Are Book Fairs or Trade Shows Worth it for Indie Book Authors?

When my second book was published in 2021, I participated in a handful of book fairs. I enjoyed meeting new people, talking about my book, and visiting new cities. Although book fairs can be costly, all authors should experience selling their books or merchandise directly to consumers via book fairs or trade shows.

These events allow you to connect with potential readers, and highlight who you are and why your book or work matters. But that doesn’t mean that these events are cash cows: you may make a few dollars but most authors won’t turn a profit at all events. I’ve seen statistics that you may sell 1 book for every 100 people in attendance.

If you are a self-published or indie author, here are three things to consider before signing up to sell your books or products at a book fair or trade show.

What do you want to get out of the book fair or trade show?

Before going to a book fair or trade show, get clear about your purpose. What is your reason for attending? Do you want to meet people? Do you want to sell books? Do you want to turn a profit? Can you afford the total expense for participation? If you want to make a profit, I’d recommend you consider another platform for doing so. That’s because the cost of your products, the cost of travel, and the opportunity cost of being at the show versus doing something else, could far surpass what you recoup in book sales. If your goal is simply to meet people, and sell a few products, a book fair or trade show could be exciting and fulfilling.

You may not make as much money as you think.

It is easy to overestimate how much you will raise. I’ve been to several trade shows and while I consider myself to be affable, not everyone I spoke to purchased my book. I learned that some people visit trade shows and book fairs just to see who’s there and what’s available. Additionally, not every genre of writing is for every person — finding my audience at these events was always critical. Some people are looking for a very specific product and they may not be willing to spend elsewhere.

What is the total cost of participation?

Before agreeing to participate in a trade show, you’ll want to assess the total cost of the event. I will never forget paying the registration fee to participate in a book show only to discover that I also had to pay for electricity, WiFi, and other supports. This was after paying to get myself to the event. I was crushed because the costs were massive. I felt pressured to try to sell as much as possible. 

So as you think about your marketing strategy, think about a good mix of events that will help as many books in readers’ hands as possible. If you cannot invest in trade shows or book fairs, do not be discouraged. You can still promote your book with things such as local events, author Q&As, opinion essays and direct media engagement. 

Most people aren’t independently wealthy, and most publishers do not have the capacity to market their authors’ books the way they’d like. So it’s imperative you be creative about how you spread the work about your book. 

Of course, you do not have to do this alone. Book a PR Office Hours session to help you strategize about your options. You can also purchase our PR Bundle package which is a one-time fee to help you get your book or work project off the ground.

Jennifer R. Farmer, aka The PR Whisperer,^® is the principal of Spotlight PR LLC. Be sure to check out other blogs and subscribe for regular communications updates.