by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Book signings come in different shapes and sizes. Signing books after a conference panel is one thing. Signing them in a bookstore is something else. Signing them after a luncheon or book club meeting is again a different animal entirely.
Unless you have a large local network, signings in bookstores can be tricky. I’ve found that signings at conferences are mediocre, too. The times I’ve done best were signings right after book clubs or book-related luncheons/events.
Here are my tips for a better book signing:
Make sure there will be books there. While this sounds like a no-brainer, you’d be amazed how much miscommunication can happen between bookstores/conference organizers and the writer. Who is responsible for making sure books are there? If it’s the bookstore, you might want to remind them again in enough time to ensure the books are ordered and at the store.
Group signings, while frequently less nerve-wracking for authors, aren’t great for sales. When readers must walk up to a whole group of writers selling books at the same table (and they have a book budget), they usually feel badly about not buying everyone’s book. Sometimes they feel badly enough not to buy any books.
Ask how to spell every name. Never assume Jill is spelled J-i-l-l. It might very well be Jyll. Better yet, bring paper and a pencils for readers to write out how they want their books inscribed.
Have free things to give out on your table: candy, business cards, bookmarks, and postcards featuring your book.
Get the word out on social media: pin it as an event on Facebook and list it on your website.
Don’t feel chained to the table, especially at a bookstore event. Walking around or standing and handing out book-related promo might bring in more business.
If your signature is awful, a hybrid/italic approach may work better (take it from me). Bring good pen.
Be sure to have a quick and appealing description (logline) of your book at the ready.
Bring a list for readers to sign up for your newsletter.
Do you enjoy book signings? Have any tips that I’ve missed? And a question for you…where on the book do you sign? I’d always been told to sign on the title page….but I’ve had instances where I’d mailed signed books and people hadn’t found my signature because they expected it on the first page of the book. Where do you sign?
9 Tips for Better Book Signings: Click To TweetPhoto credit: arbyreed via VisualHunt / CC BY-NC-SA
Don’t expect Bob to be B-O-B!
I sign the first page, whatever that might be.
Great tips, Elizabeth.
For sure!
First page…this is why no one can find my signature!
I’ve done group signings at stores where everyone else just sat at their table – but not me. I’ve always been a roamer. Everyone in the store is leaving with a bookmark no matter what. (And if they don’t leave with a bookmark or postcard, they will NOT remember you or your books five minutes later.)
And it’s sooo much less-awkward to hand things out and move around. So true about the bookmarks/postcards.
Great tips. I’ve never done a book signing, but I’ll keep them in mind if I ever get to do one.
Oh, these are great ideas, Elizabeth. For many readers, book signings are their way to interact with the author, so it really is important to make readers feel welcome and comfortable. And to get their names right! To me, that’s just simple courtesy.
It sure is. I find signings nerve-wracking, so I take time to get the name right…afraid I’ll mess up in the moment.
The only booksigning I’ve ever done (I’m kind of an introvert) was at a second-hand bookstore in a historic shopping district for “Shop Small Saturday.” We were connecting up with the “indie” theme. It actually went really well, especially since a few friends stopped by for moral (and financial!) support. Having those quick sound-bites is a great tip, Elizabeth, and really essential. Shoppers want to quickly assess whether this is something worth their time, and dithering will lose them. Fortunately, I practiced a few one-liners in a mirror ahead of time (told ya I was an introvert!).
I’d add: make sure there’s a tablecloth, and extra pens (for the signup sheet, and for people to write a note to themselves about something you said on one of your cards/bookmarks). Also, I gave away a free e-novella to anyone who signed up for my newsletter. For those who don’t read ebooks, I offered to send them an Audible code for one of my audiobooks.
I would have been tempted to go in with a group of authors at a signing, but you make a great point about customer guilt! Unless, perhaps, there are separate tables scattered across a wide space, as you would have at a convention signing. Then, picking one author’s book and not another wouldn’t stand out a mile.
Thanks for the fab post!
That sounds like a great event! I love second-hand shops. Nothing wrong with making sure there are friendly faces in the crowd!
*Such* a good point about the extra pens (and your other tips!) I like the idea of a giveaway, too. :)
These are great tips – thanks!
Happy New Year, Jemi!
Thanks for these perfectly timed tips. I have a presentation to a woman’s group followed by a signing next month, and so far I’ve been pretending it isn’t happening! This post gives me some solid pointers.
I’m so glad! Best wishes to you at your event. In my experience, those are the very best appearances. :)
Hi Elizabeth – being prepared is so essential as you and your commenters advise … and so easy to forget the books – so a checklist too … and a snack and water in case of dire need. Smiling with an open body stance … showing you’re happy to talk to people … Diane’s idea of roaming makes sense … cheers Hilary
Snacks and water are good to have at hand! Good reminder. And good tip on smiling. That’s tough for introverts in a scary situation, but so important!
I’ve seen shy authors reading their book and not making eye contact with potential readers.
I’ve found the value of group book signings at writing conferences is meeting the other authors.
Bill
So true…sometimes writers make the worst public readers.
And true about the opportunity to meet the other writers…a good thing!