Harlem, U.S.A. July 23rd, 2011 11:43 am
It is literally 100 degrees out there and I'm thinking why in the hell am I out here and not under an AC with a cold glass of lemonade? These books need to move.
Now the day before the fair I had to diffuse a crisis situation (with the help of my peoples of course). That morning along with Amore, one of my newest authors, and her publicist, China we were on the road in route to NYC.
When we finally arrived I couldn't ask for a better spot then the front of the book fair. We had a cooler full of water, a nice table set-up (courtesy of Amore) and we were ready.
Everybody that entered had to pass our table. I would say the first 30-45 minutes we were on fire. We got the bulk of our customers in the first couple of hours. The thing is 85 percent of the people who bought our books had to be enticed to come to our table. A general misconception is that you set up a table with books and smile and people will flock over. NOPE. I take pride in persuading a person to purchase my work. I don't have the recoginition yet of my peers (striving to get!)so I have to work harder to build a following.
2:39pm
By this time we've hit a dry patch and most of the people we see are "just browsing". Some of the responses to me:
"I only read female authors"
"I'm not buying anything today" (Then they come back pass our table with another book)
"I'll be right back"
"I'm making my first rounds"
My point is NO is alright to say. I can't possibly sell a book to every person. Some of the responses still were funny though.
3:58pm
My brother/marketing director/best friend/etc. is there now and he starts bringing people to the table and once someone is at the table there like a magnetic force that brings more people to the table. It basically started to pick back up.
For the final couple of hours our sales were staggered and we stayed right up until the last minute.
Overall I thought the fair was a good expirence. I first went in 2008 as an author and there were more authors and patrons that year and every year since then they both have declined. I'll continue to go as long as they have it. The great thing about going was I know what I was going for. I had a set goal and I hit it. I wanted to network with new people and put my brand out there. And if I can move some books in the process, I'm cool.
Sometimes it can be frustrating standing out there with the sun beaming down on you and customers passing you up but I'm thankful for the people who took a chance on me. Selling books is an artform that has to be praticed to perfection. You have to give that potential buyer a good reason to skip over someone to try you.
I met a few author's and saw some I haven't seen in a while. At the end of the day I was glad that one of my author's got the chance to go and expierence the book fair and we had a good time.
I even sold a few books when I got back home.
I couldn't ask for more.
-MQW
Side Note: I wish I could get my money back for that garbage Soul Food I had!!!!!!!!!
