Book Signings: Part II

This article is the second in a series. If you missed part one, find it here: Book Signings: Part I.

Now that your event is scheduled and your publisher and publicist have all the information, you need to be sure nothing falls through the cracks. Bookstore managers and event coordinators are busy people and may not follow up with you when they have ordered the books or listed the signing on their calendar. While you shouldn’t call them every day (and make them regret inviting you), for your own sanity you should follow up a few times to make sure everything is on track.

6. First follow up

Four weeks before the event, follow up with the manager to see if they have any questions for you and to make sure they have purchased (or are planning to purchase) your book. If they are willing to let you leave postcards or flyers with information about your signing at the store, drop those off around this time as well. Sometimes stores will place these at the registers or drop them in the bags of their customers.

7. Second follow up

About two weeks before the event, check in again to make sure the store has ordered your books and that they have arrived. If the books haven’t arrived and there was an issue, let your publisher know so that they can look into it.

Be sure to also confirm your plans for the signing with the store at this time. Rather than sitting at a table with a big pile of books, you should plan some type of warm-up event to engage the store’s customers. A speech, discussion, song, puppet show, or skit will help draw more customers to your table and make the event more fun (and easy) to promote.

8. Getting ready

A week or two before your event, send an e-mail or letter out to all of your local family and friends and encourage them to spread the word. Crowds draw more crowds, and it’s a nice comfort to know there will be some friendly faces in attendance.

If this is your first book event, you should rehearse what you will be reading or discussing so that you have some main talking points. Don’t forget to gather your materials (props, costumes, giveaways) ahead of time as well.

9. The day of the event

If you haven’t visited the store before, get good directions online and find out how long it should take you to get there (considering traffic). You should show up ten to fifteen minutes early. Too early and you will be in the way. Too late and they may worry that you’re not showing up (not to mention that it’s unprofessional). When you arrive, make sure you check in with the event coordinator.

During the event, be sure to smile, make eye contact, and talk with everyone. If you have a long line of people waiting for books, don’t talk too long to each person but be sure to build some connections. Bring a notepad so that people can sign up for your mailing list. If people are not waiting in a line and no one is approaching you, walk around the store and engage customers. Also, if any books are left over after the event, offer to sign them. The store may put “autographed copy” stickers on them and award them a special display.

Best of luck with your events! Let us know if you have any other tips that authors will find useful.

The next posting in this series will focus on signings from a bookstore’s point of view.