All About Book SWAG + a Superlative SWAG Offer! by Eileen Meyer and Julie Phend

SWAG for The Superlative A. Lincoln Picture Book

Loot, promotional items, samples, trial products, cool items – SWAG is an acronym for “Stuff We All Get.” Authors and illustrators strive to offer attractive SWAG to boost the buzz for their latest book title.

In this blog post, we’ll:

• Demystify SWAG,
• Offer great examples of how fellow authors have used SWAG to creatively promote new books,
• Share breaking news of Eileen’s superlative SWAG offer,
• Illustrate why SWAG is an important tool to utilize for your book promotions
• Provide the names of vendors our authors use for promotional needs.

What kinds of SWAG do most authors use to promote their books? 

Are there some more creative approaches that you might consider for your next book promotion?

Most authors like to learn about what others do to promote their books. Clever ideas can spark new thoughts for your own promotional campaigns. Besides the traditional bookmarks and postcards, what other SWAG can authors and illustrators use to spark interest in a book? 

Let’s take a closer look at what these children’s book authors have done:

Patricia Toht's Dress Like a Girl SWAG

Fashion and interesting careers are key themes in Patricia Toht’s Dress Like a Girl picture book, so why not sport a fashionable button/pin to accessorize and promote the new title? Patty reports her customized pins were a huge hit at bookstore and school events!  She spent less than $100 for more than 500 pins (20 cents per pin). Think about the advertising power of a single pin that is worn on a jacket over and over again for all to see . . . 

Leanne Pankuch's parchment map

A parchment paper map made from an illustration in her novel, Dragon’s Truth, provided author Leanne Pankuch with a unique bit of SWAG for a literary festival. The parchment maps garnered a lot of attention and provided the perfect ice breaker for conversations about her new book. How did she make these? Leanne used some leftover paper and also purchased a packet of 120 8.5x11" sheets of parchment paper on-line ($17) and printed the maps using her  inkjet printer (one ink cartridge $25). She put one map in a frame for display purposes and bought sleeves to cover rolled up maps ($18) to make it easier for festival attendees to transport and protect the map. She gave out 63 maps at the festival and used the rest at library and book signing events. They were a big hit! Supply costs for 130 maps ($60) was 46 cents each!

Sarah Aronson's magic wands

Author Sarah Aronson’s The Wish List series involves fairy godmothers, magic, sparkles and more … so attaching her bookmarks to magic wands was the perfect promo! What did Sarah learn while promoting her books? That “everyone wants a magic wand!”  Yes - we all want our wishes to come true!

Linda Budzinski's bookmarks

Linda Budzinski makes creative bookmarks for her YA novels, complete with charms and fancy stitching. She says online retailer Ali Baba has lots of options for charms to dress up your SWAG. 
Sometimes inspiration is found within the covers of your book! Authors Maritza Mejia and Danna York have had great success using coloring pages of main characters and book scenes. For a very young audience, the best approach can be to keep it simple.




Jan Godown Annino uses professionally printed and  homemade

Jan Godown Annino's bookmarks

bookmarks (created when she was running low on her regular stock.)  She found that her homemade creations attracted more attention. Stamped with the words, "Protected by a trained alligator" (author/book info on the flip side) her homemade bookmarks made for a great conversation starter with readers stopping by her table. 

Elaine Kiely Kearns temporary tattoos

Want to sport some ink? 
Author Elaine Kiely Kearns ordered

temporary tattoos for her Noah Noasaurus picture book launch. The response was incredible – everyone wanted one! Since they were a bit pricey, Elaine saves them for special events. Writer  Anne Marie Pace has also used tattoos and reports that they’re a big draw with kids. FUN - what a unique form of promotion! 

Jen Swanson & SWAG

Children's author Patricia Murphy notes that "the best SWAG specifically ties into your story for greater meaning." Science writer Jen Swanson did just that! She launched her Brain Games book with brain-shaped hand squeezies sporting her website information and the tagline “Activate your Brain!”  Jen gave them out by the hundreds and they were in demand. Her college-aged son even kept some in a bowl at his fraternity house—and his “brothers” loved them! 

Patricia Hruby Powell's book business cards

Writer Patricia Hruby Powell likes using business cards featuring her book cover as a quick and easy handout for potential buyers and readers. They’re easy to carry around, fit in her pocket for quick access, and are a colorful ad for her latest title and contact information. Author Lori Degman likes to use customized pencils (along with bookmarks and postcards) to help promote her new titles. 

Tracey Metlzer Kyle's alpaca pens

Tracey Meltzer Kyle loves SWAG and has used many promotional items over the years. She gave away alpaca pens (pictured), cards from Vistaprint, and key chains to promote Alpaca Pati’s Fancy Fleece. Most young readers LOVE to print using a fancy writing instrument, so her alpaca pens were an effective magnet to draw young readers over to her booth to hear more about Tracey's books!

Robin Newman being interviewed at a festival

Eileen noticed author Robin Newman’s creative approaches with SWAG at a recent book festival. Robin’s mystery, The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake, inspired her to go with a detective theme for her book promotions. Robin offered fake mustaches as giveaways to draw families to her book festival booth. Once there, kids could add a cool-looking detective hat and have their picture taken with the author. What a fun way to create some book buzz!

Eileen wants to mention a superlative SWAG offer for her new picture book, The Superlative A. Lincoln:

Preorder your copy of The Superlative A. Lincoln today and you'll be eligible to receive this Most Exciting SWAG package (see details below); package includes:

Eileen Meyer's SWAG offer

-A “Be Superlative—Be Like Abe!” youth silicone wristband

-A one-of-a-kind Lincoln cork coaster for a cup or coffee mug

-A “Be Superlative” Lincoln pencil

-An author-signed bookplate to place inside your book

-Two bookmarks featuring Dave Szalay’s awesome art

-Activity sheets only available with this offer

-A lucky Lincoln penny

HOW to get your free SWAG bag?

1) Preorder a copy of The Superlative A. Lincoln through your favorite online provider.

2) Forward your preorder confirmation showing proof of purchase and your shipping address to Eileen@EileenMeyerBooks.com and you’ll receive a SWAG bag in the mail within a few weeks.

LIMITED to first 150 preorders w/ continental US addresses. Limit one per person while supplies last. (When supplies run out, it will be posted on www.EileenMeyerBooks.com)

    So, what are the BENEFITS of using SWAG? 

WHY should I consider investing in marketing items?


Clever promotional items achieve varied objectives: 

Visual ads - Items such as business cards sporting your book cover, or a brightly colored pencil with your name on it remind the reader about YOU and your book. And when your SWAG continues to be seen on items such as pins, tattoos, bookmarks, and stickers, it helps to get the word out to a larger community. When one of Patty Toht's readers sports her Dress Like a Girl book pins, she shares the good news about Patty's book with everyone who sees her that day.

Conversation Starters - Your SWAG serves as a great ice-breaker and a way to tell someone about your book. Handing a person a colorful bookmark, a silly fake mustache, or a magic wand helps YOU start an interesting conversation with a reader of any age.

Continued advertising and gifts for key supporters - Bookmarks and postcards are relatively inexpensive to order in large quantities and are great items to leave with bookstore staff, librarians, and school media directors. Why? You're asking them to be part of your team and also thanking them for getting the word out about your book.

Creates a buzz - As we've seen, SWAG timing can vary. You can effectively use giveaways both before and after launching your book! Eileen is offering a unique and limited time "thank you" gift to buyers who place their book orders now, ahead of her launch date.

Contributes to your author brand and presence in the marketplace - When you use creative promotions, people are more likely to remember you, which helps establish your "brand." Science author Jen Swanson's "Activate your Brain!" squeezie giveaway is the perfect promo for a STEM writer!

    

Where should I order my SWAG?

The children’s book authors in this blog post had success using the vendors listed here, BUT be sure to thoroughly scrutinize all vendors you select to work with and inquire about customer service policies before ordering goods. (We cannot guarantee your satisfaction.) Authors in this post used:

Gotprint (bookmarks and postcards), Vista Print, Sticker Mule and Avery (stickers), Pure Buttons (pins/buttons), Alibaba (charms), Moo (stickers and postcards), StandOut Stickers, USFastprint (brain squeezies), Overnight Prints, Tattoofun, and UPrinting.

Other tips:
Wait for sales - Robin Newman used Oriental Trading, Amazon, Etsy, and Zazzle (for very small orders like tote bags and mugs). She suggests buying off-season and waiting for sales and promo days. Ordering in bulk will also cut back on shipping expenses. Websites such as Oriental Trading often have free shipping days and be sure to use their promo codes. If you don’t see a promo code, try giving the vendor a call. Customer service will often have a code available for your order.

Create an account with the vendor you want to use - You’ll receive email updates about special promotions and sales, so you get the best possible deal when you order your SWAG.

Start small - If you have the time and you are using a new vendor, it can help to order a small quantity first – then check your satisfaction with the product’s quality before making your second order for a larger quantity. (And you might get a nice discount coupon via email to use on the second order, too!)

Carry SWAG with you wherever you go - Bookmarks, buttons or stickers easily fit in your purse, backpack, or book bag and come in handy when you strike up a conversation with a reader at the grocery store, a sports event, or any place you frequent, and you want to gift them with an item to remember YOU and YOUR BOOK.  

Most of all -- enjoy your book publishing journey and have FUN creating memorable SWAG. Good luck!

Tips for an Awesome Book Debut by Tina Cho and Epic Eighteen Friends

My picture book debut year of 2018 is over, but some of the Epic Eighteen authors and I would like to share our tips with you to help with your debut. It's never too late to start thinking about all the bookish things that need to be done like as soon as you sign the contract or even before, get your author photos taken. Your publisher/agent will ask for one.

General
"Stay organized! Keep a month-by-month master list of tasks to complete before release day. Every time you hear a tip about book promotion, include the tip in your list so you keep track of all the great ideas swirling around. And don't worry if you can't get to all the ideas by release date--your book promotion efforts will continue after that magical date as well!"
~Melissa Stoller of Scarlet's Magic Paintbrush

"Relax. Take time to enjoy this experience that very few people get to have. Not doing every single thing to promote your book won't make or break your book."
~Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow of Mommy's Khimar

"My top tip is to join a group like Epic Eighteen. For all the obvious reasons. And if you can't find one, create one yourself."
~Christy Mihaly of Hey, Hey, Hay!

Book Promotion
"Don't rely on your publicity department to contact book bloggers--You need to do it yourself 6 months before publication."
~Jeanette Bradley of Love, Mama

"Keep a list of all your guest blog post urls that you've been featured in. Write blog posts ahead of time and keep them in a folder so you don't keep repeating the same things in your posts."
~Tina Cho of Rice from Heaven

"Ask your network to suggest your book for purchase at their public libraries. Library purchases often result in multiple book sales."
~Margaret Chiu Greanias of Maximillian Villainous

"Change all your bios in SCBWI, your website, Twitter, etc... to reflect that you have a NEW BOOK!"
~Tina Cho of Rice from Heaven

"Build a relationship with the local indie bookseller before the book comes out. It really makes a difference. The bookseller has been so helpful, and I think it is because they already knew me as a client way before my book came out.

Set up a GoodReads profile and an Amazon profile.You'll want to copy/paste your US Amazon profile into the other country Amazons (Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca etc...) because it does not automatically transfer your profiles over, even if your login info remains the same.

Book bloggers and book review chains help build up your book's visibility."
~Viviane Elbee of Teach Your Giraffe to Ski

Swag
"Wait till your reviews come out before you order postcards so that you can include the reviews on your postcards. On the back of your bookmark, thank people for buying your book and list other ways they can be helpful such as telling their library about the book, telling friends and family and writing a positive online review."
~Kate Narita of 100 Bugs! A Counting Book

"Collect book swag (even swag pictures) that YOU like and might make for your own."
~Tina Cho of Rice from Heaven

"Don't overdo it with swag. The return on investment probably isn't there."
~Hannah Holt of The Diamond and the Boy

Book Signing
"Take Post-It Notes for people to write the spelling of their names and what they'd like written in the autograph.

Decide on refreshments, a craft, and decorations that emphasize the theme or colors of your book."
~Tina Cho of Rice from Heaven

"If you have a relationship with a local elementary school, send home fliers in school folders the week of your launch party. You might be surprised by who shows up to see you read.

Unless you are a celebrity, bookstore readings tend to be sparsely attended (unless they have a regular storytime). It's probably not worth your time to drive an hour to read to one person. Only do these if you are more interested in building a relationship with the bookseller than selling books on that day. A chain store will likely forget you by the next day, but for a smaller shop, you could build meaningful relationships. Hopefully you'll have more books and more events down the road. Build for the future!"
~Hannah Holt of The Diamond and the Man

Tina signing with her special Sharpie pen

School Visits
"Try a school visit...you might actually love it!!"
~Shanda McCloskey of Doll-E 1.0

"During my debut year, I learned that every school handles visits a little bit differently. Be flexible whenever possible."
~Brenda Maier of The Little Red Fort

"During readings at schools or bookstores etc., figure out a way to make your story interactive. This could be having the kids repeat a refrain or listen for a particular word. It could be singing. It could be asking questions as you go along, or showing illustrations and asking kids about it. AND--practice with a friendly crowd before you do your debut reading. I took my ARC to a first grade classroom (where the teacher is a friend) and read it to them and responded to their constructive critique (there was a portion that needed a little explanation for young readers)."
~Christy Mihaly of Hey, Hey, Hay!

"Make your presentation in Google slides, that way you can log into any computer, and it's there. You don't have to worry about carrying your computer or projector or cords."
~Tina Cho of Rice from Heaven


"Make a teacher's guide for your book and have it downloadable on your website. Bonus if you have a craft!"
~Tina Cho of Rice from Heaven

Rice from Heaven craft

After the Debut
"Keep a folder on your computer to collect photos of your book in various places and with other people.

Focus on the children, not the gatekeepers, not how many stars or no stars your book received. If you made a difference in the life of a child (or adult), you achieved your purpose."
~Tina Cho 

Letters from students and a teacher in New York regarding my book

♥♥♥

I hope these tips are helpful to you. Remember, even though your book's birthday or year is up, you still need to promote your book. In the coming weeks I'm doing some author Skypes for World Read-aloud Day and doing an author visit at my school.

What can you start doing for your book's release? Have fun! Be creative!

Bring on the Swag! Marketing Your Picture Book ~ by Patricia Toht with Hazel Mitchell

The months to the release of my first picture book are ticking away, and the pre-pub panic continues. But of all the things I need to do, I may have the best handle on promotional materials, due in large part to advice from author/illustrator Hazel Mitchell.

Hazel Mitchell with the real Toby

Hazel has visited the GROG before, upon the release of WHERE DO FAIRIES GO WHEN IT SNOWS?, just one of the books she has illustrated. Today she drops by to tell us about TOBY, her first book as author and illustrator. Below, Hazel reveals the promotional efforts that helped propel TOBY's terrific sales. (Read through to the end to discover just how terrific...)

Hazel: TOBY, published by Candlewick Press, is my first book as both author and illustrator. 

I've illustrated many books as collaborator, but the first "solo" gig is pretty special. In this crowded marketplace and with publishers' marketing budgets somewhat limited, I wanted to do my best to give TOBY a good start in life.

I've always tried to do some promotional giveaways with previous books - posters, postcards, bookmarks, stickers. I'd give away a copy of the book and prints of artwork, and I'd make activity sheets and booklets to give at signings. But this time, I wanted to do more.

Toby's 'Hollywood' photo

Toby (the real dog - my book is based on him) already had a good following on social media, mostly Facebook. Several months before the book came out, I started up a Twitter account for him, too, tweeting about his life and his book, in readiness of the pub date. I live way out in the sticks of Northern Maine, so it made sense to utilize social media to spread the net wide.

Encouraging pre-orders was not something I had addressed with previous books. Folks need an incentive to pre-order, and I felt that a poster or something wasn't going to cut it. I wanted something special, but not cost-prohibitive.

So I planned a pre-order "swag bag" and started to think about what I could include that would be appealing, yet within budget. 

How cute is this?!

Here's the thing - for every swag bag I sent out to someone who pre-ordered the book, I knew I could ask them to share a post or photo.  The power of the visual is everything! With the swag bag, I included a note thanking them for pre-ordering and asking politely if they could post a review at Amazon or B&N or Goodreads, too.

In return for these favors, I wanted people to feel excited about the Toby swag. As an illustrator with a graphic design background, I could design many items myself and print them at home. I'd already decided on some items that I wanted for future book signings, so I ordered larger quantities which dropped the overall cost per item. 

Collector's edition TOBY stamps

I also wanted to include a few higher cost items that the recipient wouldn't be able to get at any other event. I decided on a 'collector's edition' USPS first class stamp of Toby and a fridge magnet.

Here's what I included in the package:

• Read to a friend poster (made/printed by me)

• Toby Treats recipe sheet (designed by Elle Jauffret/printed by me)

• How to draw Toby sheet (made/printed by me)

• Coloring sheet (made/printed by me)

• Toby bio sheet (made/printed by me)

• Postcard (7¢ each)

• Bookmark (7¢ each)

• 4 stickers (44¢ for the four)

• Button (23¢ each)

• Temporary tattoo (11¢ each)

• Fridge magnet (40¢ each)

• Collector's edition 1st class stamp ($1 each via Zazzle)

• Signed bookplate (made/printed by me)

• 'Hollywood' signed Toby postcard (made/printed by me)

• Postage ($1.52)

I put everything in a good quality polythene baggie, sealed with a paw sticker, and mailed it in a good quality envelope (with a Toby sticker and rubber stamp paw print on the front).

I estimate the cost of each to me was $4.50, including S&H.

Oliver with his Toby button

I had NO IDEA how many people might pre-order! But I knew from experience that only a small percentage of people who saw my post about it would actually order. But many more would read about TOBY. I could also have limited the deal to 'the first 50 people' or similar. I also had no idea if it would make a difference! 

I posted the swag bag deal online about 6 weeks prior to publication and people started ordering before I had even posted what would be in it! 

It may seem like a lot of money to spend on a giveaway that is in no way covered by royalties per book. But that's not the point. Here's what it did for me:

It made lots of people instantly aware 

that TOBY was on the way, 

and they shared their photos on social media. 

Ava and Toby postcard

I sent the swag bags out a couple weeks before the book published. People were already sharing their pictures online and helping to raise awareness of the book (dogs wearing buttons, children with swag, etc.) More people pre-ordered! When the books arrived, another slew of photographs were posted. It was wonderful to see!

In all, I sent out about 80 swag bags. It was a lot of work for sure - time spent stuffing bags, making envelopes, mailing. But I loved sending something to people who would be excited to receive and save the goodies.

The pre-order excitement really did help with the visibility of the book - with bloggers, librarians, bookstores, and media. I invested time and effort, and roughly the cost of a small advertisement in the press, and in return increased TOBY's visibility exponentially. I will never know the number of people the pre-order promo reached, or how many it influenced to buy TOBY. But here's a concrete computation: TOBY went into 2nd printing after only 2.5 weeks of publication! I like to think that all of the hard work I've done on promotion helped toward that, and I know my publisher thinks so.

Hazel's six quick tips on swag:

1) Decide on a budget.

2) Tie it in with your book. Is there a special hook or theme?

3) If you're not an artist, find a friend who is and barter with them.

4) Search for the best deals on printing and items. Look for vouchers on coupon sites.

5) Whatever your budget, try to find a meaningful item that the reader will covet. (It could even be something homemade!)

6) Google "swag bag" online or on Pinterest for lots of great ideas.

Thank you, Hazel! What a brilliant marketing effort!

Readers, you can find Hazel's website here.

Find her "website-within-a-website" for TOBY here.

Connect with Hazel on Facebook.

Follow Hazel on Twitter.

To see the Toby Treats recipe sheet, click here.

I'll leave you with a final photo of the Toby fan in our house:

Twitter for Writers Part 2 with Corey Rosen Schwartz by Tina Cho

Welcome to Twitter for Writers Part 2. If you missed Part 1, you can read it here. Today I'm sharing my interview of Corey Rosen Schwartz, the popular picture book writer, and how she uses Twitter to market her books. Her most recent are The Three Ninja Pigs, Goldi Rocks and the Three Bears, and Ninja Red Riding Hood, out this summer.

Just to show you how great social media is--I even interviewed Corey using Facebook messages back and forth, rather than email! 

As a published author, how do you use Twitter?

Corey: I mainly use Twitter to connect with teachers and school librarians. They are very easy to find through hash tags such as #1stchat, #2ndchat, #titletalk, etc. These are usually educators who are very active on Twitter. I follow as many elementary educators as I can. Most follow back. Sometimes I also check out who THEY follow and follow some of them, too. Once I've made a connection, I offer them bookmarks for their students. This often leads to Twitter Q & A's, handwritten thank-you notes, and Skype visits. The relationships that develop are amazing! Lots of these teachers have already pre-ordered my next book. And I love thinking of new things to send them...stickers, activity guides, etc... 

Do the students send you class Tweets of questions or compliments?

Corey: Yes! I've gotten lots of students' responses. You can see student responses of Ninja Red Riding Hood here. This is the type of thing I get. This came by email. That's definitely that type of thing that Twitter leads to.

Do you think Twitter is better than Facebook for teachers to connect with you?

Corey: ABSOLUTELY! It took me a LONG time to get Twitter, and I still sometimes can feel a little lost there. But I have totally managed to find a way to make it work for me. I am also very lucky because my book is fairly well-known. So when I do follow someone, they often write back and say, "Wow, we've read your book, and my students love it." So that definitely helps. Gives me an "in" to say, "Oh, well would you like Ninja Pig stickers?" 

Facebook or Twitter?

Corey: For me, I ENJOY Facebook much more. But Twitter is an incredibly useful tool for reaching the "influencers" in the school community. 

You mentioned previously you have a manageable system for Twitter. Can you share that system with us?

Corey: Not sure I actually have a "system," but I have managed to find a way to connect with educators. I read a ton of PBs and MG so I use Twitter to spread book love. I look for and make book recommendations and once relationships have developed, I OFFER educators some type of swag, stickers, bookmarks, and activity pages. I mail them out a package and this often leads to Twitter Q & A's, Skype sessions, etc... 

Teachers will often tweet back pics of their classes holding the swag I sent. 

Or they will tweet a photo of the swag to thank me. (This helps create more buzz for the book.)

Thanks so much, Corey, for answering my questions and helping us get a better idea of how authors and illustrators can use Twitter. 

You can find Corey here:
blog
Twitter: @CoreyPBNinja

Corey is the author of THE THREE NINJA PIGS (Putnam 2012), GOLDI ROCKS AND THE THREE BEARS (Putnam 2014), and NINJA RED RIDING HOOD (Putnam 2014). Corey has no formal ninja training, but she can sure kick butt in Scrabble. She lives with three knuckleheads in Warren, NJ.