Goodbye to the West Hollywood Fair for 2007!
This is a rundown and thank you to all those who participated and for those who want to know more about how the booth went.
I thought the fair was well-trafficked, well-promoted and well-planned. I don't know how many of you saw the guide/map they put out but they did a very good job with it. It is also the only fair I know of that lists all the signers in each individual booth on their website.
A special thanks to Janet Goliger. In Joyce's absence she was up at 5 am, at the fair with me at 6 (it was still dark) installing book shelves, lighting and hanging signs. She and Carol Amato stayed with me until we had broken down as well. I don't know what I would have done without them.
Also, special thanks to our three volunteers, Alexa Gregorian, Rita Gabrielyan and her friend. They handed out free CDs (many Authors' Coalition members are featured on that CD!) and took books around to talk them up. That was excellent practice in meeting people and saleswomanship for these youngsters. I am guessing that we gave away about 300 of the CDs.
The free book with purchase that we do in most of our booths is always a good perk for fair-goers. We gave away about 40 books throughout the day so that indicates a pretty decent one-day fair. It may be that more books than than were sold for sometimes some of us forgot to give away the free book when people purchased on of ours.
Keep in mind that book fairs have to be mostly about a chance to reach out to readers who are already on our lists, a chance to contact media so they know we are still alive and kicking (even if they don't show up!). One of our signers, Christine Alexanians, was very nearly successful in getting some coverage in an Armenian newspaper. It didn't quite work but next time she contacts them, they may remember her. One of our signers was an absentee. The volunteers helps pass out his cards and magnets and wore his T-shirt around the fair--not bad considering his book is political and this fair was definitely frequented by many with liberal view points.
Please review this blog for ways to apply the successes of this booth to others you may choose to participate in. Most do not provide the value-added promotions, but that won't keep you from doing it for yourself.
Our next Authors' Coalition booth/theater/extravaganza is at Veteran's Week in Branson, MO. This one is being planned and worked by AC directors Pat McGrath Avery and Joyce Faulkner. It will include the video/slide show that many Authors' Coalition members participated in. It will be shown on two giant screens in a theater that attracts many thousands of military people and veterans; the booth is in association with the Military Writers Society of America so it should also attract many writers.
Now things have quieted down, I hope you'll all review the Authors' Coalition welcome letter that comes with your membership. If you haven't already done it, you can have a review of your book(s) posted, your book can be in our bookstore with a link directly to Amazon. You can upgrade your membership to receive other perks including f r e e books on writing and more.
If you aren't receiving your associated newsletters (we want you to be the best educated published authors ever!), let us know. They are Sharing with Writers, Fiction Flier, Salute! (military people who writers who write about the military), Inkspotter, Yarnspinners and Wordweavers and QueenPower (for women seeking empowerment). The editors of each of these newsletters makes every effort to include AC members in their pages. That includes your articles, news of your releases, your fiction and your poetry. Check out the Authors' Coalition site.
And thank to our sponsores, Red Engine Press and WebforAuthors.
Best to all of you and, again, thank you!
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Founder, Authors' Coalition
www.howtodoitfrugally.com where you'll find hundreds of resource for writers.
Showing posts with label red engine press. Show all posts
Showing posts with label red engine press. Show all posts
Monday, October 8, 2007
Thursday, August 23, 2007
West Hollywood Logos/Superbanners/Blurbs Available Plus a Tip!!
Yeah for tips!! But I'm coming to that.
As those of you have participated (signed, displayed or been a part of our catalogue, CD or video/slideshow program) know, Authors' Coalition provides training in book promotion and booth management. Both here on this blog and in person. Sometimes we even pass ideas on from very sharp fair coordinators or program directors as you see below in a letter I sent out to our West Hollywood Book Fair group. And, yes, it seems a small thing, but small things add up. Here it is:
Dear Authors' Coalition Booth Participants:
Below you will find a letter from Roz Helfand, the West Hollywood Book Fair coordinator, along with the attached fair logo, a superbanner and blurb. She encourages you to make anything you use on your website clickable to the fair site. I'm glad she reminded me to remind you.
I also understand that booth numbers will not be assigned. I am not going to worry about this. We have a double booth and it will be lighted as AC Booths always are when electricity is available. This fair committee does a wonderful job with their programs/guides. Visitors will have no trouble finding us if you mention that you will be in the Authors' Coalition/Red Engine Press booth.
Best,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
As those of you have participated (signed, displayed or been a part of our catalogue, CD or video/slideshow program) know, Authors' Coalition provides training in book promotion and booth management. Both here on this blog and in person. Sometimes we even pass ideas on from very sharp fair coordinators or program directors as you see below in a letter I sent out to our West Hollywood Book Fair group. And, yes, it seems a small thing, but small things add up. Here it is:
Dear Authors' Coalition Booth Participants:
Below you will find a letter from Roz Helfand, the West Hollywood Book Fair coordinator, along with the attached fair logo, a superbanner and blurb. She encourages you to make anything you use on your website clickable to the fair site. I'm glad she reminded me to remind you.
I also understand that booth numbers will not be assigned. I am not going to worry about this. We have a double booth and it will be lighted as AC Booths always are when electricity is available. This fair committee does a wonderful job with their programs/guides. Visitors will have no trouble finding us if you mention that you will be in the Authors' Coalition/Red Engine Press booth.
Best,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Come Sign and Cross-Promote in West Hollywood
Dear Authors' Coalition Members and Future AC Members:
It is time to sign up for a signing spot for the West Hollywood Book Fair on Sunday, September 30, 2007. Some of you may already be set to display at the fair because you qualified for that when you chose to participate in both the catalog and the CD program at the LA Times Festival of Books in April. If you wish to sign as well, there will be an additional charge. This is what the guidelines said on that when I put out the call last year.
"This year we are combining the offer with an opportunity to also exhibit at the West Hollywood Book Fair in September of 2007 Frequency, after all, is the golden guideline for great promotion.
"This year you can have your book displayed F R^ E ^E. by participating in other value-added promotions (both the CD effort and the Catalog) associated with the fair."
So, for those who want to sign in West Hollywood on Sept. 30 (a one day fair only), this is what you need to do.
1. Contact Pat Avery and determine with her how you would like to pay (Paypal or check.) Pat is a director of Authors' Coalition. Contact me at HoJoNews@aol.com for directions on how to reach her.
2. Participation will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. There are only 12 signing spots. Several of you have already told me you would like to sign.
3. Signing segments are for one hour (realistically 50 minutes to allow set up and break-down time). There will be two authors at the signing table at once. The cost is $80 for one hour if you are NOT an AC member (and that includes a silver membership) or $60 for an hour if you are already a member (all those who participated in the last booth are members).
4. All those who sign for this fair will get display space as per the LA Times booth at no charge.
5. The slide show that many of you participated in for the LA Times fair will be shown in this booth at no additional charge. Many of you also participated in CDs. We will distribute more of those as well, also at no extra charge.
6. Any unsold signing spaces will be offered to authors outside Authors' Coalition on July 1, 2007.
7. All signing authors and those who display are not encouraged but actually expected to promote. This is why our booths work better than others and better than going it alone. It is called cross-promotion. We will consider that if you participate in our AC/RedEnginePress booth, you will send out media releases, invite Southern California booksellers and librarians and utilize your personal list of anyone you know who lives anywhere from the Mexican border to San Francisco to the fair. Why such a large area? Because you might be surprised who comes and even if your contacts don't come, it gives you one more valid reason to contact them. In promotion and branding, frequency counts and your being an active author is good branding.
7. After the unfortunate malfunction of our blog during the last fair, we will have one that works for sharing ideas this time. This is it! Please feel free to share ideas and learn, members of AC or not, participants in our booths or not.
If you have questions regarding this e-mail, please post here and I will answer. We will all benefit from having all questions public--yes, even when I boo-boo. Part of the value of working with Authors' Coalition and this booth is what we learn from one another, both our mistakes and our successes. (-:
Directors of Authors' Coalition are Pat McGrath Avery and Joyce Faulkner.
Very best,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Founder Authors Coalition
www.HowToDoItFrugally.com
It is time to sign up for a signing spot for the West Hollywood Book Fair on Sunday, September 30, 2007. Some of you may already be set to display at the fair because you qualified for that when you chose to participate in both the catalog and the CD program at the LA Times Festival of Books in April. If you wish to sign as well, there will be an additional charge. This is what the guidelines said on that when I put out the call last year.
"This year we are combining the offer with an opportunity to also exhibit at the West Hollywood Book Fair in September of 2007 Frequency, after all, is the golden guideline for great promotion.
"This year you can have your book displayed F R^ E ^E. by participating in other value-added promotions (both the CD effort and the Catalog) associated with the fair."
So, for those who want to sign in West Hollywood on Sept. 30 (a one day fair only), this is what you need to do.
1. Contact Pat Avery and determine with her how you would like to pay (Paypal or check.) Pat is a director of Authors' Coalition. Contact me at HoJoNews@aol.com for directions on how to reach her.
2. Participation will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. There are only 12 signing spots. Several of you have already told me you would like to sign.
3. Signing segments are for one hour (realistically 50 minutes to allow set up and break-down time). There will be two authors at the signing table at once. The cost is $80 for one hour if you are NOT an AC member (and that includes a silver membership) or $60 for an hour if you are already a member (all those who participated in the last booth are members).
4. All those who sign for this fair will get display space as per the LA Times booth at no charge.
5. The slide show that many of you participated in for the LA Times fair will be shown in this booth at no additional charge. Many of you also participated in CDs. We will distribute more of those as well, also at no extra charge.
6. Any unsold signing spaces will be offered to authors outside Authors' Coalition on July 1, 2007.
7. All signing authors and those who display are not encouraged but actually expected to promote. This is why our booths work better than others and better than going it alone. It is called cross-promotion. We will consider that if you participate in our AC/RedEnginePress booth, you will send out media releases, invite Southern California booksellers and librarians and utilize your personal list of anyone you know who lives anywhere from the Mexican border to San Francisco to the fair. Why such a large area? Because you might be surprised who comes and even if your contacts don't come, it gives you one more valid reason to contact them. In promotion and branding, frequency counts and your being an active author is good branding.
7. After the unfortunate malfunction of our blog during the last fair, we will have one that works for sharing ideas this time. This is it! Please feel free to share ideas and learn, members of AC or not, participants in our booths or not.
If you have questions regarding this e-mail, please post here and I will answer. We will all benefit from having all questions public--yes, even when I boo-boo. Part of the value of working with Authors' Coalition and this booth is what we learn from one another, both our mistakes and our successes. (-:
Directors of Authors' Coalition are Pat McGrath Avery and Joyce Faulkner.
Very best,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Founder Authors Coalition
www.HowToDoItFrugally.com
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