How To
Create A Booth That Promotes Your Books
It is important
for authors to design a booth plan that is open and
inviting. If you use an enclosed booth, stand in front of
the booth or table. This allows you to communicate with
people when they pass the booth. Busy shows offer the
chance to talk with several people at one time.
Learn
What Promotional Supplies You Need
This checklist
includes basic supplies and promotional items that are
needed for shows.
Basic Supplies
–
Scissors
Tape
Stapler and
staples
Note Pads (good
to have ones with your tagline and website address)
Book Supplies –
Plenty of
Business Cards and Card Holders
Pens and/or
pencils and Pen Holder (use pens with your name and
website)
Promotional
Materials about your Books
Sample chapters
or short stories would be great items for specific
visitors.
Scrapbook with
Book cover art, reviews, and any awards you have won.
Questionnaires
for Potential Readers to Complete (details are listed
below)
Information
Packets (details are listed below)
Create
Book Promotional Materials
Promotional
items for a show should include brochures, handouts,
sample pages and information packets for interested people
who visit your booth. Pocket portfolios are great to hold
brochures, handouts, business card and so on. This might
include a pen and note pad for readers to make notes about
your conversation. A nice promotional touch is to apply
“crack and peel” stickers printed with your logo to the
front of the folder.
People
registered in the show should spend some time to wander
the floor and meet other people, collect their business
cards and pass out cards of their own. Make notes on the
back of their cards with notes about them and their
business. When you talk with people who approach your
booth try to have them complete a specialized
questionnaire. It is advantageous to make notes on these
forms and specific information about these people.
These
questionnaires can easily be designed on any word
processing program. What are the top ten things you would
like to ask each potential reader? These can be included
on the questionnaire. The questions should relate to your
books and will help determine if they are a potential
reader.
After the
event, follow up with the people you collected business
cards from and the people who completed questionnaires.
These people should be added to a mailing list which is
used to promote your business. Craft shows can provide
wonderful exposure for your books. This is especially true
as your experience increases and the shows are handled in
an effective and professional manner.
How to
Write Effective Press Releases – Part 1
Learn The
Secrets Of Press Release Distribution
How to
Use Craft Shows to Promote Your Books
Economical Book Promotion at Craft Shows
