Sunday, January 25, 2009

Show a Little Appreciation!

Life does not owe us anything. We are not above all others; one of the privileged few who deserves special treatment & consideration. We are no better than any other human being, regardless of status in life.

And as such, we need to show a little appreciation!!!

The author who arrives at a signing with an air of importance is not going to endear himself to the staff – or even his fans. When we make appearances, be it signings, speaking engagements or interviews, when need to show gratitude for the opportunity. After all, we are not there due solely to our own power! It took fans buying our books and someone agreeing to our presence. We need to maintain a thankful spirit.

That attitude needs to carry over after our appearance as well. We should always send a thank-you note to the store staff or those responsible for our media interview. A thank you goes a long way, and it’s surprising how many authors fail to complete this simple task. It may mean the difference between another invitation and the removal of our name from that person’s list!

A few more tips on showing appreciation:

Bring a small gift for the host – it will blow his or her mind!

Always send a physical thank you card – it shows genuine effort was taken.

Include photos of the staff and/or event in the thank you card.

Thank fans for their support, either through one’s website, newsletter or blog.

If cost-effective, offer a free book giveaway at the event.

The possibilities are endless – as are the rewards! So, show a little appreciation.

7 comments:

Prill Boyle said...

Great tips! I do most of these already, but I never thought to include photos. What a wonderful idea!

Helen Ginger said...

This is so true. And it's one that can be forgotten if the author is on a tour and moving from one event to the other.
Helen
http://straightfromhel.blogspot.com

Morgan Mandel said...

Those are good things to remember about book signings. Sometimes I put the bookseller's photo online also on my website to show appreciation.

Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
http://www.morganmandel.com

Carolyn Howard-Johnson said...

Ahhhh, yes. If we would all make one gesture toward others a day, the world would be a better place. Thank you for this Sunday morning inspiration!

Carrying it that one step to our fellow authors is great. So, now we have two little grateful things to do each day. One for writers and one for others. That could incrementally improve the world.

Best,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
www.howtodoitfrugally.com

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Photos are great! And I always post them on my website as well. Bookstore staff and reporters appreciate it as much as fans!

Nancy J. Parra said...

You are sooo right. Nothing steams me faster than an author who feels they are above all others-grrr.

Love your tips. I do the Thank you cards-but have not thought of the hostess gift. Next time!

Ann Parker said...

I like your tips! I'm going to keep these all in mind for the next book. I always try to buy at least one book in whatever bookstore I'm doing a signing in...