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Book Signings
Book stores usually have a direct contact to work with local authors to schedule events. Whether you have an agent or a publisher or are self publishing, it is appropriate for you, the author, to schedule your own signings and events. You know your local market. You know where you will be going on vacation. You know when you will be visiting your old home town.
With your ISBN firmly in hand, call the store and ask for the special event coordinator and ask what it would take for you, an author with an upcoming release, to schedule a signing.
Ask:
Will you be ordering the books directly from the publisher or manufacturer or would you prefer to buy them directly from me? What the percentage of sale they require?
Do you need a return policy for the books, or do you sell strictly only on a contingency? (Offer this - it is a risk-free proposition for them).
Can I put up flyers in their window before the event? Will neighboring businesses allow me to put up flyers?
Can I use your phone number in an upcoming press release, advertising the book signing?
How many books do you sell on average at a book signing?
Can I bring candy to set up on the signing table? (This is a sure fire way to get kids to drag their parents over to your table) - especially helpful at a children's book signing.
Remember, that people don't buy books the first time they see them, usually. On average, it takes four or fives times of seeing any product before an awareness is created. This is why to have a successful book signing, you must send out a press release and put up flyers in and around the bookstore at least one week in advance.
If your book signing is getting a lot of traffic, but not a lot of sales, have the attitude 'That's once."
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