#350: Marketing Minute: Holiday Book Events with Susan Neal

Welcome to Kingdom Writers, where we help equip and empower Christian writers of all genres to share your unique gifts with the world. We're your hosts, C.J. and Shelley Hitz.

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Welcome everyone, to the Kingdom Writers Podcast. My name is Shelly Hitz and today we have a special guest with us, Susan Neal. Welcome, Susan.

Thanks so much for having me, Shelly. I'm excited. The holidays are already upon us, aren't they?

I know. And Susan's going to share with us an amazing topic today for our Marketing Minute holiday book signing events. And she's had a lot of success with this, so that's what I love too, because when somebody teaches something, they've actually done right. And so as a certified writer coach, Susan Neal desires to help others publish and sell their books. She's the author of eight healthy living books and her self published award winning bestseller, 7 Steps to Get Off Sugar and Carbohydrates sold over 20,000 copies in four years. She's a trusted advisor for authors as the CEO of Christian Indie Publishing Association. You might know of that as SEPA, or the Christian Authors Network and Christian Indie Awards. So welcome, Susan. We're so glad to have you.

Thanks so much.

And let's just dive right in. So, you know, the holidays are a great time to sell books because people are buying, they're buying gifts, they're buying things. And so, you know, that is a great time to do events or to do book signings. But what have you found? Like, have you mostly done your book signings at this time of year or have you done them throughout the rest of the year as well?

I have done both. I've done them throughout the year. But I have found that it's not worth it to do a book signing any other time than from Black Friday to the first week in January because the stores are bustling with people. You know, there's just, I mean, dozens and dozens. You know, every 20, 30 minutes you have new people walking in. So the, the bookstores are so crowded, just like the stores get so crowded around that and everybody is looking for a gift. So that is the, the best time that is. Is worth it to do a book signing.

Yeah, and I think that's great to hear like from your own experience, but it's so true. Like, people are out shopping, they're going to be in the stores, and then if you're there as well, there they have a greater Chance of finding you, of being interested in what you have to offer. And what, what books have you done holiday book signings for? Like, has it been a certain type of book that you've noticed does better or have you just noticed they all have done pretty well?

I think they all have done pretty well. I just have my whole collection of books. I'll have it out there. And so I'll have, you know, eight different books. And last year, Barnes and Nobles, they put me in front of the children's section because I had a, I had a brand new children's book and so they put me there. And you have to be quite, you know, assertive and, and you know, when saying, hey, I've got a, you know, children's book here and it's a healthy living one. But then the few people that do come and talk to you then, then they peruse and they look at your next book and your next book and it's like, oh, one of my books is on gluten sensitivity. It's called Solving the Gluten Puzzle. So then we'll get into a discussion about that. And the author is the best person to tell this reader why that book is best as a gift for their loved ones.

Yeah, yeah. And I love that you, you didn't just like highlight one book. It's like you have everything there because they might not be interested in one, but they might have an interest in another one. But when you do this, like, what do you do to set up the event?

Okay, so I have a pretty box and I, I have it, made it make it look like a gift with pretty wrapping and bows. And then I have in there for them to go ahead and put their name in for a drawing. So. And then, you know, you can have them add their email address. You'd have to be have on there and ask them if they would want to, you know, be added to your list for your email. But that's something fun to do. Then they can announce, you know, on the intercom there or you could te them that they've won a book.

Nice.

So I have, that I have my little stands. So then all the books are up with the stands with, you know, another copy in front of it so that people can, you know, grab the copy in front of it. And you know, you got your table, your chair, a really nice tablecloth. And you know, if you want to bring something to make it look more eventful, like a little Christmas tree or something, you could do that. But I also have a floor banner and it's an eight foot floor banner. So it goes from way up, all the way down. It's a really large one. And I also have a table banner for a different book that's a little smaller version.

Yeah, I love that. And I love, like, especially around the holidays, having that wrapped box that they put their entries in. You're building your email list, like you said, getting permission and just making it fun. Fun, right. You can announce it over the intercom or text them and you know, just having, having different things available as well. But do you, have you been doing this every year?

Yes, 2020. I didn't, but last year was 2021. 2021 opened up. Yeah, 2019 this year I'm already getting them booked. So yes, I make it an annual event. It's. Last year I had such great success at Barnes and nobles. We sold $500 worth of books in two and a half hours.

Wow, that's great.

It was.

Yeah. And so you're, you're doing this on an annual basis. Obviously they're continuing to invite you back or allowing you to come back. So tell us a little bit about how that works. Have you gotten to know the store manager? How did you develop a relationship like that? Share a little bit more about that, our audience.

So what I did is I went to all the local.

Bookstores within like a 75 mile radius of my home.

Wow.

And I, you know, I went, you know, dressed up nicely, I had my books, I went there, I asked to speak with the store manager if the store manager wasn't there. I spoke with the assistant manager. I left them a copy of my book. I left them a, a one sheet, you know, that told about me and had my bio and all my books, information, etc. And so that's how I initially introduced myself to the different bookstores. Some of them would be like Barnes and Nobles, but others would be just local bookstores in specific cities. And then after that I also got there, of course they gave me their card, like their manager's card. I got that information. And then when it came around to October, then I would go ahead and each man email each of the stores and then I would, you know, ask to set up a book event sometime between Black Friday and the first week in January. And many times they're a little late in responding because they have. The store managers have a lot of duties, so emails are not always their priority. But you just wait and you're patient and you could even. I've even went and stopped in the store if it's you know, a 20 minutes from my house and not 75. Right. You know, stopped in and asked, okay, has there. Or I even followed up and called and called for the manager. So then you really get to know them. And the Barnes and Nobles manager in Spanish Fort, we know each other by name. I've done it year after year. And she's like, just bring your own books. And then what I found find is that the next year when I go to the bookstores, I find my books in the healthy living section and stocked. And one time at the Destin Barnes and Noble store with my. With my book about gluten sensitivity, they had a sign underneath the book was face out, not by the spine, face out with. Underneath it it said celiac disease, slash gluten sensitivity. Wow.

That's.

That's how they advertise my book, because they know that I support their store. I go there, I buy books from there. And you. You want your bookstores to stay in business, so you want to support them.

Yeah.

Yes.

Yeah. And those are that that book has been self published. Right. And then, yes, there it is in Barnes and Noble, and they're advertising it for you, putting in a prominen.

And it's because you took the initiative just to call all the bookstores or, you know, contact them, you know, within 75 miles and you know, doing some initial. Initial research. And now it's a lot easier, right, because you.

Oh, yes, you can just. We know each other. Yeah, we know each other now. Yes. Yeah. And sometimes, you know, the store managers will change, but then the assistant manager will be the same or vice versa.

Yeah. So anyone that's thinking about this and they're thinking, wow, like, Susan has really had success with this. This sounds like something I want to do. What suggestions do you have for making book signing events like these more dynamic, like these events that are inside a bookstore.

So you have to not be shy and, and, you know, even if you have that pretty box there and say, well, would you like to be, you know, would you like to have your name put into a drawing? You know, you just got to start some kind of conversation or, you know, oh, here's a new healthy living book for kids. And you just got to start that initial conversation with the people who go by. Another thing I like to do is do a book signing with more than one author. So I'll ask a friend to join me. So then if they are, those friends are, you know, more dynamic or more of an extrovert than yourself.

Yeah.

They may start a conversation and Then the person looking at their book would then also look at my books. So I've done that before. And I've also been at two different bookstores where they have done. The bookstore has arranged to do a whole like, like five or six or eight of us authors all at one time. And so people just go down, down the road with this. Yeah. And, and I've even set it up to where I've had five of my author friends come and we all do a book signing at one store. And that went very, very well because there's, you know, how you people start getting in line and gathering around and they're like, what am I missing?

Yeah, that fomo, like fear of missing out.

Yeah.

And it builds a buzz. It's like, oh, something's happening over there. And that's curiosity. Right. And I love that, that you know, there are a lot of writers and authors that are shy or introverted. But you can, you don't have to do it your spy yourself. You can invite, you know, and plan to have other authors with you as well. And so I just, I just think it's such option, all of us, I think, to start locally. Right. I mean a lot of people is like, oh, I want to be a bestseller. I want to sell books all over. But what about starting in our local bookstores? Right.

Yes.

And doing it during this time where there's going to be a lot of traffic through there from you said Black Friday through the first week of January, it's like that's, you know, the prime time. And so I really recommend anyone listening, consider this. Try it, see what you think and take the advice from Susan. Go back and re. Listen and take notes if you want to and just really start starting in your local area and, and see, see what God will do as you take that step of faith. So any final thoughts or encouragement that you have today on holiday book signing events?

Okay, here's a few little book signing tips. So here's some things to remember to bring. So bring a couple of good pens. Okay. When you do the signing, you're supposed to sign on the title page of your book. Okay. Of course, personalize it with a little note or signature. Ask them who it is for. And then if it's a name, you're not sure how it's spelled, ask them to spell it for you so you don't spell it incorrectly. And have your bookmark. So then you're inserting your bookmark into your book. So my bookmark I have, and it has three of my books. Displayed for my Healthy living series. So that's just perfect because if they buy one in the book, they have that bookmark that tells them about the others. Remember to smile and then take pictures because you want those pictures posted right away on social media before you leave, while you're there, post before you're even gonna go that you're gonna be at this event. So then you have your followers to go ahead and. And I've had readers see it on my social media and they're like, I bought your book and I wanted to meet you, so I came here to meet you. And I'm just like, really? Okay.

Yeah.

So and then you also want to tag the bookstore on. On your social media posts. So then you, they, they see that you are promoting their bookstore. Right. So again, that will get you, you know, some more stars there for them to have even more of an incentive to be sure and carry your book through the whole year and bring some water because you might get thirsty. So those are some just little tips.

Yes. So great. And like the, the pictures that you take, you can repurpose those many times. You can put it on your website of you like signing a book and people around you. You know, there's so many ways you can use those things, but also to really honor the bookstore and like you said, tag them, bring your followers into the bookstore and so that they.

That it's a valuable thing to have you. Well, thank you so much for sharing all of this great content and just how to get started with a holiday book event like this. If people want to find out more about you or get connected with you and all that you do for authors, what's the best way for them to.

Do would be best for them to go to Christian publishers.net and again, that's Christian publishers.net and at the bottom of that page there is a guide that you can get and it goes over the 10 items that you need to put in your media kit. So that's like your one sheet front and back and all the things that you need to create the best one.

Yes. That is awesome. I love that. And we will definitely include that in the show notes as well. If you're listening to this, you can swipe up and check that out. But you know, Susan does so much for authors, so definitely connect with her. And thank you so much again for being here, Susan. We appreciate you.

Oh, thank you.

All right, thank you all for listening and we will see you next time. Bye Bye.

Thank you for listening to this episode of Kingdom Writers. We believe that you, as a Christian writer, have a specific role to play in the Kingdom of Heaven to impact lives for eternity.

And because of this, we choose to pour out our lives into encouraging writers like you to not only tell your stories, but to take the courageous step of self publishing your stories in books that will outlive you and leave behind a powerful legacy. This podcast is sponsored by by Christian Book Academy, where we help you give birth to your books. We invite you to join our community of Kingdom writers.