We have been conditioned to believe that in sales there is no such thing as a silver bullet. I can tell you that there is. It is called timing — getting in front of the right buyer at EXACTLY the right time. Research shows that you are five times more likely to make a sale when you have the right timing.

As a new author, you will want to consider every available means to market your work, and book-signing engagements at the various bookstore chains, independent stores and libraries can provide important or even crucial contributions to that end. But much of the sales potential of this valuable means of getting your books out there is often lost through a lack of understanding of what it takes to make these sessions work. While there are many who regard book-signing sessions as a great opportunity, there are others who see them as unpleasant but necessary chores. Let’s examine the pros and cons.