10 tips for a successful author signing event

Being a signing author at a big event is exciting, overwhelming, nerve wracking... you get the picture. It's a wonderful chance to meet your readers, network with fellow authors, and do some promotion. But if you're anything like me, it's also scary. Most of the authors I know are a little introverted - there's a reason why we like to sit behind a desk and write, rather than being out mingling with people 🙂 And even authors who are popular and outgoing on social media, worry about meeting fans and other authors face-to-face at author signing events.

I've attended one book conference as a signing author and I have another one coming up. The first was overseas (USA) and the second is a little closer to home (Brisbane, Australia). Before my first event I had no idea what to expect, let alone any idea of what to do to prepare. For my second, I've got some initial experience to lean on but I'm still asking questions and getting advice from others.

Here are some hints and tips for when you attend your first conference or signing.

1. Planning - organisation is key. Create a plan (as simple or a complex as you like) and do this as soon as you sign up for the event. This way you'll know what you need to do and when.
2. Timing - start early to maximise your chance of success and save unnecessary headaches in the future. Book your hotel (so you don't end up having to stay miles away from the event), book flights/transport, arrange your swag...
3. Budget - before committing yourself make sure you understand all the costs involved (tickets, accommodation, transport, books, swag etc). Work within your budget. Personally, I don't treat attending a signing event as a way of making money (i.e. I don't expect it to be profitable), instead, it is a longer term investment in my writing career so I determine how much is the right amount of money to invest in the particular event.
4. Swag - do your research to find out what swag will be most successful for you. Ideally choose swag that is useful (so your readers want it), well-branded (so your dollar is well-spent on promoting your author name), and long lasting (so your brand is seen often & reminds your reader of you and your books). Consider how much swag to purchase, how heavy/bulky it is, and how you'll transport it to the venue.
5. Paperbacks - you'll need books to display and hopefully to sell. How many books? The volume of books you need will depend on a number of factors such as the number of conference attendees, number of authors at the event, and your popularity. You'll also want to take into account the size and age of your backlist. It can be like guesswork. You don't want to be left with books to cart home at the end of the event, but you don't want to run out either. Ideally, arrange an online pre-order form (Google Forms is great for this) so your readers can pre-select and pre-pay for their purchases. You will need to order your paperbacks so they arrive in plenty of time and some suppliers have a long lead time. Don't forget books can be heavy so consider the logistics of how you will get them to the venue, cost of transporting them in your luggage and so on.
6. Venue and Set Up - find out the size of your table is and what facilities are available. Do you need to take a tablecloth or is one provided? How will you display your books, business cards and swag? Do you need display stands? What about signage? Where will you store your stuff? Will the venue accept deliveries if you want to get swag delivered, and how far in advance?
7. Running your 'store' and taking payment - if you are going to sell books during the event (remembering ideally to get as many preorders as possible who can prepay via Paypal), how will you process the payment? Do you need a card reader? Cash only? Do you need a float to make change? What are the tax implications (if any) of selling in the location of the event? Do you need bags for your readers to carry their purchased paperbacks home in? You might need some stationery items and don't forget your signing pens!
8. Promotion - try to promote your attendance at the event in advance. You can do this by posting on social media, blogging about it, adding the appearance details to your Amazon Central profile and so on. The aim is to encourage readers to buy tickets to the event, but also to advertise that you will be there so your fans can come and find you. At the event, leverage your branding so you clearly stand out. Consider a freestanding banner or your logo banner pinned to the front of your table. Hand out swag that readers can carry around and other readers will see it and have their curiosity piqued - printed logo bags for purchases is a great way to do that. Perhaps there will be lots of readers walking around with fidget spinners this year - or are fidget spinners already out of fashion? 🙂
9. Presentation - you are your brand. Dress appropriately. Behave appropriately. Welcome your readers and leave them with a positive experience.
10. Enjoy yourself! make the most of the experience. Build your network, learn from other authors, use the opportunity to talk to your readers and find out about them and their reading habits. Have fun!

Perhaps I'll see you at the Riveting Reads Australia Event in Brisbane in October 2017 and you can tell me how well I've done in preparing for that event 🙂

Nicki xx

Photo by Álvaro Serrano on Unsplash