I discovered while being close to the mall entrance to the large
store it wasn’t where people entering the store would see me when they first
walked in. I also noted many people that
were not interested with having interaction with an unknown author on site
would look the opposite way when they did walk by. Some would take a cursory glance at the
poster and quickly hurry past in the hope of not making eye contact. These are some of the challenges an author
faces when participating in a book signing event.
When a person was idly walking around the book shelves and tables
picking up books and laying them back down I asked if they were looking for
anything special and then offered my book to “take a look.” Some said maybe later and I would give them
my business card that has a small thumbnail picture of the cover, the link to
the book and my name and email address.
But let’s talk about the ones that purchased the book or download
sheet. The customer and I engaged in
conversation about the book and how I came to write it. It might be a 2-minute conversation or it
could be up to 10 minutes we talked. The
result of interaction with the customer was the sale of another copy of the
book.
Interaction with the customer – that is the key to marketing. As authors we often forget that being visible
is a part of writing. People like to put
a face with the books they are reading.
Unless one is a bestselling author with an easily recognized name it is
essential to make contact with our audience regularly. Sometimes it might be a bookstore where we
bring our books and make arrangements with the manager/owner to sell our books
sharing the profits with the store.
Other times we may be fortunate and be invited to a larger chain where
the store provides the books and we simply make an effort to communicate with
the public and assist the store in making that sale.
We all know that book clubs and libraries along with rotaries and the
Lion’s Clubs are good places to be a speaker and sell copies of our books after
the talk. I discovered at library talks
a question and answer time at the end is helpful as well.
Another good place to “get the word out” is at your church. Church members participate in a signing
event, especially when a tithe of the profits is donated to the church (which
is a given anyway). Another thing about
a church signing event is that a talk can be incorporated into an event. I participated in a church event that allowed
me to talk about my novels. Several
members of the church purchased my book and were asking when the next one would
be out. Whatever clubs one belongs to
offers a venue for making sales; and sales lead to word-of-mouth that leads to
more sales and eventually recognition.
So don’t be shy about answering, “I’m an author,” when someone asks
what you do. It most likely will be the
first step to being invited to speak or to come and sell that next bestseller
at an event.
Happy Selling!!