Using Business Cards to Promote Your eBook

Does a writer need business cards? That was a question I pondered as I began to think about ways to promote my ebook, [amazon_link id=”B004JU21YU” target=”_blank” ]Life is But a Dream[/amazon_link]. Traditionally, one of the first things a small business owner does is create business cards to hand to people to tell them about their product or service. My first sales were due to an email I sent out that let friends and family know my book was available. It included a direct link to my website and the book page on Amazon. But what about the instances when you meet someone and would like to let them know about your book? Or how can your friends and family tell others about your book in a way that will result in them remembering your name and the book title. Imagine one of your friends telling a relative about your great new novel. The relative goes home, gets on Amazon, and then can’t remember your name or the name of the novel. Chances are, they won’t bother to ask again and will buy something else.

A business card gives potential readers the information they need to look up your book. Imagine the same situation just described. A friend of yours tells a relative about your great new novel and then hands the relative one of your business cards with your name and the name of your book. The friend can then go home, get on Amazon, and find you immediately. That small investment made in a card could be the difference between a sale and someone forgetting your name. If you have friends or family members who are enthusiastic about your book, be sure to give them some cards to help them promote your work.

I just ordered my business cards last week, so I cannot tell you whether they are effective or not. But I will keep you posted in future blog entries and let you know how they are working for me. By the way, I ordered mine through VistaPrint, an online service that allows you to customize your cards and see exactly how they will look before you order them. In addition, they have other personalized items you can order such as sticky notes, tee shirts, etc. My husband ordered business cards for his web design business through them and they turned out nicely, so I thought I would give them a try.

Information that should be on your business card:

• Your name
• The name of your book(s)
• Something like, “Now available on Amazon!”
• Your website URL
• Any services that you provide outside of writing (editing, proofreading, etc.)
• Your email address
• Your phone number if you don’t mind people calling you directly

In addition, you might want to think about adding information for people who do not have a Kindle. Many of my friends do not own Kindles (yet!), so I needed to explain to them that there is a free download which allows them to use their PC or Mac as a Kindle reader. So, I added the following information on my business card: Read Kindle books on your PC or Mac by using the free downloads “Kindle for PC” and “Kindle for Mac”

Think of your business card as a tiny marketing device that will give your potential reader all of the information they need to find, buy, and read your book.

Cheryl Shireman is the bestselling author of several novels, including Broken Resolutions, the Life is But a Dream series, and the Cooper Moon series. She is also the author of ten books for toddlers including the eight Let’s Learn About series focusing on different animals and I Love You When: For Girls and I Love You When: For Boys.