Book and Author Events: What to bring and how to make a lasting impression. (By Elizabeth Morris, Author of Tiger’s Blood)
How to find Authors and Book events near you
Facebook Groups: Facebook, also known as Meta, is a great tool to help authors find events and for readers to find new books to add to their TBR. The best way to find these events is to look up groups in the search bar. There are groups for all genres, so you can see the ones that interest you the most. The group I highly recommend for finding author and book events is “Author and Book Events around the World” on Facebook. This group updates its spreadsheet daily on upcoming events, even years in advance.
Google Search: Looking up events in the area can be as simple as a quick Google search. Many different websites and pages can show local book events.
Local News and Radio: Local news and radio stations are a great way to find out what is going on in your area. Many big events are promoted with flyers or ads in the news and radio. Contacting your local bookstore or library is also good for seeing reader or author events.
What to Bring to an Author and Book Event as an Author
Books: Always bring enough books to a book event. A good way to know how many books to bring is by setting up a pre-order for the event. This pre-order allows readers to fill out which books they want to see or purchase at your booth. If you don’t know how to set up a pre-order, I suggest bringing at least 10-15 copies of your book. Pre-orders are especially good for authors who have multiple books from either a series or different genres.
Pens: It’s nice to have a good set of pens for autographing books for new fans. Most readers love getting signed copies of books, so having multiple pens is good for not only signing books but also taking notes.
Form of payment: Cash is good to bring to events, but not everyone will have cash. You can have a cash box to hold all the money, but there is also a risk of theft with cash. Card processors like Square, Shopkeep, or Stripe are good to have and great to invest in when doing author events. Some card processors like Square charge a small fee with every purchase. Choosing the best card processor that fits your needs can be tricky, but doing research is the best way to cater to your needs.
Signs and Banners: A sign that showcases your books or promotes where to buy them is a good way to draw readers to your table. A custom table runner will look nice at your table or booth, and standing banners make your table more approachable.
Merchandise and Swag (optional): If you want to wow your potential customers and readers, custom merchandise and swag related to your books are an eye-catcher. They could be something as small as bookmarks or keychains or as large as a T-shirt. There are many websites where you can design custom merchandise. Sticker Mule is a big company that does swag and merchandise of all kinds. Etsy is a great place to search for custom items as well.
How to Make a Lasting Impression at Author Events
Practice your Pitch: A good pitch is important to landing sales at a book event. Some advice is to keep it short, sweet, and to the point. The best way to draw in readers and potential customers is to explain your book in under 15 seconds. Please list your main themes and a condensed version of your blurb on the back of the book, but don’t read from it. Try practicing in front of someone you trust so they can give you feedback.
Eye Contact: Focus on the customer by making good eye contact. Try not to have wandering eyes. Eye contact is important when making a connection between the author and the reader.
Engage with Readers: Ask the readers questions about their interests, listen to what they have to say, and show genuine appreciation for their time and support. Personal connections lead to sales.
Encourage Reader Feedback: Encourage those who bought your books or those who have already read them for feedback. This can be in the form of reviews, what characters they like or dislike, and what themes or topics they’d like you to explore. Getting their feedback is vital for you to grow as an author and for them to connect and be loyal as a reader.
Personal Experience:
In my experience, book events can go well or not so great. My very first book event was in a coffee shop. I didn’t sell a copy of my books, and there was no foot traffic. My friends and family did show up, but no one bought anything. It’s good to fail and learn. Since my failed attempt in the coffee shop, I have done 3 book events all over the country. I’ve met so many new friends and readers at these events and even made some forever fans of my books. It’s good to keep a social presence on social media so you can keep those connections with the readers and fans of your books. I had more success at book events with other authors. With each book event, I’ve learned what to do, what not to do, what to bring, and how to connect with new readers. Listening to other authors and getting their advice has been excellent for doing these book and author events. These are just some things I have learned and will continue to use for future events. It’s essential to do your research on these types of events. Always be prepared and ready, arrive early at an event, and have fun! If you have fun, your readers will have fun as well.