Table setup questions [Book Festival]

RKarina

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I just got confirmation I'm participating in the annual book festival here. It's a huge event, well attended and people tend to go to the author's tent to buy books.

Each author gets a 4-foot table space and a chair. They provide the table drape, and a basic, 8.5x11 sign (all of them are identical - festival branding, author name, title or titles).

The author is responsible for decorations, other signage, any promotional items/giveaways, etc.

I'm not a newbie to the trade/festival/show marketplace, so I do understand the basics of putting together an attractive display. But... I have some questions, and some "hey, I thought maybe...." ideas that I'd like other opinions on...


  • Basic design: in such limited space, I'm thinking a freestanding vertical banner for behind the table - featuring book covers, author headshot, and web info. Simple and colorful. (I am uncertain of my exact location in the tent so I don't know if I can go horizontal - some spaces you can, others you can't, and I won't find out until about 2 weeks before the festival - too late to order a banner).
  • Table design: I'm considering using an ipad with a slide show of appropriate images (I've got plenty, and they suit the thriller that is the full-length novel I'm promoting), as well as a guestbook/sign up to receive author updates (paper and pen type), a candy bowl, and whatever promotional items I have. Copies of the books, blow-ups of the covers behind them, and plenty of business cards.
  • Promotional items: Here's where I need some help. My first instinct is to good quality bookmarks, printed with book covers, maybe a quote, and web info. Other ideas I've had thrown at me include: custom printed lip balms, small votive candles with a custom label, custom printed candies (seems silly since people will throw away the part you want them to keep.) Others have suggested custom printed paper fans.

My questions are:
  • Does all of that sound reasonable?
  • What would you add to or take away?
  • Any ideas for promotional items? Budget and time conscious is important to me.

I cannot use music, or anything that creates noise. I need to keep whatever I do within the footprint of the table and chair space, it's generous, but not huge. I know from experience at shows that folks will come along and just scoop candy by the handful, and they will do the same with any truly nice promo items, so that's another reason to avoid going too expensive there.

Expected foot traffic is in the range of 50,000 people each day of the festival. I'm slated for what is traditionally their busiest day.

Thanks!
 
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atthebeach

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On first thought, it seems like a good overall plan. But, I have 3 things to mention.

First, bookmarks.

Instead of business cards, I would do the bookmarks you mentioned, but to serve as both (this is my plan). These bookmarks I would keep, and you could feature books on one side and your info on the other. Otherwise nowadays, with tech, I see business cards tossed often.in fact, I take pics of business cards and then toss them. And really never look at them but know they are archived if needed. But a bookmark, well we never have too many of those, and you are more likely to have someone else see a friend's bookmark with your information - free advertising!

Bookmark cost? Gotta be somewhere it is reqsonable. I recently looked into these, however, and the best I found on price point was moo.com using their Rack Cards (or I thought about using their really cute half size business cards, but these would be awfully tiny and easy to lose as a bookmark). So, if you find an affordable bookmark maker let me know!

Second: pens. Oh yes for sure.

I go to lots of conferences for academia, and while I love creative promos as others mentioned to you (especially the fan), the ones I honestly leave conferences the most with and keep for others to see are- drumroll..... pens. I always need pens, and my students are always asking where I got this one, why it says this, etc. Even one saying yourname.com would work for you, but perhaps genre too, or book title. They will be seen, which is the point. Same with cup holders/coolers, but I'm on a budget, and pens are always in demand.

Third: QR Codes.

Finally, I would definitely have a QR code printed and visible at least a half page size somewhere- include in your poster or wherever- even on your bookmark/business cards. In case you don't know what these are, look on any of your cereal boxes and they are probably on there, but they look like a bar code, except more a pattern of black squares within white square area. It can link to a website, phone number, text, etc and you create them free. There are free Alps to download and scan them. Products add coupons sometimes, or more information about them, or take you to their website. Authors should have these too (someone could scan yours instead of taking a business card they would toss (except if yours were a bookmark they would still keep it imo).

If it were me approaching your booth, I would be less likely to signup for paper updates, but if you had a QR code for mail/update sign ups, I would scan and add myself in 10 seconds flat. So have the paper sign ups for those less techy, but if possible link to sign ups with a QR code as an option for them also (and if you have a line at your booth, you won't 'lose anyone' because of the wait, as techy ones might/could scan QR codes from a distance.

These above are in addition to your general set up of course, which sounds great. Seems like a great event, best wishes!
 

RKarina

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Brilliant! I planned on doing a QRC on the bookmarks and other stuff, never thought about one for sign ups. Genius! Thank you!

I love pens, too... And I hear about 50/50 love/meh, but they're affordable, sooo...

and yeah, why didn't I think of that? Bookmarks instead of cards? This is why I ask questions.
 

atthebeach

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Glad it helped!

I am currently looking for a good print company for
affordable and customized bookmarks,
so if find any, I will add it here.

ETA:
Vistaprint has Rack Cards that are not
too big and could work for price depending on how you sort them. This is a dependable company according to several I know who have used them.


And Moo.com has great quality as I understand it from
people I know, and great price (I was going to use them if I cannot find a bookmark maker with a good rep) but also Rack Cards are used and are of course still wider than typical bookmarks.

Otherwise on google I see several
businesses who offer bookmark creation, but it would
be best to find one someone has used
before.

Either that, or I may do a free sample
and see what they look like- if so I will update here if
they are any good or not, and what bookmark company I tried.

To clarify- vistaprint and moo are well-established companies (some like moo better, others like them the same, but they seem to deliver what is expected).

I am now looking for a company who will do bookmarks instead of using Rack Cards as bookmarks, and thought it would be helpful to add
that here if we find any reliable companies that are also affordable.

But, either way, even Rack Cards could work nicely (my kids loved them as bookmarks from our local library once).
 
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