I thought you’d like to see my effort at a book stall the other day – the Christmas Fair at our village hall.

It was my first real public appearance, so I had to put most of the promotional material together.  I keep thinking about those pop-up (or roller) banners, and each time I think of an opportunity to use them, I realise I should invest in them.  Something at the top of my list now, I think – along with a proper promotional plan for each book/series for next year.

book stall christmas fair

This was my prep list for the event:

  • Princelings books
  • Princelings leaflets (updates with stickers)
  • Princelings bookmarks
  • BookElves books
  • BookElves 2 Proof copy and order forms
  • White Water Landing books
  • Perihelix flyer
  • Perihelix A4 poster
  • Price list
  • receipt book
  • display holders
  • tablecloth
  • tinsel
  • book for notes
  • at least 2 pens
  • float

The first thing I noted for next time was to take a small number of bags, but everyone had their own, or had one from another stall.  The note book was useful, just to record things generally, like I tallied book sales as well as writing receipts (most of whom didn’t want them, but I like to have the record just in case the tax people get it into their minds to check on me some day – as they have before, when I did consultancy work).

Many people took bookmarks and the leaflet (which shows the Trilogy in its old covers, printed at least two, if not three years ago).  Many other people took a Perihelix flyer, which was headed ‘Coming soon’ and had the cover plus a draft blurb.  It’s very good practice for the final blurb, writing these ones.  One person took an order form for BookElves Anthology 2 – my stock arrived the Tuesday after the event, and I was prepared to deliver them to anyone local who ordered, but those interested said they’d order on Amazon.

I love talking about my books and of course I can talk about them for ages to anyone who’ll listen.  If I can get someone talking about Princelings I can develop and gear it to their interest, but I still find it very difficult to describe the series in a nutshell – I got a better approach by telling them the first involves a time tunnel, then the others follow the consequences of that, with lots of mystery and adventure!  I find it very easy to talk to people about my father’s memoir, as a history, or about flying or about family, it can engage people on many levels.

I sold eleven books on the day: two White Water Landings, three BookElves, and one set of the Princelings, all of which I was very pleased with!

It makes me think about how many copies of the books to keep in stock, bearing in mind that delivery times from Createspace to the UK are in months, not days.  On the other hand, when will I next have the need to have physical copies?  Back to planning….

A Christmas Fair

4 thoughts on “A Christmas Fair

    • 23 November, 2015 at 10:47 pm
      Permalink

      Thanks, Patricia. I think the patterned cloth made it too ‘busy’ for anything but a Christmas Fair. Must find a suitable plain one to help the books stand out!

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