Have you ever organized or attended a book signing event? What story can you tell from the occasion?

As the saying goes, experience is the best teacher, the reason everyone wants to find out for themselves. I have read a variety of literature on book marketing, but nothing taught me faster than when I went out to market my books.
I published my first book in 2016 and started to market my books in 2019. Many would ask why it took me that long. I have an answer; I was waiting to get more confident, aka, have a marketable product.

Getting the basics right

The time in between 2016 and 2019 was for me to refine my books into a product that my readers would like and pay to read. I did that by engaging the services of professionals in book publishing as follows:

1. A book-cover designer who helped me create that first impression with my books.

2. An editor and proofreader edited the books.

3. My wardrobe editor made sure I dressed the characters in befitting attire.

4. I used book templates to design the interior of each title.

In my 2019 annual work plan, I introduced book marketing into my list of book publishing activities - I would promote my books to the public, libraries and bookstores. That’s how on May the 11th, 2019, I was at Coles Book Store in Southgate, promoting and selling two of my book titles. 

Here’s how I prepared for the book-signing event

Once I overcame the panicking stage of, “I cannot do this, I will mess up, I am not as good as…”, I moved to the next level, researched to establish what items I would need before the actual day. I asked members of my book related groups and they shared tips from their experience.

I generated a list of items to have ready: print books, posters, author photo, postcards, name tag, business cards, stationery, water, dry snacks and hand sanitizer among others.

On the material day I dressed in my book signing attire (blouse and headgear) and heeled shoes and carried an extra pair of flats in case I became tired from standing in heels.

I arrived at the venue before the designated time and set up the books, posters and stationery on the table that the bookstore provided. To verify if my set-up was visible to people as they walked in and out of the shopping mall, I walked a short distance away for a better view of what the public would see - each time I went back and adjusted items on the table.

Lessons learned

1. We all long to hear people-centered stories. Individuals paused long enough to chat with me in relation to my author journey, the setting for my books and what it takes to publish a book.

2. Maintain your uniqueness–looks, dress, and stories as some people want to see and hear something different from theirs.

3. Preparations for a book event are not very different from other products - the initial stages of getting a quality product ready, packaging the product based on the target audience, and preparing for the actual day.

4. I have since attended other public events (fashion show, farmers’ markets, conferences, etc.) to market and sell books.

Have you ever organized or attended a book signing event? What was your experience, and what further ideas would you add to my list above?

First published @EileenOmosa.com