When it comes to marketing your books there’s a variety of things folks will tell you are ‘musts’. You have what I think of as Investments, Niceties, and Waste. For the purposes of this article, I’m just going to hit the highlights.
Investments
Fairs, Book Signings, and the like.
Honestly, only you know your finances, and attending functions can be pricey. Yes, you need to spend money to make money, but also, you shouldn’t gamble what you can’t afford to lose. And these things are a gamble. You might sell out; you might be pitching to the tumble weeds. There’s no way to know. And even if it’s a show you’ve done before, the result can be entirely different the next time. You need to consider the table fee (cost to just be there), travel costs, if you need overnight accommodations, and meals; before committing. Many do not do refunds.
You’ll need:
Table and folding chair (1 chair per person in booth). Some will supply them, but most don’t. Average table length is 6ft. I like my table that folds in half like a suitcase. It’s so much easier on space for transporting.
Tablecloth – seriously, if you’re just starting out a plastic one is fine. You can upgrade to cloth later.
Your books – duh. No matter what you’re doing you should have copies of your book where you can easily retrieve them. You never know where you might sell a copy. Oddest place for me was from a dentist chair. Rick Shaw tells me he sold a couple in the middle of a cornfield. You just don’t know when or where the opportunity might strike.
Change - You might need to make change at some point. I recommend rounding your price to a whole dollar, so you don’t need a bunch of coins.
A good pen to sign with, and a backup or two. Folks seem to love a signed copy.
A dolly or collapsible wagon to lug everything from point A to point B.
Author’s Website
There seems to be a common misconception that a website needs to be some big thing. Actually, it can be one page. It all depends on what you want to present to the public and what you need. Having said that, a web presence is a necessity in today’s digital world. I won’t go into detail on it because of the space here.
Niceties
Niceties are just that, a fine detail or distinction. Nice to have, but not a make or break.
Swag
Basically, swag is a gift you give away to promote/ attract customers. Bookmarks, and business cards, are both good. They’re both a nicety and advertising. Many put out a small bowl of candy to help attract people. The possibilities are endless.
Book Trailers
A video promoting your book to post on your social media isn’t a bad idea. I’ve seen some really good ones. But again, not a make or break. You can do just as well with a static ad.
Waste
There’s no end to things ‘marketers’ will try to tell you are a must and really, truly are not.
· Author’s Logo… seriously? Think of Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, and James Patterson’s logos. These are highly paid, household name authors. Don’t feel bad that you can’t – they don’t have them. Unless your selling merchandise and want cross branding an author’s logo is a waste of money.
· Paying to be on a podcast for the ‘experience’ and ‘exposure’…
I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. Be aware and do your homework before opening your wallet.
Judy Snyder
Comentários