“The Secret of a Great Bookstore Signing Session! --An Expert's How to Write a Book Step-by-Step Guide”
Walk into a bookstore, sit down at the table, and watch as books fly out of the place just because you're there autographing copies. Here's how to make it happen!
by Steve Manning
There is a great deal more that goes into a bookstore signing than just sitting on your own, a flower on one side of the table, a pen in your hand, and a stack of your books piled on the floor by your side. There's preparation, planning, and follow through, that will make any book signing well worth the effort. Here's how to do it right…
Too often I go into a bookstore to see a bookstore signing and there is the author alone with his or her thoughts. Occasionally he may speak with a store clerk but the number of signings is dismally small.
Your first task is to set the book signing dates. Speak with the bookstore manager. Tell the manager you're planning a great deal of publicity around your book signing. And that you'll do everything you can to ensure the store is mentioned.
Whenever you to face-to-face media, whenever you're actually in the radio studio, or in the television studio, or sitting down with a reporter, make sure the bookstore manager knows you'll be mentioning their location. Ensure the people reading about you or seeing you or hearing you know they can actually get close to you and have your book signed by you at the bookstore. If you're a bookstore owner it's difficult to decline the offer of a bookstore signing when your bookstore is being promoted in the media just prior to the signing.
Make sure the bookstore has enough lead time to do a great job promoting you and your book. They'll want to create fliers and placed them around the store. Perhaps they want to have inserts for bags a week before your arrive. Perhaps they have a newsletter sent to their good customers or other ways of communicating with their clientele. Give them the time they need to make the event a success. The bookstore will also need time to ensure they have your book in their system so your book is there when you are there. There's nothing more distressing for an author than to be at a book signing with no books to sign.
And remember, once you're in the store do everything you possibly can to increase sales. That, of course, means signing books at a table for bookstore costumers. But if there's a lull in the action you may want to have the books on the table and start signing them with just your name. If someone comes up later you can fill their name in on top. These autographed books that don't sell at the book signing, can be put back on the bookshelf with a bookmark that announces to prospective buyers that the book has been autographed by the author. If you're feeling particularly good, stroll around the store and meet the customers. Tell them who you are, why you're there and that you'd be happy to answer any questions for them. Make sure you have a copy of your book in your hand when you do that.
Time for a little unabashed, self promotion: If you haven’t asked for my Free CD, “How to Write a Book On Anything in 14 Days Guaranteed!” then you’re just plain nuts! It’s free, no charge, but you can bet this $100 CD will be carrying that price tag very shortly. How do you get it? Just email me at Free CD, Please, or CD_please@writeabooknow.com and make sure you include your name, your mailing address and your telephone number in the email. Now, back to the article…
One of the most intriguing bookstore signing stories I've heard involved Mark Victor Hansen. He was at a bookstore signing copies of Chicken Soup for the Soul. Remember, this was long before the book was so very popular, and he was a noted author. When there was no one at the author table to help, he would go out side of the store in the mall, and sell the book from there. He would introduce himself as the co-author of the book he was holding in his hand and he would ask the passerby if they would take a few moments and read a story that was on page 38. This was a story that would take one or two minutes for the reader to read. And it was particularly emotional. After the reader finished reading, Mark would again explain that he was one of the authors of the book, that he was at the bookstore doing author signings and that this book was useful not only for the individual, but also it made a great gift for friends who needed to be uplifted, perhaps were ill, or who just might enjoy several good stories.
The bookstore signing was an immense success.
You can make your bookstore signing session every bit as successful, if you're ready to do a little planning and you're committed to help both the bookstore owner, and the reader, benefit from your book.
While we're on the topic of strategies, and if you haven't already done so, feel free to
subscribe to my FREE on-line course, "How To Write A Book On
Anything in 14 Days... or Less" it's packed with tips, techniques
and tactics for writing your book faster than you ever thought possible! But
ONLY if you're SERIOUS about writing a book NOW!
Wait a minute! You mean you still don't have your writing program, "How to Write A Book On Anything in 14 Days Or Less... Guaranteed!"? Well click How to Write A Book!
Time for a little unabashed, self promotion: If you haven’t asked for my Free CD, “How to Write a Book On Anything in 14 Days Guaranteed!” then you’re just plain nuts! It’s free, no charge, but you can bet this $100 CD will be carrying that price tag very shortly. How do you get it? Just email me at Free CD, Please, or CD_please@writeabooknow.com and make sure you include your name, your mailing address and your telephone number in the email.
Like this article? Link to it from your web site or blog -- just copy/paste this HTML:
Just about everyone has asked me, what's the cheapest, fastest, most cost effective way to turn your manuscript into a real,
book-store book. Cheap as in 50 cents per copy. Fast as in can
I have it by this afternoon. Cost effective as in, what if I only
want to produce one or two copies. Take a look at this information for all the answers you'll ever need.