Selling Yourself (and your work) at Conventions

[Jo Zebedee]

Oh, I'd suck it up and go. I think that's good advice for anyone.
I have to attend trade shows and speak a lot in my current line of work, and I find it helps to play the role of someone who enjoys that sort of self-promotion.

(I just loathe it.)

Transferable skills rock. I don't like the self promo but, like you, I do it for my work. So I do it for writing too. At least I'm passionate about my books - it's easier to promote what we love.

 

[Thomas Watson]

Transferable skills rock. I don't like the self promo but, like you, I do it for my work. So I do it for writing too. At least I'm passionate about my books - it's easier to promote what we love.

That makes all the difference!

 

[Froboy69]

This is a good question; I've considered setting up booths but I wouldn't know what to exactly since my story is ebook only...

 

[Eric Zeigler]

This is a good question; I've considered setting up booths but I wouldn't know what to exactly since my story is ebook only...

Can get the book printed through Lulu, if your allowed. If you run out you can refer people to the ebook online through a book mark or card. If you print to many you can sell them at a different event.

 

[Froboy69]

Can get the book printed through Lulu, if your allowed. If you run out you can refer people to the ebook online through a book mark or card. If you print to many you can sell them at a different event.

Well it kinda defeats the purpose of promoting my story as free. Then again, is it worth giving out free paperbacks? That's debatable.

 

[E.Maree]

Well it kinda defeats the purpose of promoting my story as free. Then again, is it worth giving out free paperbacks? That's debatable.

If your book is free, paying for a booth seems like a bit of a waste of money? You could print out business cards with a download code to cheaply giveaway free copies, but that would look a bit funny at a booth and it's still an expense that you won't make back.

If you want you could attend the event as a normal member and give out the free download cards to people, but given the disposable nature of convention swag a lot of them would likely not be redeemed.