A little while ago, I was asked by Ryan Casey for feedback on how well my (home-made) bookmarks were being received. Well, I can tell you that since November – a period of four and a half months – I’ve given out every one of the 500 I made in those first exciting days.
Last Thursday I had to open up my next batch of 600, which I’d made back in January. Five days later, I’ve already given out thirty or so.
I mentioned a while ago that my day job keeps me busy, sending me (randomly, it seems) to all parts of England, Scotland and Ireland. This gives me the opportunity to meet a great many people, from engineers to office workers, and allows me to (tentatively) offer my book to those that seem receptive to the idea of a supernatural romance novel.
The conversation, always a work in progress, usually opens like this;
‘Do you read much?’
‘Me? Yes.’
‘Well, can I give you one of these?’ *Hands over bookmark.*
‘Oh, what is it?’
‘Just my little contribution to literature.’
‘You wrote this?’
‘I did.’
‘What’s it about?’
And so the conversation begins. For my thoughts on how to best describe a book, click here.
Today, I hit gold. I asked one lady if she read supernatural romance and her reply was ‘My Kindle is absolutely stuffed with it!’ If I hadn’t intrigued her with a bookmark, she wouldn’t have gone on to BUY IT!!! Woot, as so many people are fond of saying. 😀
My job also, as I circle the country and begin to pop up in places I haven’t visited for months (or even years), allows me to chat to old friends who automatically ask me ‘what have you been doing?’ What a gift! Immediately, I drop a bookmark onto the table and tell them that I’ve been writing a book.
‘You wrote this?’
‘I did.’
‘What’s it about?’
and so on…
The point of all this reminiscing is that swag – even home-made swag – is a conversation starter, an ice-breaker, a way of introducing the fact that the person opposite the conversationalistee (IS a word, so there! And if it isn’t, it ought to be) is a bona-fide author and that the said conversationalistee (I’m not so sure it is a word now) ought to be bowing and scraping and muttering ‘I’m not worthy O Great One.’
Or at the very least, they should say ‘Sure, I’ll buy your book. I realise how difficult it must be to have applied that much dedication to your art and produce something of worth.’
‘Oh, thanks,’ is nice too, although not often productive in a salesy way. I DID get my hand shaken in a congratulatory manner not so long ago (for getting published), so that was a boost for me and my oft-perforated ego.
Anyway, enough of the self-worship. I’m not worthy of it. But you are. If you have spent a lot of time creating a complete story or poem and want to publish / have published it, then why on Terra shouldn’t you advertise? There are other methods of introducing your work to people. Mine is a simple free giveaway that starts a conversation. It’s a must for me…someone who’s essentially a non-people person.
And it’s captured a few extra sales along the way. The product of a bit of graphic manipulation, a colour printer, laminator and a cheap guillotine, it’s a low-budget method of shifting a few extra books.
Don’t walk amongst potential punters in silence – be interesting, be something a little bit special. One day you may just introduce yourself to a literary agent or publisher. Or Steven Spielberg.
Okay, that last one was a bit of a stretch, but you don’t know who his friends’ friends are, do you?
Tell the world that you’re out there – and write on!
P.S. In the interests of balance, I feel that I should say this; I may have handed out over 500 bookmarks – but I have yet to sell 500 books. Not every one strikes gold. However, the bookmarks might lie around for months or even years before triggering someones curiosity – whereas a fleeting memory is pretty much gone for good and is very unlikely to result in a sale.
jumpingfromcliffs
Apr 16, 2013 @ 14:50:11
Hello? What? Yes. Ah, yes, guest post, that’s right. Hello. I have a choice of two topics for you sir:
1) The Euclidian Theory of Thermodynamic Energy Exchange and its Suspected Impact on the Dwindling North European Bumblebee Population;
or
2) Why I Chose to Self-Publish rather Than Doing it the Hard Way.
Irony fully intended in the second. As many words as you fancy really.
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Andrew Toynbee
Apr 16, 2013 @ 15:04:18
You’ll probably find it hard to believe, but my thesis was titled ‘Boyle’s Theory of Thermodynamic Energy Exchange and its Suspected Impact on the Dwindling North European Bumblebee Population’.
Do you think a subtle rewording would suffice? Be warned, it IS 137,000 words long…
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jumpingfromcliffs
Apr 16, 2013 @ 16:06:51
That’ll be a doddle for you then! First thing tomorrow long enough? 😀
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Andrew Toynbee
Apr 18, 2013 @ 12:57:55
Jon
Almost done – what’s the best way to get it to you?
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jumpingfromcliffs
Apr 18, 2013 @ 16:13:00
Best way is via carrier… no, hang on, email. ‘blogname’ AT gmail would be best.
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Andrew Toynbee
Apr 19, 2013 @ 09:18:30
okay will do..Mister Blogname. 🙂
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jumpingfromcliffs
Apr 19, 2013 @ 10:18:23
Heheh 🙂 Gotta fox them pesky bots somehow.
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Andrew Toynbee
Apr 19, 2013 @ 11:49:12
Wise to be cautious, it is…Mm-mm
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Andrew Toynbee
Apr 26, 2013 @ 14:10:44
sent 🙂
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Andrew Toynbee
Apr 17, 2013 @ 10:32:58
What’s the best way to get this to you? By email or carrier pigeon?
You may laugh but a couple of years ago some South African students proved how lame their ‘broadband’ was by staging a race between an email plus attachment and a carrier pigeon carrying a USB stick.
The pigeon won.
There are days when I would gladly hire that pigeon…
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courseofmirrors
Mar 22, 2013 @ 12:56:42
Thanks for sharing this. I’m another introvert, and your idea of carrying bookmarks around as a means to intuitively engage in dialogues appeals to me.
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Andrew Toynbee
Mar 22, 2013 @ 13:01:51
It’s a starting point – and saves you (to some degree anyway) having to pluck up courage to approach complete strangers and explain yourself. Of course, you still get the occasional odd look, but most people (90% plus) are quite receptive.
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Viv
Mar 22, 2013 @ 10:32:40
And yes to your last note: sometimes a person downloads a sample, doesn’t read it for months, yet once they do, they are so keen to read the rest they click buy immediately. This accounts for the spikes in sales that occur from time to time.There is a time delay between seeing a book and buying it.
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Viv
Mar 22, 2013 @ 10:31:09
What a super idea! I give out cards but a bookmark is even better.
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Andrew Toynbee
Mar 22, 2013 @ 11:04:39
I figured that a bookmark would be a useable gift – if they read paper books – as well as a reminder.
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jumpingfromcliffs
Mar 21, 2013 @ 11:42:20
Good work sir, very good work. Drumming up enthusiasm and making contacts is a painful process, but highly necessary – sounds like you have it nailed. Really genuinely hoping you have great success with the novel.
And to further bolster your ego… just like Marla, I had been wondering whether you might consent to either a guest post or author interview over at Jumping From Cliffs?
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Andrew Toynbee
Mar 21, 2013 @ 12:10:57
Jon, I’d love to. 🙂 If you’d like a guest post, it’d probably be wise to steer my random brain towards a subject, otherwise my Muse may ramble on about the best way to lay out clean glasses in early 1970’s English public houses. She’s a little old-fashioned like that and terribly nostalgic. Just a rough idea would help.. 😀
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Jacqui Murray
Mar 21, 2013 @ 02:47:00
Oh Andrew, you ask a lot of us. To actually try to sell someone on reading my books! You are a brave soul. I look forward to more blogs on how to do this.
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Andrew Toynbee
Mar 21, 2013 @ 08:03:38
Brave? I am actually a self-confessed introvert (I only say that when no-one is around to hear me..) and find it very difficult to approach people. The bookmarks act as a bit of a crutch, giving me a valid reason to accost innocent strangers wherever I go. 🙂
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marlarosebrady
Mar 20, 2013 @ 19:48:46
Hey Andrew, I’ve been reading your book, and I also wanted to ask you, what do you think about an interview on my blog to promote your book? After I finish the book, I’d like to send you a couple questions to accompany the review, or maybe have it in a separate blog post altogether outside of your review. What do you think?
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Andrew Toynbee
Mar 21, 2013 @ 07:58:47
Marla
I’d be happy to! 😀 The separate blog post is a fine idea. Hope you’re enjoying CoA.
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marlarosebrady
Mar 21, 2013 @ 16:00:41
Oh yes! I am! Thank you for sending it to me. It is quite delightful. Well, then, I am very excited now! I will be emailing you some interview questions when i get around to it. im excited!
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Andrew Toynbee
Mar 21, 2013 @ 16:07:16
I think you already have my email addy. If not, just holler!
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