5 Helpful Tips to Improve Your Book Signing Events

This post is a little bit late - it's been a very busy weekend! I got to babysit my niece while her little sister was being born, and then I had book signing event yesterday. Thank you all for your patience!

Today, I wanted to share 5 helpful tips I've learned over the last nine months or so that make a huge difference for my book signing events. Hopefully, it'll help any authors out there looking to start doing (or improving) these events. 

TIP #1

• Offer Free Stuff - People love free stuff, especially readers. Personally, I love giving out things like bookmarks, stickers, and business cards. I've recently started bringing some kind of treat with me, and at yesterday's book signing event, I had some book bags and t-shirts with my author information on them to hand out to those really awesome customers that stop by the table. I've learned over the last couple of months that donuts and chocolate seem to do really well for inviting people to come and interact. 

TIP #2

• Talk to People - This one should be pretty obvious, but you'd be surprised how many authors don't really try to talk to people who walk by (or sometimes even those who stop at their tables). In my experience, chatting makes a big difference. It lets people know that you see them, and that they're important to you. Some things I use to start the conversation include...
  1. Asking about kids (parents are busy, and often grumpy, but many of them love to talk about their kiddos)
  2. Asking how their day is going
  3. Asking what they like to read
  4. Just saying hi
  5. Ask about books they're holding

TIP #3

• Share What's Coming Next - Book signings are an excellent opportunity to share cover reveals, release date announcements, etc. for your next book. I've started doing this recently, and it's actually gotten a lot of people interested not just in what I've got on the table, but in my next release, too!

TIP #4

• Have A Couple Copies of Your Previous Works on Hand - It's great if you can have a book signing event for all of your books, but if you're having an event to highlight one particular book (or series), it's very helpful to have at least a couple copies of your other books around. People are interested, and some will ask what else you've got out there. Having a copy available can make all the difference for a reader who is interested in the moment. 

TIP #5

• Have Your Information Available and Easily Accessible - I've got lots of information out on my table in various formats.
  1. I've got a sign with my influences, hobbies, etc. (it's kind of an extended About the Author page).
  2. I've got business cards available. Both my business cards and my about the author sign have a QR code that takes people directly to my website.
  3. I also have a bookmark that I share with my website and contact information, as well as a list of my published works on the back.
  4. With each book purchase, I share a little piece of paper with a thank you note, places where the reader can review the book, and my contact information.
  5. I also have an email list sign up sheet. After each book signing event, I run a giveaway for anyone who signed up to receive some free book merch, a signed book copy, or other book related items.

BONUS TIP: I've learned that people don't really like being the first person to sign up for my email list, so I often bring the same sign up sheet from the book signing previous to take that "first sign up" pressure off the folks who come to my table. 

Thanks for reading! Remember, for me, these book signings are all about connecting with potential readers. I love talking with people in these settings, because as people, they're all important to me. It's fascinating to have a conversation with other people. If you prefer to be more reserved, that's totally okay. Everyone has their own preferences. The key I like to remind myself of is that they're people first, and potential readers second. Nobody I know likes it when you try to force them to buy your stuff. I've found it helps to make the connection, and then if they're interested in making a purchase, great! 

For anyone who is new to the blog, welcome! Your feedback and questions are welcome and always appreciated.