The swag for today's blog comes from the 2013 RWA National Conference. Nationals gave out a really great bag (which I'm realizing I don't have a photo of), but for the most part swag is put out on swag tables so people can grab what they want.
Check out the difference in items, just at first glance.
Yes, there are some paper products, but not nearly as much as in the previous swag bag. As a result, we can look at items a little bit more closely and things don't get lost in the shuffle.
These are all items that caught my friend Celeste's eye. Something about these made her pause and pick them up. Maybe it was because they were different and she hadn't seen anything like it before. Maybe because it was a fun, cute idea. Maybe it's as simple as she liked the color...some of this is a crap shoot as we know. There are so many unique items that I'm going to try to post the photos with minimum commentary about each one...unless I need to explain what they are due to my poor photography skills.
RWA gave out these water bottles to all attendees. Great idea for the weekend in Atlanta. It's always smart to carry some water around with you during conferences. Who knows when you'll have a chance to get a drink.
Celtic Heart chapter had a party where they handed these buttons and badge ribbons out. I'm a sucker for anything in a kilt (as are so many readers), so these are particularly clever. And it always feels funny not having any ribbons on your badge when attending a conference. This is a fun way to include readers and get your name out there.
Two different styles of drink koozies. I really like this idea, particularly for the Western Themed (based on the logo) series. And with backyard BBQ season in full swing, this is a great swag idea.
A stress ball. This little puppy is coming to the day job with me. A new take on an old classic...and no one else is doing it.
Trading card size magnets. She didn't grab a lot of these, but the few that caught her attention. I (being a conference chair) thought the magnet for the 2014 Spring Fling was a great way to advertise that conference. The thing about these: they are all the same size & shape. Nothing really makes them stand out from one another.
A pamphlet about an author and her series, but it includes a recipe in the back. Very cute. And, a spatula. I love this idea for a cooking series. This is something that will be kept and used again and again.
A couple different notepads. (The green heart one was on the tables during a meal, not at the swag table.)
Colorful label flags (is that what they're called??) I use these all the time, so this will be on my desk.
Tattoo sleeves, perfect for every Rock-n-Roll series. So fun. And the fact that the label is specialty made to fit the series is awesome.
a coin purse
bath tea
a paper coaster with a writing quote
bookmarks
I couldn't get good pics of these items. Pens, a USB drive, odd sized/shaped bookmarks.
the trading cards with little goodies attached to help them stand out a bit.
beach ball
Great idea and ties right in with her title.
A glasses cleaning cloth. I'm always in need of these! The other side has her business card/trading card.
bracelets
I think this is a great idea for ebook authors. You can't give out free books, but what about a post card offering a free download? or coupon code. This was given out in the session the author gave to those that were interested.
teas and sachets
buttons
Really bad photo, sorry. Matches.
I hope these give authors some ideas for different ways to use their promo dollars and really help their name stand out from the crowd. If you see something on the table you want a closer look at, let me know. I've got the bag of goodies here and I'll do my best to get a better photo and post it. :-)
Are there any vendors that authors would recommend for promo materials? Any fun ideas?
Thanks for stopping by!
