DIY your book tour
On a webinar recently, a listener asked about book tours. “Should I pay someone $2,000 to plan a book tour for me?”
If you have the funds, putting the responsibility of your book tour into a professional’s hands can be reassuring, but much of this work is stuff you can do yourself, and you might very well have a better result.
Despite what you may think, bookstores prefer to hear from authors directly when it comes to scheduling events. Don’t ask your marketing or promotion or distribution team to make the call for you. By contacting them directly, you’ll increase your chances of getting the event booked.
Steps for planning your own book tour
Create a spreadsheet.
You’ll want columns for store name, manager or contact name, address, phone number, and email address. Additional columns will be labeled so you can record dates and times you reached out to the store, as well as the dates and times of your scheduled visits. I suggest including columns to note times for arrival, teardown, and departure. You’ll also want to record, eventually, what kinds of things to include in your swag bag and setup kit and any comments about the venue or the event. More on that later.
Fill out the spreadsheet.
Since I live in Lancaster, PA, I’m going to use Lancaster County as my target. Google Maps is helpful here to show me where the book stores are located. Keep in mind that not every bookstore will be appropriate for my high steam MM romances. We have multiple stores that serve the Plain communities here, so I’ll make sure I color code my spreadsheet to ignore them. Or I might strike through the store names.
Why do I put the Plain stores on my list? Because I’ll save this spreadsheet as a template for the next tour I might organize and so I know which bookstores I considered for this one.
Contact possible hosts.
Once I have a list of names, I’ll start reaching out to find out who runs the stores and who’s in charge of special events, adding everything I learn to the spreadsheet.
Develop and send a pitch.
I’ll send the pitch via email – ideally – but I’ll also create a phone script – I’m ADHD, natch – for when I get someone on the phone. If I can’t find a contact email on the store’s website, I’ll check their social media accounts and LinkedIn. https://hunter.io/ can help track down email addresses.
When sending the emails or calling, I’ll personalize my message. If I’m sending to Pocket Books Shop, I’ll say how much I enjoyed my visit the other month and that I think my book will fit on the shelves with them. I’ll ask about the possibility of hosting a book signing at the shop. If I can tie it in with something already on the calendar or maybe it’s a theme month, week, or day, I’ll suggest that.
If I’m really uncertain about pitching, I’ll visit the shop and chat with a staffer. It’s like going in “off the record.” Try to visit during a not-busy time so you can have the attention you need and the staff person doesn’t feel like they’re shortchanging other clients. Buy a small item while you’re there if it makes you feel uncomfortable to ask for time/privileges without contributing financially to their success.
Suggest specific dates and times.
Once you have your list of targets, consider your schedule. It’s ideal to suggest a specific day for your signing, but give options. Keep track of which days and times you suggest so you don’t double book. If you’re traveling, you might want to plan out a route that economizes your time, energy, or transportation. Staying in motels will be an expense to account for. Remember to save your receipts for your business taxes.
Create a similar spreadsheet for news and media.
While you’re waiting for approvals or denials from each store, start a similar spreadsheet for local and regional news media. I’d add LancasterOnline and WITF (FM and TV) to my list since they’re my local PBS affiliates. I wouldn’t include Engle Publishing because it’s a conservative, right-wing organization. I’ll send similar pitches to these entities, asking to be added to their community calendar once I have dates confirmed from the stores. I might even ask to be interviewed as a way to stir up interest with the bookstores. One feeds the other, right?
Your book is not the pitch.
When I pitch to news, the story isn’t that I wrote a book. The story is WHY I wrote a book. The story is what I wanted to achieve by writing the book. Maybe I had a rough childhood and wanted to give hope to readers with similar experiences. I’d plan to provide pamphlets and resources from area domestic violence shelters during the book signings. I might also pledge to donate a portion of the sales proceeds to that charity. The story is never the book.
Plan your visits.
As you’re waiting to hear back from the book stores, plan your visits. I’d typically suggest two hours at the longest. You’ll likely be positioned in the front of the store or in the section where your book is shelved. The store might have a table and a chair, but prepare to bring portable furniture yourself. Most times, you’ll just sit there and greet people as they come through the doors.
If you have multiple events on the same day, give yourself more time than you need between each event to allow for vehicular traffic, folks who won’t stop talking, or sellout crowds.
If it’s a big event, however, you might have other activities. You might speak for a crowd… or an empty room. Choose a section from the book to read and mark your copy thoroughly. If the text is too small for you to read comfortably, enlarge it and print it out. You can make a joke about it when you pull out the enlargement. Older readers will likely relate and find you humorous.
Choose your wardrobe. If your book is set in Highland times, could you wear a Highland costume? Or at least colors reminiscent of your book cover of author brand. If you’ll be traveling among locations, packable, washable clothes are great.
Plan your setup.
You’ll want to print large versions of your front and back covers, then frame them or affix them to foamboard. Get nice-looking table easels to display the covers. For the ease of your guests, instead of printing the entire back cover, print just the blurb/book description in large letters so it can be read from far away. You want folks standing in line behind others to have something to focus on while they wait instead of drifting off. You also want to hold their attention on the book so they want to buy it. Also provide a large QR code that scans directly to the online marketplace selling your ebooks. If you’re selling ebooks direct, pointing the link to the listing on your website is a best practice.
Obtain enough copies.
This should be discussed with each store because they’re using your presence as a promotional event to sell books – yours and the other books folks will buy because they’re there. Typically, bookstores will order in the copies and sell them through the register with a split to you. Make sure the store has the ISBN codes for your books so they buy the correct copies.
Packing list for signings:
A quality cart to schlep everything. The one I use has a folding bar on the back so I can push instead of pulling on poor mobility days. I really like the looks of the new double-decker carts. This would’ve worked well when I was competing in sheep to shawl competitions. You could also use a dolly or flatbed handcart, but consider how much weight you can lift, as these can be rather heavy.
Your books
Pens you like! Practice writing your name, not your signature. Don’t let an autograph become a counterfeiting, identity-theft event.
Sticky notes and ballpoint pens – have attendees write down their names so you can copy the spellings into the books during signings. Learn how to write short messages quickly and efficiently. Create a list of things to say so you aren’t hunting for them.
Tissues
Hand sanitizer
Lotion
Water bottles or jugs to refill your water bottle in a cooler with ice packs; also good for dealing with overheating or handwashing if restrooms aren’t available. (Think outdoor events especially.)
Non-messy snacks. Think Goldfish, bite-size cookies, beef jerky, not granola or crumbly brownies. You can serve snacks to visitors, or you can save these for yourself for the days when you miss breakfast or lunch. Individually wrapped chocolate candies usually go over well.
Tablecloth, likely rectangular, and larger than you think you need. Can be folded for small tables, and the extra length allows for draping over prop boxes.
Pack your books, swag, and setup materials in boxes or crates that can be flipped upside down and covered with the tablecloth. Stack and stand your books and promo placards on the varying heights. Accessorize with silk flowers, Mardi Gras-style strands of beads, or floggers, depending on the type of book and venue.
You might also order and deploy a table runner that drapes over the table perpendicular to the tablecloth so as folks walk up to you, they can see who you are and the type of book you write.
Safety pins and masking tape too.
Pain relievers may be helpful for hand, back, or butt pain, or even from headaches after dealing with loads of people.
Print out a QR code for your mailing list or reader magnet and display it prominently.
Wear comfortable shoes because if you’re able to stand, you might find yourself standing all day. Consider investing in a small folding chair or stool just in case a chair isn’t provided. I like this stool), which I cover with a lamb’s fleece from Costco (fuzzy side down) to make comfortable.
Dress in layers. If you run cold, bring a sweater. If you tend to sweat, bring a hand towel to mop your face and neck, and pack a small cooler with ice packs and water bottles.
If you’re outside, a popup canopy will be helpful to keep sun off your body and to help you avoid squinting to see your fans (and they to see you). Bring sunglasses, sunscreen, a broad-brimmed hat, and a change of shoes in case of mud.
Trashbags.
Resources:
https://bookriot.com/book-signing-tips/ (on the reader side)
