Alison Morton – Booksigning Tips to Sell That Book

Booksigning Tips to Sell That Book

by Alison Morton

This March was a whirlwind-no-time-to-breathe month. Despite the dreadful weather, around fifty people attended the big UK launch of my novel, INCEPTIO at Waterstones. Champagne was drunk, jokes exchanged, fun was rife. Waterstones sold out on the night and I had to supply them with eleven extra copies. I blogged about it here and there are additional photos here.

The following Tuesday, I gave a talk about INCEPTIO and my publishing journey at Pembury Library, the library I used when I lived in the UK. Here’s what happened.

The thing I liked most was talking to people individually, whether greeting them or signing a book for them. I was thrilled that they placed their confidence in me enough to shell out their hard-earned cash.

People have also written some lovely reviews on Amazon UK, Amazon US, Goodreads and Waterstones.com including “Move aside Bourne, there’s a new heroine in town!” and “Clever, unique, thought-provoking” and “Great book! Interesting characters and story line, fast paced, and very imaginative!”.

Alison’s top tips

1. Don’t wait to start planning. Although a beautiful book is a pre-requisite, you must think about where, how and when as soon as you’re even thinking of publishing your book.

Network in real life at conferences, courses and events, and virtually on Twitter and Facebook. Try and meet as wide a circle of people as possible. Apart from the pleasure of talking with new people and learning new things, you may come across one or more published authors in your genre or known specialists in your field. Ask them for their thoughts, their advice, but in a polite way. Who knows, they may come to your launch and add some magic dust.
If you are thinking of a bookshop launch, go and buy some books there and become known to the staff. Make an appointment to go and see the owner or events manager. Be business-like.
Before making an approach, ensure your publisher has already loaded your book on to Nielsen Bookdata so that the shop staff can check you are a genuine author. Have your Bookseller Information Sheet in your hand and a good quality business card with your contact details. Prepare your ideas for getting the audience in – your friends and more importantly, the general public – and how you’re going to publicise the event. And if you have got a ‘name’ to agree to come along to your launch, mention this as part of your pitch.
The key to a successful evening is, rather predictably, preparation. Write your talk, speak it aloud, condense it on to cards, but practise it. Make sure the launch venue has glasses/plates/bowls or take your own. Do offer a drink, both alcoholic and soft. You don’t need fancy canapés; good supermarket nibbles are fine. Take plenty of postcards (you can put one on each chair beforehand), bookmarks, pens, etc. and a guestbook.
And smile. The audience has come to see you. They want to hear what you have to say.