The Art of Selling
Having exhibited at five New York book fairs, two of which ran for two days, I’ve accumulated a lot of wisdom (or pseudo wisdom) about selling to the public. I was selling books, but much of it can apply to selling anything. Here is what I’ve learned.
- Be visible. If you can choose, be on an aisle so that visitors will be channeled toward you. Avoid wide open spaces. (This goes for any exhibit hall or fair.)
- Show your stuff. Make your product visible, too. For me, that meant having my books sitting upright or in a book rack, not all lying flat.
- Tell them what you're selling. Display a big sign describing your product. Mine said NEW YORK STORIES.
- Smile. Frowns or deadpan looks repel.
- Gimmicks don't sell. Gimmicks –– free bookmarks, flashing lights, funny signs, etc. -– get attention but don’t sell books. Properly presented, your product sells itself. I showed a series of funny signs; attendees watched with a smile, but not one came to my stand and bought.
- Smile.
- Be prepared for show-offs and attention-getters. Among the attendees will be people who are there to display themselves, not to buy. At BookCon at the Javits Center I saw young women in flaring skirts right out of Gone with the Wind, and one who was masked and garbed all in black. Also a grinning troll.
- Stand when they approach. Sitting, you won't sell.
- Say hello, but nothing more. Don't push.
- Smile.
- Have a short spiel handy. If they ask about your product, make them yearn for it, feel incomplete without it.
- Don’t haggle. Stick to your stated price. But offering a second item at a discount is fine
- Be prepared for weirdos. There will always be a few. In my case, one who was all hopped up on meth or heroin, and another who talked grandly but vaguely of his "project" -- never fully described -- and wanted to involve me in it. Just quietly get rid of them as soon as you can.
- Don't scream, gnash your teeth, scowl, or otherwise show displeasure. When, after looking at your product and chatting with you, they put it down and walk away without buying, try to look cheerful, poised, serene. We've all examined a product of some kind and then put it back without buying. It's all part of the game.
- Don't believe the "bebacks." If they leave saying they’ll be back, nod graciously but don’t believe it. One in ten will return. Maybe they’ve forgotten your location, or maybe, having spent time with you without buying, they’re embarrassed.
- Smile.
- Don't be discouraged. When the fair ends, you won't have sold as many items as you had hoped. You never will. So what? You did your best, had some fun (fairs are always fun), and can learn from your mistakes.
An artist friend of mine who exhibits his paintings at the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit tells me, “I get so tired of smiling.” A real pro, he knows to be discreet, never pushy. But when I lose a sale, it’s only a matter of a twenty-dollar book at most; if he fails to sell a painting, several hundred dollars is involved. For him, the stakes are high. But recently in one weekend he sold fifteen paintings. He thinks it may be a loosening up in buyers, as the pandemic -- we hope -- winds down.
Have any of you ever tried to sell to the public? If so, tell me all about it.
© 2021 Clifford Browder
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