Marketing Tip - Displaying Marketably

A few months ago I read a book called Working The Table by Jeffrey Cook and Lee French. There were a number of things in the book that I believe are more commonsense than anything such as making sure banners are visible and having enough of your product to sell but there were so many nuances that I have found helpful and over time have begun to incorporate or modify to my personal style.

One of the big ones is that you want to appear as though you are prepared to sell a large number of your products. When I first started I would only set out a couple copies of my book because I didn't want to look silly having dozens of books just waiting for a buyer. It was the wrong way to look at it though. Instead of telling people I only have a few left some come grab yours before they are gone it communicated that I wasn't confident in my ability to sell many from the start. The last couple shows I have done I put out a much larger number of my books on the table and managed to sell more as well. People see that I am prepared and psychologically it tells them there must be a reason I am so sure I can make the sale.

Another is making sure that people know who you are. If you have a banner or a sign that goes with your table than you would know how important it is for people to be able to see it. However it is even more important to simply have that kind of information available. I do not currently have a banner or a sign even though I know exactly what I want it to look like. It is not something I know how to make and have not found anyone that can help me yet so I am tinkering with online services to get a feel for graphic design. While attending the Vegas Valley Book Festival I had a woman come to the table with her daughter. She looked over my books and asked if I was the author. When I told her I was she mentioned how much easier it would be to know who I am if I were to put a sign up or have a banner for the front of my table.

I am hoping to have the sign made within the next month or two as finances allow. I am also working to create other marketing materials that will all flow together with color and design. When I put up my materials I do my best to make sure everything is visible and easily accessible without overwhelming the table. I want people to feel welcome and interested instead of like a high pressure sales situation. I continue to read and learn with every new experience so here is hoping that in 2017 I will be able to make an even greater impact with my materials and display.