September 20: the twentieth day of InSeMaMo
Today's challenge is to create business cards.
My first business cards had everything on them - my twitter handle, FB address, LinkedIn, my blog URL, website URL and my street address, and a cute free stock photo line-drawing of a girl reading a book.
Too cluttered. Well, it was something to hand out.
Here is what should be on your business cards: your name &/or pen name; your professional photo (the one you use everywhere); the genre you write (Science Fiction Author); your website URL; your Amazon Author page URL; your email address. That's it.
On the other side (yes, it's worth paying for a two-sided business card) you have a choice. Either put your book covers and their titles, possibly a few delectable quotes from each one, or a one-sentence blurb if you only have a couple books. The other option is to list your book titles on the front, if you only have one or two, and on the back put something useful. I have kept calendar-business cards, and one that has a list for tipping - 10%, 15% & 18% of various amounts of money increasing by $5.
OTHER PARAPHERNALIA
Here's where you use that list you wrote of your target readers' other interests and hobbies. What would appeal to them? Book marks are a staple, but avoid those with book covers and titles and URLs. No one keeps those. If you're going to make them at all, take a little more time and make something people will keep. A cool picture or a great quote on one side, your books on the flip side. (Quotes - from your own book or from before 1923. Anything quoted before 1923 is in the public domain).
Use your readers' emotional/intellectual triggers in designing these. Are they sentimental? Love a good laugh? Interested in self-help? Like a mystery or puzzle? (What about a crossword puzzle that, when solved, is the title of your book?) Try to link your giveaway item to your book - ie, fridge magnets for culinary books, with one of the recipes printed on it. (These are good ideas for the back of your business cards, too. Anything unique to make you memorable.)
What ideas do you have for inexpensive take-aways?
Pick one and go design it!
Today's challenge is to create business cards.
My first business cards had everything on them - my twitter handle, FB address, LinkedIn, my blog URL, website URL and my street address, and a cute free stock photo line-drawing of a girl reading a book.
Too cluttered. Well, it was something to hand out.
Here is what should be on your business cards: your name &/or pen name; your professional photo (the one you use everywhere); the genre you write (Science Fiction Author); your website URL; your Amazon Author page URL; your email address. That's it.
On the other side (yes, it's worth paying for a two-sided business card) you have a choice. Either put your book covers and their titles, possibly a few delectable quotes from each one, or a one-sentence blurb if you only have a couple books. The other option is to list your book titles on the front, if you only have one or two, and on the back put something useful. I have kept calendar-business cards, and one that has a list for tipping - 10%, 15% & 18% of various amounts of money increasing by $5.
OTHER PARAPHERNALIA
Here's where you use that list you wrote of your target readers' other interests and hobbies. What would appeal to them? Book marks are a staple, but avoid those with book covers and titles and URLs. No one keeps those. If you're going to make them at all, take a little more time and make something people will keep. A cool picture or a great quote on one side, your books on the flip side. (Quotes - from your own book or from before 1923. Anything quoted before 1923 is in the public domain).
Use your readers' emotional/intellectual triggers in designing these. Are they sentimental? Love a good laugh? Interested in self-help? Like a mystery or puzzle? (What about a crossword puzzle that, when solved, is the title of your book?) Try to link your giveaway item to your book - ie, fridge magnets for culinary books, with one of the recipes printed on it. (These are good ideas for the back of your business cards, too. Anything unique to make you memorable.)
What ideas do you have for inexpensive take-aways?
Pick one and go design it!
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