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Tips for a Successful Booksigning

You have your book. You hold it with confidence in both hands, taking in the design of the deck and enjoying the feeling each page as they slide through his fingers. When you think of all those who work hard – writing, editing, and arduous search for an editor – now you know is to be treasured. Needless to say, the prospect of selling the book is both exciting and nerve wracking.

However, if you wish for a publisher to take on another job yours, you must prove that his current job selling power. For the author again, this often means taking most of the marketing, promotion and sales. Booksignings are merely a way to bring exposure to their work.

As author and editor, I had to fix booksignings not only for me but for others as well. Depending on where you live and who to contact, organizing an event with a bookstore can be as simple as making a phone call, or it can be like throwing teeth. Some library managers may be more willing than others to allow a new author to create a stand and sell signed copies, while others may join strict policies that limit in-store events biggest names. However you go about scheduling a booksigning, you want to be sure that when forward to the day (and well before then, too) you are ready to smile, sell books, and sell yourself.

Here are some tips to keep into account when planning your event book:

1) Check early, often confirms! There is nothing more embarrassing than showing a book to discover that event have no books. Probably the only thing worse that can happen is to get to the store to know your event is not even going to happen! Do not laugh, I've seen it happen to authors, and has happened to me. When you schedule a signing ceremony with a shop, take time to confirm the event with the store manager in the days and weeks before the event.

No reserve a day three months in advance and assume everything will be fine, and that a large table with a welcome sign bearing your name will expect to enter the store. If you are Stephen King, maybe. If you are Joe Smith, local poet, call ahead and confirm! I personally managed to save the expense of twelve hours of driving to my hometown a year for a firm calling ahead a week before the event. The store where I had reserved my firm had fired her event coordinator, and with that cancels all events. Good thing I called, because nobody called me to let me know!

Make your plans, then make sure everyone is included in them. Sure the store is able to order your book, especially if published in a small house or POD. In general, although this must carry extra books with you in case that any store can not order them.

2) dissemination, transmission, distribution! When you have a fixed date, that sure everyone knows about it. Do not rely in the library to heavily promote your event. In most cases the store can include a notice of signings in newsletters or bulletin board announcements, so you need to take the initiative to let people know about your event. Once I went to a bookstore signing as Maryland and learned that the store had do to promote the event was on the tape a sheet of paper on his doorstep on the day of the event! There has been no advance promotion, so nobody knew to come.

Call your friends and family, publish ads on your website, blog, MySpace, on Craigslist … anywhere local or regional interest. If your book is relevant to the issues that might attract certain groups (eg, a book about religion or the environment), contact with relevant local groups in the area and let them know. If you write Christian works, call the churches in the area and get your ad in the newsletter. If you type on bird watching, contact the local chapter of the Audubon Society. Do what you can to bring the hot bodies. Those who can not buy your book drive business to the store and the manager may be suitable for bring you back again.

3) Create a base of operations outstanding! You have to compete with a library of all the attention, so they want to be sure your table is a striking appeal. Show your book, of course, but always a good idea to have a poster of their coverage to the hand, which can be seen from a distance. By the subject of his book, some accessories will make nice icebreaker with potential customers. By signing one of my Catholic mysteries, I used to decorate the table with icons I rosaries religious myself. Okay, I gave rosaries best selling books, but even doing something like that can make an impression.

Indeed than likely be at the mercy of the store in regard to where they are placed – once went with a group of authors in the rear of the store, while people milled in front and never came our way. If this happens, hiring a spouse, relative or friend to drive traffic. When they can, have someone in front distribute brochures or postcards to let people know your are there. If you can not leave your table, make sure you have help at the mill of the store and promote without being too pushy.

4) Provide promotional incentives! People love free stuff. Why else can see people at trade shows giving away key chains and candy and sweets? People can not make purchases immediately, but when they need a killer you can get a number in a refrigerator magnet!

You do not have to go broke buying gifties promo, but it's a good idea to have some things on hand to give to passersby. Make your postcards book cover, address, and booking information. Sweet gift, engraved matchbooks, key chains, mini-calendars. Create a gift basket full of goodies relating to your book and collect names and email addresses of a drawing. Draws attention to your table, and have a means to create an "opt-in mailing list for future readers.

5) Be involved! I can not tell you how many times I've seen the authors collapsed on the table, fidgeting with their pens and boring looking. That is no way to sell books. Of course, I have attended functions where people brazenly crab walking around his desk to avoid confrontation, as if the authors are carnival barkers trying to lure them into a scam. Indeed, not all are like that, and sometimes we are grateful for a smile and a greeting.

Regardless of the atmosphere case, be attractive and friendly. Make eye contact as often as possible with passersby, and give the impression that this is not difficult to sell. Breaking the ice with one or two words about his book, bring a notebook and let people know you're writing the sequel to write there. Stand up and walk around the cab, asking people if they are interested in the subject of the book. Do not be pushy, but when you can hand cards. Someone who can not buy now may do so later, to give them a reminder on a business card or postcard.

6) Always smile … even when you do not want (and you will not want to!) Ultimately, someone will say something rude, whether intentionally or not. In my tenure as an author and editor, I had to deal with giggling teenagers, widows tense, and just plain jerks. Whether the poor jealousy will is confirmed (I wrote a book and could not or would not) or ignorance (I have not been on Oprah so my book has odor) I can not say. But regardless flies in the face, fight it with a smile.

The saying is true: You attract more flies with sugar than salt. To guard down when they rub the way error may have some disastrous effects on their advocacy efforts. On the one hand, are in public, for people to see his hands wrapped around the throat of client. That's a good way to be banned for life from any bookstore. Not that I passed, fortunately, as is my custom to keep a good amount of candy on the table for relieve pain.

When people smile, smile again. When people frown, smile. When people ask why it has not been on Oprah, smile and say that was rejected. That could have a double slit and having a through their defenses, which you can follow up with why you're so damn book is great.

Above all we have fun at your event. If you sell a book or a hundred, they are able to schedule a booksigning when so many authors are still trying to be published is a magnificent achievement. Enjoy the moment, and prepare for the next.

About the Author

Kathryn Lively offers book marketing tips to authors, and writes for CINIVA, Virginia Beach website design.

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