5 Reasons to Market Your Book at a Book Fair

Why reach out to agents, media pros and traditional publishing houses one at a time over many months when you can have them all under one roof at one time? That’s what book fairs are for! Everyone who’s anyone in the publishing world is well within reach – literally – at these much-anticipated industry events.

In addition to the sheer convenience of it, a book fair offers a number of other instant benefits to self-publishing authors. Here are five benefits you can reap through attendance at a big book fair.

Bump in sales. Any event that puts you face to face with readers is an opportunity to sell. That’s especially true when the event puts you in close proximity to a very large number of them, as book fairs tend to do. Make an impression there, and odds are you’ll sell plenty of copies the day of the fair, and in the days and weeks to follow.
Exposure. Never underestimate the value of name recognition. Even if someone doesn’t purchase a book from you the day of the fair, the exposure you gain by putting a face to your byline can help you down the line.
That personal touch. Just the thought of rubbing elbows in person with readers, publishers and other literary professionals gives us the warm fuzzies. Reaching out to others in the industry – or the consumers who made it what it is – is an inspiration that fuels further creativity.
The opportunity to make your case. Readers and industry professionals who have no trouble deleting marketing emails or navigating away from a page are inevitably far more receptive to information about your book when they can meet and greet the author in person. This gives you the opportunity to get them excited about your book in ways a summary or cover art cannot.
Networking. Whether you’re looking for beta readers to test a work in progress, fellow authors with whom to share creative ideas and marketing strategies, or an agent to help you take your career to the next level, there’s no place like a book fair to get all of them in one small space at the same time! That’s an ideal situation that allows you to cultivate connections that would otherwise take months to make.

If you’re new to the book fair scene, consider dipping your toe into the waters with one of the following (epic) book events. Or better yet, take the plunge by getting your book in front of hundreds of thousands of curious eyes around the world at all four events via the Global Book Tour.

LONDON BOOK FAIR
BOOK EXPO OF AMERICA (BEA)
BEIJING BOOK FAIR
FRANKFURT BOOK FAIR

For each of these events (or better yet, all of them with the Global Book Tour), your book will receive valuable, face-out exposure on an exclusive shelf of Outskirts Press titles, with a representative on hand to personally answer questions about your book. Outskirts Press also provides copies of the book and all the necessary information so interested parties can make further contact during or after the fair. All inquiries Outskirts Press receives about your book are forwarded directly to you for personal follow-up. The Global Book Tour is the best way to get all of the benefits of book fair marketing without all of the expense of traveling.

DON’T MISS THE LONDON BOOK FAIR!

Let Outskirts Press send your book on a first-class trip to London! The London Book Fair is right around the corner and you don’t want to miss this great opportunity to get in front of over 23,000 publishing professionals at the largest and most popular industry book fair and publishing event in the UK. If you’re an American author, this is your chance to get your book “across the pond.”