Tips and Best Practices for A Successful Book Signing Event

Congratulations on writing and publishing your book! It’s time now to share it with the world through marketing, and setting up a book signing is a great way to get started getting book sales.

As the author of many books, including anthologies and collections like The Gifts of Pain, I organize several book events per year and host book signings at my speaking events, so I’m going to share the best tips and best practices I’ve learned over the years so you can host a successful book signing event to launch and promote your book.

What is a Book Signing?

A book signing is an event where the author of a newly released book meets readers and potential readers to sign their copies. This author event often includes a passage reading and possibly a Q&A session or panel discussion. You might even host a giveaway! 

Why should an author have a book signing event? 

Public appearances are essential for all authors to create a personal connection with readers and get exposure to new ones who would love to buy your book. Meeting your readers is always valuable because you can learn more about them, ask them questions, and get feedback.

In addition, readers love book signing events because a signature increases the value of the book, especially for collectors. 

How do I sign a book?

There’s no right answer to this question; however, the most common place for signing a book is the title page – the page that only contains the title of the book and has blank spaces around it. If you are an author in an anthology, circling and initialing your book chapter in the table of contents and then signing the first or last page of your chapter is a good idea. 

Of course, if you have a special message besides the signature, then you’ll find the right spot to fit the text. Just make sure it is always consistent per book or even across all your books, if permitted. 

I’ve heard some authors say you should sign on the inside of the front cover to avoid returns, but I don’t think it’s a great look. I really don’t think someone will ever return an autographed book anyway. A signed book is very valuable – a collector’s item, if you will.

How much does it cost to host a book signing?

You’ll need time or staff to plan the book signing, travel or transportation costs, marketing and publicity, audiovisual equipment and services, and sometimes, you’ll need to pay for the venue. However, the costs are greatly exceeded by the opportunity to grow your author platform.

How to do a Book Signing 

If you’re planning a book signing, especially for the first time, these are some best practices you’ll need to consider.

1- Establish your book signing goals

Everything related to your book needs to be set up with intention, and author book signings are not the exception. Write down your ideal outcomes and then outline the steps you need to take to achieve them. Beyond that, you also want to commit to the mindset you need to achieve the success you seek. 

Book signings -as with any author appearances – can seem intimidating. But, you can actually change your perspective about that. You can treat it like a meet and greet with your biggest fans and the people who support your work and your writing. You’re going to be in the presence of friends, even when you haven’t met some of them yet. 

I recommend coming from a place of grace and gratitude. As I like to say, “high commitment and low attachment.” Having clear objectives is important, but you don’t want to set impossible standards or unrealistic expectations, especially if this is your first book signing. Gratitude for having a book to sell, gratitude for any fans who do show up, and gratitude for the staff is key to having a successful book signing and a fun one, too!

Selling a lot of books is not the only goal, and it’s normal for sales to be low on your first attempt or if you’re a new author- as a matter of fact, I’ve hosted book signings in which I didn’t sell a single book. Yes, book signings can help with your goal of becoming a best-selling author, but it also can increase your publicity and exposure, strengthen your author résumé, provide networking and collaboration opportunities, and encourage personal and professional growth, as you approach it as a learning experience. You’d also be supporting the hosting venue, which should feel good! 

And last but not least, the journey of your book signing adventure SHOULD be a lot of fun – that’s how you’ll truly know you’re doing it right!

2- Location: Where to host the book signing:  

A bookstore or library is the best place to hold a book signing. However, depending on your target audience, you can get creative to match the theme and purpose of your book.

For example, if your book is for children, you can consider a school, or if your book is based on a particular religion, you could hold it at the local church, mosque, or synagogue. Some of the authors I have coached and published have hosted book signings at restaurants, spa centers, therapy clinics, art galleries, museums, and fun tourist destinations.

You’ll want to start doing research and outreach 3-6 months before the book signing date. Read their website and find out if there’s a dedicated event planner you could talk to. If you’re local, visit them in person, and if not, you may call or email, but focus on building a relationship either way.

What to provide so they decide to host your book signing or not:

• Your book one-sheet (which will include your author bio)
• Your book press release
• A high-resolution copy of your book cover
• Your high-resolution headshot 
• Your website, social media URLs, and contact information 

What to ask a book signing location to set yourself up for success:

Which book signing policies should you be aware of?

For example, libraries have disclaimers that you have to post on all marketing. Their policies for all library visitors apply to book signing guests.

What is the venue availability for your author event?

I always like to shoot for a date that is meaningful. For example, I’ve done book signings for The Gifts of Pain on National Storytelling Week, National Share-A-Story Month, International Short Story Month, and National Book Lovers’ Day.

Is there a cost or fee associated with the event?

sponsor event host

What do they include for a book signing?

For example, if you need a podium, microphone, or projector, is this something that comes standard or that you’d need to arrange separately? In this case, I also ask if they have providers they prefer and that they’ve already worked with in the past. Most venues have chairs, but it doesn’t hurt to ask, so you are not standing the whole time!

Do they do marketing or publicity for their book signing events?

Even if they don’t, they would be able to recommend local radio stations, magazines, newspapers, and TV networks they’ve worked with in the past that you could reach out to, as well. 

If you host your book signing at a bookstore, and you have set up your book for bookstore distribution, they will likely have your book for sale and handle all the payments so you can get the royalties. However, if you’re hosting your book signing somewhere where books aren’t sold and you’re selling your books directly, you’ll want to know if you can mail your author copies in advance or if they require you to bring them the day of the event.

If you have different formats (hardcover, paperback, etc.) consider having them available, too. collect cash payments or through Zelle, Stripe, PayPal, a Square credit card reader, Venmo, CashApp, or any mobile payment apps. It’s important to let attendees know if they can bring their own books, as well.

If you have published previous books, you want to know if it’s allowed to bring them too, but you at least want to have them displayed. 

3- Decide your event logistics

Before you promote your book signing, you want to make a few decisions about it

Decide how long your book signing event will be.

If you’re doing a book reading, doing a formal presentation, and plan to answer questions from your readers, you might want to make the event a bit longer so you can sign lots of books, too. Knowing how long you want your book signing to be will help you narrow down your location options, as well. You’ll want to arrive early for set up and to ground yourself, and plan to leave later for takedown. I recommend you consider scheduling mini-breaks so you can rest, stretch, refuel, touch up for pictures, and take care of yourself. Walking around the venue can also help you network and invite people back to your book signing table! 

Prepare your book pitch

Share a summary that showcases your passion for your book. Plan how you’ll brief any helpers or assisting venue staff. They should how to answer basic questions about your book, as well.

Prepare answers

Sometimes your friends, family, or venue staff could ask them if readers are shy at first. Some of the most common questions book signing attendees ask are: 

What is your book about? 

How long did it take you to write your book? 

What inspired you to become an author? 

How did you get your book published? 

Why should someone buy your book?

Choose your excerpt

If you’re doing a reading of your book, choose the passage intentionally, and practice reading it ahead of time, so you can be engaging and interactive, and meet your event goals

Practice your presentation

talk, or speech. If you are adding a slide show, you’ll need to design it in advance.

Hire an assistant

or author friend. Some possible tasks would be setting up the table, inviting people to the table, collecting payments (if you’re doing this), and restocking the table, as needed. 

Hire a videographer and a photographer.

While friends and family can take videos and pictures, you want to get some professional footage for your landing page, book trailer, and video reels. Photos and videos can be used strategically to leverage your book signing event and to promote future ones.

Decide whether you want to do a raffle or giveaway,

or any other way in which you could collect email addresses to build your email list. You’ll need a branded sign-up sheet or guest book.

Envision your signing table setup

so you can order or design anything you need in time for the special event.

Think about how you’re going to transport what you need for the book signing.

A wagon or cart can be a quick solution, whether you’re doing this on your own or have someone to support.

My least favorite is choosing what to wear.

The general rule is business casual; however, you want to be authentic to your brand. For example, fiction authors might find that a book signing is the perfect opportunity to cosplay as the main character. There is really no right way or wrong way to dress, but I personally prioritize being comfortable in whatever I decide to wear. Layers are my best friend, so I don’t get too cold or too hot.

And lastly, decide whether you will take selfies or photos with attendees

during the signing right after they get their signed book copy. Have a clear idea of how the signing queue will work. Many authors wait until after the event, however, many people might not stick around that long.

4- Promote your book signing event

Once you have a date, time, and location, you can start promoting your book signing to spread the word. Here are some basic ideas to get you started:

• Update your author website or landing page with the event details.
• Write a blog post about your book signing
• Write and distribute a press release about your book signing
• Create promotional images and written copy, and content that the venue can use to promote the book signing event
• Contact local media to offer interviews (a local TV or radio show, or a local newspaper)
• Provide a review copy to local bloggers
• Post about it in online groups (as long as it doesn’t violate their content rules)
• Invite your local contacts – friends, any supportive family member, colleagues, and acquaintances
• Post about your book signing on your social media platforms (Your Facebook page, Instagram, X / Twitter, Bluesky, TikTok, Pinterest, Threads, LinkedIn, Alignable, etc) to encourage your followers and connections to attend.
• Create an event on Facebook, LinkedIn, Eventbrite, Alignable, and Meetup.
• Leverage any community connections and organizations that would love to support a local author. For example, posting your book signing event flier on your favorite small shops or retailers. 

As you design your promotional materials, remember to add information about who can attend. For instance, if your book is for adults only and you’ll be having a discussion and Q&A about adult themes, you may want to add a disclaimer to alert parents, guardians, and caregivers.

5- Create your book signing set up

Your book signing setup should be purposeful so you can attract new readers and honor the ones who already follow and love your work. Here are some ideas to help you stand out:

If you are going to do an author reading, make sure to share housekeeping items such as “no flash photography,” “turn off cellphones,” “hold questions to the end,” or even what hashtag to use as they share their footage on social media.

Make your book signing table large enough to hold your books, a clipboard with your sign-up sheet, and promotional items.

Your tablecloth should cover your table entirely so you can tuck any boxes under the table, and I recommend using a brand color that contrasts nicely with the book cover

Get two book stands so you can display a copy of the book on each, so you can showcase both the front and the back cover of the book

Use decor that evokes the vibe and theme of your book

Food?

Some authors bring food items and place them in a bowl. If this is something you might like to do, you want to check the food policies of your venue. I stay away from doing this, but it makes sense for cookbook authors, though. I do plan to bring my own water bottle and snacks so I can stay nourished and hydrated. We need to keep our energy levels high during any reader event!

Promotional items

Vertical retractable banners or posters are the best way to showcase your author brand and your book, and give your book signing area a professional and inviting look and feel

If you use business cards, have them available. Or have bookmarks printed, instead. A QR code is a great way to send your book signing visitors anywhere on the web you’ll want them to go, including your author web page, or a direct link to the audio or digital versions of the book through online retailers. 

Besides bookmarks, you can also create promotional materials if your marketing budget allows, especially for doing giveaways and raffles. For example, t-shirts, tote bags, coloring sheets, notebooks, mugs, hats, key chains, activity sheets, tumblers, pens, and other promo items that you could give as free gifts, as bonuses, or that you could sell on site (depending on the venue policies). You can always raffle one of the books if these are not an option.

I know this is a long checklist; however, I encourage you to do what your budget, energy, and time allow, while staying open to growth. 

6- How to sign your book at the book signing

There aren’t many rules when it comes to how to sign a book at a book signing, but here are some important reminders:

Signature

• Practice your signature a lot so you can do it quickly. Don’t use the same signature you use for legal documents. 
• If you’re bringing your own books, you could pre-sign some books and add the book buyer’s name at the event. Some authors will even add the date and location to the signature page to make it a cherished memory for readers. If there are books left at the bookstore, you can pre-sign those as they continue their sales. If the store sells out, you can sign bookplates.

Pen

Any pen is fine (ballpoint, rollerball, gel pen, or calligraphy pen) as long as it’s comfortable for you, dries fast, and doesn’t bleed through the page. It might not surprise you that I like to use ink in my brand colors, but black and blue inks are fine, too. Bring plenty of pens in case there’s a malfunction or you run out of ink! You may want to rethink Sharpies because the ink is slower to dry and can smudge and bleed through to the next page. You might want to consider using a permanent or archival ink pen, because that ensures that the signature will last! 

Names and Message

Bring a notepad, 3×5 cards, or sticky notes and additional pens for book buyers to write their name (or the name of the person they’re buying it for) while they are in the line or queue. If this is not an option, you must ask “Who should I make this out to?” to avoid misspelling errors.

You don’t want to take up all the space writing just your name, so avoid your last name or use an initial if it’s long.

You can include words like “I appreciate you,” “Enjoy reading,” “My best,” “Best wishes,” “Warm wishes,” but it’s even better when you write an original, personal message or catchphrase that fits your brand and your book theme and philosophy. This personal note can go a long way.

7- What to Do After Your Book Signing 

The top tip for what to do after your book signing is over is expressing your appreciation to the hosting venue staff, your book signing helpers, vendors, sponsors, if any, and attendees who signed your guest book or e-mail list sign-up sheet, whether they did or didn’t buy a single book. Adding a personal touch to each of the people involved helps you build positive connections.

Other important steps include a follow-up to ask questions about the event, allowing participants to provide feedback, and asking questions about 

• Where are you from?
• How did you hear about this event?
• Why did you buy this book?

Group Book Signings

Not everyone is a fan of hosting a book signing event with a group of authors, but they can be a great experience. You can meet fellow authors and be exposed to their network as they are exposed to yours. Besides reaching new readers, you can also learn from each other and exchange ideas, assurance, and advice.

Virtual Book Signings 

In-person appearances are not the only way to leverage the power of book signings. You can sell a lot of books and do book readings through an online platform. It can actually be more convenient, even for attendees from your local community, at times, and you can also reach a global audience. In this setting, a signed copy of your book can be purchased and mailed in advance. Your only expense will be signing pens, and you can add the shipping charge to the cart. You can also add a personal touch to the mailing, such as a handwritten note or those bookmarks we talked about.

Once the physical copies of your book have been distributed, the event is more of a book launch party, and all about connecting with you, the author, and with each other. You’re on your way to becoming their favorite author 🙂 

Are you ready to host a book signing?

With all these book signing ideas, tips, and best practices, you are all set up to host your signing event, making it a positive experience for all. Author events take time and effort, and you’ll need to invest some money, especially if you’re a self-published author. However, it’s a great tool to consider to market your book and your brand and grow your platform. 

Which of these tips will you adopt for a successful book signing? Share with us in the comment section below. And if you’re already planning to write your next book, check out my book coaching and book publishing services, and let’s find a time to chat!