EDIT: This event was cancelled in its second year by the organisers and no longer exists.

This weekend is the INSPIRE! Toronto International Book Fair. It’s set to be Canada’s premier book event. I’m featuring Growing A Rainbow in my first experience as a book vendor. How did I prepare for a book fair? With lots of organization!

I’m very excited to attend this inaugural event, especially as an independent author-publisher. It’s been an interesting challenge finding the right budget for my ideal promotional ideas. It’s all about money, right?

Before I live out my dream of selling out of books and changing everyone’s understanding of premature birth, I had to do the nuts and bolts of preparation. The staff at INSPIRE!  have been great with their reminders and communications (hats off to you Maddy and Jesse). Vendors need to consider load in/out days, parking passes, purchasing electrical access, purchasing internet access, booth decor and flooring. You, and anyone selling with you, need accredited exhibitor badges, usually pre-arranged.

I partnered with Publisher-PS and purchased a larger booth, 5 x 10 foot. The smallest “booth” is a 4 foot wide table in The Hub. I wouldn’t have been able to afford that I my own (well, not without working a lot of hours at the hospital). We’re creating an atmosphere of relaxing conversation, with carpeting (quick zip to IKEA during a rug sale), furniture and and an incubator. What?? Yep, I have a mock incubator to hold my lucky draw entries. An on-site draw is a great way to collect email addresses for my newsletter (NOTE: when you create your entry slips, you have to give an opt-in option for newsletter email or any other marketing).

After my two recent conferences, I beefed up my stock of printed inventory: business cards and postcards. Two-sided postcards with excerpts are an inexpensive way for authors to showcase their work and display advertising information. Bookmarks are an inexpensive alternative. I measure my return on investment (ROI) from the number of people who enter my book’s landing page or my websites directly into their browser (those reports provided by the good people at Shopify).

Social media promotion is a key component of how to prepare for a book fair. Be an early adopter of the event’s hashtags. Promote their giveaways and pre-event notifications. Connect with other vendors and attendees. Talk about yourself, but don’t spam the internet feed for the event. If you’re not sure how to manage multiple social media accounts, consider hiring a social media manager. Always look for visual ways to do your promotion.

Another way to prepare for a book fair is to host your own giveaway. I combined a pair of general admission tickets with my book. The giveaway encouraged entrants to connect with me on social media, sign up for my newsletters, tweet about me and my giveaway, and connect with my partnered charity The Canadian Premature Babies Foundation. I’m really pleased with the responses I received, and the outcome. I used Rafflecopter to host the giveaway and select the winner.

If you’ve never hosted a big event before, there are some practical things you need to consider as you prepare for a book fair. Who is going to man your booth when you’re going the the toilet or having lunch? Do you have a table and coverings? Make sure you have help to carry, set-up and take-down if you need it. Will you have signage provided by the event or do you need to make your own? Bring everything you think you’ll need to maintain your space: tape, staple gun & staples, wire or string for hanging signs, something to clean the space in the event of spillage from an attendee, and so on. Be sure you’re ready to handle financial transactions in both cash and credit. If you only sell eBooks, consider having a computer with internet access handy for customers who are impulse buyers.

Get ready to network! Sorry, introverts, you have to take a big step outside your comfort zone. Introduce yourself to everyone. Have your 30 second synopsis and hook ready. That’s especially true at an event with hundreds of other similar products. Tell attendees how you stand out and why your book should be in their bag. At the fair, make as many connections as you can. This means you have to leave your spot from time to time! It’s a good thing you arranged to have staff. Be as interested in other people’s projects as your own.

As you prepare for a book fair, whether it’s large or small, remember to look after yourself, too. No one can buy a book from you if you’ve passed out from hypoglycemia or dehydration.  Know what’s in the area for any vendor or personal emergencies you might encounter.

Although I’m familiar with putting together larger events, and doing presentations at fairs and conventions, this is the first time I’m acting as the vendor. The logistics weren’t difficult to manage, but I’ve seen where I could tighten it up a little bit. Getting a better description of my name and product into the vendor listing is an example! The listing is “Booth #1425: Lesley Donaldson-Reid, realwomendrivestick.com” with no mention of my company name (Aquhorthies Publishing) or book title. Oops! However, I’m not deterred. I’m going to put on my big smile, show off pictures of my tiny fighter, and plug my book up the ying yang.

I’ll let you know how it turns out!