Love Your Readers? Show it with These Giveaway & Promotion Ideas

Love Your Readers? Show it with These Giveaway & Promotion Ideas

Aerio Staff

Love is in the air and it’s the perfect time to show your readers how much they mean to you with some heartfelt book swag.

This Valentine’s Day, instead of doling out heart shaped “candies” that are just as easily mistaken for antacid pills, try these book promotion ideas that are sure to score you a second date with your book audience.

Host A Book Giveaway

Want to show your readers some love and unlock the hearts of those you have yet to woo? Consider sealing the deal with a book giveaway. Nothing delivers all the feels to readers faster than a free book. To see tips on getting started, see: How to Run a Successful Book Giveaway Campaign.

Offer Free Sample Chapters

A sneak peek at your favorite chapter, one that makes a strong statement for your book, is a simple way to crank up the heat from flirtation to full-on commitment.

It is a bit like playing hard to get. And for the readers who like the thrill of the chase, this book promotion idea offers just enough to leave them yearning for more. That hankering will translate into more leads, sales, and higher levels of audience engagement. To see more benefits, check out our blog: The Value of Free Book Samples.

Signed Books Show the Love

One of our favorite book promotion ideas is the always-appreciated signed copy. You could even go the extra mile and include a gift card for a store relevant to your book.

Talk about intimacy. If you really want to show your devotion, consider adding a personal touch to your signature, like a hand-made card. The extra effort will go a long way in your relationship.

Alluring Author Swag

Much like the signed copy, author book promotions rank a little higher on the love meter.

Not only are you connecting at a personal level, but you’re providing coveted items with your author seal of approval. A couple unique ideas to get you started are:

  • An ebook reading device loaded up with books If you’re looking for more of a blue-bird special, a branded USB thumb drive can still get their hearts racing, with plenty of space to store ebooks and a welcome message or video.
  • A framed poster of your book cover art Make it really special & sign it with a personal message!

And of course, there are the tried and true items like t-shirts, stickers, buttons, bags, etc. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. The cleverer the swag, the more likely you’ll make an impression and attract readers.

Intimate Book Signings & Author Events

No reader can resist the double-treat of meeting their favorite author and scoring author swag—all the charm with the dashing good looks. Readers get a little facetime with the person behind the pages and walk away with a cherished keepsake.

Don’t Forget, Websites and Social Media Can Shower Love Too

Your website and social channels are a great way to increase audience engagement, and show readers’ your appreciation.

Your online and social profiles don’t always need to revolve around a book promotion (although that’s a great place to start), but they offer a simple way to smartly manage your audience. A few ways to get started are:

  • Give highly engaged readers a shout out on social media
  • Share photos and post content from book signings and author events. Take it one step further by tagging readers who attended.
  • Retweet, Like and comment on followers’ social channels
  • Ask your audience to participate in a forum or a fun survey, and share your thoughts on their responses.

Steps to Promote Your Book During Valentine’s Day (and other special dates)

So now that we’ve got your heart racing with book promotion ideas, it’s time to put them to work. But no need to panic, we’ve got a few simple steps that’ll have readers eating out of your non-sweaty palms in no time.

  1. Plan your delivery. Make sure communications are clear and promotional vehicles make sense for your audience.

Example: If your audience engages more with your Twitter page than your website, a social media promotion might work best. Also, be sure to capture contact information for all submissions, to build your marketing list and continue your courtship.

  1. Choose the right swag. Different swag can come with different price-points. Figure out your budget, then take into consideration your delivery method.

Example: If you’ve chosen to giveaway your swag at a special event, a framed poster of your book cover prominently on display might pack more punch than a branded t-shirt or bag.

Give your swag some thought. Make it unique while also cost-effective.

  1. Don’t get complacent. After the promotion is over, use the contact information captured to nurture that new relationship. Mix things up and keep the flame burning hot with constant engagement. You can also post the winner on your website or social channels, to really shower them with praise.

A book promotion can make you a little vulnerable, which can be scary. But like famed Victorian, Lord Alfred Tennyson said “tis better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.” So get out there and capture some reader’s hearts!