Catfish Campaign, Day 25, Freebies

I think one of the tricks to marketing is to give people something that they want and tack on a blurb for something that they didn’t know that they wanted (like your book.) For example, I  made to die for truffles that I served at my book launch and had recipes  printed out which included not only the truffle recipe, but also buying information for my book. I’m pretty confident that everyone who ate a truffle took a recipe card, because the truffles are just that good.

This summer my gargantuan family had a reunion. I had considered making a genealogy chart, making hundreds of copies that had not only 8 generations of ancestry, but also something like compiled by Kristy Tate, granddaughter of William Henderson Dickson, author of Stealing Mercy. In the end, I didn’t do this, because I wasn’t able to go to the reunion as planned, but I still think it was a good idea. Here's a link to a free genealogy chart. http://tribalpages.com/free-family-tree-charts.html

The goal is to think of something not-available-in-stores-unique that everyone will want that is fairly inexpensive (if not free) and give it away, preferably to readers of your particular genre, and tack on your book’s information.

If you have ideas of freebies, please share. And to show I practice what I preach, here’s my truffle recipe:

1pkg.  (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened

1pkg.  (15.5 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 4-1/4 cups), divided

2pkg.  (8 squares each)  Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

Mix cream cheese and 3 cups cookie crumbs until well blended.

Shape into 48 (1-inch) balls. Dip in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.

Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.