Need some advice from anyone who's done a booksigning already. Should I be nervous...have headache...What if no one shows up? What if it's OVERCROWDED?

My book signing is Saturday. I have a Publicist who's busy juggling three or four projects at the same time---all equally important to her. I've been doing alot of the promotion on my own, which is making me have a HEADACHE.

In order of your questions...

1.) no need to be nervous or have a headache, why you ask???
a.) if no one shows up, no ones there to judge you, but do try, try again!
b.) If its over crowded you're already half way home. Something sparked their interest already.

Smile alot, be you charming self and always use plenty of eye contact.

Oh, and the best of luck on the success of your book!!

[ June 14, 2006, 06:54 PM: Message edited by: chatty lady ]

Chatty lady,
You have some of the best responses!!! TO EVERYTHING I ASK. Thanks! Now what about the food choices


Beverly
www.talk2bev.com

Finger foods are your best choice, small crab puffs, tiny ham roll ups, crackers and cheese and assorted fresh veggies platter with a creamy spinach dip. That ought to do the trick if you want to serve food. Nothing sticky or messy as they will be handling books.

[ June 14, 2006, 06:52 PM: Message edited by: chatty lady ]

Chatty, great advice! Another thing, be friendly and don't be afraid to introduce yourself.

Sherri

If you haven't read many things on book signings then you may be surprised. Some people have them and are tremendously successful, while others have them and no one shows up. I've talked to veterans who don't sell one book, and then newbees who sell a dozen or so, first time out.

I average selling around 30 books. Notice I said average. The least amount I've sold has been 10, while the most was 66. The 10 was at a very well known, very well travel and publicized store in a vacation spot. I was new, nervous, and had a speech the following day which I also had on my mind, so I didn't give the bookstore my best. Shame on me!

There is no magic formula for book signings, but there is a lot of things you can do. If you haven't read The Frugal Book Promoter, by Carolyn Howard Johnson, you need to get it and study it. It will help you tremendously and answer all of your questions.

Networking with others who have gone before you will also help quite a bit. But as some of the girls have already pointed out, the best weapon I have found was SMILING. Just simply similing. No one can resist that, and it shows you are genuine! Not only that, but people respond and usually open up a conversation when they see someone smiling at them.

Do you have give-aways? Like bookmarks, thank you cards (that can be used as bookmarks maybe) and do they have your name, web site address, and book title, etc... on them?

I never do food. Ever. That's just a perference of mine and has nothing to do with nothing. Now when I give a speech the host usually does food, but not me. Too expensive.

Have several pens for backup because if you sign a lot of books, it never fails, one will dry up.

If there is a long line, try to gracefully stop the person who would chat all day with you. Be kind, but mindful of the other people in line for an autograph.

Be ready for a possible encounter. Anything is possible when you deal with the public. For instance, a woman told me one time that she didn't think I was that funny. (She had read the teaser I had laying on the front table). I laughed and said, "Me either! But Momma says I am and I figure Momma don't lie." The crowd around me hee hawed and the woman was embarassed. But she asked for it.

Teasers are a partial story or Chapter from your book that only gives the reader a glimpse of what's inside ... at the bottom of it you say something like, "Would you like to read more? If so..." then you tell how to buy the book AND give your web site addy, etc...I've had lots of people buy AFTER the book signing because of the teaser.

Don't be nervous. People come to a bookstore to buy books. They are ready, willing, and able customers so you don't have to sell to them. Just be yourself and have fun with it. If you don't sell anything, and that could happen, think of the experience you'll have under your belt. My guess is you'll sell a lot though, and will have a great time...

Keep us informed and break a leg!

JJ

Wow, great advice all around!
What about a short phrase with the signature?
Here's wishing you the best!

Yes, Songbird, that's the one thing I didn't plan on at my book signing. All these folks were buying books (yippee!) but they wanted snappy little sayings inside for themselves and the folks they were buying it for.

I'll be better prepared next time.

I had my signing at a local gift shop in town, and served cookies and spiced cider. There were news releases in the local paper, the "big" paper, and online at a local forum. I made 22 sales for a total of about $400 - it was very successful! (I had my books and the gift sets, and many folks bought the gift sets for their friends)

Good luck Beverly!!!

Best of luck to you Bamgibs. I have no experience with this, maybe because I have no published book, (I'm working on it). I think Songbird has a good suggestion with the short phrase in addition to the signature. Especially if there aren't many people waiting in line; then it allows you to write longer, and possibly attract others. (This is my marketing side coming out...) I love quotes, and have collected them for years: Maybe there is a quote here that you might like to use.

Follow the grain in your own wood.
-- Howard Thurman
I celebrate myself, and sing myself.
-- Walt Whitman, Song of Myself, 1855
He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals.
-- Benjamin Franklin
Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.
-- Helen Keller
Make your own recovery the first priority in your life.
-- Robin Norwood

bamgibbs, I am so excited for you. I would say it's best to have low expectations, but be prepared for a big turn-out just in case.

I also recommend taking time to chat with each person about them, not you. IT's good to learn about the lives of people who are attracted to your topic.

Good luck. can't wait to hear about it.

Hannelore,
Thanks for the quotes! I'm going to print them out and use some of them. I think my signature sign will be:

"May God continue to Bless you in your own WHATEVER! journey"

What do you think?

Beverly
www.talk2bev.com
author, WHATEVER! A Baby Boomer's Journey into Middle Agr

Those are wonderful quotes. I love quotes, too. I collect them. Heck, they could be considered a hobby of mine, I suppose. I also love the trivia games that ask "who said this?" Don't you?

One word of caution when using a long quote is that it can get really tiring for you hand. I learned that after a few signings and now I save the long ones for people who buy directly from me.

Another tip would be to keep a pad nearby and if someone gives you a name you aren't familar with, or could be spelled more than one way, just gently shove the pad over to them and say, "I want to make sure I get this just right for you, so could you spell that for me?" I take my buyers very seriously, as I know you do, and so I want to make sure I spell their name right. Or you could just ask and right it down on the pad the first time they spell it, and THEN autograph the book. It HAS saved me a bunch of times from embarassing myself.

JJ

That's a perfect quote, Beverly...and it comes from you.

Wow! A lot of great ideas posted here. I've only had three signings, so I am in the learning process. I love the "teasers" idea and will work today on printing some out for my next signing.

Some of you talked about serving food. I've found that most people aren't interested in the food, anyway; so why spend money on it? Chocolate, however, is another story. Everybody appreciates a piece of candy! I give out peanut butter cups and peanut butter filled kisses, since my book is "Hugs, Hope, and Peanut Butter." I took cookies to my first signing; but they're more work and mess, so I think I'll stick with candy.

I suggest taking an enthusiastic relative with you to signings. I'm rather shy, but my sister is a motor mouth. She showed up at a signing where I wasn't selling any books and she took the bull by the horns talking to people and telling them they were missing out by not coming over and talking to me, etc.

I try to meet people as they enter the store and greet them, give them a freebie (book mark or whatever) and ask if they'd like to take a look at my book. I have a well worn sample with pages marked for them to look at (to see the illustrations) But sometimes, the manager won't let me leave my table! That makes it tough and really hurts the store. They shot themselves in the foot that day.

I love having signings in unusual places like movie theaters and restaurants. At one supper club, the hostess gave each customer one of my book marks with their menu. Several people got up from their tables to come and visit with me while they waited for their dinner to arrive.

I don't sell a lot of books at my signings (yet), but I don't consider it a waste as long as I've sold ONE book and met some new people.

MJ the PBQ

Bout time you showed up MJ...I have a copy of her book and love it. Tell them about it MJ...they will love you for it. She's amazing and too humble to toot her own horn...But she should! She is a terrific boomer woman, even if she is my Yankee friend.

JJ

I'm one of those authors who doesn't like book signings. I will even decline when asked to have one and luckily, my publicist agrees with me.

But, if you must, take a friend just in case nobody shows up so you have someone to talk to. And, JJ is right...your hand and fingers will get sooooo tired if you have a long quote and a good turn out.

I can't believe a woman said that to you JJ! How rude. I always have women approach me who need help and it's a blessing when they do.

Awwww, shucks! Thanks for the vote of confidence, JAW JAW.

If you insist, I'll toot my own horn: My book is a collection of essays I wrote over the years to encourage parents who have sick children. Most of them are funny, if I do say so myself; but some are more serious too.

The purpose of the book is to share HOPE. The best part is that it's illustrated with 40 drawings done by sick kids from around the country. You can read some excerpts on my site at www.hugsandhope.org/excerpts.htm

Oh, the title is Hugs, Hope, and Peanut Butter. It came from the name of the charity I founded (Hugs and Hope for Sick Children - www.hugsandhope.org) and my favorite saying.

A little boy named Colton who has Retinitis Pigmentosa (which causes blindness) dubbed me the Peanut Butter Queen because of my favorite saying: "Love, hope, and joy are like peanut butter. When you spread them around, you can't help but get some on yourself too!"

How's that, Jaw Jaw? Toot . . . Toot . . .

MJ the PBQ

Marsha Jordan
The Peanut Butter Queen
www.hugsandhope.org/pb.htm

I'll "second" what JJ said about not serving food.....why? Because I've been at a signing where people who were just "browsers" got their sticky fingers all over my pile of books AND one of the other writers I was appearing with had someone actually spill an entire soft drink on her VERY VERY EXPENSIVE coffee-table book!!

JJ's other advice is PERFECT.....and I wish you a ton of luck with your signing - have fun with it!

I thank everyone for the wealth of advice to aid me in my upcoming book signing. We have lots planned! Several of my friends have donated gifts from their businesses. We're going to do baby boomer trivia and I'm gonna do a reading from the book. We're also going to have cake because my birthday (#49) is next Wednesday).

I've asked everyone who had some role in creating the book to attend so they may be introduced because, Lord knows, I couldn't have done it without them.

We're gonna cap it all off by singing the "We Are Baby Boomers" song...sung to the Helen Reddy song "I am Woman" It's something I came up with for the book.

If you've got any other sugggestions please share. Thanks so much!

Beverly
www.talk2bev.com
Author, WHATEVER! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age

It would be hard to top everything you've already done.

Something tells me this book signing is going to be a HUGE success and I wish all of us here could be with you. We'll have to settle for being there in spirit.

BTW...Happy Birthday!

bamgibbs
When you get a chance, let us all know how your book signing went today! We're there in spirit...you go girl!

JJ