Content creators al off kinds, authors included, are seeing the promotional and revenue-generating potential of merchandise. It’s long been part of book publicity campaigns and with promotion costs skyrocketing, it’s a smart way to advertise for free. Any book can benefit from merchandising but it’s especially popular for novelists and other fiction titles. Fans love items connected to their favorite stories and characters, and it never hurts to run your book cover as the artwork. It helps get the word out and gets your book noticed. Seeing cover art can start a conversation leading to a recommendation. 

What types of merchandise work best for book promotion? The classic answers are t-shirts, mugs, and caps. One of the benefits of wearing apparel is that it spreads the word naturally as fans wear their items. Mugs work well because many people will take them to work or display them in their offices where others will notice. Just as friends do, co-workers love to recommend things to each other and is excellent word-of-mouth promotion. Well priced merchandise that’s popular can also be a secondary revenue stream to augment your book sales; it’s a way to unlock more of your book’s value.

Moving beyond the standards t-shirts, caps, and mugs, fane also love tote bags and they’re another item people use daily and is seen by others. If it’s something that’s easily understandable, you can also get creative with the words are artwork that go on your tot bags and other merchandise. For some books, words make the most sense, perhaps a key quote from the story that you can understand without already having read the book. Color is also important and you can pick up tones from your book’s cover art or shades that relate to its content. You may want to work with a graphic designer for more ideas. 

The digital revolution has spawned a relatively recent merchandise category: electronics cases. You can consider them for smartphones (especially popular), tablet computers, or laptops. The smartphone cases are especially good because people carry their phone 24/7. Posters are the final category to consider. They’ve been mainstays for certain fiction genres for decades and are eternally popular. Kids and teenagers like them and some adults do also. Much depends on the design and how well it resonates with fans. Regardless of which product categories you choose, don’t overlook merchandising.