Randy’s always coming up with great ideas to get people interested in my books. Sometimes, companies fall short, however.
Y’all know how my husband Randy has made shirts, phone cases, messenger bags, laptop skins, and more based on my books? They come out beautifully 99% of the time. But I thought I’d share how occasionally, we have a marketing fail. This was too funny, so I had to share it with you. Before I went to NCTE back in November, Randy was watching the mail carefully, waiting for a package. He was severely disappointed that it didn’t come before I left, so I figured it was some new marketing thing he had found.
After I got home, he told me he had ordered a water bottle for me with art from Water Can Be… on it. “Water, water. Get it?” So when the Printerpix box finally arrived, we opened it with great anticipation. And…
found two kids we do not recognize smiling at us from a pumpkin patch on the side of a water bottle.
Several emails and several months later, we finally got the replacement water bottle. Isn’t it pretty?
[However, I can not recommend Printerpix. Their customer service is glacially slow.]
Laura,
Thanks for sharing about your experience. So many marketing things are so expensive, I don’t know how any author can afford to give them out at book signings and such. Maybe as a door prize. What’s your experience with that?
Yeah, it gets pricey. I give out pretty bookmarks and postcards and such. For ROCK, Randy just ordered me some chocolate rocks and mesh bags, so I can do little thank you bags to give to booksellers and librarians at events. I might hand-do some decorated rocks for that purpose, too. But for large quantities, customized pencils, bookmarks, and postcards are mostly what I’ve done. I usually spend enough on those that the royalty for that book sale is wiped out. But you hope it builds stronger connections…
Laura,
Thanks for sharing about your experience. So many marketing things are so expensive, I don’t know how any author can afford to give them out at book signings and such. Maybe as a door prize. What’s your experience with that?
Yeah, it gets pricey. I give out pretty bookmarks and postcards and such. For ROCK, Randy just ordered me some chocolate rocks and mesh bags, so I can do little thank you bags to give to booksellers and librarians at events. I might hand-do some decorated rocks for that purpose, too. But for large quantities, customized pencils, bookmarks, and postcards are mostly what I’ve done. I usually spend enough on those that the royalty for that book sale is wiped out. But you hope it builds stronger connections…
What a sweet husband! And I like that idea.
Thanks, Tina. He is!
What a sweet husband! And I like that idea.
Thanks, Tina. He is!
Zazzle has worked for me quite well. They are pretty fast and the quality has always been excellent. Customer service excellent. I think I had one waterbottle I was not happy with and they zazzled me out another one pretty quickly! (I’ve always had the right image on the products, too!)
What a super idea and wonderful husband!
Thanks, Donna. I know of Zazzle–I saw Paul Zelinsky wearing a FANTASTIC shirt featuring images from Z IS FOR MOOSE! I’ve used Vistaprint a lot, and Overnightprints for bookmarks a number of times, and Randy uses all sorts of companies for the stuff he creates for me. Good to get a personal recommendation on the water bottle front:>)
Zazzle has worked for me quite well. They are pretty fast and the quality has always been excellent. Customer service excellent. I think I had one waterbottle I was not happy with and they zazzled me out another one pretty quickly! (I’ve always had the right image on the products, too!)
What a super idea and wonderful husband!
Thanks, Donna. I know of Zazzle–I saw Paul Zelinsky wearing a FANTASTIC shirt featuring images from Z IS FOR MOOSE! I’ve used Vistaprint a lot, and Overnightprints for bookmarks a number of times, and Randy uses all sorts of companies for the stuff he creates for me. Good to get a personal recommendation on the water bottle front:>)
Funny story! Someone must have been missing a bottle for a while then. Cute idea!
Exactly–I wondered if that family was saying, “What the heck is this otter doing on our water bottle?”
Funny story! Someone must have been missing a bottle for a while then. Cute idea!
Exactly–I wondered if that family was saying, “What the heck is this otter doing on our water bottle?”
Water Can Be…a glacier! I see now how it all ties together. At least the finished product looks good!
Hehehe–I wondered if anyone might pick up on that:>)
Water Can Be…a glacier! I see now how it all ties together. At least the finished product looks good!
Hehehe–I wondered if anyone might pick up on that:>)
I don’t care how long this took, what a sweet gesture! I love that Randy supports you in this very real way.
Me, too! We got a lot of mileage out of just laughing at this random water bottle! THanks, Margaret!
I don’t care how long this took, what a sweet gesture! I love that Randy supports you in this very real way.
Me, too! We got a lot of mileage out of just laughing at this random water bottle! THanks, Margaret!