View Full Version : Only in Hollywood
laura
04-14-2006, 02:08 PM
Ok, I can't believe I am actually going to do this, but I need some publicity for the book as sales have stalled.
You all may have heard that celebrities get free stuff all the time. At the Oscar's for example, they get bags of stuff worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. The idea is that is a picture is taken of a celeb with your product or if a celeb ever mentions your product, it increases sales.
To go a step further, there are companies in Los Angeles that put on "events" where companies will set up a booth, celebs are invited and of course the press, and the celebs come visit and pick up any products they want for free.
I was invited to one called "The Dog and Baby Buffet". So, dog product vendors and baby product vendors will be at this mansion in HOllywood for a weekend and celebs are invited to drop by. IT COST MONEY FOR THE VENDOR TO BE THERE AND YOU HAVE TO GIVE THE PRODUCT AWAY TOO!!
But the idea is to get publicity for your product and marketing and PR always costs money.
so I am going to do it.
They provide me with a 6 foot banquet table and two chairs. UP to me to decorate it. Since my only "product" is my little book, I am wondering how to tastefully decorate my table. It will have a white linen table cloth on it. I will have a sign made up to go on the table which is simply the cover of the book.
Any ideas? You are such a creative group! I will have Herman and Harold with me, and of course, they will be a draw, but they won't be on the table! :)
Laura
Your book is awesome, and I hope this generates some serious sales for you! I think Goob and Tanya are the guru's of Marketing, but I might have missed some others.
Herman and Harold will be a big draw, maybe a plate of baby carrots that say "do not touch - Harold's stash"
When is this event? And you know you are going to have to give us a blow by blow of how it went.
How about blown up pics of Herman and Harold, along with some of the art from the book as a backdrop?
Hmmmm let me think and I'll get back to ya!
When is the event? You wouldn't happen to need someone from San Diego to accompany you to said event would you!? :rotfl:
laura
04-14-2006, 03:34 PM
Husband is taking second chair! sorry Karen! Still, open to your ideas!
You could serve up little cocktail weeniers!? :rotfl:
Food always draws people in. I have a dachsie shaped cookie cutter too, if you wanted to make Harold and Herman cookies?
laura
04-14-2006, 03:38 PM
Love Tasha's idea. On my website, there is a page that is called Meet the Dogs.
http://www.dogdialogues.com/pics.html
It has the cartoon dogs along with the pic of the real one. Maybe I should blow that up as well as the cover of the book? The cover of the book is yellow and white, mainly. As the linen will be white, would it also be cheesy to have a vase of yellow and white daisys? Or is that just too stupid and queer?
Nancy
04-14-2006, 03:38 PM
How about blown up pics of Herman and Harold, along with some of the art from the book as a backdrop?
GREAT idea!!
May I suggest a different color table cloth? I know it sounds silly, but color is more likely to draw the eye.
Also, you should maybe put some type of decoration around the edge of the table as well.
Oh, another idea. Maybe a really big picture of the front cover of your book on a stand that would sit on the table in the corner?
laura
04-14-2006, 03:42 PM
Oh I like that! Doxie cookies! ( susie homemaker I am not, can I buy a cookie mix already made and just cut the cookies out of that) ( never baked cookies that were not out of an all ready made cookie dough that I just blobbed onto a sheet)
cocktail weeners won't work in an "I don't eat unhealthy processed canned meat,only vegan, veggetarian raw food" Los Angeles crowd.
cocktail weeners won't work in an "I don't eat unhealthy processed canned meat,only vegan, veggetarian raw food" Los Angeles crowd.
Tofu pups?? :rotfl: :rotfl:
Sorry, I'm not creative but you have some great suggestions here. I wish you the best! :)
You could make dog treats, too. If you have a bone shaped cookie cutter....I have an easy recipe it you'd like it, let me know.
laura
04-15-2006, 02:35 PM
Sure, I would love that. I don't have a bone shaped cookie cutter but should not be hard to find?
Laura
Chris
04-15-2006, 03:02 PM
I have done a lot of booths/events...and people like nothing more than something that is either interactive, or to talk about themselves or their pet. Is there something interactive that you could add to it besides your pups? Home made dog treats are a good idea, but who knows how many you would need, Will have to think about this... Maybe a humorous doggie questionaire/test about how well they know their dog, doggie personality types or if they were a dog what would they be an then they add up the responses for the answer. Maybe thats dumb though.
When people get freebie makeup samples or shoes, it creates a built in market if they like it because they will want to buy a makeup refill or try new products as they come out. And they will buy the shoes in other colors. With a book, unless it is a series, it is basically a one time buy (aside from buying copies for friends, etc.). You don't usually buy a new copy each time you read it so it has to be fresh in a different way.
Have you considered secondary products - I know that the first thing people think of is tshirts or notepads with the name of the product on them...and it might be too late to think about for this venture....but what about true secondary products like doggie t shirts or other doggiewear with different "doggie thoughts" from the book on them? People love spoiling their puppers with things and they could expand interest in the book to other people, and then in turn the people who already love the book will be made repeat customers.. The cartoon versions of your pups look like they would lend to a lot of other possibilities. Hey, maybe even an animated special LOL. If you have already done all this and i just don't know it because in the grande scheme of things i am just meeting you, then i will put a bag over my head now.
For promo in general, have you approached your high school/college alumni papers? It might seem like a lame idea, but you never know who grew up to be in the media or major animal organization. People are more motivated to go out on a limb for someone, or will be very motivated to buy a book where they knew or have heard of the author like that.
And I would say canvas the newspapers that cover the geographic area of the event in conjunction with it. Firstly, to motivate people to seek you out at the event if they are in the target group that will go to it, but also to take advantage of all the possible exposure you can get while you are there, even if it doesn't benefit the appearance directly - radio interview, etc.
laura
04-15-2006, 05:33 PM
Great idea about doing something else with the artwork! Thanks chris.
Laura
Also it has nothing to do with this event, by for sales you also might want to set up something at the Ohio meetup http://www.winc.com/picnics/ No idea what they charge vendors, but you will have at least 700 doxie obsessed people in one place, I am sure you could sell a ton of books. Also, I think there is a huge event in NYC every year that is a doxie meetup.
Also Lab people have to be as crazy as doxie people and have huge get together - don't they :scratch:
vBulletin® v3.8.4, Copyright ©2000-2012, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.