I try to attend a few book events each year. Most of them
tend to be closer to the holidays when many people are looking for gifts.
Although many people buy digital copies of my book, I encounter a great number
of people who still enjoy the feel of a book in their hands. I also get to
personalize my message when I sign the books for them.
There are times when someone stops by just to see what I
have then later goes online to purchase the digital copy. If I hadn’t attended
those events, these individuals would probably not have heard about my stories.
Seeing digital sales go up after a book event makes me smile.
Being in person also helps me build my email list. I always
put out a pen and paper with lines where the reader can leave their email
address. This way, I’m only sending information to those who are interested in
learning about future releases or events.
However, I think my favorite part of in-person events is being
able to talk to readers about my stories. It’s one thing for them to read the
blurb on the back of the book, but it’s a cool experience being able to express
what it is that inspired me to write each story. They are able to ask questions,
and I can find out what they want in a book which helps me point them toward
the best match.
Having return customers is pretty neat too. They tend to
tell me how much they enjoyed my story and ask me which they should purchase
next. A few readers have already purchased copies of each book in my inventory,
so this drives me to release the next book before the next year’s events.
However, due to life’s hiccups, that doesn’t always happen. Nevertheless, my
faithful readers understand and wait eagerly for the next book.
So, why do I continue to do book events? I’ve built
relationships over the years.
