Mini-Tour

Bec and I went on a mini-tour to Seattle. I learned a great deal. We were staying with a Rabbi who will soon be self-publishing a book of his own and we had some enlightening conversation.

To summarize the trip, we learned a great deal. Here are some highlights:

1. Big B&Ns have more leeway than small ones. The first store we visited was a large B&N and they were really really nice and interested in having me back for a signing. One of the guy's read some of the book and said it was like Terry Pritchard - which apparently is pretty high praise. I will definitely be going back there if I do a mini-signing tour. Small B&N's don't have that kind of freedom. Although, I believe that they do if the author is local. B&N has a poor reputation among small publishers. While B&N.com annoys me, I actually had a very good experience with most of their stores. Even the brush offs were polite.
2. Borders do all their buying through regional offices. I have to contact the Portland area guy.
3. Independents, being independent, vary widely. But generally we had very good reception from them.
4. Walking the street with flyers was very successful the first day. The local Duck Tour even stopped and pointed me out and took some flyers :) A fair number of people took flyers, but I don't know if I sold any books that way. Day two, nobody took flyers. I got the plague treatment - look and read from a distance, avert eyes close up. It isn't such a great tool.
5. Hanging out in Starbucks with the sign next to me was successful. It started conversation and I actually sold a book to a construction guy for his daughter. It was a good closing. He had a flyer and then I said I could autograph it he bought it from me directly. He did and I did :) We might try this some more. Conversation is really the best way to move books, I think.
6. My wife, Rebecca, was invaluable. From encouraging me to think and move positively to helping me communicate clearly and concisely to covering up my mistakes (like saying I'm running around Portland, instead of Seattle), she did a great job of making me do a better job.
7. Everything is relationships. You really want to create a relationship with every person you run in to. We saw some pretty cool bookstores, and you know what, they like to be told that. The coolest was Elliot Bay. We walked in and our eyes just kept looking at more and more books. We told them. They liked it. I think we'll be able to have a relationship. And they'll remember me, my book and they might even recommend it.
8. I like the independents quite a bit. The reason is simple. They'll push the book. If I do get the book placed regionally in Borders or B&N I'll have to visit each store that is carrying it, sign the books, talk to the staff and build the relationship. People may judge a book by its cover, but often they only look at the cover if somebody points it out.
9. Non-bookstores are intereting. Bec saw one and forced me inside. They might actually order it. A good place to be if you can get in just because people probably come in to independent toy stores more confused about what to get than bookstores. In other words, those relationships probably have a greater effect.

All in all, I think 4 bookstores out of about 15 will order copies. Not bad at all. I like doing this regionally because I can visit again and again and reinforce things in a way I can't nationally.

I'm really thankful that I'm self-publishing at least this first book. I am learning so much from the process that if I do have a chance to go with a big publisher I will have a great deal more to offer as a promoter.

Happiness,

Joseph