Promotional Items

Here's another thing I do that's gotten a good response. I'm sure many of you already know about CafePress.com, but if you don't, here's the skinny...
You can put anything you want on any of their products, and to do so is free to you. You upload your own graphics (like, I don't know...say...a book cover) and put it on t-shirts, coffee mugs, hats, thong underwear (no, I'm not kidding). You can order said items at cost, or you can put a markup on them (usually something like a dollar or so) and sell them.
Now, hardly anyone outside family buys your own book-branded merchandise, so I'm not suggesting you'll get rich quick off of them. You won't, and you don't want to be seen as some kind of shill by hawking them everywhere you go, but YOU can buy them and wear them to conventions, drink out of the coffee mugs, etc. They're relatively cheep, and can be included in a select number of press packs. Reviewers love to get free stuff. When people see the shirts, or whatever else you're showing off, it can help generate sales for your books. Besides, who hasn't wanted a t-shirt with their book cover on it? I have coffee mugs with the covers to all my books on them.

Okay...That's my schpiel for today...

Oh yeah...Almost forgot the link... http://www.cafepress.com

Agreed, the majority of those who use it don't know what they're doing as far as graphics manipulation. However, for people that do know about it, it's not such a bad thing. Besides, the one local printer I have here charges a great deal of money for crappy quality, and not nearly as much stuff.
Anyway, it was just an idea.

Incidentally, I also periodically get a catalogue of imprintable items, some of which are really cool. Others are really cheesy. I can't find my current catalogue right off hand, but I'll post the title of it when I find it.