June 2008 Archives

Well, that seems pretty obvious, doesn't it?  But it helps to remember how true that is.  I spent a couple hours last weekend at a bookstore in the Twin Cities, and one of the booksellers mentioned that they had recently conducted a "handselling" contest, in which each of them picked one of their favorite books and made a point of recommending it to customers.

The winner sold around 150 paperbacks.  One book, one store, 150 copies.  And it wasn't even The Da Vinci Code.

The fact is, at chain stores and independents alike, customers come into the store looking for referrals and recommendations.  "I've read all of Michael Connelly's books, who would you suggest I try next?"  That's when handselling by retailers makes a difference for authors building a brand with new readers.

The moral of the story?  I always ask readers who love my books to tell their friends -- and their local bookseller, too.  When a bookseller gets a positive review from a customer, they can spread the word far and wide.  That's how authors sell books.