friend. [I probably should have used it for this post].
When I did the test, I was very impressed. Then after my trial period, I went all in. Wow. It is something. There were a few times when I wanted to scream, because some of the parts I liked, AutoCrit deemed as repetitious. Those were some good lines, so I thought.
Using AutoCrit.com has pointed out things I hadn’t noticed. I get pissed with some of the suggestions, and then I implement them. I have to admit the book reads better. Let’s hope my editor agrees with me.
How am I using AutoCrit? Elena mentioned that she used it to polish her manuscript before sending it to the editor. I opted to use it the same way this first time. It takes a while to sift through the suggestions. However, as much as I don’t want to admit it, my book does read better. I’m seeing things I don’t think I would have in the past.
I could also talk about Swag. The subject of swag is almost a cuss word in my house. I am about to dip my toe in the swag pool and I’m overwhelmed. Apart for bookmarks, lip balm, business cards and postcards? What to get?
I have a couple of events coming up and I haven’t got a clue what to giveaway. These swag items are different from what’s in my store. In between edits, I’ve been reviewing swag. Talk about overload and I like shopping and work in retail. I’ve looked at everything from mints to pens to notepads to bags to mugs to door hangers. And lest I not forget the infamous refrigerator magnet and button.
I feel confident sharing that after reviewing swag for the past several months, I really haven’t made a decision.
What do you do for event swag?
Back to AutoCrit.
Au revoir
Tracy
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