A Tote Bag as Passive Marketing

“Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.”

-  Seth Godin 

I spend a lot of time reading about what self-published and even traditionally published authors are doing for their marketing of their books, ads mostly paid ads and rapid release schedules of series of novels seems to be the most profitable which is nothing like we're building here. Plus there's the standard add a review my book pitch at the back of the book or sig up for our newsletter, also not something I want to put into kids books that are being used in schools and found in libraries or being given as gifts.

In fact, so far, I haven't found a lot of people doing what we're doing here at Little Goodbyes Press. I'm sure they're out there, just have to keep searching. 

For now 5 months into this adventure, any profits are being collected and applied to the basics, copies of the books for the LAC deposits, shipping costs, additional copies to have on hand for random in-person requests (as we can see how long it can take sometimes to get books in hand) and, most recently, translations of our books into French and Spanish with more languages planned in the near future.

Quiet Marketing

All that said, I’ve been thinking a lot about what marketing looks like when you’re building something slowly like we are doing. Most of my work happens quietly: writing, illustrating, uploading files, waiting for proof copies, and finally hitting that distribute books button.

This year I've also starting the process of sending emails to libraries with our 2025 Canadian Books catalogue (click to download) in hopes that more libraries will be adding our books to their collections (see our posts, Thank You, Libraries or How Libraries Help Indie Authors). None of that looks like marketing in the traditional sense, but it all adds up over time.

This tote bag came out of that same mindset.

Testing the Tote Bag

First, I made the bag as a purely functional test. I wanted to see how a QR code worked in real life vs on the screen, printed at size, carried around, scanned by a phone that wasn’t mine. I also wanted something practical to use for everyday errands, meetings, and upcoming writers groups and events.

Now it goes with me to the grocery store, the library, the mall, meeting over coffee and it will be coming with me to the Toronto Indie Author Conference in the spring.

I have to say, it's really a great tote bag to store things while browsing in the stores, I have a few business cards tucked into the little pocket inside too, because you never know when someone might give you yours.

Sustainable Marketing

I’m not wearing a pitch, I’m not asking anyone to buy anything. The bag just exists in the world, doing what it’s meant to do: holding books, notebooks, and whatever else I’m carrying that day. If someone notices it and scans the code, great. If they don’t, that’s fine too.

This kind of marketing feels sustainable to me. It’s passive. It fits into daily life instead of interrupting it. It doesn’t require constant posting or explaining or selling. It simply reinforces the work that already exists.

I’ll likely make a second one for the Toronto Indie Author Conference for my co-author, Lauren, so we’re carrying the same information and links in a consistent way. Again, not to sell, just to be functional (I presume there will be handouts of some kind there and this tote will keep those all together) and visible in the spaces we’re already in.

For now, for our year one passive marketing plan, that’s enough.

Books take time. Trust takes time. I’m comfortable letting visibility build the same way.

You can explore all of our current titles on our Books Page.

If you'd like to help share our works, visit our Libraries Page for circulation details and ISBNs.

Our books are available through major retailers including Chapters, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, and Waterstones.