Tag: vendors

Vending at Large Events Does Not Mean Large Sales: What Self-Published Authors Should Know

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.

This is where my focus is geared now.

Click here for more Indie Author Basics aimed at encouraging you through the Self-Publishing / Indie Author Process!

Do More with Your Self-Published Book

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!

Check out more Indie Author Basics articles here.

Author Vending: Things to Consider Part II: Vending Cost and Other Fees

Today, we are continuing our conversation on author vending. If you are new here, check out part one here.

Alabama Pop-up Shop 5/6/23

1. Cost of Vending and What’s Included

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!

Check out more Indie Author Basics articles here.

Author Vending: Things to Consider Part I: Audience

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.

Check out more Indie Author Basics articles here.