Economical Book Promotion at Craft Shows
Craft shows can
be a useful means of promotion for your books. However, they
can be very expensive. One way to save money is to register
early. Many shows have online promotional sites which allow
you to register early, usually at a savings. Some shows sell
out early, so contact them months in advance and they may
offer discounts. Some offer discounts for last minute
registration, but at that point there are limited spaces
available.
Find The
Best Book Promotional Opportunities
Many craft shows
offer a variety of promotional options. They may offer
electricity for your booth, table and chair rental, carpet
and similar items. The prices rise as the show draws near.
Early planning is a great way to save money and lessens the
stress level as the show draws near.
How To Save
Money While Promoting Your Book
Each writer that
participates in the show will need to transport supplies and
promotional items for the show. Show participants can save
some money by bringing these items with them. It is more
reasonable to carry the items with you than to ship them to
the show. An eye catching display that can be assembled and
disassembled easily makes a great impression and can save
you money.
When you reserve
a spot at any show, remember front and corner booths cost
more money. These may not be the best locations for you.
It’s worth your time, to contact businesses who displayed in
the past to ask about the flow of traffic on the floor. It
is even better if you have attended the show yourself to see
which areas seem to have more traffic. This information is a
great way to make the most of an appearance at the show.
Promotional
Items For Your Book
Show attendees
need promotional items for the people who wonder through the
tables. These promotional items should have your author
name, book title, website address and other identifying
information. These items can include: pens, scratch pads,
key chains, etc. Some other things you might give out
include gum, miniature candy bars, chips and homemade
cookies. One author I’ve seen at writer’s events offers
cookies which are based on a recipe in her story. This is a
great example of an item to hand out which ties in with the
story.
In addition to
the novelty promotional items, it is important to have
handouts, brochures, business cards and samples. Simple and
eye catching handouts can be made in any word processing
program. It is easy to play with different fonts, font sizes
and colors to grab the attention of people who approach your
booth. Local office supply stores usually have good prices
for large quantities of copies. Think about creating 2
handouts on a letter size sheet of paper and cutting them.
Sometimes
desirable shows are farther away and you will need to stay
in a hotel and eat out. There may be opportunities for
discount rooms for show participants, but these need to be
reserved early. Rooms can be shared if that is practical and
appropriate. Another big travel expense is your meals. It’s
good to set a food budget before you leave, or allow each
person a certain amount of money for food.
These are some
easy ways to save money when you participate in craft shows.
When you travel to many shows, it becomes more critical to
save money at each one. If the cost will be high, it’s
important to evaluate whether the expensive is worth the
exposure your books will receive.
