Before I went on vacation, I attended Black Writers Weekend (BWW). The event itself was okay, but what made it worthwhile for me was my conversations with the vendors. We talked about so much more than books; the historical conversations were like a glass of cold water on a hot day. I love basking in the brilliance of people.
But not all conversations were positive.
I noticed many first-time vendors were not happy. Considering the cost and the traveling many did to get to Atlanta, they expected a much bigger turnout, and many people left feeling some kind of way.
I didn’t have to travel far or stay at a hotel, but I understood their frustrations and empathized with the lack of focus on the marketplace. Some people who opted to have books shipped found their books didn’t arrive on time!
But this is not about what BWW did right or wrong.
This is about what authors should expect from vending at events; unfortunately, making a profit is not one of them.
Depending on what an author pays for a table, the cost of books, travel, and board, the chances of making that money back are slim.
Can you make good sales from vending? Certainly, but vending is more about networking than it is about sales. Vending at large events also does not mean large sales.
Finally got to meet the amazing writer and historian William Spivey!
Authors choosing to pay for vending should consider the cost of the table, any books or merch they’d need to purchase, travel, and board.
Will you have to book a flight or drive?
Will you be staying at a hotel?
How many books do you need to purchase in advance?
How much is this going to cost with the vending fee?
What is included in the fee? Do you get a table and chairs or will you have to bring your own? (Yes, some event hosts require you to bring your own table. I don’t vend at those events.)
Thank you beautiful!
While self-publishing my books since 2010, I was not always a full-time author. My background is in Medical Assistance and teaching. When I decided to go full force into this author thing (2017), I did a lot of vending and events. It was a lot of fun, but I rarely vend anymore because a) it is not always financially feasible, and b) I am at the point now where I prefer to get paid to speak or capture content.
When I vend, it is because the event has an element that aligns with my brand or belief system and will allow me to build my network. When I published Black History Facts You Didn’t Learn in School, I knew I would attend Black Writers Weekend because the crowd is full of people interested in my type of content.
Vending at events of any size can benefit authors at any stage of the process. I would primarily recommend vending to new authors and authors who want to get their names out there and connect with other writers and literary professionals.
For authors looking to sell books, I recommend vending at smaller events that align with your brand and that focus on books, such as book festivals. As I joked about before, it’s much more challenging to sell someone a book standing next to the Shea Butter lady. Definitely do not overlook smaller gatherings. They tend to have a better vibe than the popular ones.
For seasoned authors or those ready to advance, I recommend hosting your own book signings, events, and workshops or requesting to be a guest speaker at an event instead of vending.
High achieving authors (Indie, Trad, or otherwise) tend to fall into a few categories:
They publish high-quality books (well-edited, dope cover art, and well-formatted, to name a few).
They collaborate with other authors and business people.
They use their book to create additional income streams through businesses and services.
Today, I want to focus on that last one, although all these are important.
No matter the route, book publishing is hard work, and most of the work happens after the book is written and published. Most of us find ourselves saying, “Dang, now what?”
Depending on what your book is about, there are so many creative things you can do to leverage your self-publishing career.
Here are a few things I do based on the kinds of books I write:
From writing black historical fiction, I lecture at schools.
and so on…
Some authors even have high-ticket courses based on the chapters in their books. Podcasts and workshops based on the book are also ways people leverage their books.
The key point is to look at the book not as the end but as the beginning. Let it (the book) stretch you to new heights!
First, you want to determine how much the event host will charge you to be a vendor and what that fee entails. My requirement to vend at any event is that the fee includes a table and two chairs. Some businesses demand that you supply your own table and chairs. That feels like renting space with no space to me, but everyone’s different.
Whatever you decide, ensure the cost is reasonable and within your budget. So, if you have to bring a table (which you’ll probably have to buy), the vending fee should not cost an arm and a leg.
There is an exception to high ticket vending costs based on the influence of the event. See bullet point #3.
2. Travel / Lodging
This is a must if you decide to vend at a location outside the city/state where you live. This means the cost of vending takes on a more significant role because now you will have to consider: the cost of vending + travel + hotel.
This is where you should keep in mind that you are a business, not just an author, and that choosing to sell your goods at events is a business decision. Take into account the event’s quality if you must travel and do other things.
3. Consider the Influence of the Event Host / Audience
We talked about this last time, but I want to discuss it from a different angle.
Events that offer a chance for people to become vendors come in all shapes and sizes. Some events are hosted by first-time event hosts, and some by larger influencers and celebrities. Both are wonderful growth opportunities.
When deciding where to put your money, consider whether there will be a sizable enough crowd for you to conduct business outside of the vendors. The one con to vending at an event that can only produce a crowd within the vendors is that it will be difficult to conduct any commerce because we are all there for the same reason.
Vending is also about connecting with powerful influencers who could help propel you to the next level. In this case, the cost to vend might be pricey, but the event’s influence makes up for it because of the people and powerful connections you can make. (Think Essence Fest and Invest Fest)
Excited supporter!
While vending at Black Writer’s Weekend last year was a bit costly, here are some things that made me decide to give it a try:
BWW and its founder Tamika Newhouse are pretty well-known in Atlanta. I knew the event would bring out a large enough crowd for me to engage people beyond the vendors, and it did. I made my vending fee back.
Included my mandatory table and chairs.
I did not need to travel far since I am in the Atlanta area, so no funds were needed for hotel or travel.
4. Engagement and ROI
If you are just going to sit behind your table looking mean, scrolling through your phone, and waiting for people to talk to you, vending might not be for you. If you intend to make a return on your investment, you will have to engage with people.
Here are some things that have been helpful for me.
Stand up and stay off the phone during high-traffic moments.
Bring a helper/assistant (hence the two chairs I always require when I vend) so you can leave your table now and again to talk to the other vendors and guests, take bathroom breaks, etc. My helper is my husband, who is fully trained (lol) on how to talk about my books in my absence. However, I am never too far away from my table.
Try not to look bored and mad (even if you are). Smile and speak. I always give people an excited “Good Morning!” or “Good Afternoon!” You’d be surprised by the people who will stop at your table just from you being friendly and pleasant. I also take note of certain non-verbal clues that people might be interested. Staring at my station but not speaking, walking away but turning for another look, studying my banner (because, how do you pronounce this name?) are all signs I use to engage people further.
I sold these two books from calling them over when I saw them do a double take!
5. Inventory
Last but certainly not least is your inventory!
Do you have enough books to go?
Business cards and bookmarks?
Marketing materials?
Give yourself enough time to get all your tools together before the event and include that in the cost! Remember, as Indie Authors, we have to buy author copies.
Bonus: New Lessons
In part one, I joked that authors should vend at events focusing on books to avoid competing with the lady selling shea butter.
Well, I did meet a lady selling Shea Butter!
And her table was right next to mine, she also has locs, and wears glasses.
I learned a new lesson:
Of everyone at the pop-up, I was the only one with books. This set me apart and made people feel like I was the bookstore part of the event. And I did pretty well!
Even if it’s not an event focusing on books, you can do well as the only person with books or one of a few.
The Shea Butter woman’s name is Jenesis, and she runs an alternative and holistic health service business called Root’d Spa with various wellness products.
She bought a copy of my book, and I bought a bracelet from her! We are now following each other on social media.
Shea Butter Lady Jenesis!
Recap:
Consider not just the fee but also: vending fee + travel + lodging + inventory
Be ready to work
Bring a helper/assistant
Speak up and be kind
Consider the event influence for high-ticket vending opportunities
Always be on the lookout for new lessons and perspectives. You might just find your next business partner!
I’ve been vending at events since 2018 when the owner of A Cappella Books refused to stock my self-published book and instead told me to get my name out there. He explained how hard it would be for me to sell my book in-store when no one knew who I was.
I wasn’t offended but encouraged, and I have since attended many events as a vendor to put myself out there. From his advice, I have also since been stocked in four stores in the Georgia area (Marietta, Morrow, Atlanta).
There is a message in this to revisit later, but for now, let’s talk about author vending.
Atlanta Decatur Book Festival
For independent authors, taking part in an event as a vendor can be lucrative (and I don’t just mean this financially). Utilizing the platform of another person will help you promote your books and business to a wider audience.
However, if we are not careful, it can also be an overly expensive and frustrating experience.
In this series, I share some of my experiences as an author vendor and some things to watch out for. In part one, I want to talk about the importance of the audience.
Audience
Author vending is not just about making money. It is also an opportunity to get in the room and build with others of like mind. But the ability to sell your books or services is still crucial.
You will have a harder time selling books if the event has little to nothing to do with books or your industry.
If you are vending at a conference or organization that is not conducive to people being able to walk around and network, this can also hinder you from making sales.
For example, in 2019, I attended MogulCon as a vendor. The event was nice but not a good place for author vendors. The tables were small, and the space was narrow. It was fitting for a business-type conference but not for my books, author swag, and large banner.
This was awkward. I didn’t know the set-up was going to be this way. I didn’t do my homework.
MogulCon was okay, but from an author vending perspective, it was a waste of money.
If I had known, I could have made it work by leaving the banner at home and bringing a briefcase instead.
Do Your Homework
When deciding to vend, understand what kind of event it is and the audience you will serve. Also, consider what kind of crowd you are looking at. You want to make sure there are enough people to network with and possibly make some money (or at least make your vending fee back.) And because the organization will likely not tell you your business isn’t a good fit, this is homework you will have to do yourself.
Crowd size is included in this. Does the event even have enough attendees for you to make a pitch, or is the host merely looking to maximize their profit from the few vendors they are able to bring in?
This is good practice for speaking engagements as well. Once, I was asked to speak at an event and prepared what I would say. But when I showed up, there were a lot of children. The host had not mentioned it was family-themed, and I had not intended to speak to kids. It could have been better organized, but I could have also done my homework on the host.
Events where you can engage with people are a plus!
So what kind of event is fitting for authors?
It depends on what your goal is for attending said event, but I believe that book festivals and conferences—that focus on books and literature—are the best because you won’t have to compete with the lady over there selling shea butter.
You can also target events that center around the theme of your book. Although many businesses were vending at the poetry life fest, it was appropriate for me to go because I write poetry. And to be true to my brand, I exclusively highlighted my poetry books. I only brought the books that were on topic.
Unlike MogulCon, the Poet Life Fest was best suited for my brand. My girl here is even matching the banner, ha!
Nowadays, there are a lot of requests for vendors because the income from the vending fee helps the organization pay for other expenses. When signing up, be strategic and intentional about who you work with.
It’s about being discerning and allowing that spiritual compass to lead you to the places you are ordained to be.
In part two, we’ll discuss the financial side of author vending and how to decide whether it’s worthwhile because the fees can be very expensive.
I enjoy networking with readers, other authors and business people present at conferences and festivals. One of the many ways I have access to these opportunities is through vending. Today, I would like to share a few of the pros and cons of author vending.
What is author vending?
To put it simply, author vending is when authors partner with an organization to reserve a space where they can sell their books/services/products, usually at a book festival or conference. Vending is not new and is something other businesses do all the time. The benefits of vending are numerous but there can also be some challenges for Independent Authors. As usual, I base this on my own experience which may very well differ from other authors.
Con: Financial Risk
“Consider the benefits and risks to your business when deciding to exhibit your product or service. These will be different for each event. Choosing the wrong trade show to exhibit your business’s products or services can result in displaying to the wrong audience. Poor promotion can mean the costs of attending the trade show outweigh any revenue you gain.” – Business Queensland
When you are a vendor, it means you have paid to reserve a table at an event where you will sell your books/products/services. Sometimes these costs can be very expensive. The authors must be careful not to “overpay to play.” I’ve seen tables costs as much as $600. This money could easily go toward good editing or the publishing of another book entirely. Authors should consider that not only will they reserve a table, but they will also buy books and author swag for the table and travel to the event. Before saying yes to vending, consider the financial benefits and potential challenges. Ask:
Do I have enough funds to cover books, attendance, display and other associated costs
Have I worked out how many prospects and readers I will need to obtain to generate a return on my investment
Have I researched/visited/asked questions about the event at which I am contemplating exhibiting and am I confident that a suitable number of people will attend
Have I worked out a way to capture people’s attention (*This is important. I see a lot of authors at expos looking down at their phones or just looking bored. They sit at the table for the entire time and rarely communicate with the people walking by. Then, at the conclusion, these same authors are upset because they sold no books. The people are not just going to come to you. Chances are you are not famous and no one owes you a thing. Stop being lazy, get up, and represent yourself.
Any author who wishes to be a vendor must be sure to research the event, understand what is included in the package, and know what they are looking to gain from the experience. If the goal is only to sell books, the author(s) should consider hosting something at their local library where the table is free or collaborating with other authors to cover the price of the table.
The primary purpose of vending (as I have found it) is the chance to network and get your name out there. It is a discoverability strategy, not neccessarily a profitability one (except if you have a large platform already). While an author can sell books, how many books are sold depends on the strength of that author’s network. More on that on the next con point.
Pro: Networking Opportunity
“Face-to-face communication builds the most memorable brand awareness. Last year our expos had hundreds of people walk through the door. Expos centralize a local audience that will be most receptive and ready to learn. This might be a rare occurrence for your industry depending on where you are geographically. You’ll have an opportunity to connect with new people and reconnect with those already invested in your brand.” – Peter O’Donnell, 4 Key Benefits of Becoming a Vendor
One of the major benefits of being an author vendor is the chance to network with individuals you probably would not have met or had the chance to speak with before. It is a chance to get your name out there in the public and expose your brand to people face-to-face. Last year, I spoke with the owner of Acapella Books in Atlanta when I was shopping my books around bookstores. First, he denied stocking my book, but he told me why and while it hurt my ego, I had to listen to sound advice:
“Your book will only get lost among the hundreds of celebrity authors’ books in the store. The best thing you can do right now is to get your name out there. Are you attending the Decatur Book Festival?”
I told him I was. I wasn’t a vendor, but I would be in attendance. He said good and to start there. He told me to “focus on building your platform and getting your name out there.”
Conferences and Book Festivals attract an array of media depending on the host of the event. You have the potential to meet editors, agents, publishers, celebrity authors and corporate influencers.
I don’t care what the experts say, online will never be as good as face-to-face contact and connection. Giving your readers a chance to meet you in person adds a special kind of value. “People see the truth in you through your actions, personality, and in how genuine you are with them.” (Greg Dabbs, Business Development Manager) They get to hear your voice, see your face outside of photos, ask questions, give advice, laugh and get to know you more personally.
The chances of pitching are significantly higher when you position yourself to be present at these events. You get to practice your sales pitch, research competition and increase the chances of collaboration opportunities. It is not all about money. At a decent rate vending can be the boost you need to jump-start your business. Financial investment in yourself is something you will need to consider in your career at some point anyway. Whether that is vending at a notable event or paying for professional author photos, it is something you will need to do at some point.
It is about showing up and being an author vendor is one of the easiest ways to show up, to get out and connect with people.
Con: Difficult for New/Unknown Indie Authors
Author vending is the opportunity for you to connect with your readers. It gives them the chance to meet with you face-to-face, to take pictures with you, to buy paperback copies of your books, or to have books signed they already bought. But it could be even more challenging for new/unknown Indie Authors.
“No one will come to your book reading/signing unless you are already famous. The packed author readings on the news are only packed because the author is already very well known. Book readings at bookstores are among the worst uses of time for a new author.” – Writing Well
While I don’t believe you have to be famous to do a book signing/reading for people to support you (I do well at signings and I am certainly no one famous), there is some truth in this quote. While the chances of people buying are higher in person because physical presence increases trust, authors who have multiple books out and who have already built a strong platform and audience before vending will do much better. People will already know who they are, and readers will come out to support them.
Paying money to reserve a table at an author event when you are a new author no one knows, when you have done no work to promote the event to your audience or where you have not built an audience will be like posting your Amazon buy link on social media hoping people will take a chance on an unknown author. While some people will (I usually do but I’m nice like that 🙂 ) this kind of “Hope Marketing,” rarely works. Vending is usually not free, and the money is usually nonrefundable. If you can’t at least make the money back you spent on the table, it is not worth it. Not if selling books is your only aim.
Before you spend money on reserving a table, focus on publishing more books and developing a relationship with your readers so that when you do an event people will come out to support you. Now do not misunderstand me, a first-time author can certainly do well at signings and events but only because that author already have people who are willing to support him/her from previous works.
I read somewhere that “the reward for a job well done is the opportunity to do more,” (Dr.Jonas Salk). The biggest benefit to author vending is that eventually, you will not have to look for opportunities. Opportunities will find you. It was at the Atlanta African American Book Festival that I was asked to participate in Velvet Voices, The Velvet Note Jazz club’s new and first Author/Word event. People will remember you and reach out to you for other projects. They may even ask you to be a vendor at another event. This is significant because once people reach out to you, the ball is in your court. You get to decide the terms of your acceptance. Can your table be free of cost/discounted? Can they pay you to speak? Can they purchase your ticket if the place is not in your home city/state? What is it you require for your presence? The idea here is to one day graduate from vending alone to being requested and paid to speak as well.
This is the beginnings of earning the passive income you want to help to leverage the income from your book royalties. These days, you need the additional income that comes from other streams of income related to your writing.
You may not think people are paying attention, but they are. Author vending is a great way to give a very good first-person impression that can lead to an even bigger opportunity and business partnership.
Pro/Con – Organizer / Host
It is important to ask, who is the organizer/host? The person(s) behind the event is a big deal. You want to make sure the organization or cause is something you can get behind. Vending is a big deal these days and it shouldn’t escape authors that it is also a way for businesses and organizations to make money. Choosing to be a vendor is not just about meeting new people and exposing your business, it is also about investment. Vending is an investment in yourself and an investment in the company or organization hosting the event.
The people behind the event can make this a Pro if the organization is well organized, grounded, relatively known and actively promoting the event and its participants.
The people behind the event can make this a Con if the event host is unorganized, the event is poorly promoted (bad for you if you paid for a table and are looking to turn a profit) and does little to nothing to promote the event and its participants.
It is not about jumping on every so-called opportunity available to authors. It is about being strategic and intentional with every decision you make regarding your book business.
When you are asked, invited or when you take part in a vending opportunity, be sure you connect with an organization that is relatable to the goals and the purpose you have set for yourself, that the vision of the organization is something you can support and rally behind and that they will work just as hard for you as you intend to work for them. Vending is a partnership and partnerships are not one-way streets. Or at least they shouldn’t be.
Major Cons
Can be costly
Challenging to sell books for new authors with no audience
Can be overwhelming
Can sometimes go downhill
Every marketing platform has advantages and disadvantages. Don’t let the disadvantages of author vending discourage you from participating in exhibitions and reaping the benefits of it. Just do your research first.
Major Pros.
Exposure to a wider set of audience
Creates brand awareness
Increases credibility
Promotes brand loyalty
Helps in Networking
I know vending is like the It thing to do now but drinking from every cup of “opportunity” is how you get poisoned. Understand the pros and cons first and be sure to research the organization hosting the event.
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