Let’s face it. Setting up a book event is work. Hard work. There are many things to think about and countless factors that go into celebrating a success. It all starts with your first important decision – choosing a venue. Consider these questions:

• Cost. Is there a charge to participate? If so, how many books must you sell to break even? To make money? Are there other side benefits to the venue such as exposure or making new connections?
• Time investment. Will the event take place over a few hours or a few days? How much time are you willing to lose from writing or other responsibilities?
• Location. Is the event local or will it require costs for travel, hotel expense, and meals?
• Contact fellow authors in your genre who have used the location, especially if it requires a hefty investment. Were they happy with the result?
• Will your target audience be there? If you write sweet contemporary romance, you probably won’t do well at a comic con featuring superheroes. That said, there’s nothing wrong with experimenting at inexpensive venues. Who knows? You might discover a new jewel.

Excellent. You’ve vetted and chosen your location. Although there are no guarantees legions of adoring fans will appear to snap up every single book you brought, there are certain things you can do to tip the odds in your favor. Here’s what I’ve learned from my experience at book events, as well as from what other authors have reported.

• Bring more books than the number you think you’ll need. If you have easy access to your car, store extras there. Even if you’re selling in a bookstore, it’s good to have copies available. I’ve twice done events in bookstores where the supply ran out, but the customers did not. Thankfully, the stores and I worked out an arrangement enabling me to bring in my own books when theirs were gone.
• Readers love a deal. Group two or more books at a special discount (particularly effective for a series). Or give a book away as a gift with purchase. I have a large inventory of anthologies from a well-established brand which contain stories I contributed. People love the books, so they’re perfect for a giveaway!

Ready to sell your books? If you’re in a bookstore or gift shop, a cashier will handle purchases and sales tax. If not, you’re on your own.

• Bring a cash bag/box with start-up cash. Rarely do people pay with the exact amount. You’ll need to make change.
• Cash purchases are a thousand times easier to handle with round numbers. I reduce the cost of my books slightly so the price with tax will become a flat dollar amount with no coins. (Consult your state sales tax rates to calculate) As an example, I am Mrs. Jesse James normally sells for $15.95. Including tax, the cost is $16.90. At events I sell the book for a flat $15, which means I’m charging $14.16 for the book, plus tax of $.84 = $15. MUCH easier to make change. I lose a bit of profit, but let customers know they’re getting a good sale price.
• Set up a method to accept debit/credit cards. I use Square. Yes, there’s a fee involved with each purchase, but a lot of people buy with cards, and I’d rather pay a fee than lose a sale. Something I may consider in the future is charging full price for charge sales since Square recently upped their fees. 🙁
• Bring a receipt book. I’ve yet to have someone ask for one, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. It doesn’t hurt to have a calculator available either.

Setting up your table is actually kind of fun. Here are some ideas.

• Find out how much space you’ll have to work with, and create an attractive display area. Think table covers, stands to display your books, eye-catching decorative elements (maybe even balloons) or book awards, and interesting items related to your book that catch the eye. I have sample tables pinned on my Pinterest board if you’d like to check them out.
• Your author name is your brand. Use it. Part of your brand can also be identified by consistent use of certain colors. I have a large black table cloth I can use or fold into a smaller size. I also own a separate “runner” with my name and tagline which sits nicely on top of the black table cover.
• Consider a roll-up banner. Mine was fairly inexpensive (under $100), easy to set up, and is readable from a fair distance. Some authors do a separate banner for every book they publish. I opted for one banner using my author name.

Here are a few other thoughts to consider…

Many authors go beyond table decorations. Some love the opportunity to play dress-up as part of their book event routine. Regular use of the same unique costume or outfit, a special hat, or an identifiable item, can help you stand out from everyone else.

Swag is popular, but don’t go overboard. Some items are pricey. I keep it simple with bookmarks and copies of a recipe related to one of my books for giveaways. I know a bestselling author who hands out postcards printed with her favorite reads (no, not just her own books!) which includes her social media information.

Never underestimate the value of free treats. Put your business cards near a basket of chocolates. While we’re on the subject, bring water for yourself to avoid the dreaded throat-tickle-syndrome.

Here’s another idea. Some authors run drawings during events. If you choose to do so, bring raffle tickets and a container to hold entries. Related to this, I recommend displaying a sign-up sheet for your newsletter. The sign-up can be related to the raffle; as in signing-up equals an entry or an extra entry to win. I haven’t tried this strategy yet, but many others do – often for a cool prize like a nice gift certificate.

Note: Most of us have smart phones, but if you don’t, think about getting one. Your cell is a one-stop shop. It can take card payments, calculate numbers, make emergency calls, and snap event pictures to post on social media. Assuming you bring it well-charged, that is. 🙂

S.O.S.-Save Your Sanity (and your back). Invest in a rolling hand cart for all the items you’ll need to haul. I use appropriately sized heavy-duty plastic containers for my “stuff” with lids to protect against rain, and bungee-cord the containers into place.

Okay. Your display and books are set up. You’re ready to go. Now what? Please do NOT sit behind your table staring at aforementioned smart phone. Stand up. Make eye contact, smile, and engage people with something like: “Hi, are you a reader? Here’s some great books you might enjoy.” Yes, I know. This isn’t fun for introverts, but think of it this way. A table is a barrier between you and your potential new reader. So is the notion of you sitting while they stand. Remove the barrier whenever you’re able to do so.

When things are slow, I walk around with my handy little basket of candy and cards to share, with an invitation to check out my books. Did I mention people like chocolate? Remember, even if they don’t plan a purchase right away, they may look up your book later.

If possible, bring a helper. When things get hectic, it’s hard to talk, sign a book, take pictures, and transact sales all at the same time. Plus, an occasional bathroom break is nice.

Congratulations! The event is over, and you survived. You’ve been on your feet for hours and might be a tiny bit hoarse. What now? Before you celebrate, take notes. Log your book sales, expenses, and income. What worked and what didn’t? How can you improve next time?

Finally, remember a book event is really about one major achievement: cementing old connections, and making new ones. So value your audience. Appreciate them. Where would we be without our readers?

I hope these tips prove to be helpful. If you have additional suggestions, please do share!

As a gift to you, here’s a downloadable basic Book Event Checklist that I created – with large print for tired eyes. It gives the basics to keep in mind when packing. Use the back side of the sheet for your notes, and happy eventing!

Book Event Checklist

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Pat Wahler is author of I am Mrs. Jesse James, Western Fictioneers’ Best First Novel of 2018, and winner of the Walter Williams Award for a Major Literary Work. She is also author of On a City Street, first in a Readers’ Favorite contemporary romance series; and a delightful holiday collection, Let Your Heart Be Light: A Celebration of Christmas. Pat is co-author of a picture book, Midnight the One-Eyed Cat.