Virtual Book Signings--Where Did I Put That Pen Again?
For the second time this week I've run into a nonprofit and association that is offering its members a "virtual book signing" as part of a marketing campaign for a new publication. A virtual book signing (see examples on www.virtualbooksignings.com, but others are around) is an interactive "book signing experience." The author speaks online about his or her book, answers e-mailed questions from viewers/listeners, and offers signed books--or signed bookplates if you already own the book--for sale. The signings are originally held live, but they are retained on a designated site (such as an organization's online bookstore) for future potential buyers.
I'm a huge reader, but I have never experienced or heard of a virtual book signing before. It's nothing fancy, looking generally like someone propped a video camera on a tripod and let loose. However, it does create intimacy and does allow folks to interact with an author whom they may not have the chance to hear otherwise. And, hey, we all like signed books.
Wouldn't it be great to have the authors of your new publications pilot such an experience online? Think of how attractive that might be to your top-name conference speakers who are touting their books to your members anyway.
I'm sorry I have no revenue figures to share with you in terms of book sales generated by this type of activity, so if anyone else has offered this marketing tool, please post details of your experience.
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Comments
Kristin -
Good find - I think you're right on the money that it doesn't look like anything fancy - but it is effective. I am always thrilled to see someone take an idea from some other part of their life and apply it to our community's business model. Also, when I was watching some video from the archive it occurred to me that sometimes we all have an idea to try something like this but the idea dies on the vine because the project sponsors try to hard to make it perfect instead of letting it be a bit of an experiment and perhaps a bit messy (as you said, nothing fancy).
Oh – and by the way, I couldn’t get that link to work. I did find www.virtualbooksigning.net – but the link in the post kicked e-sand in my face (page can’t be displayed). Not sure if it was down or if the link was bad.
Posted by: David Coriale | February 13, 2008 5:28 PM
I believe that Book Expo America has been doing virtual book signings at its annual convention--at least they had something that looked very much like one going one last year at the meeting in NYC.
Posted by: Joanne Lozar Glenn | February 15, 2008 9:24 AM