The Swag Man Cometh

Swag: what do you do about this knotty question? Have you wasted money in the past? What works best for you, and why? Do you have an annual budget?

by Paul D. Marks

I’m not a big swaggart. About the only thing I’ve done to this point swag-wise is bookmarks. I did have business cards printed, but almost never give them out, instead handing out the bookmarks. So the biz cards sit forlornly in my office gathering dust, but I do like the picture on them. And they helped keep someone employed, so I’m doing my bit for humanity.

I also had mugs made for White Heat, but just a handful. Then we changed the cover of White Heat and we made more mugs, another handful. Then we changed the cover again and… When Broken Windows came out, we tried to make combo mugs of White Heat and Broken Windows. And that’s a story in itself. We couldn’t get it right, so had to make them again. And then again. So now we have a lot of White Heat-Broken Windows mugs that are half good, but taking up precious space in our house. I just can’t seem to part with them, even though they’re flawed.

But even if the mugs came out perfectly – and we might still try again – they aren’t what I’d really call swag. They’re mostly just to give to family and friends. Not as a general give-out item at conventions and the like. They’re too expensive for that, though we might have given a couple of the earlier ones away here and there in gift baskets and for auctions and such – The Great Mug Affair of 2018.

And I’m not really sure how much good swag does, especially the bookmarks when they’re one of multitudes that people leave on tables and hand out at various events. Like grains of sand on the beach. Does any particular one stand out?

Iceland

Now, maybe if I could give out the swag they do at the Academy Awards, I’d get some attention. You know, things like trips to the Galapagos Islands, Iceland or stays at the Golden Door spa. Like Frasier and the Golden Door…and then the Platinum Door – well, you had to be there – and now you are:

Video Removed

And most recently at the Oscars jewelry or cannabis-infused face cream and bath salts. Because as Distinctive Assets (who provide the stuff) founder Lash Fary says, “After a stressful Oscar week, you need to relax.” Of course, life’s a bitch when you’re a pampered millionaire actor telling all the rest of us how to live. So the toilet plunger shaped like a poop emoji should really help you de-stress after that tough, grueling Oscar week – nothing like what our soldiers deal with in Afghanistan, Iraq and other stress-free places they get to go for fun and excitement. And what particular stress that poop emoji toilet plunger helps with I’m not sure, but I’m sure it does. But if it doesn’t, the phobia expert (another swag item) is sure to help.

And that Oscar swag is so good Christopher (Michael Imperioli) on The Sopranos robbed Lauren Bacall of hers:

Video Removed

So, if I could give out swag that was worth getting mugged for I guess I’d do more of it. But it seems to me that the expense of key chains, pens, magnets, etc., vs. the return on investment isn’t really worth it. But if you’d like a box of unused if a little dusty, biz cards, let me know. You could paper your walls with them.

So, while I like collecting free pens, I don’t give them out. Mostly I just do bookmarks. Bookmarks will remind people where they left off reading in Michael Connelly’s book. They’re inexpensive. Readers seem to enjoy them. And they don’t take up a lot of space in the garage. On the other hand, if I could bribe people with a Porsche in their choice of color, hmm, well if it would get them to buy a book it might be worth it.

What about you. Do you swag or not?

~.~.~

And now for the usual BSP:

White Heat -- Shamus Award-Winning mystery-thriller -- is a BOOKBUB Featured Deal on Sunday, May 19th. You can get the E-book for only $0.99.  https://tinyurl.com/y5oq3psq

***

New May issue of Mystery Weekly is out. And I'm honored to have my new story The Box featured on the cover. Hope you'll check it out. -- This link is to the Kindle version, but there's also a paper version available.

https://www.amazon.com/Mystery-Weekly-Magazine-2019-Issues-ebook/dp/B07RC8XS93

***

Please join me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/paul.d.marks and check out my website www.PaulDMarks.com

Click here to: Subscribe to my Newsletter

To swag or not to swag, that is the question... by Cathy Ace

Swag: what do you do about this knotty question? Have you wasted money in the past? What works best for you, and why? Do you have an annual budget?

Oh my – SWAG! The eternal question of “To swag, or not to swag?” I’ve seen a lot of swag. I’ve been tempted to purchase a lot of swag – and some swag can be extremely tempting. I’ve loved most of my book covers over the years, and the idea of seeing them printed on mugs/tees/posters/matchbook covers/earrings/necklaces/shoes/candies/chocolates/teab-labels etc. etc. can be extremely appealing. Then I tell myself it’s all hubris, and I can’t afford it…and move on!

An idea of the swag handed out at Malice Go Round - the fabulous "speed dating" event at Malice Domestic

That being said, the idea of using something other than a bookmark to promote my books at conventions and books signings is something I give thought to with every book. I can absolutely see the point of having something relevant made with either my name and website address on it, or maybe focusing on the visual images on/connected with my book…but then I come back to practicalities.

Living in Vancouver, Canada, means I’ve had to fly to every convention I’ve ever attended – except Left Coast Crime, held in Vancouver this year. This means I would have to put swag into my suitcase, have it be acceptable to customs as I cross into the USA or the UK, need it to weigh “almost nothing” as I always reach my limit with packing as it is, and be used up so I don’t have to bring it all back to Canada again. 

Every author here just gave you a two-minute pitch, and gave you something to take home - how does an author "stand out"?

The way I look at it is this: the purpose of anything I give a new reader (with a book purchase), an existing reader (as a thank you), or a potential reader (as a reminder of my work when they are building their TBR pile) needs to work in terms of being appealing/useful to/for the recipient, and meeting its needs from my point of view. Printed sticky/note pads, pens, pencils, keychains etc. can all be useful to the recipient…but will they say “thank you” loudly enough, or will they remind the recipient about my work in the future?

I tend to use most swag when I am participating in one of those wonderful “speed-dating” events at conventions – where two authors table-hop around dozens of groups of readers…you have two minutes each to pitch your work, hand out swag…then move on. Now I’ve never been a recipient at one of these, but I can sense how overwhelming it is for readers to have twenty pairs of authors tell them about their work over 90 minutes. I think it’s vital to have some sort of leave-behind, or those who take notes won’t have a reference point, and those who don’t take notes will be totally at sea. 

With Vicki Delany at Malice Domestic 2018

But…I have always stuck with a bookmark. That’s it. I see a bookmark as useful for readers (they are all readers!) and the print space allows for both my series of books, my collections of short stories and novellas, and my standalones to ALL be featured – using their lovely cover art – as well as my website address. And that’s it for me.

The previous iteration of my Cait Morgan bookmark

As for budget? Yes, I have an annual promotional budget. Conventions are expensive (always over $1000 per convention); advertising is expensive (you could spend a fortune, or not buy any at all); living in Canada means mailing a book to one person can cost around $15…so I budget $20 per book, and I sent out 40 with the last launch; swag can cost any amount of money. I just had 2000 new bookmarks printed and they cost me around 19 cents each (inc. artwork & delivery). I’m sure there would be cheaper ways to get them printed, but I trust the printer I use and they get them done fast for me…which is good, because I always seem to need them in a hurry! (Yes, I get through about 2000 bookmarks per year.)

So, at this time (unless I win the lottery) the only swag you should expect from me should be a bookmark – informative and useful. And I always collect up the unclaimed ones at the end of every event where I use them, because each one costs almost 20 cents, and that can add up very quickly!

One side of my current bookmark

 

The other side of my current bookmark

If money were no object? Oh, now let me think…

Even though I cannot pass you any swag through this screen, maybe you'll consider reading my books? Click here to get straight through to my website.