the woes of book marketing
Yesterday was a bit of a bomb. I took a table at the Gimli Craft and Trade Show in the nearby community of Gimli, Manitoba. The cost for having a table at this event was $50, plus they expected a donation for their silent auction. I foolishly donated a copy of Chocolatour ($30 value) not realizing that some of the vendors were only donating items worth $5.
At the Gimli Craft and Trade Show, September 21, 2013.
Between the hours of 10 am until 4 pm, I sat and stood behind my table, smiling at passersby, greeting everyone who looked my way, and happily explaining how tiny flowers on cacao trees become cocoa pods containing between 30-50 cocoa beans, which in turn are magically transformed into chocolate through a series of processes. I had a collection of 8.5 x 11 colour photos that illustrated the harvesting of the cacao, cleaning the pods, fermenting, drying, and roasting the cocoa beans, and turning them into beautiful and delectable chocolate. I raved about Roselen Chocolates and let my passion for the world of chocolate shine through.
Most of the passersby seemed interested in the information I shared. They were fascinated by the cocoa pod I brought home from Peru, and they were impressed with the information and photographs contained in my book. They were interested in where4 to find great chocolate. But I only sold two copies of Chocolatour, despite the fact that I had a door prize of fabulous chocolates from Constance Popp Chocolatier for a lucky book buyer.
I suspect September may be a bit early for folks to be buying Christmas presents, and so my thought that there would be sales to people who were interested in buying the book as a gift was misconstrued. I lost money on this marketing initiative, but hopefully, it will bring future sales, and people to the chocolate events I was promoting. These include the chocolate dinner at McNally Robinson booksellers Prairie Ink restaurant on November 2nd, the chocolate extravaganza evening at Rembrandt’s Bistro on February 6th, and the Chocolatour to Switzerland from March 29-April 8th with Journeys Travel Worldly Women Travel Club.
I’d thought that being next to the fudge booth would be to my advantage. But everyone seemed interested in getting free fudge samples. Not in spending $25 or $30 on a book. (I was offering a deal to anyone buying more than one copy.) The fudge vendor tried to make me feel better by saying that the Interlake crowd doesn’t like to read much.
Jimmy wouldn’t even look my way when I came home.
When I came home from the Gimli event, my computer/internet connection wasn’t working and my cat wouldn’t give me the time of day (first time I’ve come home where he didn’t even look my way.) But today has been a brighter day in all aspects of the word. The sun is shining, the cat’s back to his cuddly self, I sold a book to a visiting friend, and plans are falling into place for my Chocolatour to California beginning on Friday. So I’ve learned … we take the good with the bad.
Tell me about your marketing triumphs or woes. Have there been events that you wished you’d passed on? Or others that turned out to be winners for you when you had reluctantly agreed to participate?
Sorry to hear about that. Hope your next booth would be sell-out
Doreen,
I’m sorry to hear that you had such a negative experience with that trade show. You never know whether people will be in a buying mode in that sort of environment.
You’re so right, Sherryl! I think that often people come to trade shows to just “look.” They were buying small things like perogies, baking, or a piece of fudge. But I didn’t see them walking out with too many things that were over $5. Thanks again for your support as I’ve worked my way thru this journey.
Oh I hate days like that. It happens to the best of us but I love that you are looking towards better tomorrows. Good luck in California. Btw, I don’t see a link to the book – do you have one?
That’s so funny, Joanne. I’m so used to posting the link for the book that I actually forgot to include it in this post. I apologize for that! You can find all you’d ever like to know about Chocolatour at https://chocolatour.net. There are reviews on the “About” page and a radio interview on the main page. I hope you enjoy the adventure and that the book will appeal to you. Thanks again for your comment and support.
OK…so when my book was first published, I bought table space at the library event in Tampa. I packed 50 books and hoped I would have enough! After all, wasn’t the world waiting to read Confessions of A Corporate Slut (it’s about corporate wives, by the way). At the end of the day, I repacked 49 books in my roller suitcase. There was a lot of interest, but the fact was most of these library goers borrow, rather than buy books. On my way out, I stopped the event organizer and donated 5 books to the library because folks seemed interested. And it made my bag…and my mood… a little lighter 🙂
Right on, Jacquie! We’ve got to do what we can to put a positive spin on things. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Doreen,
I had a similar experience when I paid $45 for a table at a Castlegar fair on a 35 degree summer day, and the day after a fuel spill in the Slocan River. Not many people came (some roads were closed) and only a few friends supported me and bought a copy of “KIDS WHO GROW THEIR OWN FOOD, facts notes and helpful hints,” which I was launching.
The next weekend I launched in Nelson at the Co-op (they’re into organic health food and 100 mile diet etc.) and I sold a pile of books. Lesson learned. Selling books really is a crap shoot. But good things are happening with KIDS WHO GROW THEIR OWN FOOD now, which can be seen at http://www.annalma.ca
Thanks for sharing, Ann. It is indeed a crap shoot!
I feel for you – I really do. I have been in similar situations. There is so much more involved than just showing up isn’t there. Poor you! Better days ahead for sure Doreen. Life has a way of making us WAY more humble than we need to be.
A Christmas or Thanksgiving timetable may suit your book better.
Hi Lesley and thanks for your comment. It’s behind me now. I never dwell on the past. Just try to learn from it. Am definitely looking optimistically forward to Christmas, as I know that Chocolatour will make a great gift book for all the chocolate lovers of the world. Cheers!
Seems it wasn’t your day, Doreen.
When it comes to if a marketing activity of the kind you did will work out or not is a lottery. Depends completely on the audience. Too bad people who were not right for you turned up. Better luck next time.
Hi Doreen,Sorry to hear about your bad marketing experience. I had a similar thing happen when I went to a teachers’ conference. Since my book fit with the school history curriculum, I thought it would be a good place to market my books. The problem was that few of the teachers had access to budget to purchase books at the conference.I did a lot of seniors’ groups when my mother-in-law was still living. One thing about seniors; however, is that they are normally cutting back rather than buying more things. As a result, you may get an enthusiastic audience, but you are not likely to sell many books unless it is close to Christmas and people are buying gifts.
Thanks, Irene. I guess it really is hit-and-miss when it comes to predicting the outcome of a marketing initiative. At least it was only 20 minutes from my home and a minimal investment of time and funds. Cheers and best wishes in your own book marketing efforts.
You just never can tell with events. I did the same event two years in a row (this was several years ago). The first year, I sold something like 14 books, the second year, I think it was three. I had a similar experience to yours when I set up a table at my alma mater. I didn’t think my book was overpriced for students, and figured the topic would interest them (travel in Africa). Sold two. Gave away a lot of Werther’s candies, though.
Thanks for your comment, Laura, and for sharing your experiences with us.
Yes, I think marketing books at events is definitely a ‘crap shoot’ as someone else said. I guess it depends on the timing, who else is exhibiting, the audience, and the stars!
My wife is one of them weird types that begins planning for next Christmas the day after last Christmas.
I am still figuring out the whole marketing thing. There is always more to learn it seems.
Personally I’m not great at marketing but I know you are. It can be a crap shoot, but at least you’re getting your book out there. People will remember you.
Christmas sales really start after Thanksgiving so you’ve got a head start on things. And you can write off the costs of this marketing venture as a cost of doing business.
I was thinking it’s like being asked to quote on a project. You spend preparing the quote and getting details from the potential client to do that. Multiply the time by your hourly rate and then the client decides not to go ahead with the project. You invest X number of dollars into that. But maybe they remember you for their next project.
You know, of course, that self employment, or any business investment, doesn’t always work out to immediate payout but somewhere down the road someone will remember you if you keep your face out there, and I know you will. It’s a great book.
Thanks so much for the insightful comment, Suzanne. I can see why you make such a great teacher!
So sorry to hear that this was not successful for you. I think Jeri is right in that this was probably not the right venue for your book.
Looking forward to meeting you in person at Susan’s place!
There are times that I look at things that don’t work out the way the way they were originally envisioned. It is always easier to play Monday morning quarterback, rather than jumping into the game when it is being played. You had good conversations, shared your passion, and made some potential future sales. If losing a few dollars is the worst thing that happens, you are ahead of the game!
Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for that, Mark. I was just feeling sorry for myself. Today was a much better day.
Finding the right readers for a given book is always such a challenge. I can imagine a how-to book would have gone over better with a craft crowd. The research and breadth of your book would make it appealing to academic types as well as chocolate lovers. It might be interesting to see how it would appeal to wine lovers too.
Thanks for your insightful comment, Jeri. I think you’re quite right in that it was the wrong crowd. They weren’t that interested in high-end chocolate. They loved the free samples and would have been more interested in a book on how to make chocolate or cook with chocolate.
Aw, that is a bummer. I think we have all had things happen to us like that. I did laugh at the comment that the attendee weren’t much into reading. I think it just wasn’t a good time for what you were offering. See soon my friend.
Well I would like to buy this book! My daughter teaches at a school where the focus of the 2nd grade curriculum is chocolate! It would be a perfect present for her.
Well, thank you very much, Dorothy! You can purchase Chocolatour via http://Chocolatour.net. I’ll look forward to sending you the book. 🙂
I feel for you. I learned a few months after my first book was published that I can’t sustain an author event in an area where I didn’t live or work. Since then, I’ve learned to do multi-author in-person events, which reduces the risk of no one showing up. I’ve never had no one show up, but I did do an event at a senior center where not one senior bought a book.
Thanks for your comment, Gale, and for visiting the blog. I believe it’s your first visit, or at least your first comment that I recall.
Yes, I’ve had similar experiences with senior’s groups. I think they Like having the speakers come to visit, but for the most part, aren’t anxious to make a purchase. You’re usually lucky if you can sell 2-3 books at a senior’s event.
Well, I guess you can safely put that one behind you. Hopefully that will be your worst ever showing and you have nowhere to go but up from there!
You are a wealth of information, even bringing your chocolate pod from Peru to your table. You are such a generous and caring person, Doreen. I just know that one day soon you’ll be back on track in a very big way — where all the good you do comes back to you. Mark my words!
Thanks, Esther. It means a lot to me having you on my team!