~*~WANTED*~*~ Book Release/Signing Event Tips

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Permalink Reply by david b mclaughlin on July 24, 2007 at 7:02pm

Great question! I will be having a release party on January 24th so Iwill be watching for the answers. It would be great if you could post what you learn in the process once you have yours!

Thanks!
David

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Permalink Reply by Bea Vanni on July 24, 2007 at 11:55pm

Congratulations, Alicia! I have two tips which will help a lot. 1. Joan Stewart, www.publicityhound.com will give you more than plenty of ideas and you can even ask her to ask her hounds to give you ideas for your event.
2. Anya Achtenberg, an award winning poet and novelist, may have some nuggets of wisdom to share as well. Getting it from the horse's mouth always helps.
Blessings, Bea

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Permalink Reply by Marta Stephens on July 25, 2007 at 5:09pm

Hi Alice, I'm not sure I can add to too much more to the things offered here. All very good tips. I posted my first signing experience here if you're interest. Not sure if it will be helpful. I did have a funny story in there too. The important thing I think is to show enthusiasm for your book. Your excitement will be contagious. I didn't have any candy or cookies at my table and yet sold 19 books. Be yourself and smile. I took with me a huge poster of the cover and bookmarks. B&N dressed up the table with a nice cloth and they displayed the flyer I had prepared for them.

The one thing I would add to Gary's list is to send the store manager a thank you card. We know to say please and thank you face to face, but people are still impressed when someone takes the time to write a note, put a stamp on the envelop and pop it in the mail!

Wish you much success and lots of fun!
Marta

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Permalink Reply by Wendi McNeill on July 26, 2007 at 9:52am

Hi Alicia,

First, congratulations on your new book…I have a feeling you will do very well with Blessings of Purpose

Here’s a quick tip: Hand out bookmarks (these can be easily made yourself) make sure you have your web address on the bookmark and add a special offer to entice your bookmark recipients to visit you online, possibly offer a free report or first chapter of your book or maybe a free teleclass. What this does is get them to visit you online, learn more about you, your book or services and sign up for your free offering. By doing it this way you can grow your list, continue to market to them and nurture your relationships. Make sure your offering is beneficial to your visitors, something they can benefit from immediately. Make sure you create a simple website specifically for your book/s, it doesn’t need to be fancy just enough to showcase and grow your mailing list, plus make the ordering process simple.

You may want to carry some extra bookmarks with you when you travel, go to meetings, etc. so you can hand them out, similar to a business card but more of an eye catcher, many people will take a business card stick it in their purse or wallet and then it’s lost, but everyone that reads loves bookmarks!

P.S. I would be happy to post your upcoming book release celebration on our blog, let me know and you can send me over the information.

Wishing you the best of success and happiness,

Wendi

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Permalink Reply by Tanya White on July 28, 2007 at 6:52am

Hi Alicia,

congratulations on your book and upcoming release party. I just had my release party for my new book How To Deal With A Difficult Woman. Some tips, keep your cost as low as possible but still do a mass marketing campaign. I would suggest building relationship if you have not already with local media. Give them a complimentary copy of your book so that they can be your word of mouth marketing. Invite triple the amount of people you actually want to come and then you will get close to your target. Have souvenirs of the invite ex souvenir/congratulatory booklet where people can place ads. And last little tip, 50% of people who say they are going to buy your book probably won't immediately, but they will as the buzz continues to generate.

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Permalink Reply by Charlotte McPherson on August 13, 2007 at 5:32am

Congratulations! Here are a few suggestions: When my book, Culture Smart: Turkey was published I made contact with the PR department at Barnes and Noble in my hometown and they were pleased to include me in their monthly program for a Book Signing since I was a local. Depending on the location you may have to pay for your own ad in the newspaper or inform the media reporters about the event. It varies on who you work with at B&N.

Also visit your local library and tell them they must have your book-if necessary donate a copy. If you are in your hometown, it always works to your advantage.I am lucky I can claim four cities as my hometown. The libraries I visited were happy to include me in their program. They are always happy to have a real published author!
Hope this is helpful.
Charlote

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Permalink Reply by Alicia Hill Jones on August 18, 2007 at 4:08pm

Hi Charlotte,
Thanks for the reply! Got a question for you..you mentioned that you contacted the "PR department" for Barnes and Noble, did you call the store where you wanted to do a book signing or did you call the corporate office? I was planning to call some bookstores in my area, but I was going to speak with the manager.

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Permalink Reply by Charlotte McPherson on August 28, 2007 at 1:42am

I emailed and called the stores direct. If they can't make the decision (but in my case each could) they will refer. Good luck!

Did I tell you that I am a columnist? Here is the link: websitehttp://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/yazarDetay.do?haberno=119400 Hope you enjoy!

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Permalink Reply by robert catherine on August 22, 2007 at 6:42pm

alicia,

make sure you do enough publicity on radio, television and print media. send out press releases to everyone and then some . All media contacts.
get as many people there as possible. work tirelessly to make this event the best possible.

talk to the sales staff THEY SELL YOUR BOOK. make sur ethey know what you and your book are all about.
practice what you are going to say KNOW WHAT YOUR PITCH / CATCH PHRASE IS!!!

we had a mini launch at our home first. friends make it comfortable and will give you good tips on what works and what won't
tape it to see how you act and what you do.

Once you launch and start the publicity you have to be in character ALL THE TIME DURING THE EVENTS.
this is not easy.

chef robert

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