MarcyKate Connolly On Frankensteining Some Swag

Most authors will agree that the creative part of the job is where we excel, the business and marketing side, slightly less. It’s lovely when the two can meet in the form of SWAG – Shit We All Generate. I’ve invited some published authors to share with us their secret to swag… little freebies that can sell a book longer after the author is no longer standing in front of a prospective reader. In order to create great swag, you have to be crafty – in more ways than one.

Today's guest for the SWAG is MarcyKate Connolly, an author and arts administrator living in New England with her husband and pugs. She's also a coffee addict and voracious reader. Her debut novel MONSTROUS is available now from HarperCollins Children's Books, and the companion, RAVENOUS, will be out on 2/9/2016!

Finding something that represents your book and hasn’t been played out by a million authors before is difficult. What’s your swag?

I made a few different pieces. Some were pretty basic, such as bookmarks, postcards, and sellsheets. Others were a little more unique such as monster cards (a set of 4 with info about the monsters in the book) and frankenplushies (stuffed animals made to look like the creatures in the book).

Monster Cards.jpg

How much money per piece did your swag cost out of pocket?

This varied WIDELY, anywhere from fifty cents to $20. The paper swag like bookmarks were pretty cheap, but items like the frankenplushies were more expensive.

Do you find that swag helps you stand out at an event? 

I think it can, especially if you have something a little different. When I bring out Monster cards at an event, they tend to go quickly. That said, everyone seems to love bookmarks, so I don’t think you can go wrong there either.

What do you think of big item swag pieces versus cheaper, yet more easily discarded swag like bookmarks?

Bookmarks may be more easily discarded, but they also do come in handy when you’re talking about book people, so I feel like they’re a good investment. The bigger stuff can make you stand out, but I’m not sure the cost is worth it. I would probably never buy a big standup poster for a launch party again, but I might be willing to invest in a standup banner that’s more portable for a complete series of books. I’d recommend thinking about what sort of mileage you can realistically get out of the bigger pieces. If it’s a big expense and one-time use, it may not be worth it. 

I do however thing items that are unique and specific to your book are a great way to get people to remember you. When I decided to get my Dr. Frankenstein on and make frankenplushies, it was one of those things where either people were going to love them or think I was seriously disturbed (so far the former is winning out, thankfully!). 

MONSTROUS has creatures called hybrids such as the main character, goat-chickens, and a sperrier (puppy with wings, basically). I bought a bunch of chicken, goat, bird, and puppy stuffed animals, then took them apart and sewed the pieces I needed back together to make the hybrids. I raffled some off for my launch party and I’ve used a few others for random giveaways on my blog or at other events. They’ve been a hit! 

goatchicken.jpg
Sperrier.jpg

My next book, RAVENOUS, has a new hybrid, a raccowl (a raccoon with an owl’s head) so I’m already planning to make more frankenplushies for that launch. They’re time-consuming and occasionally frustrating if I can’t find the right parts in stock at local stores, but I’d say they’ve definitely been worth it.

What’s the most clever / best swag by another author?

This is a tough one, but the best one I’ve seen recently has to be Julie Murphy’s Dumplin pins. They have the iconic pose from the cover and they are fabulous! 

And the biggest question – do you think swag helps sell books?

Honestly? Beats me! Unfortunately, getting a real ROI on swag is tricky at best. However, regardless of whether they sell books I do think swag is important because it helps build your brand. Even if they don’t buy your book this time around, maybe they’ll remember your name and will buy the next one. 

Trisha Leaver With A Price Breakdown On Swag That Works

Most authors will agree that the creative part of the job is where we excel, the business and marketing side, slightly less. It’s lovely when the two can meet in the form of SWAG – Shit We All Generate. I’ve invited some published authors to share with us their secret to swag… little freebies that can sell a book longer after the author is no longer standing in front of a prospective reader. In order to create great swag, you have to be crafty – in more ways than one.

Finding something that represents your book and hasn’t been played out by a million authors before is difficult. What’s your swag?

Here’s a look at the shit *cough* I meant SWAG I’ve generated over the past two years.  My favorite, hands down, are the playing cards and the charmed bookmarks. 

full swag.jpg

How much money per piece did your swag cost out of pocket? 

Oh gosh…that is a tough question, and one I am not sure I want to know the answer to. Overall, my cost for swag has gone down with each book I release because I’m getting better at figuring out what works and what doesn’t. Here’s is a guestimate per piece (with shipping):

Bookmarks$.05
Postcards         $.18
Wristbands $.40
Playing cards $5.00
Charmed Bmarks $.40
Dog tags         $.75
Tattoos $.05
Buttons         $.25
Magnets         $.24

Do you find that swag helps you stand out at an event? Does your swag draw people to your table at an event or conference?

I do find it helps. At large events where readers are talking to several dozen authors, it is nice to be able to hand them a piece of swag, something that will hopefully remind them of me and my books when they are looking for something to read. As for whether swag draws them to my table…maybe, or it could be the giant candy bowl I always put out!

What do you think of big item swag pieces versus cheaper, yet more easily discarded swag like bookmarks?

In my mind, bookmarks are a staple item. I give them away conferences, signings, school visits... heck, if you talk to me for five seconds about my book, I will give you a bookmark LOL.  It’s an inexpensive and easy way to get information about your book into the hands of readers.  That said, I do like big swag, particularly if it has some subtle connection to my book. The more expensive swag, however, I save for exclusive giveaways and readers who seek me out at events/ festivals to talk about my book and the characters they love.

What’s the most clever / best swag by another author? 

The DUMPLIN’ Box by Julie Murphy. Such a unique and fun way to give away ARCs, and I love how each item speaks to the book.

 

New Interview Series - The SWAG (Shit We All Generate)

Today writers have to be more than just writers - love it or hate it, we are marketers as well. Most authors will agree that the creative part of the job is where we excel, the business and marketing side, slightly less. It’s lovely when the two can meet in the form of SWAG – Shit We All Generate. I’ve invited some published authors to share with us their secret to swag… little freebies that can sell a book longer after the author is no longer standing in front of a prospective reader. In order to create great swag, you have to be crafty – in more ways than one.

Today's guest for the SWAG is Demitria Lunetta, author of IN THE AFTER and IN THE END, both available now from HarperTeen, as well as the upcoming BAD BLOOD, coming in 2017 from Delacorte. Demitria is also an editor and contributing author to AMONG THE SHADOWS a dark YA anthology, available for pre-order now.

Finding something that represents your book and hasn’t been played out by a million authors before is difficult. What’s your swag?

Of course I have the standard bookmarks, stickers, and bookplates, but I also have notebooks, t-shirts, and tote bags.

How much money per piece did your swag cost out of pocket?

Bookmarks, stickers, and bookplates are pretty cheap…they’re only about five or six cents each (when you buy bulk.) The notebooks are a bit more expensive. I bought mini-pads and stuck a sticker on them…altogether those ended up being about 40 cents each. Shirts and totes are way more expensive, at about $12 a pop!

Do you find that swag helps you stand out at an event? Does your swag draw people to your table at an event or conference?

Definitely! People love free stuff, even bookmarks! Add a couple of notebooks and people are all about the swag. ☺ It also gives you the chance to engage with people as they’re grabbing your swag.

What do you think of big item swag pieces versus cheaper, yet more easily discarded swag like bookmarks?

Bookmarks are invaluable. Even though they’re cheap, they’re actually quite useful, and I’m not sure they’re so easily discarded. I’m always happy to get a bookmark and I have a drawer of them for easy use. The bigger ticket items are useful too, but it’s not always feasible to have loads of them. For the t-shirts I made sure they were soft and cute, so people would actually want to wear them. The totes I’ve only given out at my launch parties and I’ve actually seen people using them at other events, so they were definitely worth the hefty price tag.

What’s the most clever / best swag you've seen by another author?

Candy is always good! It gets people over to your table. I also already mentioned that I’m a sucker for bookmarks, so any unique bookmark will catch my attention, like something with an interesting charm dangling off the string, or even something shiny. I guess I have the attention span of a small child. ☺

Do you think swag helps sell books?

I think swag indirectly helps sell books. It acts as a reminder. It also gets your cover out there…the more exposure your book has the more people will buy it.