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I recently contacted 5 local bookstores and 3 have agreed to sell some of my books. One of them will take the book on consignment. Has anyone had any problems with this type of agreement...is there any other way? The other two stores are owned by friends so there isn't an issue.

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It would be great if writers and other concerned parties could establish the equivalent of a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for printers and rate them as to their quality, prmotional efforts in support of sales, editiorial help, writer support, fees, etc.

 

Tracy,  I would be interested in participating in the group that you are proposing.

Has anyone ever entered a book in the London Book Show or the New York Expo? A publicist contacted me and invited me to do so. The fee to enter each is $200. I asked what went along with the fee. Would someone be present who had read the book and answer questions authoritatively about it. I have worked conventions as an exhibitor. Passive representation is not worth anything. Exhbitors need to intereact with the attendees. The shows were being hyped because of the large number of entries that would be displayed. What that meant to me was only that it would be just that much easier to get lost in the crowd. I don't know what the pulbicist's cut of the $200 entry fee may be, but something offers like this appeal to a writer's ego. It seesm to me that the only parties benefitting are the puclicist and the show sponsors. Somebody tell me I am wrong.

Hi, John,

   I attended New York Book Expo last May and had a wonderful time. I met many people and gave out copies of my book, "Imperfect Past". I don't know whether this was a good thing, or whether they threw my book in recycling once they were back home. I received no feedback from anyone, sadly.

Alice, Thanks. I am finding that it is very difficult to connect marketing activity with actual results;

 

I'm not sure why you are having trouble connecting marketing activity with actual results. The only reason I can think that you are having that problem is because you aren't doing the marketing activities that actually produce results.

 

Personally, I won't do something in marketing unless it produces results - and the results I count are actual book sales.

Yes yes, I agree.  For instance, in the past year, I have become actively involved with three writers clubs.  Not only am I able to sell my books there, but they enhance further inspiration and motivation.  Attainable intangibles.  Networking is most enjoyable and progressive.  Through each group, other groups look for speakers, therefore, Book Signings = Sales.   

A lot of time, footwork, courage, personality, gas money, etc. is required for my Independent Publications.  "Independent" is a key word that leads to my empowerment!

I had problems with this when I first started. Some bookstores wouldn't take them at all because of my distribution, some did because I was a local author. The first bookstore that wanted to take it on consignment, I went with on the condidtion that the owner read the book. She did and liked it so it ended up on the owner's choice list...face out in the bookstore. With that under my belt, I could tell other owners how the book faired at this particular bookstore and it held some weight. HOwever, consignment is for the birds. At some point you just can't finance their business, your running your own...but, you need to get read by the readers.
I ignored the bookstores for a long time. Choosing on only those that wanted to buy them up front. I pursued stores and businesses in the area that were frequented by the market I write for. I found tons of businesses that could relate to the subject of the book and they bought 4 or 5 copies at a time and yes, reordered. They got 40% of the selling price and I got 60%...a better deal than the traditional way.
The advantage here is that you're probably one the only books in the shop, your face out and displayed. You get way more attention than in a bookstore of thousands of books and you end up on the shelf, spine out, along with allllll the others. My suggestions is to look at your genre, look at your market and do business with those buisnesses that serve your market. Ask them for book signings too! You're bringing in business for them, if you do a bit of advertising, the free kind...lol..and it's an event for them. Yes, it's footwork, but it works.
I talked to bookstores too, and four agreed while one did not and no, problems . I made a lot of money form one, a bit from another and none from two thus far.
My issue with the four separate, and only, bookstores I use is their non-communication. Unless I travel to inquire and literally see if my books are still on the shelf, no one comes forward to let me know. Even when I sent paper invoices, I had not received a word! I think this is rude. However, I am at my wit's end to further get my book out there. Sure, I do personal Book Signings/Speaks, am involved with three separate writers' clubs, social network like crazy, but still have to tame my time to write articles.
Yes, the fours stores sell on a 60% (me)/40% basis.
Good luck to all of us!
A. K. Buckroth
www.mydiabeticsoul.com

For a book like yours, you should be targeting diabetic websites and blogs. Focus 100% of your attention on that for one month, and you might be surprised by what happens.

Offer them good content - an interview, a free excerpt, a free ebook copy of the book for 10 of their readers, things like that.

I have books on consignment at two bookstores.  I have no problem. In fact, I have a great friendship with one owner. I check at least every two months to see if they need more books; I drop by to just say hi. Is it worth it? Yes. If he has any event going on, he calls me to be invited. It takes time out of my day, but it's worth the time to acknowledge an owner carrying your book.
Want to know more about working with bookstores, check out the Ask the Booksellers website: http://www.askthebooksellers.com

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