How to Run a Successful Bookshop Event as a Self-Published Author

Hosting an event with a bookshop is a powerful tool in a self-published author’s arsenal for building local awareness, generating media attention, and creating personal connections with readers and retailers.

In this article, I will detail how an author can go about planning an event with a bookshop, what they should do in anticipation of the event, and how they can maximise their chances of success on the day itself and in the aftermath. I will focus on why engaging with readers in a physical space provides benefits that go far beyond just selling books.

Planning the event

The first step in planning a successful bookshop event is finding somewhere to host it! Authors often gravitate towards larger chain bookshops such as Waterstones and Foyles when they’re first looking to plan events, but we always encourage authors to look as local as possible in the first instance. Independent bookshops are often happy to support local authors, particularly as they will usually have friends and family in the area who often come along to support them.

The earlier you can establish a relationship with your local bookshop the better. If you’ve been a regular customer for a long time and have attended other events held at the shop, you’re far more likely to be successful when you approach them wanting to promote your own work.

When you’re visiting or contacting a local bookshop to discuss an event with them, don’t do it when they’re rushed off their feet already or during another event. And when the time is right, come prepared! We sometimes find that booksellers are worried that self-published books may be of poor quality – so be sure to come with a copy of your beautifully produced book to reassure them. We also recommend taking an Advance Information sheet, which you can create yourself or have produced by a marketing team on your behalf, in with you when you chat to booksellers as this will give them oversight of the book as well as crucial information such as the ISBN, price and how they can order the book.

Bookshops often run many different types of events. A book signing where an author has a table set up in the shop during regular business hours is very common, but bookshops are increasingly coming up with innovative ways to run events and engage with the community. You may find your local bookshop is affiliated with a literary festival in your area or runs a ‘local/indie authors’ event where multiple authors from the area will be involved. Planning an event can be daunting for a self-publishing author, particularly if this is your first book, but local bookshops will usually have a lot of experience in events such as this and will be able to advise authors on what’s best for their audience.

Ahead of the event

Once you’ve secured your venue and booked a date, you can now start thinking about how to best prepare for success on the day.

The first and most important thing is to make sure you know how books will be sourced for your event. Even if your bookshop is a regular stockist of your book, they will likely need more copies than they have on hand for an event. As part of our bookshop distribution capabilities, Troubador distributes to hundreds of independent bookshops and retailers in the UK and bookshops can order event stock from us directly on a sale or return basis. Bookshops may prefer to order through a wholesaler such as Gardners (who we also supply directly), but, either way, they will need to make sure books are ordered in plenty of time to avoid a last-minute panic.

A well-planned bookshop event can attract local media coverage, amplifying your reach beyond the event itself. Ahead of the event, you may want to reach out to your local newspaper, radio station or community blogs and social media platforms to promote your event. If you have a website, run a newsletter or are a keen user of social media, make sure you are promoting your event across your own channels as well.

And, finally, be sure to come prepared to the event with plenty of promotional materials. Many bookshops may ask for posters or other materials ahead of the event so they can promote it to their customers and you may want to take items with you as well. Roller banners, posters, business cards and bookmarks are often popular for events such as these. You can create your own or, if you are a Troubador author, order marketing materials directly through the Author Hub.

On the day

On the day itself, make sure you arrive prepared and punctual and bring everything you might need. If the event involves many different authors or is a speaking event as well as a signing, chat with the bookshop team so you fully understand how the event will pan out. If it is a signing, ask them to let you know where you’ll be stationed. If you need a hand setting up or would like someone to man your stand while you go to the toilet, it’s advisable to take someone with you to help as the bookshop staff will likely be very busy themselves.

Be ready to chat with customers about all sorts of things related to writing, not just your book itself. Readers are often interested in hearing about authors’ writing journey, their experiences of publication, local connections to the book and even their favourite books. Focus on building genuine connections with readers and hand-selling your books in a more meaningful way. Equally important, however, is that you are ready to talk about your book in a concise, engaging way. Prepare a short pitch that highlights your book’s unique appeal without sounding overly rehearsed.

Be liberal when it comes to additional promotional materials. Customers will often be very pleased to receive a promotional bookmark or leaflet along with a book. On your promotional material, consider including details about your other books (if you have them), website and social media handles so they can find out more about you. Event photos are great content for both authors and bookshops so make sure you get plenty of photos of the day for you to use on social media and your website.

Following the event

Post liberally about the event on social media if you are active online. Follow up with the bookshop to say thank you and be sure to attend more of their events in the future. Building long-lasting relationships with a local bookshop can really benefit an author as they progress in their writing career. Many of our authors return time and time again to their local bookshop to do a launch or signing event with them and their ongoing relationship benefits both author and retailer in the long-term.

Unfortunately, an indie author is unlikely to sell hundreds of copies in a single signing event. If an author comes away from an event having sold more than ten copies then they should be very proud. However, the thrill and enjoyment of bookshop events transcends sales and can be a meaningful and community-minded way of promoting a book. It’s a chance to connect with readers, build your brand and boost your book’s visibility in a meaningful way.