We’re going to…a Book Fair!

Or… How to Market Yourself and Your Books, Part One.

I am a member of a couple of children’s author groups on facebook, and in one group in particular, there are a lot of authors starting out on their journeys. One of the questions that seems to be asked most is ‘how do I boost sales?’

It’s a hard one to answer, especially when most of the members in the group are self-publishing, but I thought maybe there was a blog or two in it; I could share what I’ve learned from my own experience and you might like to try some of it for yourself.

I’m going to make some assumptions. First, that you are writing for children. Second, that your finished product is as good as it can be and looks professional. Third, that you are hoping to reach a readership that extends beyond your friends and family.

So where to begin? There’s a lot you need to think about before you go to your first book fair. It’s not as simple as chucking a few copies of your book on a table and exchanging them for cold, hard cash! First things first:

Be professional.

Can’t stress this highly enough. You need to present yourself, your books, your stall - everything - professionally. If you want people to take your books seriously, treat the process seriously.

Know who it is you’re selling to.

What’s interesting with children’s books, especially for younger readers, is that you aren’t selling your product to the end consumers. You are more likely to be selling to their parents, grandparents, guardians, teachers, carers etc instead. Because, let’s face it, it’s the adults in the main that hold the purse strings. The child may like the look of your book because they have a thing about dinosaurs/fairies/wizards/sealife, but it’s someone else making the decision to purchase. You need to be able to appeal to both the child and the adult to get a sale…

You need product!

The vast majority of my sales come from in-person events. That means I probably won’t ever rank in the Amazon charts, but I do make a little more money on each sale because I buy physical copies from my publisher at a discounted cost, then sell them on at a price I’ve chosen (usually one that undercuts Amazon but still makes me some money).

You need to think about how many copies you’ll need for a decent display, and whether you’ll need more copies of your more popular titles. I always take more Granny Rainbow books - about ten - than novel titles - usually five or six of those each - for that very reason. But when you have eight published titles, like me, even small numbers of each title add up to a considerable weight to shift around.

Order physical copies in good time before the fair - and consider where you will keep the boxes of books, too!

Research

Which fair to go to? To start with, shop around to see what’s out there. Consider how far you’ll have to travel to the event. How much will your table cost? I usually drive no more than an hour to a large event, and don’t like to pay more than £10-15 per day. Consider the price of your book(s), and how many you would have to sell to cover the stall cost. You can’t guarantee that you will sell anything, so be prepared for a loss. Is it an indoor or outdoor event? What time of year?

Do you really want a book fair to start with? Would a craft fair at your local community centre be a better start, where hopefully you won’t be competing against lots of other authors eager to sell their books too? These smaller events are good for building up confidence in yourself and your product. It took me about eight years after my first stall at a school fair to be confident enough to attend a big book fair. Lots of the points I’m going to make are just as valid for smaller events as to ‘proper’ book fairs.

Anyway, you decide it’s worth a punt in the end, and book a stall at a book fair that’s not too expensive and isn’t too far away…

Preparation.

You need to think in advance how you are going to set up your stall. If there are lots of other book stalls, how are you going to make yours stand out in a crowd? If it’s outdoor, how will you protect your stock in inclement weather? Are gazebos and seating provided by the organiser or will you need to source them for yourself?

Some things sound fairly obvious. Have a tablecloth to cover your stall. Plain colours are probably best, but choose a colour to either make your books stand out. I use white as all my covers are colourful, but you could use blue if your book has a watery theme for eg. Avoid fabric that’s too fussy; it takes attention away from your books. If you don’t have a tablecloth big enough, buy a cheap bedsheet which can be doubled over for smaller tables or used as is for larger ones.

Invest in some bookstands. I bought some simple acrylic ones, but if you have a recipe book stand or an easel, that might be enough to get you started. ‘Face front’ books always attract more attention than piles of books or spines only. (And hopefully you’ve got an attractive cover…?)

Just books can look a bit stark, so think about props. I have some rainbow flags to pin across the front of my table, and a rainbow scarf to lay out near the Granny Rainbow books. I also have a single item linked to each of my Tilda stories, so I add those, too. Nothing huge, just a nod to what each book’s about. But if you are using props, don’t use anything you’re too precious about. It will likely get handled by children, or may even be damaged if - for eg - high winds blow your books over…

I invested in a chalkboard banner to advertise myself and my books this year, but I now need to buy chalk pens, because the actual chalk is wearing off… It’s certainly not essential, but again, it was another way of attracting interest. Give yourself time to order, and think carefully about how to make it useable for years to come, so perhaps don’t make it all about one book.

Consider having some postcards or business cards printed for folk to take away. People love freebies! You can produce them on a home printer, but make them look good. Make sure these say who you are and how you can be contacted.

Prepare a price list. My novels are published by a US publisher, so the prices are in $ - having the prices in £’s makes things much easier.

If you’ve another book coming out soon, prepare a simple information or teaser sheet, and if you offer any other kind of writing related service, consider advertising that, too. This information may not make any difference to your sales on the day, but it may mean that you are asked to another event in the future where you can take your books.

In these current covid times, if you are hoping to attend a fair number of events, it’s worth investing in a card reader. It takes a bit of setting up (make sure you know how to use it before you need to!) but I paid for it at the first book fair I took it to. The handling fee is pretty small too - I have a fixed rate arrangement.

Tell people that you are going to be at the event! Advertise on your social media platforms of choice and share posts that the organisers have created, too. If you know any of the other authors, big them up - they might do the same for you.

The day before (at the latest)

Write a checklist of everything you need to take - and use it!

It sounds daft, but work out what you are going to wear. There’s nothing worse than not being warm enough. If outside, wear your warmest shoes/boots and take a piece of carpet to stand on if it’s cold or wet. Don’t forget sunscreen and a hat if it’s hot. You want to be comfortable, whatever the weather, but also smart-ish. Choose something that makes you feel good. Mind you, if you are attending a Victorian themed Christmas fair, feel free to dress accordingly…

Pack your books carefully, because damaged goods don’t sell. I pack mine in a wheelie suitcase, using bubble wrap to pack them out, because the car park is often a fair way from where your stall is going to be, and boxes are heavy!

Do you have enough cash float? Is your phone/card machine charged up and operational? Do you need a packed lunch/thermos? What about all the bookstands, tablecloth etc? If these won’t all fit into your suitcase, how are you going to carry them?

Have you got something to keep yourself busy with? I avoid taking books because I can’t make eye-contact if I’m reading. I often take easy knitting, which I can do without looking at and which I can put down without too many problems.

On the day.

Most newbies often think that this is the important bit, because this is where you get the sales. But even if you have planned and prepared, you can’t ever predict what will happen on the day. Just go in positively, knowing you have done everything in your power to make it a good event.

Pack the car and check your route, just in case you need to allow more time for the journey.

Arrive early enough to set up your stall properly before it’s open to punters - I usually allow an hour, although I can manage it in less. Make it look as attractive as you possibly can, but remember the books need to be the main focus. Say hello to your neighbouring stallholders - if you are on your own, they might keep an eye on things later, when you need to dash off to the loo. You also get to meet some very interesting people.

Be nice to the organisers! They have probably been stressing about the success of this event for weeks, and now they have to get everyone to their places, probably oversee speakers or storytelling sessions, and all sorts of other things beside. (Book fairs are often held as part of Festivals, when there’s a LOT going on) Don’t get shirty with them if they can’t immediately deal with your specific query.

When the doors open, SMILE! Be approachable. Say hello to people, even if they just give you that sideways glance and walk past. Make casual conversation - not necessarily about books. Ask questions if people start browsing. Ask them what kind of books they like to read (for themselves or to the children in their lives) and point them in the right direction if you have something suitable. Tell them they are welcome to pick up the books and take a look. Very often, it’s this personal connection that results in sales. Sitting in your chair and waiting for people to offer you money rarely works; you need to do some work. Show that you know what your book is about (develop a pitch!), who it might suit, and speak confidently about it.

Stay positive. Don’t carp and moan if your neighbour’s stall seems to be selling more than yours. Look at what they’re doing differently to you. Maybe their book is about Christmas and you’re at a Christmas fair? Are they interacting more with customers? Are their products priced differently? It’s sometimes hard to stay positive in this situation - I’ve had events where I’ve not sold a thing - but at the end of the day, you win some, you lose some.

Keep a record of how many copies (in circles) of different titles (eg More Granny Rainbow=MGR, Kingstone=K/S) you took to the event, and record however many you sell (tallies).

Look after yourself - keep yourself hydrated and fed and have a walkabout every so often.

At the end of the day.

Don’t be too downcast if, after all that effort, you made hardly any sales. At some book fairs, I’ve not sold a single copy - yet at others, I’ve sold a dozen books in a morning. Chalk it up to experience and keep your fingers crossed for a better day next time.

Say thank you to the organiser, regardless of what kind of day you’ve had. They might ask you back again.

When you get home, prepare to feel shattered! I tend not to unpack on the same evening, especially if I’ve had a long drive too.

Congratulate yourself on any success you’ve had, and gird your loins ready for the next one!

That’s probably enough! I’m already looking at attending several book fairs so far this year - States of Independence in March, Stafford LitFest in May, and Newarke Book Festival in July - so who knows? I might see you there…