Hello everyone,

I just returned home from a discouraging evening where I gave a one-hour information session on how to prepare for a total hip replacement, and I did not sell one book! This is the third talk that I have given in the last month and I have yet to sell one book this way. The first two talks were at retirement homes and the one tonight was at an organization for seniors.

Moreover, I sent out almost 30 PSAs advertising the event and not one person came based on my ads. All of the people there had been recruited by the Seniors Association.

I am beginning to get the message that I will not sell my book in that type of venue. I am scheduled to speak at three branches of the local library; whenever I have been to hear a guest speaker at my library, no more than 5-8 people even show up and hardly anyone buys a book.

This is all costing me money in terms of making transparencies, photocopying, paying someone to drive me, and it is taking up huge amounts of my time. So, my first question for the group is: should I continue doing these free information sessions? The next ones coming up will be at the library, another retirement home and the Unitarian church.

Secondly, I have more than 100 copies of my own book sitting in my room and I want to sell them. I was thinking of selling them directly off my web site at a discounted rate -- something cheaper than Amazon or my publisher. Do I need to use PayPal? My friend said that it is a deterrent to Canadians because they have to go through some long hassle in terms of filling out huge forms. But I need to be protect myself if I'm acting as my own vendor. I think it's worse to ask people to send the money order. It's a real pain in the neck to go down to the bank to get a money order.

Lastly, following my TV appearance last week, my book has been doing quite well on Amazon.ca, but my ratings have dropped considerably on Amazon.com. Is there some way for me to rectify this?

Thanks in advance to everybody for their suggestions :-)

Sigrid

[ February 11, 2005, 11:13 PM: Message edited by: Sigrid Macdonald ]

Sigrid, don't give up but maybe there's a better market? I really don't know. PayPal is really easy to set up and use, I accept it on my site.

Sigrid I'm wondering if by the time people are in a retirement home they have either already had their hip replacements or are in the "no longer at risk" category and in wheelchairs. Have you thought about perhaps getting your books placed in hospital gift shops or in surgeon's offices? You could contact whatever large hospital is closest to you and see if you could schedule "informational classes" for people scheduled to have hip replacements too.

I don't sell my books through my website - just online bookstores, but everyone I know says PayPal is VERY easy to use no matter where you are.

I don't feel like I've helped much (!!) but I do know it's frustrating to spend a lot of time, money and effort on marketing and have it not be as successful as you hoped...hopefully some of the other ladies have better ideas than I do!

GOOD LUCK......

Hi Sigrid,
I know how you feel. Some of my book signings at mall bookstores were great. Other times I was mistaken for a store employee and asked for directions to the bestseller shelves or the restrooms. I drove home thinking I was building a LOT of character.

Have you considered:
a. Charging for your appearance at the library, hospital or nursing home? These venues do have a budget for programs. I only sold three books at a library, but the $50 I was paid to come speak for one hour lessened the sting.

b. Marketing costs money. I don't know any way around that. My publisher has spent a lot of money on marketing. But I feel I must do my part to get the word out too. We all spend on clothes, gas, time, buying our own books, etc. to help promote it. But if we did nothing, we wouldn't be promoting.

c. Keep looking for new markets. I sold more books at a grocery store than I did at bookstores because the women I was trying to reach were there in numbers!

Hope this helps.

You could also asked that whatever Company, committee, or organization asks you to speak for free that you would be happy to do so, with one stipulation...that they purchase 2-3 books. Just a suggestion.

JJ

I also take Pay Pal and it's simple to set up and use.

I loved Pam's idea about the hospital book stores. DOn't you think people would buy them for family or friends who had surgery?

How about retirement community stores. My MIL lives in one and they have a nice little store that sells a lot because most of the residents can't get out to shop.

Then you have to think about them getting their cut.

Do you recommend a specific replacement? If so, perhaps the manufacturer would buy them to give to their reps while they're out in the field selling them.

I'll think some more...

Sigrid - I don't know that it's possible or not, but you might contact AARP and see if they would let you write an article for their online "main topic areas". They do have a health and wellness section. They also have a magazine that might be worth looking into. Even if you didn't get paid, it would be great publicity. They have the right audience anyway.
Good luck
Dannye

Hello everybody,

Thanks so much for the great tips. Meredith and Dotsie, I appreciate the reassurance about PayPal. I have already signed up with them but I removed the icon for my web site because my friend said that it was too hard for Canadians. I will put it back up but I'm not sure if I understand how it works.

Can I keep changing the price of my book on my own or do I have to tell PayPal when I do that? I can't remember what I told them originally that I wanted to charge. Guess I should contact them.

Since I'm so long-winded, I thought I would break my replies up :-)

Pamela, Great idea about the hospital gift shop. I tried that and they said that they only sell fiction because patients aren't interested in reading anything that heavy. However, I did manage to sell several books to the hospital libraries.

I've given the book to four doctors, including two orthopedists, but I don't think that the latter will support me in conducting hip classes. I would have to be more of an "expert" but I will talk to one of my contacts on the orthopedic ward of the hospital

My take on the retirement homes is that the people there view me as their afternoon entertainment. Most of them don't even bring their purses with them and it doesn't occur the them to buy anything. They're old and they're on a fixed income. Several have had hips done but others are also waiting for the surgery. I think that they would read the book if it was in the retirement home library, and I have approached many of those libraries asking them to buy a copy, but thus far none of them has done so.

Thanks for the suggestion about hip classes. I will follow that up. Sigrid

Jaw Jaw & Kathryn,

The problem with requesting that organizations pay me a stipend is that I am the one asking them if I can speak to their group. They have not asked me. Everyone seems delighted to have me speak for free! But I will try that next time. I will ask the group to pay me a small fee or to buy at least one or two books to make it worth my while.

Dannye, I have written to AARP and CARP (the Canadian Retirement Association) and told them that I would be happy to write an article. So far, no takes. I have approached other magazines as well.

Thanks so much, everybody, for your excellent feedback. I want to read it again and think about it.

Today I feel much more positive because a big local radio station responded to my e-mail, saying that they would be happy to have me on the air! Hooray! I will be speaking on a women's health show, which will be really cool. Will keep everybody posted :-)

Many thanks. Sigrid