Marketing Books—Success & Failures—II

Following conventional strategies such as bookstore or library signings is something that is recommended by just about everyone in the know about bookselling. Other than my first bookstore experience (mentioned in my previous post), this strategy has not worked for me.

An author who reviewed my book on public radio, recommended I have a book signing at Busboys & Poets Bookstore in Washington, DC. "It's a prestigious place," I was told. The manager of the bookstore was quite cordial but told me that success was dependent on getting “sponsors” for my appearance. Since my book was about Lebanese people and culture, he suggested  I contact Arab American organizations in the area to see if they would oblige me, as sponsorship would cost them nothing. Their names would be put on the program and all they had to do was notify their membership of my appearance.

With high hopes I contacted four such organizations, explained that my book was pegged as a cultural statement that would interest their membership, and had been well received by members of their communities. Would they consent to sponsor me, I asked? One never answered; another said they’d think about it and never got back; and a third said it was against their policy (this was one I had just given a substantial contribution to). The fourth was a magazine with a Middle Eastern focus and they agreed to be a sponsor.

I tried to arrange ancillary events around the date but no one responded to my inquiries (this included other bookstores and churches). The cost of lodging in the DC area is quite expensive, between $200-$300 a night, so I decided to make it a one day trip. Airfare was $300, and counting the costs of local transportation and a meal, it was a fairly expensive outing. About a dozen people showed up for my talk (including a reporter from the sponsoring magazine who wrote a nice review) and the bookstore sold a grand total of three books.

It was then that I began to look with a jaundiced eye at just how many of these expeditions I could justify in the pursuit of moving my book off the store shelves. I definitely needed to refine my strategy.

In the same time period I did two signings at local libraries where I gave PowerPoint presentations—result, sold three books at each. It was then I decided to give up on the bookstore/library scene and began to formulate other plans that would be more cost effective.

To be continued—