We’ve been talking about selling your books at events. You may have good luck at a gun show, for example, or a ComicCon event. Once you have your promotional material sorted, it’s time to go set up and sell.
First, you need to be aware of some things about your event. Is it inside or outside? Weather can be tricky, so if it’s outside, think carefully before signing yourself up. If you’re under cover, think how long the event is going to last. A county or state fair, for example, is a great event, but it can last around 5 to 7 days. Can you commit to the whole event? How many hours a day would you need to be there? A fair can last all day, meaning you’d need to man your booth 10 to 12 hours or more. Do you need a partner or helper so you can have bathroom breaks? Should you go in with some other authors so you can watch each other’s backs (and same some fee costs)?
Payments: You need to be able to take a variety of payments, both cash and cards. You’ll probably want to invest in something like Square or Stripe where you can swipe cards on your phone with a wifi signal. You can also use PayPal or Venmo. Plan ahead and print out a QR code so Venmo folks can just scan it and go.
Keep plenty of change on hand for cash transactions, too. Most authors round their book prices up to an even number, so that making change is easier. You need to remember you’ll be paying taxes on the income, too, so marking up will help you there as well. If your book retails for $21.99, for example, you might want to sell a signed copy for $25.
Some Other Tips: Sets sell well. Even if you don’t have an official boxed set, you can tie a bundle of your books up with some nice craft string, maybe add a seasonal ornament or item, and offer a discount price.
Dress for the job you want. You should look like either a professional author (no ratty jeans, for example) or like a character from your books. Many authors dress up in period clothing, especially Western writers. It attracts attention from passers-by and might lead to more sales.
Don’t sit this one out. It’s tempting to sit down and wait for traffic to come to you, especially if it’s hot or cold or humid or crowded. Resist the temptation. You can sit down once you have the cold, hard cash in your hot little hands. Stand up, make eye contact, and smile, smile, smile! You’d be surprised at how much more business you’ll get that way. You’ll never see a top salesman sitting down in a showroom, so don’t fall into that habit yourself.
Record the event for posterity. Take photos or have someone help you take them. Even if you don’t make a lot of sales, you’ll want to use the images to advertise that you’re out there in the community and folks should start looking for you. They’re also great for your social media posts (“Look what I did last weekend!”).
If you’ve been following along, you now know as much as I do about selling at a local event. Good luck and happy selling!