Elements of a Book Signing

We all know the stresses of getting ready for a public appearance, including the very intimidating book signing. Marketing your book is a long term commitment if you want it to be seen by the masses of people in this world. So how you set up your display or table is important. You want them to walk away and remember you, especially if they don’t buy a copy of your book.

There are some key things to keep in mind when planning an event of any kind. Because the traditional paperback is fast becoming outdated and has been replaced in this virtual world, it is all the more important to stay in the minds of your potential customers after they leave your event.

·         Advertise: Creating hype does not have to cost a lot of money. Using social media and flyers on bulletin boards of the area around your event will let people know about what is going on. I know of a signing at a bookstore that kept postcards at the checkouts and tossed one in each bag as the customers were leaving. A bookstore can also put your event up on their reader board to give people driving by an idea that there will be an author in the house.

·         Visuals: If you have branded yourself, be sure to get that logo on every piece of material you have for people to pick up. A logo will associate your books to you in one look. Think of McDonald’s or Nike. We see either symbol and know who they are and what they do. It takes a fraction of a second for the eye to send the message that this image is familiar or for the brain to recall what image it had seen that was tied to your book.

Having a large scale poster is vital. It really is difficult to go to your local printer and get a quality large format poster printed. A more specialized vendor can help you get a great image. On this poster you need to brand it, if you have a logo, use your book covers to draw attention, have information on where you will be doing other signings, or even a little bit about yourself. This way, you can keep using that poster again and again. An easel makes for easy displaying and can be placed anywhere you want, not just right against a table leg. Often times, by the time they reach your table it is too late…they have already made up their mind about you.

QR codes are a fun and interactive way to make your site accessible or even the location of eBooks on the Web easily found without people having to take your card and try not to lose it. These codes are scan friendly by smartphones and the iPhone. When it is scanned, it will route your customer to what URL you connected that code to. These resemble a bar code and sometimes have images within the black blocks. By putting one of these on your poster and other materials you use, your customer can scan with their phone right there at the signing and be connected to you. No more trusting that they plan to go online when they get home, less waste of business cards (like the ones people throw away when they leave). You can tie these to any URL so it is perfect for websites, trailers, or direct vendors.

·         The Table Presentation: People will form their first impressions before they even see what you have. It is very important to have a nice presentation to draw people to you instead of turning them away. A nice cloth on your table with a stack of your books and one on an easel looks great. Have a few business cards and bookmarks available to hand out (or stuff a bookmark into every book sold). Have something on the table to make your genre stand out like a chest for drawings or candy, a badge for detective stories, a fancy bowl of something for romance books. When choosing a pen to use, make sure it is acid-free. Keep your message to a quick line that can easily be personalized by adding their name. It is very easy to over-do your display and then makes it feel too busy and people leave because they can’t figure out what is what.

·         Promos: It is never a bad idea to have a drawing for something like a t-shirt or mouse pad. Something that people will use after they leave and get your name into their household. Giving out free things really helps. The nice thing is that you end up with all the entry forms with emails on them so you now have a client base for a mailing list to keep them up to date on all the latest news from your corner.

·         Thank You Notes: This might seem silly, but people really appreciate it when you validate their support. A simple, pre-printed note inside the cover will be a great surprise when your fan opens it up to read it. As you involve them, they become loyal to you. If you are not asking for comments and questions from them, you need to. It makes them feel valuable in your endeavors. Just have your email address or website printed in your books and on all your materials. Let them know you want to hear from them.

      Above all else, be yourself. Find the confidence to stand up in front of these readers and be proud of what you have produced. Many people rely on writers to deliver them some entertainment. They love that you do this for them. Events and signings are a great way to connect with the public, to make you a real person to them, not just the voice within the book. Take these opportunities to make them events full of buzz, not just another signing you have to go to.Jessica Reynolds loves spending time with her family and living life through photography and art. She has spent considerable time running her own businesses while raising her kids. Currently, she blogs for Poster Session , a division of MegaPrint.