“A prospect needs to see or hear your marketing message at least seven times before they take action and buy from you.” —Marketing Adage

 

Last week, I offered general tips for marketing materials and specific tips for business cards, bookmarks, and postcards. This week, I’ll make suggestions for posters, car magnets, banners, and book-related giveaways.

These materials may be less important than last week’s business cards, bookmarks, and postcards, but they’ll make your book cover familiar in peoples’ minds.

Tips for Posters, Car Magnets, Banners, and Book-related Giveaways:

1. Mounted Posters:

1. Fill the mounted poster with your book cover.

2. Purchase one large enough to stand out in a bookstore window where you’ll be signing books. I ordered 24” x 36”.

3. You may want to purchase two. One to leave in the bookstore display window for a while. The second for a prominent spot at your local book launch party.

4. To get the clarity needed, you may need to ask your publisher to send a higher resolution cover image than the normal ones. My publisher was glad to do so for Calculated Risk. 

2. Car Magnets:

1. Not necessary, but fun. If your car is out and about a lot or you take frequent trips, this might be worth trying.

2. Before ordering, measure the surface space on your side doors or back hatch. The area without handles or decorative contours determines the size of the magnets. A smooth fit for the whole magnet is important. Magnets 12” x 24” fit my rear side doors.

3. Include a large image of your book cover. Keep the text short. I put three things on mine:

1. Title

2. Website

3. Tagline

4. When prudent, park places that allow easy viewing of your magnets. And keep your car clean.

5. We’ve taken 5-hour trips, and my magnets have clung firmly to the doors. BUT, check periodically for moisture under them. This could cause damage to the finish on your car over long-time use.

3. Banners: 

1. You’ll want to put your headshot as well as your book cover on banners. Remind yourself you are your brand. Then it’s easier to do.

2. Consider where you’ll be using the banner. I’m draping mine to hang off book-signing tables. So, I ordered a 4’ x 2’ one. If stores place you at a smaller table, like the store did in the top photo, you can easily make the banner work. Since the poster displaying my book cover was next to the table, we folded back the book cover side on the banner to make the banner fit.

3. Make sure your name and website are on the banner. When your name is your website address, all the better. 

Posters, Car Magnets, & Banners help fulfill a marketing adage about seeing 7 times. Click to tweet.

4. Book-Related Giveaways

1. Pens are popular.

2. BUT, I wanted to evoke Calculated Risk’s story and cover in readers’ minds when they used my giveaway.

3. If possible, order items that relate to your story. Cisney in Calculated Risk lives by adhesive notes. I ordered 25-page-count sticky note pads with the cover and my website as a light background.

4. Consider the weight of your giveaway. You’ll probably want to mail them.

What success stories do you have in using these types of materials?