Tuesday, April 9, 2013

UPDATES (more entries to Requiem/$15 Amazon GC Giveaway) and Insider Tips for Bloggers: How to host a terrific giveaway and gain followers

Just a couple of updates:
The Stereotypical Freaks, the graphic novel, that I loved so much is up for the Next Read in The Graphic Novel Reading Group this month! So, if you could join the group and then vote in the book of the month poll for "Freaks" that would be AWESOME! 
To sweeten the deal, you get +5 entries in the current Requiem/$15 Amazon GC giveaway if you do this... this option is only open until April 14th so get your extra entries!!!

So here are the links:



OK on to our topic of discussion...
I'll be blunt. Hosting a giveaway is the best way to earn followers. If you have a blog that has something to say on top of that, you can gain loyal followers.

So how do you host the perfect giveaway that gets everyone jumping through every hoop you present just to get a chance to win?

I. The one most important thing is to have a great prize. So how do you do that? Easy.

1. It has to be something that people want.
-A signed copy of a book (especially books that are more popularly known)
-Signed swag (such as bookplates or bookmarks)
-Amazon gift cards (of any denomination because people can use this to buy a variety of things)

For indie writers, it's that much more important to give out physical signed books (many people still don't have e-readers).  In addition I suggest either:
-Amazon gift card (obviously the higher the monetary amount, the better. $10 is usually the lowest I would go)
-Another popular book in the same genre. For example, if your book is a YA contemporary, giving away a bestselling book in that genre at the same time increases interest. If it's SIGNED, that always ups the ante.

2. What about e-books?
Sure. But just remember people will go for physical copies more than e-books so you will always get a lower response.

II. Shipping. Always go international if you can. There are a lot of people who can't get books abroad, but they want to read your book. So give them a way they can. If shipping is too much, there are other ways to make your giveaway international without adding too much cost.
- Give away a physical signed copy only US, and e-copies INT
- Give away signed swag international (usually can mail in just an envelope)
- Give away a book you can send via Book Depository, which ships internationally for free.

III. Use Rafflecopter or some other mechanism to easily get people to enter. If it's too difficult, people won't jump through your hoops.

IV. Join a giveaway blog hop! I Am A Reader, Not a Writer hosts multiple ones every month and they are heavily publicized. You'll get a great response usually if your prize is good.

V. What hoops?
-You want to utilize this giveaway to do two things successfully:
1. Promote an author.
2. Promote yourself.

It's always in this order. You want to please the person you are helping out, but also reap some benefits yourself. Add your twitter, facebook, blog, Amazon reviews, etc. For the author, I always include their twitter, blog, facebook, goodreads Fan page, and adding their book to your Goodreads TBR list.

VI. Promote, promote, promote. If no one knows about your giveaway, no one will enter it. Promote it on facebook, twitter, Goodreads, Librarything, Got Great Giveaways on I Am a Reader, Not a Writer, any place with an open forum.

Now put up a great giveaway and have fun!

7 comments:

  1. Great giveaway tips-I'm a big fan of making the giveaway as simple as possible to enter although possibly with loads of extra options.

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  2. Love your giveaways.Great blogging tips for new bloggers like me.I don't want anything to change in your blog.Your blog is simply superb......:)

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  3. This is a really great post! I'm almost at 100 followers and plan to do a giveaway of some sort and now I have some good tips to reference!
    :)

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  4. I have been leery about hosting a bunch of giveaways on my blog. I just don't want to "buy" followers. I have only had one so far and it was swag given to me by a movie studio. Sometimes I think of doing one.. but really I want people to come for my content! I don't know what to do!

    Angie
    Angela's Anxious Life

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  5. Wow - what a giveaway! Thanks for this, love this chance! Love Love Love this series. :)

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  6. Ok oops, I carelessly didn't read what you wanted us to comment about for this contest and thanked you for the giveaway instead, sorry! Regarding what I like & what I'd like to see, I'm an extremely new follower, but what drew me to your blog was your reviewing style. You're extremely honest, fair, and insightful. Regarding what I'd like to see, the jury's still out on that one; to give good feedback, I really need to follow you for a while~ just really love what I see so far. :-)

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  7. I really enjoy the content of your blog, keep up the great work. The only thing that I'd recommend and would like to see on your blog is maybe a nicer blog design and all your social media links in one part so it's easy to follow you.

    I would probably also say I'm not thrilled with the lots of Amazon advertising.

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