As an Independent Author, you have to plan a strategy for getting the word out about your book. I know as introverts we do not want to be seen, but being in the public eye is a necessary evil. The best way for potential readers to be introduced to you and your book is face-to-face by way of a book signing at a festival or expo. The difference between the two is simple. A festival will attract a wide variety of readers whereas an expo consists of more individuals trying to get where you are and targeted genre readers. Here is an overview of how to participate in a vendor event:
Pick Your Festival
Pick your festivals carefully. The first choice should be a book festival. However, do not limit yourself to book festivals only. There is a wide selection of festivals to choose from like Family, Arts & Crafts, Music & Arts, and Community to name a few. The only festivals I do not recommend are Food and Religious focused events.
Where to Find Events
You can find events in your area on the community calendar, local libraries, and listed on social media. Often I browse EventBrite for special offerings by location, month and season. If you participate in enough of these festivals, they will reach out to you first. Your past participation makes you a preferred customer for the next event.
How to Claim a Spot
To secure your table, you must register and make payment. Usually, registration, payment, and getting your detailed instructions all happens online. The cost to participate range from FREE to $1000+. You’ll want to start small especially if you only have one or two published works. On average, a small festival can cost you $200. The cost includes securing your table and buying your inventory as well as any merchandising you plan to give away or sell.
How to get Attendee Attention
Once the festival begins, be warm and inviting to festival-goers. We tend to want to shrink in a crowd. Engagement is the key to getting people in your booth and chatting with you. Once a potential gets a sense of your vibe, buying a book from you is no longer your idea, it becomes their idea. You have reached them to the point of them wanting to know you better. Your writing style says a lot about you and new readers are eager to learn more.
I recently attended a Music and Arts Festival sponsored by a local city. The attendance was moderate, I had decent sales and collected names for my email list. The most humbling thing to occur was patrons who hadn’t purchased my books before that day were familiar with who I was because of the past events I attended. It made it easier for them to purchase a book or two because they felt like they knew me.
The steps above are how you participate in a vendor event. The more you participate in vendor events, the easier it will navigate success. Any event where you garner sales, collect names for your email list and get good social media coverage is a win. It will take a few times to hit the trifecta in all these areas. Most times you will get sales. Other times you will collect names and get posted to spectators or the organizer’s social media. The whole purpose is to create exposure and grow your readership.