It’s all about engagement!

Every time I’m at a book festival or author fair, I learn something new. When I shared a table with author Sylvia Hubbard at Sterlingfest, I learned to encourage people to pick up your book and browse through it.

“It’s okay to touch it!” Sylvia told a man intently studying the cover. When he started reading with evident concentration, she asked him what part he was looking at. He then read aloud to her as if auditioning for the starring role in the movie version of her book. He was quite the entertainer. Of course, he bought a copy for his girlfriend.

Getting passersby look through your book is an important step towards making a sale. I have a display book to offer them, while keeping pristine copies ready for purchases—this is how you don’t end up with bent book covers.

Another idea I got from Sylvia is to pass out little swag bags to anyone who makes a purchase.

Great Ideas I’ve learned over time:

12 Tips for Book Festivals:

1. Bring a tablecloth in a color that will accent your books. I like having a cloth long enough to hide anything I stash under the table.
2. Think vertical to create interest. Use easels, a tall stack of books, a framed poster or sign. (Sylvia mentioned that some venues no longer allow tall, free-standing banners because they block attendees’ views—so check first). I use two lightweight shelves from Clear Solutions.
3. For outdoor festivals, make sure what’s on your table will withstand a strong wind (pack: tape, string, rubber bands, paper, and markers. I’ve even brought painted rocks)
4. Set out promotional material: business cards, rack cards, book markers, flyers, brochures, candy, etc. Have something to hand to anyone who may be interested in buying your book for their e-reader. Rack cards are great because you can include a lot of information (see one of mine below).
5. Make yourself approachable – don’t sit with your head down, fiddling with your phone. I ask passersby if they’re readers, then I ask what kind of books they like to read. Remember, everyone is there for a reason. It just might be for your book.
6. If you’re sharing a table with another author, it’s rude to talk about your book when they’re looking at your tablemate’s book. Keep quiet and wait your turn.
7. Stand if you can. A tall stool works well if you need to sit.
8. Practice your elevator pitch. Offer a few quick sales points.
9. Don’t be pushy. Give shoppers time and space to think.
10. Remind people that signed books make great gifts.
11. Keep a price list handy in case you leave someone else in charge of your table while you grab lunch or use the restroom.
12. Find a way to accept credit card payments. If you don’t have a card reader on your phone, make and print Venmo or Paypal QR codes for shoppers to scan.

Surviving a slow book festival

It’s torture to sit through a slow book festival, but most authors have deal with this unfortunate experience at some point. It’s hard to know exactly why this happens at some events. I remember one humid 95-degree summer afternoon at an outdoor fair where the few people who walked through just seemed anxious to hurry out of the sun.

So what do you do when there’s no customers?

The good news is you are at an event full of fellow authors! These are your people! Network. Make connections. Ask them where else they’ve done author events, what works for them at events, what conferences they’ve been to, how they write, what they write.

Pass your business card around. Offer to feature other authors on your blog; ask if you can write a guest post for theirs.

A book festival is the perfect opportunity to share and learn.

Rack cards— a great way to give shoppers more information:

Rack cards are 4″ by 9″ in size, and they fit upright in a plastic stand. Their job is to convey information at a glance.

Be sure to include a QR code for the card. The code takes the viewer directly to the book information on my website. The back of the card has a short bio and social media and contact links.

I design my cards on Canva and order them from Vistaprint but you could easily print your own brochure or flyer.

The most important thing about book fairs and festivals is to enjoy meeting people and other authors.

---

Thanks for visiting author Linda K. Sienkiewicz’s blog.

My second novel, Love and Other Incurable Ailments, is coming October 27, 2026, from Regal House Publishing: When an anxious overthinker finds discarded love letters, her fixation on a stranger pulls her straight into chaos, heartbreak, and the inconvenient unraveling of her carefully constructed life

You can Preorder the book now!

Sign up for my newsletter Notes on Life and share in the small truths and occasional triumphs, coming to your inbox a few times a year.