Selling merchandise can be an effective marketing tool for an author’s book. An author can earn extra money, and readers can display their love of a particular book by wearing apparel related to the book, displaying artwork on their walls, or drinking out of a book-themed mug. By purchasing and displaying the same merchandise, readers can build a sense of community among themselves, and the merchandise’s wide visibility can increase the recognizability of the author’s books. However, an author must consider several key factors when creating merchandise, or else these products will not be successful advertisements for a book.
The Purpose of Book-Related Merchandise
Book-related merchandise needs to serve a purpose, such as generating income, increasing readership, strengthening book visibility, enhancing author credibility, or enhancing the reader experience. It is wise for authors to be creative with their merchandise in order to stand out from the crowd since common items such as bookmarks and tote bags can seem bland. The upshot is that merchandise should be something that readers are excited to purchase and use.
Here is a list of merchandise that may fit this criteria:
- Puzzles
- Mugs and cups
- Pillows
- T-shirts and hoodies (and other tops)
- Coasters
- Candles
- Blankets
- Posters
- Jewelry
How Merchandise Can Connect Readers to Favorite Books
Merchandise should directly tie into a book’s content, such as by featuring an important quote, displaying a key scene, or evoking the book’s overall mood. Authors who wish to think beyond a single book can also plan merchandise that features an author logo or personal motto. Authors can also help readers to feel more connected to their work by creating t-shirts or other displayable merchandise featuring the characters’ school, house, family crest, or other faction-related emblem (think of Harry Potter houses or Empire/Rebellion symbols in Star Wars). Authors can also sell products that tie into a book’s setting, such as wine if a book is set in a winery, or binoculars if the book’s character is a bird-watcher. This merchandise can appear more valuable when bundled with a book in a gift package. Limited-run editions of a book, personalized packaging, and signed bookplates can generate a sense of urgency or exclusivity that motivates a reader to purchase directly from the author rather than from a chain store or an independent bookstore. Specialized experiences related to a book (such as a mansion tour for a historical novel, or an astronaut training experience for a science-fiction novel) can help readers feel closer to a book’s world and create lifelong memories. However, merchandise should also not be incongruent with the book’s target audience.
How Authors Can Identify Which Merchandise Designs to Create and How to Develop Them
Authors should visit Reddit fan forums or their own social media pages to determine which quotes, scenes, and characters are most appealing to fans. When creating designs, they can use free design websites such as Canva to create their designs. If they wish to hire a professional artist to create the designs, and their budget allows it, they can do so through websites such as 99 Designs or Fiverr. Authors should request that the artist create custom designs that will look good on multiple products, or—again, if the authors can afford it—unique designs for particular products (it would be even better if this artist also designed the book cover art, as the merchandise art could become a natural extension of the book art). When hiring an artist, authors should ensure they purchase the full rights to the artwork so they can use it on multiple items without incurring additional licensing fees.
Authors can use print-on-demand services to save money when selling products to their readers. For example, with these services, they can easily sell many items with the same book quote or scene-related artwork (such as couch cushions, shirts, or posters). Authors can advertise the print-on-demand service with a link to the book merchandise at the end of the book, and they should also link their personal print-on-demand account to the online store on their author website (so the print-on-demand service knows when customers have ordered items from the author’s website).
Budgeting Merchandise Creation
Authors should order a prototype or a sample of their merchandise to ensure it is high-quality, so they do not end up wasting money on a faulty product. They will also avoid upsetting their readers and tarnishing their brand. And it is also a smart idea for authors to start small with a limited-run or print-on-demand model before committing to bulk orders, especially for authors managing a tight budget. On the reader end, merchandise cost can be a stretch goal (achieved over the course of several months) rather than a lump sum, up-front investment. Authors should budget their merchandise expenses so they do not drain their funds, and they should factor the merchandise costs into the total price of their books. They also need to consider costs such as shipping and hidden fees (like the extra cost for embroidered designs).
In order to raise funds for merchandise, authors can utilize crowdfunding websites such as GoFundMe or Kickstarter, or even creator-oriented subscription services such as Patreon. The fundraising campaign can be as simple or complicated as authors want, ranging from launching within a day or planned for an entire month.
Conclusion
Once the merchandise is available for readers to purchase, authors can advertise it through unboxing videos, early-access exclusivity to website visitors or Patrons, or direct sales at book signings or literary festivals. Depending on customer feedback, authors can then order and sell more of the same merchandise or develop new merchandise, either to appeal more closely to readers, advertise new books, or accompany the changing seasons. The possibilities are limited only by authors’ imaginations.
By Matt Wade
