Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Business Cards or Bookmarks?



Lately, I've been letting y'all know about things I'm doing. Hopefully, it'll be insight into the process. I hope it helps.

Today, the topic is bookmark or business card?

I've chosen business card. I know a lot of authors create (or their publisher creates) bookmarks to give out to readers and buyers of their books. At this point, I've decided to go with business cards.

Since my first fiction book is now available in print, I took the digital file for the front cover to my local office supply store to get business cards created.

One side will be the book cover for AngelSometimes. The other side will have info about me: my name, book name, email address, blog site, etc. You can choose to put whatever you want on the back side.

When I autograph books, I'll put a business card inside.

When my next book comes out, I'll create another business card with that book's cover and my info on the back.

Once I have two fiction books to promote, I'll put the Angel Sometimes card in the Dismembering the Past book when someone buys it. And will do the reverse when someone buys Angel Sometimes.

Although...I may change things up when the second (or third) fiction book comes out. I may at that point create a bookmark with the cover for each book on one bookmark, along with contact information. That way, I'll have one bookmark with multiple books on it.

The main idea is to give something to the reader so that if they like the book they bought, they will be reminded that you have other books they can look for.

23 comments:

  1. I don't have business cards but I do use the bookmarks my publisher sent.

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    1. And I assume you like having the bookmarks, Alex?

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  2. For my newest book the publisher sent me very attractive business cards. For my first book they sent me postcards, which everyone liked a lot, the cards had a recipe on one side, related to the book.

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  3. I use both, although my business card is slanted toward my speaking.

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    1. You present a good reason to have both, Diane.

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  4. I often use business cards as bookmarks, both my own and other's >:)

    Cold As Heaven

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    1. I do the same! If the author sends it, I'll use it. If not, I'll use just about anything handy for a bookmark.

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  5. I prefer business cards but just because I don't use bookmarks as they always fall out.

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    1. I think business cards are small enough that if you want, you can also save it.

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  6. I use business cards as bookmarkers all the time. I think either are good for booksignings.

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    1. Thank Susan. It's good to have the opinion of an experienced author.

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  7. I was also going to say I'm sure many readers will use the business cards (and postcards) as bookmarks. But the advantage of business card size over the others is that they can fit in a pocket or wallet as well as a book. I guess the hope with bookmarks is that the reader will use it until they reach the end of the book and then look at the bookmark and decide to get the author's next book.

    Elle

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    1. If I had the cover art for Dismembering the Past, I would have put that on the business cards, but I don't. So I did list the upcoming book's title on the card.

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  8. I don't have business card but will use these when need to design plastic business cards.

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    1. Considering I plan to change cards with each book that comes out, those plastic cards are way out of my price range.

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  9. I have business cards...which I always forget to use. *hangs head*
    Everything I read is on Kindle now but my personal bookmarks have usually been store receipts, scraps of paper, corners of cardboard boxes,... :) I lose the fancy ones.

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    1. Laura, we're practically twins. I do the same thing!

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  10. I picked up my business cards today. They look great! Woo-woo.

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  11. Hi Helen .. both seem to work - I must get some business cards done before anything else .. cheers Hilary

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    1. That's true, Hilary, both work. So far, I'm finding business cards easiest to carry around in my purse.

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  12. Very attractive and elegant...can you share tips regarding to designing plastic business cards with me as i want to design attractive cards like this....

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  13. I purchased 500 bookmarks for Northern Cross four years ago ... I still have 450 of 'em. Hey, cool cover for Angel Sometimes.

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