Book signings for those of us who aren't naturally extroverted can be a difficult proposition.
Why is it necessary that most human experience always works by learning the hard way? Thankfully, book signings aren't a life or death situation or I'd be 6' under along with all my aspirations.
My first book signing was scheduled for a Friday night at Hastings Bookstore, which in a full service bookstore offering everything from video rentals to coffee happy hours, and can be populated with people celebrating the impending weekend with thoughts of kicking back, relaxing, and sleeping in on Saturday morning.
The sleeping in crowd is usually the younger generation with small kids and the idea is to get those kids overdosed on late night videos so THEY'LL sleep late in the morning--just a little baby-sitting slack for exhausted and less than well-to-do parents.
They are looking for kid videos and a cool glass of vino--not vintage manuscripts.
The traffic profile on an early Saturday evening exhibits as many differences from Friday as the sleepy populace of an early or late Sunday Mass.
This crowd is definitely older; perhaps single adults, again, not overly wealthy, looking for entertainment.
Indeed, some are just interested in finding someone to converse with and will instigate heated debates unrelated to anything on the table.
Sales? Not a lot for an unknown author of such a genre--but generous bouts of conversation! Having learned during the first book signing the necessity of arming with sufficient postcards, business cards, and bookmarks; (something to complete that first human contact), I printed almost a hundred postcards and business cards for the second book signing.
But on a Saturday night, greater traffic, different crowd, different profile, supplies were quickly exhausted.
And, in my own mind, product printed on a home printer breathing heavily screamed "amateur".
Successive book signings can each provide another teachable moment.
I can't testify that they necessarily get any easier as different locations provide a totally different experience.
In researching successful components of book signings, most are very basic and obvious, but they all strongly endorse professional printing of standard hand-outs, such as: 1.
Professional printing of the aforesaid postcards, business cards, and bookmarks and in volume of sufficient quantity to blanket a local Bronco football game.
(I can relate to folks of middle class with limited promotion budgets!) While some also give out candy (and I tried a couple times to provide salt-water taffy) or some kind of sweet, I found it was mainly the kids who greedily consumed with really no return on investment.
2.
Send out your news releases to your favorite local publishing sources; newspapers, public announcements to radio stations, bulletins, Facebook connections, Tweets, or social organizations within your circle.
3.
Dress professionally.
Do not sit or hide behind a table while the patrons of the host store walk quietly by avoiding your eyes.
Stand! Greet them with a friendly smile, verbal greeting, and with your hand-outs proffered.
Few will refuse.
Most will at least glance through them.
Some will leave them surreptitiously around the counters or display aisles.
A few may even be repatriated to your stocks by host employees.
Thank you! 4.
Have an eye-catching book-related photo, print, or painting, where their eyes can't fail to quickly survey your display.
(My "gotcha" is a tablecloth with sailing designs and one of the author's paintings.
) 5.
When you have a chance to discuss the book(s), provide a quick one-minute synopsis (use the KISS principal--remember they are in a hurry).
6.
As I am promoting several books, I like to provide little cards with the book prices.
Most people appreciate seeing the price obviously displayed so they don't have to ask.
For an unknown author selling a unique product, consider a sale of 4-7 units a successful book signing.
Does 4-7 units sound like a successful book signing? Probably not.
However, in the marketing and promotion of a book in competition with thousands of books in the host facility, the real success lies in the intangible; the introduction of your product and the continuation of the connection to the public.
They wouldn't know to even look for your book if you hadn't garnered interest.
Of course you've concluded your minute me with the additional explanation of the availability of your books whether in print and/or digital form.
They might surprise you with residual sales!