Get Off the Bus and Into Schools, Guest Post by Sherry Ellis
Are you and your books stuck on the school
bus like bubble gum under a seat, riding around in circles? If the royalties
you earn barely cover a daily cup of coffee, I have a solution that can help.
I’m here to tell you how to un-stick yourself by getting into the schools as
part of your marketing campaign to sell books.
What many people don’t know is that writers
who are able to earn a living do so by giving presentations related to the
topic of their book, or to the craft of writing. I am a children’s writer.
School visits are something I have added to my marketing strategy. They’ve
yielded a nice chunk of change.
The first step to getting started with school
visits is to figure out what your presentation will look like. What age range
are you comfortable with? (Age 5-7 = grade 1-2; age 7-11 = grade 3-6; age 11-14
= grade 7-9; age 14-16 = grade 10-11.) How many people will you talk to per
session? How many sessions will you have per day, and how long will they be?
What type of sessions will you have (e.g., reading with Q & A, talk,
interactive workshops, or drama sessions)? Will your session cover any aspects
of a school’s curriculum? Once you’ve figured these things out, you can create
your presentation. If you’re lacking ideas, you can always go online and see
videos of what other authors have done.
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Before approaching schools or other venues,
consider making a one- or two-page flyer. This visual representation of your
brand allows organizers to learn who you are, see a summary of the
presentations you offer for particular age groups, and know what to expect
during your visit. The flyer should include your author photo with a personal
message about how you enjoy school visits and what you hope to accomplish, such
as getting kids excited about reading, and ways to contact you to request a
visit. Let them know what your technical requirements are. Do you need an
overhead projector, a microphone, or something else? Of course, you want to
sell books, so tell the school if you’ll bring books with you, or if they need
to pre-order. And, do you charge an honorarium or travel fees? Be upfront about
financial arrangements. (A note about fees: if you’re a beginner, consider
relying on book sales for your earnings. When the word gets out about how
awesome your presentations are, then start charging for personal appearances.
Some authors charge $300 for a half day and $500 for a full day. The best-known
authors can command more than $1000 a day.)
It’s also a good idea to create a “librarian
kit.” The kit includes electronic files of Jpegs of your book covers, interior
illustrations, a customized price list that students can take home to parents,
and Power Point presentations. Later, you might want to create book cover
posters that you can snail mail to the school.
When you’ve created your presentation and
librarian kit, you are ready to contact schools. Google searches provide lists
of schools in the cities you wish to visit. Call the schools to ask how to
arrange an author visit. Usually, you’ll speak with the librarian. Keep track
of who you’ve contacted and the responses you’ve gotten. Spread sheets are
useful for this. With a lot of tenacity, you will schedule a visit.
Two weeks before your visit, confirm the date
and time of your session, the equipment you will need, the group size, number
of books needed (paperback: two for
every three children; hardcover: fifteen
percent of the total number of children), how books are supplied, and fees. The
day before, run through everything on your own equipment. Make sure it all
works and that you’re comfortable with the presentation. On the day of your
visit, arrive thirty minutes early. Be nice to everyone, because it’s important
to make a good impression.
Be ready for anything. Stay calm even if things
aren’t going perfectly. Make it enjoyable for your audience and make sure a
teacher is in the room with you. After the visit, send the organizer a thank
you card. If sales were especially good, you might include a Starbucks gift
card.
It takes time and energy to visit schools and
build your experience with them. Once you’ve done a few, you can post
information about them on your Website. Include photos and reviews you’ve
received. Eventually schools will approach you. With a little effort, you can
make money by getting off the bus and going into schools.
Sherry Ellis is an award-winning author and professional musician who plays and teaches the violin, viola, and piano. When she is not writing or engaged in musical activities, she can be found doing household chores, hiking, or exploring the world. Ellis, her husband, and their two children live in Atlanta, Georgia.
