Congratulations! Your book is now ready to be published, and you’re wondering how to host your first book signing. It’s taken you a long time to get your book ready for publication, so you’re now giddy to get it out there. Your book will skyrocket in the Amazon marketplace after it’s published. You will experience record book sales in your first month of release. Sounds like a dream?
Okay, hold your horses. Yes, your book getting published might already be a done deal, but don’t lose sight of the big picture. Thousands of self-published authors launch their books every day. And we’re all swimming in a very crowded pond. So here’s the next caveat: how do people discover your book so that you can be a best-selling author?
A book signing event is a great way to market your book and sell copies. It also allows you to build some buzz and gain media attention. However, it’s not as simple as it seems. Read on to learn how to set up a successful book signing event.
Table of Contents
How to Prepare for the Book Signing
Choose the Right Date and Time
Most book signings happen during the day but can also be held at night. Should you do it on a weekday, weekend, or holiday? You’ll have to consider a lot of factors (like the availability of most of your attendees), so you’ll need to do some research before you decide.
You also need to know clearly how long you will hold the book signing and the duration of each part of your program. If you forget to set a timeline, it will be difficult for you to manage the event.
Choose the Right Venue
The location will have a significant impact on the overall event. It’s one of the most important things you need to decide for your book signing event, so you must choose the venue wisely.
Many places are available for hosting a book signing event, like your house, local libraries, local barnes and noble bookstore, coffee shops, etc. You will get more traffic if you choose the right venue for hosting the event. Here are some things to consider:
- Event Space
The first step is to visit the venue and get an idea about it. You must check the room’s layout with the store manager, consider the number of people expected to attend the event, and so on. Pick a place that is well-lit, clean, and has good visibility.
- Venue’s Accessibility
It is crucial to choose the venue which will be accessible to your guests. The venue should be near to public transport, like a railway station or bus stop.
- Seating Arrangements + Amenities
There should be enough space for your guests to sit down comfortably. You also need to check whether or not the venue is equipped with all the features you are looking for, like a speaker and microphone if you need them. If a venue doesn’t have the things you’re looking for, you can consider renting those.
- Availability of Parking
If you plan to host a big event, ensure that the venue has ample parking space. You must consider this factor as some of your guests arrive in their cars. They will struggle to find parking if the venue doesn’t have enough parking space.
Choose the Right Guests
You can invite your family members, friends, and colleagues. This will help you get your first positive reviews. But it is not enough to invite just those close to you. Here are a couple of things to consider:
There are two types of book signings: general book signings (public events where anyone wants to can) and VIP book signings (events where you invite people in and have limited space). Decide which type you want to host.
Invite people who are your potential audience. While writing your book, you certainly already had a target audience in mind. Reach out to them. For example, if you are having a book signing event for your children’s book, then it is better to invite your children’s parents. You can send invitation cards to them and ask them to come to the event with their kids.
Choose the Right Food
If you can afford to serve food, do it. Otherwise, you can consider selling event tickets to cover the costs. The majority of people like to munch while they read. A great book signing can be like any other party, so you should serve whatever is most appropriate.
Have a table with all sorts of goodies for them to eat and drink while they are waiting for the author to arrive. Bread and cookies are good choices—they are filling. You can also serve them tea or coffee. You need to make sure you have plenty of water too.
If you have a buffet, offer some finger foods, such as a candy dish, chips, dips, and olives. If you are having a sit-down meal, serve something from each of the main food groups. You could serve soup or salad.
It’s very important that you make sure your guests are comfortable. A happy tummy makes for happy guests.
How to Promote the Event to the Public
The next thing you need to do is to plan a good marketing campaign for your book. You should start the promotion of your book before the event. Create some good content in the book, like video clips, pictures, infographics, etc. You will be using these when promoting. Here are a couple of ways you can market your book signing event:
Create a Website or Landing/Sales Page Dedicated to Your Book
Most books don’t sell well without an internet presence to create buzz. With an internet presence, you can get your book discovered by people who might not otherwise have read it.
A website is a place where people can get information about your book. A landing/sales page is a place where you can promote your book.
You can have a website and a landing or sales page for your book. Then promote it on social media, your blog, and all other places where people would be interested in your book.
Post the Event on Social Media
Social media is a powerful marketing tool that you can use to connect with your audience. Using social media to promote your book signing allows you to interact directly with your fans and engage them. You can allow them to get to know you better. When your fans find out about your upcoming book signing, they will come and say hi if their conditions permit.
You do not have to use all of the social media platforms to promote. You can focus on two or three platforms depending on who your target market is. For example, LinkedIn is where professionals are, Instagram is popular for millennials, Tiktok is where most Gen Y is, and a Facebook event is helpful because it has users from all generations.
Send Out Invitations
If you are going to host a book signing event, you can also make digital invitation cards that will help you spread the news about the event. Send out an opt in list email to friends, family, and acquaintances to get the word out about your book signing. If you have potential guests who are not tech-savvy, you may also give physical invitation cards or make announcements through the local newspaper or radio station.
Getting Ready for the Event
Hire a Photographer
If you can afford to pay for the services, then it’s a great way to definitely hire a professional photographer. You’ll need a photographer for two things: to take photos of your book and shoot during the event.
Hire someone who specializes in book signings. They have the experience and expertise to get everything ready ahead of time, including the best locations, the right backdrop and lighting, and more.
A professional photographer can take great photos of your book you can use to post on your website, social media, and other promotional materials.
You’d also definitely want one of the most memorable moments of your life to be captured professionally! Make sure your photographer is there when you sign books to take event photos. This will be the only chance to get great shots of you with your fans. You can then use the photos to promote yourself further.
Invite the Media
The next thing you need to do is to invite the local media. Inviting the media for the event would mean they will write some articles about your book or video coverage of the event, which will help you promote your book. You can give them a chance to interview you, or you can even have a photoshoot with them.
Set Up the Right Environment
Choose decorations for the local bookstore venue that match your brand and book cover. You also need to get a table in a location where it’s sunny but shaded too. A good location is behind a window but not directly facing the sun. Place any items you need nearby, so they are easy to reach. Next, place the books on display in a way that is visible to everyone in the room.
You will also need a few items like a speaker, microphone, and a laptop or tablet to display the book on. It’s also best to have tables and chairs ready for the audience to sit comfortably while they read through the book.
Things to Do During the Book Signing
As a first-time local author book signing host, you’re probably feeling a bit overwhelmed. You want to ensure you have everything under control, but don’t know where to start, especially how to handle your guests.
Do you have friends or family coming to your book signing? How can you keep your guests focused and engaged? You might think these are simple questions, but the answers can really make or break a book signing. If you don’t have a plan for how to handle guests, they can quickly turn into a distraction.
It is best to know beforehand how many people to expect. Remember that the more people there are, the harder it will be to manage the event. So if it is your first time hosting a book signing, try limiting the number of people attending.
You should treat your guests like any guest in your own home. Serve them drinks, and food, answer questions, make eye contact, and give them a comfortable place to sit.
The best way to handle guests during your book signing is to have one staff member in charge of helping you with the signing of books while another staff member is in charge of making sure the guest has everything they need and keeping them happy.
A book signing day is an opportunity for you to get to know your readership. Have a guestbook to keep track of your guests. It should have a space for their name, email address, and contact number. This will help you reach out to them again in the future.
Things to Do After Hosting the Book Signing
The big day is over. You hosted the event with full enthusiasm and prepared for the best experience. But now, what should you do?
- Debrief
Talk to the people you know who attended your book signing and ask them for feedback. Did the event go smoothly? Were you able to share your standard message? Was there anything that you missed? Are there aspects you could improve on? Knowing the answers to these questions will help you plan and execute your next book signing event better than the last time.
- Post on Social Media
Share to your followers the photos and videos taken during your book signing. Those who attended will be happy to see their pictures, and those who weren’t there will see the fun and will try their best to be at the next event. You will also be getting comments from the attendees about the experience and what they learned from the book—an effortless way to get feedback and reviews!
- Make a Blog Post
Create a detailed account of the event on your blog. Share the post on your social media accounts, and make it easy for others to share or repost your content. This is another way to market your book. Media outlets, even those that didn’t attend the event, could pick up on your post and create features about it. That’s more publicity for you and your book!
Alternatives to Traditional Book Signing
Just reading everything above is exhausting, right? Well, that’s how traditional book signings are. It’s full of hard work. But if you can’t imagine yourself doing all of that to become a famous author, or you just do not want to expend that much energy, time, and money—good news: there are alternatives you might want to try.
- Virtual Book Signing
Hosting a virtual book signing event doesn’t have to going to different cities to sign books. You can do it from the comfort of your own home instead! No need to worry about the venue, the parking space, the food, the decorations, etc.
The best part is that when you host a virtual signing event, you can reach out to more people than you would typically reach in physical book signings. You can make a live video on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or any other social media platform and let people know about your upcoming event. You can host your virtual signing via Zoom, WebEx, Google Meet, etc.
If you have a book in the same genre as another local author, you can even host a virtual signing event with that author! Yassss, collab!
Leaders Press “Become a Best-Selling Author” Service
Now, if you totally do not want to do all these promotions by yourself—because, admit it, as an entrepreneur or a leader in your industry, you just do not have the time anymore—but still want to be a great self publishing author, Leaders Press can make you one. Leaders Press has been providing authors with a no-hassle way to get published and is proud to have worked with some of the world’s most innovative and effective leaders in the self publishing industry.
If you are interested in learning more about how Leaders Press can help you write your next bestseller, click here to schedule a short consultation call for free.