From Edie: From Cindy K. Sproles, Are book signings worth it? Discover how authors can build their platform, connect with readers, and create opportunities beyond immediate book sales.
Are Book Signings Worth It? Why Authors Should Look Beyond Book Sales
by Cindy K. Sproles @CindyDevoted
Nice table setup. Cool sign from Barnes & Noble—Joe Jones, Author. In person. Signing books. Joe is dressed like an important guy, sitting regal behind his book table. Then…crickets. Customers walk through the door and turn in the opposite direction as if Joe has the plague. Zero sales and not one interaction with Joe at his table.
He packs up. Thanks, B&N, and under his breath mutters, “Thanks for nothing.” All the books B&N ordered are returned to the publisher for credit, and any royalties Joe received from the original purchase are taken back. Lose. Lose. Joe leaves feeling like a failure, like his time was fully wasted.
The one thing authors wait for is that first book signing. It’s our opportunity to shine, to feel as though we’ve accomplished something. Our hard work has paid off, and laying on the table is proof. Our book. If authors have a first book signing like Joe, they’ll likely walk away with a snarky attitude.
It’s true. Really successful book signings are rare. The truth is, most authors sell 1-5 books, if that many. There are exceptions, like when your friends and family show up, but more often than not, there are none. If you are a longstanding author with a huge readership, then book signings are far more successful. But for debut authors or those who are not well established, sales in this venue are tough. So, is a book signing worth the time and effort? The answer—absolutely! And here is why.
Turn the negative into a positive.
- You’re in the public eye: There’s a sign! A sign with YOUR name on it. Customers are walking past, and the science behind a sign is simple. Folks read it. They may not act on it. But they read it, and when they do, your name is placed in their head.
- Strategic placement: Here’s where strategic placement comes into play. Ask the bookstore to place a small table with your books in the front of the store AWAY from you. The sign should be between you and that table. Here’s what happens. The eye is caught by the sign. They scan left and see you with a book table, then right to the stand-alone table. In other words, a full left-to-right eye scan that contains you. When folks are wary of approaching you for fear you will force them to buy a book, they will stop and pick up a book at a stand-alone table. Do you see how this works? You are in their head. And there are your books. Even if they don’t buy a book, your presence and name are planted in their mind.
- Personal contact: You’ll rarely sell a book sitting behind a table. Make yourself useful. I plant myself at the doors and become the person who welcomes folks into the store. I give them a bookmark, hold the door open, and welcome them. When they leave the store, I open the door, ask if I gave them a bookmark, and wish them a blessed day. When no one is coming into the store, I head to my table. Regardless of whether I’m at my table or at the door, people see me. They connect with me, and this is worth all the book sales in the world.
- Email list: When folks visit your table, ask them if you can add them to your email list and assure them you don’t bombard them with emails. You send notices when you have a new book or maybe a monthly newsletter.
I recently enjoyed a book signing at a quaint little bookstore in North Carolina. Outside of two readers, only my writer friends showed up—but it was wonderful. Not only did I get to reconnect with my tribe, but I also experienced that amazing thing called friendship, where my buddies showed up to support me. They waited to purchase their books until my book signing, so I ended up with sales, and the bookstore bought a few books to put on their shelves. Was this a waste of time? No way! It was exactly what I needed: a reminder that my writer friends support and love me. It was a feeling I still carry a week out. By that same token, I did a local author event sponsored by our town library. Last year, I met people and sold zero books. This year, I sold twenty books. You never know what will transpire. Either way, people walked away knowing who I was.
Book signings are what you make them. You can make them a positive thing, or you can be like Joe and decide that it was a waste of time. When you take time out to do a book signing, you are building your platform. But don’t let folks walk away without something. Business cards and brochures get tossed, but bookmarks get used. When my book, Coal Black Lies, was released, I got my hands on a piece of coal, busted it into small pieces, and glued a pin on the back. I sprayed them with shellac and fixed them to my bookmarks. I wanted folks to see real coal. Do you realize how many people have never seen a piece of coal? It took me 30 minutes to make and folks were impressed. Those people remember me, and that is what you want.
I never look at an opportunity to put my name out to the public as a failure or a waste of time. It’s never a waste of time to make people feel noticed, or to have an opportunity to be friendly. Selling books is the gravy on the biscuit. The reward of kindness to others is more than worth the effort.
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