Well, yesterday was the Collingswood Book Festival. It was my second such event, so I had a better understanding on what to expect going into it. However, unlike with IABX, there was a lot more to set up, and the event was much further away from home. Altogether, it was a rather exhausting day, both physically and socially, but I'd say it was a complete success.
With what I learned from last time, I think I came into the day on a much higher note. It also helped that I was off from work for the two weeks prior. I greeted pretty much everyone that so much as looked my way. Not as many takers coming into the tent, but it was nice to feel a bit more outgoing than usual.
As you can see, I still kept the main display from IABX, where all my books were available. The books in front of the banner were my sort of "Main Attraction" items, where I'd gush about them rather than turning to the main rack. That was something I learned from IABX, and I think it helped drive some of the sales. And people still went to the main rack for browsing. I got quite a lot of sales off of there.
The travel mug off to the side was full of some nice caffeine. The 5:30AM wakeup call to get down there in time for setup made it a requirement. There was a Wawa right around the corner which supplied the caffeine and a breakfast sandwich. Both were quite helpful to get my game face on. And the human bait bowl had the Hershey's Kisses I thought about using last time. Many more takers on that than the M&M's.
I got a few benefits off some of the tricks that I've picked up along the way. I had a stock of bags tucked away beneath the table, and quite a few takers on those. I even noticed someone walking past with a bunch of books that I offered a bag to... and asked if I could interest him in a book while he was there. He didn't bite, but I'm sure it will work at some point. Unfortunately, I forgot to slip my card into the bag, all sneaky like, but that was near the end of the day when my brain was already melting. I also got a third sale off my "Buy 3 Books for $40" discount, which was nice.
The big winners were The Awakening, The Prophecy, No One Can Hear You Travel, and Demons Force, which made up more than half my sales. It was nice to see The Prophecy shine, as I feel it doesn't quite get the spotlight it deserves. I also had a few people interested in Mountain Princess, who opted not to buy at the event. Hopefully, they'll remember me and pick it up online, whether a physical copy or an ebook.
All in all, it was a good day. Just a bit exhausting. But I've recovered and am ready to get back out there. Unfortunately, we don't have any more events planned for this year. I'll be looking to do more events next year, including some Pride events. With a better understanding on what to look for, I'll be able to queue up a better set for next year. I hope you're all looking forward to it, because I know I'm not. :)
And, yes, I know the banner is crooked.
