One of my favorite blogs to read is Roni Loren’s blog. She has an interesting post today. The post is titled Does Swag Sell Books? It’s a great question as authors and publishing houses spend tons of money each year printing bookmarks and postcards and having pens and pins made. As an author and a publisher I’ve often wondered do those pens that I have printed actually sell any books? What about the bookmarks and post cards? Do readers actually pick them up at the bookstore? Do they actually read the blurbs? Buy the books?
The consensus over at Roni’s blog seems to be that no one buys books based off the swag they collect – at least at writer’s conferences.
I can’t say that I’ve ever bought a book strictly from reading a postcard about it or picking up a bookmark. But then, I think there is a difference between an advertising piece selling me a specific book and an advertising piece loosening me up to at some point in the future be predisposed to consider buying a specific piece or a piece by a specific author.
With so many new authors entering the market lately I find that I rely a lot on name recognition — not so much whether I recognize the author by reputation or by what he or she writes…but whether I recognize the name at all. I am more likely to check out a book by an author whose name I recognize. If I can say, ah yes, I’ve heard of her, I’m more likely to check out the book link to Amazon than if I’ve never heard of the author before. In that way I think the book swag plays a role in softening me up. It doesn’t account for an immediate sale but may contribute to one down the road.
If I really like the sound of the book from the blurb I may even add the book to my TBP list at Goodreads. Of course, there is a lot on that list…and that a book is on that list doesn’t necessarily mean that I will ever get around to buying the book. But, when I am in the mood to shop for books that is often the list I go to when choosing what to buy…and that’s a much narrower pool than all of Amazon…so in that respect the swag probably helps.
What about you. Do you take author swag at conferences, bookstores, and book fairs? What kinds of swag do you like to get? Does swag impact the likelihood you will buy an author’s book either in the short term or long term?
I’m in agreement with what’s been said so far. Everyone has different tastes. I personally like coffee mugs, pens, magnets, sticky note pads. Getting these items don’t necessarily encourage me to buy a book, but they are always ‘in my face’ and I’ll remember that.
I think the one thing an author can do to promote herself is a blog book tour, getting on as many blogs that promote the genre she writes in plus a few others where the readers would not normally read her work. Women’s fiction on a paranormal blog for example. In my own case, I followed a blog tour for Lauren Clark. Some of the tags have her work as chick lit, light romance & humorous romance. During the tour I bought the book (Dancing Naked in Dixie) she was promoting at Amazon for 99 cents. Later, I won a prize from her tour and she threw in a copy of her first book (Stay Tuned). I read historical romances and would not normally find her stuff and she wouldn’t find me either…but I am completely enjoying Dancing and I know I’ll like the other book too.
To be honest here, I mainly follow the blog tours for the prizes (I love Amazon GC!) but I have found some pretty amazing authors and their books that I would not have found without the blog tour.
Now that I have said all of this, let me add one more thing about blog book tours. The author MUST take the time to respond to all comments and questions at each blog. I have followed some where the author never made an appearance…not once during a 2 week tour did that author respond to the comments made. I find that offensive and promptly quit following the tour and quickly forgetting the author and book.
I agree with you Karen, especially about the blog tours and the authors who don’t stop by to comment when readers take the time to comment on their posts. I find it rude to the blog host and the readers who take the time to follow the tour.
Hi Laurie and gang…As an author I buy a lot of swag to give away. Not bookmarks though, since all of my books are electronic. I’m working on getting BAD HABIT out in paper, but reading the proof makes my eyes roll up in my head.
I send out postcards and give away swag in contests, but the thing people love are my Bad Girls Need Love Too…tee shirts. The graphic is really pretty and I figure they are a walking advertisement for my website.
Oh, and magnets with my covers or other graphics…those are popular too.
*hugs*
~J
The tee shirts sound quite cool June…and the magnets too. We have magnets that we give out which advertise books. I think the best swag is stuff that has a purpose–like a magnet — a pen — a flashlight — lip balm — tee shirt — etc.
I like to give away the lace bookmarks that I make…but I don’t really think of them as book swag. They don’t advertise our books or our company really. They are just kind of a nice little gift. Ditto the book bags and book covers. I don’t really expect those pieces to sell books.
I have had people who received free books come back and buy several others…so in that respect free books as book swag works…especially with a reader who hasn’t yet heard of us or who hasn’t yet tried our books.
I’m not sure where one should use their funds if what they want to do is sell books. I’ve spent a lot of money on ads…they didn’t raise sales. I’ve spent a lot of money on book swag. It didn’t raise sales either.
The real bottom line, I think, is that none of the things we throw money at in order to create sales really work very well. What works well is being engaged in a community of readers and writers…and that costs time but not money. So…following that line…maybe authors should spend their funds on someone to clean their houses and transport their children to dance and little league so that they have more time to engage meaningfully with readers.
What do you think Mary? Where would you put your funds if you were an author wanting to sell books?
Something more productive. Virtual book tours or actual book signings. I take notice of these. I have found some amazing authors & books via blog book tours. I read the interviews, I enter the giveaway, I buy the book, I REMEMBER!!
Yes, I like virtual blog tours too. I think virtual blog tours are great as an author can connect with a lot of readers in a short span of time. Like you say…the interviews, blog posts, etc. provide something interesting…and memorable.
I like the swag, but it doesn’t really make me buy more books. I can afford only so many books.
Most of us have some kind of a finite budget for books…sadly.
Still, as I tell authors…a reader can’t possibly buy a book they don’t know exists. Sometimes the swag…or the guest blog…or the workshop you teach…or the post on a Yahoo Group is the thing that lets a reader know your book is out there. 
I think that swag is usually something that readers collect from their favorite authors. I have bought a book when an author has a contest and a chat and gives away swag but it was based on the chat not the swag that was an added bonus.Which is what I think a lot of readers see it as. A bonus that goes with your favorite author or book.
Yes, I agree. A lot of the time swag is something that goes with a favorite author or favorite book.
I find the comments both here and at Roni’s blog interesting as I really don’t “collect” book swag at all. I collect pens…and if someone gives me a pen I’ll keep it whether it is advertises a book or something else. I “collect” recipes and fabric too…but there’s just not space to save a lot of paper advertising pieces for books I may or may not ever read.
I do sometimes pick them up at the bookstore…read the blurbs…and decide whether to add the book to my list of books I want to read someday. Of course even though I buy a lot of books that list ages and what was once fresh and new at some point becomes dated. So it’s not at all a sure thing.
I don’t know that swag sells books. I think it’s just a novelty. After the initial interest I don’t think I even glance at the bookmark or pen I am using. Better to use your funds elsewhere I say.