Friday Speak Out!: Presentation, Giveaways and Gimmicks

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by Janet Shawgo 

An inviting table presentation can make or break your sales, trust me on this. If it isn’t eye catching or appealing readers will pass you by.

I find it important to keep things neat and tidy, even if you have a lot going on, your books need to remain center stage.

If you have banners place them up on tables so that they will draw immediate attention. Display any awards you have received, I have mine on a canvas making it easy to transport and safe from damage.

Costumes can be a great conversation item whether you wear or display them. I have two that I wear at signings, book club meetings and festivals. You will be surprised at the reactions you receive and it can increase your sales.

Most authors have freebies, pens, candy, and bookmarkers. I have my business cards attached to a small gift bag containing either herbal tea, small nail file or handwipes. These are less than ten cents each, because I buy in bulk. You should make choices depending on your budget.

In my city I attend a festival every year and to increase traffic to the table have included a giveaway. For any book you buy a ticket goes into a box for the prize. In 2021 I gave away a Harry Potter backpack and throw. I discovered a great deal for my budget and it was well received.

This two day festival was an investment of $200.00. I cleared over $1200.00 and sold out of my books in three different genres. I discovered returning to the same festivals faithful readers seek me out for new releases. I made numerous contacts with book clubs and was interviewed for a local magazine because of the costume I wore.

Though these ideas are helpful you need to engage every person even if it’s just to say hello. Unless you are Stephen King, James Patterson or Robert Dugoni, your books will not sell themselves.

I have met readers who said they had too many books at home to read and couldn’t buy another, but after a short conversation they bought two.

It is possible for you to sell ice in the Artic.

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Janet began writing in 2009 while still working as a travel nurse. She retired in 2019 to her home in Galveston Texas.

She has published five full novels, three novellas, and has been published in three anthologies for poetry, flash fiction and short stories.

Janet has multiple awards for her works and was a runner-up in the WOW winter contest for her story The Holiday Slayer.

www.jkshawgo.com  / Instagram author_janetshawgo / 

Twitter @jkshawgo_author

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