Book Expo Shows Too Many Are Out of Business Cards

I am not sure what it is about the book publishing industry, but I am still amazed at how inept those who work in it are when it comes to business cards.  I polled a huge sample when I walked the floors of the Book Expo convention at the Javits Center in New York last week.  The results were disappointing.

This is the big annual show for the industry to showcase itself and here’s what I found about those exhibiting there:

1.      Some did not have business cards.  They either ran out of them or they did not have the cards for the right people. 

2.      A number of cards lacked an email address. Really?

3.      Some cards were printed on laminated material that made writing notes on them impossible.

Please learn from these blatant mistakes.  I’m not asking for too much, am I?  If you are to share your information with others and to promote your book or company, make it easy to do so. 

Don’t even think about discussing social media or the online world if you can’t even have a decent business card available at all times.

When you don’t have a fully functioning business card available to give to others you are in essence, handing out a going-out-of-business card.  You send out a message of either incompetence or indifference, neither of which carries favor with others.

So remember – have business cards on hand, make sure key info is on them, and make sure one can write on them.  Don’t worry about card stock, logos, color, images… just get those basics down and you’ll be ahead of half of your competitors.  

Interview With Inakat, CEO Of Inakat Publishing

1.      What type of books do you write? I write Erotic Fiction, Urban Life, and poetry

2.      What is your newest book about? My newest book is "Touch of Base". It's about Thomas, a man who finds a path of success despite a maze of drugs, gangs, and the pitfalls of Urban life . Vera is woman who is the vicinity of him, yet her life and doesn't touch base with same things. What he does with his position, is nothing short of incredible.

3.      What inspired you to write it?" "Touch of Base" is the beginning of a tribute to the men in my life that made a good difference. One the main character's, Thomas Base is loosely based on my brother, Charles Thomas aka the Mixologist.

4.      What is the writing process like for you? A single seated theater. I wrestle with the images and characters in my head until I can get them in place. Sometimes it's exhausting, other times the sweetest relief.

5.      What did you do before you became an author? Work as a Medical Assistant, Business manager, and function as a Single parent to a clan of three.

6.      How does it feel to be a published author?  It is amazing. I'm humbled and in awe at the same time.

7.      Any advice for struggling writers? When you can't write the story, read over what you've already written. Read blogs, network, move around and re-ignite that inner fire. Whatever you do, just don't give up.

8.      Where do you see book publishing heading? While the digital media is ablaze, I see book publishing heading towards a balance of print and digital formats. Personally, I hope that book publishing leads to refining my own skills and assisting others that are interested. In short, to one day be able to pay it forward.

For more information, please see: Http://realechos.com

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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This blog is copyrighted material by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2013