So a little while ago I talked about collecting a list of indie friendly shops to use when promoting your work. With that done, the obvious question is: what's next? For me it was pretty simple. I printed up 2500 bookmarks and sent them out to about 65 shops across the country.

[image error] [image error]

Most got 25, some 50, and a few of the larger shops in big cities got 75. The rest went to NBM so that they could distribute them at Book Expo America, the American Library Association's annual convention and Comic-Con in San Diego.

Now, I have no idea how well this will work, if at all. I'll keep everyone posted when initial orders start to roll in. That said, if you do something similar with your book I would definitely use it as an opportunity to tell retailers a little more about your book. For me, I included the follow letter…

My name is Eric Hobbs, and I'm writing to familiarize you with a graphic novel I've written titled THE BROADCAST…

What's it about? Set in 1938, THE BROADCAST is about a rural Indiana town that loses power halfway through Orson Welles' infamous radio play having never learned the panic-inducing news bulletins are a hoax. Fearing the worst is upon them, four diverse families band together in an effort to make it through the night. Tensions build, however, as differences surface, and it isn't long before all involved realize they have as much to fear from each other as they do the "alien invasion" heading their way.

Who's involved? THE BROADCAST will be released by NBM in August. While this is my debut graphic novel, it's not my first foray into comics. I was the writer/creator behind the critically-acclaimed webcomic AWAKENINGS. Meanwhile, Noel's fanbase continues to grow. His work on ELK'S RUN earned a Harvey nomination, and his most recent title, TUMOR, garnered rave reviews when it landed on the Amazon Kindle before being collected by Archaia.

Who will be interested? THE BROADCAST fills the void between character-driven indy books and the high-concept comics being produced by the big two. It's perfect for readers who enjoyed Jeff Lemire's THE NOBODY at Vertigo or the cinematic storytelling techniques used in Darwyn Cooke's adaptation of PARKER: THE HUNTER at IDW.

How will this be promoted? NBM does a great job getting their books reviewed by high profile outlets prior to a book's release. Additionally, Noel and I will be sponsoring a "Your Broadcast" writing contest that's designed to bring attention to the book, and I will be running a few online ad campaigns in the weeks immediately following the book's release.

How do I order? THE BROADCAST is "spotlighted" in the June issue of PREVIEWS (page 301) and is available for pre-order using code "JUN10 1062″.

I understand that any store is taking a risk when they decide to stock an independent title from up-and-coming creators, but I'm hoping this information and the promotional bookmarks I've enclosed will help you build awareness with your customers so that any shelf space you dedicate to THE BROADCAST isn't wasted.

If you have any questions about THE BROADCAST, or would like a PDF preview of the finished book, please don't hesitate to contact me at the e-mail address listed below.

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to building a strong relationship with your store in the years to come.

Your Partner in Comics,

Eric Hobbs

eric@erichobbsonline.com

Not much to it, right? Well, I'm hoping this will convince some retailers to play an active role in promoting the book. Sure, they could just drop the 25 bookmarks on the first 25 customers through the door but that doesn't do either one of us any good. However, if they know their customers, and any retailer worth a damn does, well, maybe they can talk it up a bit to the readers I mentioned in the letter. If so, maybe that's enough to convince them they should buy a copy or two for their store.

Time will tell.

Don't forget, time to pre-order THE BROADCAST is running out. Use order code "JUN10 1062″ with your local shop or pre-order it on Amazon today!

P.S. — I know there's a typo on the back of the bookmark. Nothing like having your school-aged daughter point something like that out after you've printed 2500 up!