This is the first in a short series of two articles that focus on promo items.

Whether we buy them or create them because we can't resist them, feel we have no choice, or really believe in them as effective tools, the promo item is a fact of life for most authors.

In these times when the promotion of the author and the book falls heavily on the author's shoulders we are already spinning under the pressure of all the social networking required - and then we have to add the pressure of deciding which material items will have the greatest impact. Added to that decision are the added dilemmas of which of those will offer the best dollar for result ratio, and keep our profiles high in the public arena.   

But first, we have to understand them…

When considering the what, how and why of promo materials, I feel the most important question is 'why'?  Why are we using them? What do we hope they will achieve for us?

The quick and easy answer is that we use promotional products to build name-recognition. This we then hope will translate into readers who will then form a fan base. We want these products to go out into the world and work for us. They are silent advocates, ever-present reminders that we exist, and the more of them and the longer they last, the greater the chance that they will work.

They represent us, and the product we choose should reflect us, so we need to be comfortable and proud of that representation. Choose wisely.  

I would hope it goes without saying that whatever we choose MUST feature our names and contact details prominently. Otherwise, any effort is simply a waste of time and money. See the note about the gorgeous erasers in Measuring the Effectiveness of Promotional Products, the second article in this series. 

What products are most effective? There are so many products on the market, and if you're a stationery nut like me, most of them call to you in sweetly seductive tones…

However, they're not cheap and therefore we have to block out those tempting voices. We have to think with our heads and not be swayed by our hearts.  So, to that end think about what will work best, not what's the pettiest, cutest, funkiest or will make our friends laugh.

In the next article, you'll find both a list of items I've analysed as well as a table that offers effectiveness at a glance.  Those choices you make will be affected by the intended purpose. Conference and face to face giveaways? Postage friendly items? A quick note to advertise your book on sale? An invitation to a launch?

In a quick overview here, I would suggest that you measure your choices against this measurable list:

Here's a list of the most common promo products which are analysed in Part 2:

No matter what items we choose, we have to be smart about how we use them. As much as we want to give these to all out friends because we are so proud of our efforts, remember these are a business tool.

They're a tool to use to connect more closely with your readers. They're a tool to reach out to new readers. They're a tool to build our profiles and name recognition. So use them wisely.  I choose some for general handouts, and then think more carefully about others so I can try to direct where they go for the greatest affect.

Sadly, a percentage of our effort will go unnoticed; will be trashed and overlooked. And we have to suck that up and move on.  There is no magical method that ensures every effort will return a 100% effectiveness.

The only way to ensure 100% of our efforts are successful is to do nothing at all… So, use every opportunity:

There's no doubt that promotional items can provide both the best fun and the biggest headaches of all the extra curricular writing necessities. The range can be boggling, and we can bankrupt ourselves or spend all our advance just on these products if we're not careful.

So, my last piece of advice before you move on to the analysis? Pace yourself, both with your spending and your distribution. Don't dump everything in one place, spread the news.

Happy Promo-ing!