Several years ago, I was part of a big book launch for one of the Chicken Soup for the Soul® books. It was held in Sacramento, and we received a ton of media coverage on the morning of the event. The local morning news show and several radio stations interviewed us and promoted the event to our community.
We arrived at Barnes and Noble just before they opened and were excited to find our table just steps inside the front door. It was prime real estate, and we were ready for the big day!
One of the book contributors was Shari Fitzpatrick, founder of Shari’s Berries. She brought luscious chocolate covered strawberries for visitors to enjoy.
While the picture you see here looks like we’re busy, the truth is that we weren’t—at least not after all the free chocolate covered berries were gone. The shopper on the right is a friend of one of the contributors, and the shopper on the left is my mom.
Despite all that phenomenal media coverage we had, the berries were the hit of the day, not the books. Shoppers greeted us and thanked us for their treats, but the vast majority left without purchasing a single copy. After three hours, guess how many copies we sold? We sold just 11 books.
That was the day I swore I’d never do another book signing event.
How many books do you want to sell?
Book signing events at bookstores are a popular way many authors seek to sell books. And while you can certainly schedule events at retailers across the country, there is a harsh reality you will likely face along the way. Most book signing events for unknown authors generate just a handful of book sales. They also require a ton of time and effort. (As a former bookstore owner and fellow writer, I speak from experience.)
Unless you promote your book signing event and drive people through the doors, you will likely discover that these events are a big waste of time. In fact, there’s a good chance you’ll spend more time helping customers find the bathroom than you will actually making sales. (Sad, but true!)
While it may sound fun and glamourous to sit in a bookstore autographing books, most authors quickly learn that’s not the case. What’s worse is that an event like this focuses on selling just one copy of your book at a time. And it takes a lot of effort to generate each sale.
Would you rather sell a single copy or many copies?
One of the best ways to sell more books is by cultivating a community of people who can’t wait to buy your next book, and the one after that. Your community can consist of all kinds of people, including those who have attended your presentations, follow you on social media, read your blog, subscribe to your newsletter, listen to your podcast, or follow your YouTube channel. These are fans who will stay with you for the long haul.
So, instead of spending your Saturday driving to and from a store, sitting at a table, and hoping for a handful of book sales, consider investing those five or more hours into cultivating your community. Over time, your audience will grow, and you can build a lucrative, satisfying, and long-lasting author career.
Find Your Community of Influence (COI)
For an author, having a platform means that you have an audience of people who want to buy your books, as well as any related products or services that you offer. Nobody is born with a platform; it’s something that you must build.
Here is some good news: Your platform is probably bigger than you think.
The fact is that you know more people than you realize, and when you spend time digging into your contacts, you might just strike gold. Your Community of Influence starts with people you already know who can help you spread the word about your books. They can also help you build your author business in ways you haven’t yet imagined.
Want to connect with fellow nonfiction writers? Join the Nonfiction Authors Association tribe! Subscribing members can participate in our members-only Facebook group, plus receive many other exciting benefits.
