Saturday, April 02, 2011

Bookmarks

For the A to Z Challenge, I’m posting promo and other tips for writers. Today - bookmarks.

Bookmarks are an author essential! Every author needs bookmarks.

Why?

Bookmarks are practical. Anyone who reads a print book uses them. Of all the promotional items you can hand out, it’s the least likely to be tossed.

They are relatively cheap.

Bookmarks can be left everywhere - near the bookstore registers, in libraries, in doctor’s offices…

They can double as our calling card. (Although authors should also carry business cards, too.)

Last but not least, they promote for us long after we are gone - because people will NOT remember you or your book five minutes later!

Bookmarks should display cover art, short synopsis, your name, ISBN, price, genre, publisher, short quotes or reviews, and your website.

Okay, authors - do you have bookmarks? Carry them with you at all times? Leave them everywhere possible?


And because this is when the Weekend Sillies usually run, I leave you with an LOL Cat:

funny pictures - People who live in paper houses shouldn't throw cats.
see more Lolcats and funny pictures, and check out our

26 comments:

Jessica Bell said...

I hate book marks! Am I weird? I use post-it notes so that they don't fall out! :o)

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

A good "B" word, it's surprising what one can write about a book mark. Loved the sillie.

Enjoy your week-end.
Yvonne.

Charmaine Clancy said...

I'm like a bookmark addict and LOVE free bookmarks - fantastic marketing tool :)


Wagging Tales - Blog for Writers

Sandy said...

Great for the "B"...Never really thought about Bookmarks...Thanks!!!

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I do the bookmark thing and have handfuls of them from other authors. They are great reminders of books I want to check out.

Grammy said...

I love bookmarks. I used to provide them to the children who came to the library when I was librarian there. I have numerous bookmarks around my home now, too. Love em! In fact, I just recently found the public library in the town I just moved to a few months ago. Wonderful!
Ruby

Jules said...

I love bookmarks as well, both paper and virtual. How about a bookmark for authors that is a business card? Humm....
Have a great weekend!
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

Laura S. said...

I love bookmarks! I have a nice collection of them. My favorite is one in which a baby zebra is drinking from a stream. It's really sweet! I also love my Disney Princess ones, but I have all kinds. :)

I think bookmarks are a clever and useful promotional tool for writers!

The Words Crafter said...

Poor little lolcat!

I LOVE bookmarks! I have many from a fellow blogger/artist; they're adorable.

I've never thought of them as a promotional tool, wow. Thanks for a great idea!

Samuel said...

I do love a good bookmark.

TerryLynnJohnson said...

And your bookmarks are so scrumptious!

Myne said...

Yes, of course bookmarks are really great for promotion!

Southpaw said...

It’s a great promotional idea and people use them for all sorts of things too.

And that poor little kitty.

A-Z Fellow Challenger
Holly Ruggiero’s POV

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Jessica, just different.

Grammy, that is wonderful!

Jules, it can be! I have both though.

Laura, why does the zebra bookmark as your favorite not surprise me?

Thanks, Terry!

Holly, that kitty is having a bad day, isn't he?

KM Nalle said...

I love collecting bookmarks. I have a kindle, so I don't get to use them all that often. I have a secret though. I keep a bookmark in my kindle case. The little comforts.

Jemi Fraser said...

Poor kitty! :)

I've received bookmarks from several authors and totally agree - they are fabulous advertisements!

Sand Castles and Snow Forts said...

Fabulous idea!! I'm trying to collect marketing ideas for the release of my first book, so thanks!
Totally funny cat!

Ella said...

I love bookmarks; the markers of magic, that protect and serve the left off place~ Great idea~

Jamie Gibbs said...

I love bookmarks, and for a while I made my own origami corner bookmarks. Now I fold the press released on ARCs and review copies. With the picture of the book cover on the top of the bookmark, it's like I've a personal bookmark for each novel :P

Anonymous said...

I do not have bookmarks but thanks for the reminder. That's a lot of info to but on a book marker. You're right that people don't remember you or your book but a bookmarker will stay with them a long time.

DW Davis said...

Thanks for the reminder that I need to order my bookmarks now, before the print edition of RIVER DREAM arrives.

Marian Allen said...

I do have bookmarks! And I do pass them out everywhere. I also have business cards with the same information on them and I pass those out, too.

Wonderful post, as all your posts are. :)

Marian Allen
Fantasies, mysteries, comedies, recipes

Jen said...

I never use bookmarks but that is a really good marketing idea!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Kari, that's a sweet idea!

Sand Castles, that's the focus of my blog, so hope I give you more ideas.

Jamie, I used to know how to do origami.

Stephen, a good designer can make it fit and look good.

DW - GotPrint.com makes the most professional ones I've seen!

Knew you'd be on top of it, Marian.

Gregg Metcalf said...

Great info! But, who would throw a perfectly good cat at a paper house?


Gregg Metcalf
Colossians 1:28-29

Gospel-driven Disciples

J.L. Campbell said...

They do promote us long after. From time to time, I see people on the bus with my bookmarks, even while they're reading other books.