Uggggh! Book Signing Failure! by Mary Deal
When a Book Signing Fails
by
Mary Deal
Many reasons exist for having a failed book signing event. Some reasons given below should prepare you for what is needed to be successful. Ways to save a failed book signing when no one shows up are also given.
1) The store did not advertise your event.
2) You did not take posters or advertising materials to the store to help with their promotion. This ties with #1.
3) Whether or not the store advertises widely, you should notify local papers and other venues that advertise events in that town.
4) If your event takes places in your hometown, you failed to advertise widely and on the Internet too.
5) You did not plan to give a presentation, speech or lecture that would draw people in. Most of us do not have an advertising budget that will draw lines of people out the doorway waiting for an autograph. It’s sad to see someone walk up to a table and hand the author their book. The author signs and says “Thank you.” The buyer walks away. No real connection was made.
6) Your table is not decorated appropriately. A table with your books is not enough. Have a nice table cover. Have a table sign or two; one with your Bio and photo, another with a photo of your book cover and the Synopsis printed on it.
7) Do you have post cards? Bookmarks? Business cards?
8) Are you sitting there reading while waiting?
These are some of the reasons book signings fail. Some things you can do if you have all the essentials in place but, still, no one comes.
1) Especially if the store is not busy, walk around the store offering your book marks. Do this if it looks like no one will be attending your signing.
2) The store should voluntarily announce that you are in the store and having a signing. If they have no PA system, ask how they might tell their customers that you are there.
3) If they have a way of making announcements and it looks like few will attend, ask the store to announce that you will have a drawing for a free copy of your book for all those who attend. You should always carry a brown paper bag for putting little slips of paper into with attendee’s names to be drawn after the signing.
4) Make sure your table attracts lookers. Even add a small bit of flowers if it helps make it look pleasant.
5) Have some items on your table that apply to the book. In the case of my Egyptian novel, The Ka, I had a small bowl of hand-carved scarabs waiting. Those who bought books were allowed to pick through and find two that matched.
6) If you can be an actor, dress the part. That is exciting! Do you write sword and sorcery? Dress in a costume of the time period. If the store is big enough, pre-plan a duel with someone. Of course, you will have permission from the store beforehand. Is your book about belly dancing? Wear that costume. Be daring, you wrote the book. A hard core crime writer whose signing I attended had herself carried in inside a body bag! Talk about getting people’s attention!
7) So you’ve sat there and no one attended. Get up and walk around the store carrying your book. Pass out your book marks and business cards. It may seem like a feeble last resort gesture, but at least you will have placed something into the hands of potential readers.
8) Stand at the entrance and hand out your book marks to buyers exiting with their packages. If not your books, use every moment to get something of yours into the hands of book buyers.
Many ways exist to prevent a failed book signing. Likewise, many ways exist to redeem the moment. If you have had a failed signing, you should see it as a valuable lesson in how to prepare for your next event.
Please visit Mary Deal’s website for more wonderful articles like this one: Write Any Genre. Read More