Ruth Ann Nordin and I did a Facebook and blog giveaway recently. Ruth organized it and made the whole affair work. I am so grateful for her expertise and the time she spent in this endeavor. There were wonderful prizes, which included the winning of a Kindle, a Western candle and a rectangular-treasure box to place small items, a bread-sized Western chest and the winner’s choice of either e-books or paperbacks. However, what I learned was how much fun a giveaway can be.
People who won shared their appreciation, such as one winner who expressed her gratitude that the Kindle came right at the best time. Her mother was in need of one. She downloaded recipes and sweet romance books for her. Is that not awesome?
The interaction with our book readers (Ruth’s more than mine) was also a blessings. Some people shared personal information, and your heart ached for their hardships, health problems and more. We also got a chance to know our audience, and this giveaway in turn gave us a way to express our appreciation of their support.
In February, Ruth and I picked out the Western items. We planned to do a giveaway in March, but with our busy schedules the giveaway never materialized. So I kept the items to await our next move. Since we were having a joint book signing of our anthology, Bride by Arrangement, May 10, Ruth made some cards about our giveaway. We distributed these and gave them out during our book signing.
We were able to get the word out through this and our blog postings. Ruth thought ahead while my brain still was in the clouds. This is why it is good to do these together because what one does not think of the other does.
It also is a good idea (if you have a place to store them) to keep boxes. My husband is not pleased with my basement Christmas collection, but it sure comes in handy in BOXING THIS GIVEAWAY. I have all sizes of boxes. Being a pack rat does come in handy at times.
Besides this, I keep those disgusting store plastic bags. They make great box stuffers to keep the items from breaking and rolling around. Do you hear that Paul? My husband. He wonders if sometimes I have lost my mind.
Doing a giveaway together also provides other benefits, such as getting to enjoy lunch out together after selecting your store giveaway items and keeps the expenses down as well as making the giveaway a happy time instead of a chore.
At a previous Nebraska Writers Guild conference, one of the speakers said giveaways are important. Why? Because it gets your work out there and could build relationships and readers!
When my first book, Seasons of the Soul, was released, I hesitated to give away my books. One less book sold. But as the old adage states: You need to invest money to make money. This is the same with books. People need to read them before your book will produce sales.
I hope this post was helpful and if you choose to do this you will find it as rewarding as Ruth Ann Nordin and myself did. Boxing a giveaway is, indeed, fun so package that giveaway up and send it out! God bless.
