Robin Agnew
Every day, it seems, we get all kinds of promotional items from authors, ranging from chapstick (thank you, Hank Phillipi Ryan - our book club will LOVE these!) to bookmarks to postcards to small posters and bound book excerpts. A book club favorite (not sure why) were squeezy things in the shape of books sent by PJ Parrish. Another popular iten: "Monk" handwipes, sent by A & E at the start of the second year of the series. Those, while cool, were unnecessary. I don't think I have a customer who doesn't watch "Monk".
Anyway, today, I got a very attractive postcard in the mail touting a new book. The front had a beautiful photograph (which I am assuming is the book cover) and the back, a short description of the book. I admit, these cards don't always catch my attention, but sometimes they do, and this one did. But, this fledgling author had made a major mistake - she didn't nclude publisher info or a release date. Now, this is something I can easily look up, but it's a goofy thing to leave off of your promotional postcard.
On our front counter are bookmarks sent or brought by various authors, and a very nice one was brought in by author Jane Cleland who visited in May. Jane may be one of the best promotional marketers on the planet, and her bookmark is a little lesson in how to do it right. Here's a breakdown:
1. This is a beautiful, full color bookmark on nice cardstock. Points for this.
2. It has the cover of her latest book, which is also quite lovely. More points.
3. It includes publisher info (and their logo) and the ISBN. Thank you, Jane.
4. On the bottom, she gives you a little something - a chance to try out an antiques appraisal on her website (her series is about an antiques appraiser). And next to this is the all important word "free". People absolutely love this word. Plus, she has now imparted her web address in a painless manner.
5. On the back is a chronological list of all her books (ISBNs included), as well as her e-mail address and phone number (I'm not sure the phone number is necessary, but OK).
6. Less necessary but never the less key are review blurbs - most of my customers would probably hone in on the ones by Donna Andrews and Margaret Maron, names they recognize and enjoy.
So, in conclusion, this is a tiny, portable crash course on why a Jane Cleland novel might be fun to read - a little GPS in it's own way. If you take the bookmark (hopefully along with one of Jane's books) you'll also have a guide to what's next.
No matter what, bookselling is difficult - but this kind of thing can give you a leg up. Just try and remember your publisher's name (I'll never forget the author who went rhrough her whole speil and then at the end said, "Oh, yeah, this is from Random House - they told me to mention that!") Hopefully some lessons are so obvious they don't need to be learned, but then again, you never know.
