Freebies and giveaways are a way to build good will and can potentially bring people back to your work. Bookmarks are especially handy for this as they are a multi-use item. But how do you create them and how much is this "freebie going to cost?" That's a huge question.
As a self-published author, you know already the cost of putting together a book: the editing, cover design, etc... Now, on top of all of that you have to shell out more money to make things to give away, with no guarantee of return on investment?!!
It might feel that way, but making these marketing tools doesn't have to be a big expense. You just have to find the right printer to do the work.
And bookmarks, while a free giveaway items are not a pointless thing to sink money into. They are a multi-use marketing tool. A bookmark is something we all use. I have tons of bookmarks, some I love to collect and keep and others are put to good use in many of my favorite books. By giving yours away to people, you are planting a seed. That person may not buy your book today, but they might just use your bookmark when sitting down to read. Each time they use it, they see your book’s image and your information. That can eventually lead to a sale.
Each bookmark you create should have two essential items on it: your book(s) image(s) and a place where can go to find you (Website or Blog).
You can create your own images using photo editing software and then send them to the printer of your choice. Remember to do your homework and find the best price for your printing needs (because you are just going to give them all away. Don’t break the bank on giveaways). The best bang for your buck I’ve found so-far is http://gotprint.net
I recently had a few new bookmarks created for my Immortalis series.
Back of each bookmark (in color)
Front of each bookmark (full color)
For 1000 of each bookmark in full color, I spent around $100. That breaks down to around 0.03 per bookmark. At that price, you can easily justify just giving them away!
So, like I said, do your homework. You might find something even cheaper. Or, you can take my word for it and use http://www.gotprint.net
Happy Marketing!!
Read more tips and tricks in my handy dandy little guide.
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