Book Marketing With The Big Shots
by Linda Meckler

I have been a customer of www.authorsden.com for about a year. I really like the website. I have mostly everything I have written on the web posted on this site. I even sold a few e-books through this website.

When they sent me an email asking me if I wanted to invest in the huge Book Fair on April 25, and 26, at UCLA in LA, I decided to consider this request. I decided to opt for selection number two which was to send two books, flyers and business cards. The books were to be put on display in their booth and sold.

The first option was to pay more money and the author was able to spend one hour in the booth selling their book. The other options were for both to be featured on their website and so, I thought, a book review in the LA Times. What actually happened was a newspaper printed for the Book Fair only and the www.authorsden.com booth was mentioned. Not individual authors.

I decided to make the three hour trip to LA to check out the Book Fair and especially the www.authorsden.com booth. This was a huge undertaking by all the volunteers, the authors and the celebrities who were scheduled during the two day weekend.

When I arrived I parked in the parking garage for $9.00. I walked around and checked out booths spread out it seemed like miles. I finally found out the booth I was looking for was way on the other side of the UCLA college campus and down about fifty steps.

It was a very hot sunny day. People were packed into small spaces like sardines. There were actually at some booths people lined up to buy books. Of course, there were many famous authors present. Some booths did not even get a nibble, a definite unknown.

There was a stage where many famous authors and celebrities gave talks to the audience. I imagined that I was on the stage speaking to hundreds of people about my books. The audience was hanging onto my every word. I spoke and then when I finished speaking they ran to my booth to get an autographed copy of my book. This platform was sponsored by Target. They had quite a line up of mega stars scheduled throughout the weekend. There was not a charge for this. Someday maybe you or I will be one of those mega authors on the platform of this huge Book Fair.

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I finally made my way to the booth. There were three representatives from the website. I introduced myself and they immediately picked up one of my two books off the book shelf. I was asked questions about my book and it was placed back on the book shelf. I asked where the flyers and business cards were. I was told they were in cartons and somebody went to retrieve them. They were placed with my book on the book shelf. Thewww.authorsden.com crew was extremely nice to me. I even had my picture taken with one of the men.

I found out something which I have heard others say in the past, but it had never sunk in. The place to sell books is not at a Book Fair with thousands of other books in competition with your book, especially when you are unknown author.

I found out by inquiring at other booths that there is a booth charge, and a table charge. The people who are under one booth split the costs right down the middle. www.authorsden.com had a win, win situation. They got their customers to pay for their booth and table fees. They had free books to sell. I am sure they made some sort of percentage for each book sold, or they would not be there.

Anyway, it was a good education on throwing money away or not. What do you think?

Thanks for sharing the experience Linda... J. Wolf

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