| Each year we get a lot of questions about Book | | | | Depending on where you are in your writing career |
| Expo (BEA). Authors and publishers are wondering if | | | | attending a BEA for the first time should open your |
| they should go, how they will benefit from it and | | | | eyes to the possibilities. The books you see from the |
| most importantly, how best to maximize BEA. This | | | | biggest publishers could easily have been written by |
| year I decided to ask AME's Publishing Consultant, | | | | you, it's all about understanding the market, |
| Jerry D. Simmons for his take on BEA. Having spent | | | | positioning your manuscript, having knowledge of |
| countless hours at this event, I thought he would be | | | | what the big guys are looking for, how they |
| a perfect candidate to share some valuable insight on | | | | purchase rights to publish books, and then knowing |
| this big publishing event! | | | | how to market yourself as an author. As you walk |
| 1) For those who are reading this who don't know | | | | the hall you will get a sense of just how big the |
| what BEA is, can you explain what it is? | | | | industry, how serious you need to approach your |
| Book Expo America is the annual showcase for the | | | | writing, and how extremely important it is to know |
| largest publishers in the world. It's a place where | | | | how the business operates. The authors of the |
| companies rent booth space to display their goods | | | | books you see in the catalogs of the big publishers |
| and services. The convention hall includes publishers | | | | are no more talented than you, but they know |
| and related businesses, both large and small, which | | | | something about the business and how to market |
| offer products and services to industry professionals | | | | themselves and their writing. If you're serious about a |
| directly or indirectly related to the industry. | | | | career as a writer, you can learn what you need to |
| 2) Someone reading this might wonder, why would I | | | | know to be successful by keeping your eyes open |
| attend BEA? Do you think it benefits anyone in | | | | and developing your plan. |
| publishing to go to an event like this and if so, why? | | | | 8) As someone who's attended many of these |
| If you've never attended, it is fun to attend at least | | | | events, what are some insider tips you can share |
| once just to get a feel for what the bigger world of | | | | about event networking and attracting new business |
| publishing is all about. Depending on your particular | | | | at an event of this magnitude? |
| situation either as an author or business person, it is | | | | The idea that you can walk into any booth and make |
| the one place where all related companies gather to | | | | a cold call on an editor, publisher or any business and |
| display their offerings so if you want to see what | | | | accomplish something is the easiest way to be seen |
| the industry is all about and how you or your | | | | as an amateur. When that happens, no one will take |
| business might fit, it's worth the visit. Book Expo can | | | | you seriously. The BEA is not the place to try and |
| be as much or as little as you want out of it, but if | | | | transact business; it's the place to meet people that |
| you derive your revenue from books, publishing, or | | | | will hopefully allow you to transact business in the |
| anything related, you should attend at least once. | | | | future. The only way for anything to get |
| 3) Can you explain the setup of BEA? It seems that | | | | accomplished at BEA is to have established some |
| the big 6 New York publishers are always taking | | | | contact prior to the show and then set an |
| center stage of this event, is that true? Is it a case | | | | appointment to meet during the show. That is the |
| of "whoever can throw the most money at this | | | | only way. Dropping in on people and sticking your |
| event gets the biggest booth?" Or is BEA generally a | | | | hand out with a business card is the quickest way to |
| primary focus of corporate publishing? | | | | ruin what reputation you might have established. |
| BEA is focused around the six big publishers, no | | | | 9) Many people say that "deals are made at Book |
| doubt, without them the BEA would hold little | | | | Expo" but is that true, are there deals made on the |
| relevance to the general public. As it stands today, | | | | event floor? |
| the media is interested simply because of the | | | | The biggest deals the largest publishers make is |
| celebrity authors and future bestsellers that are on | | | | international rights transactions. I can't say that deals |
| display. Each of these big companies may spend well | | | | are never done on the floor, but if there are, then |
| in excess of $1 million on this show so it is a big deal | | | | BEA is the end point, not the beginning. Discussions |
| for them and they spend a lot of time in New York | | | | are held that lead to business being conducted, but |
| preparing. | | | | rarely do agents and authors, service and product |
| Booth placement is key for this show and the | | | | vendors initiate contact at BEA that result in business |
| sponsors do the best they can to make everyone | | | | being conducted at that moment. The atmosphere is |
| happy. Size of the booth is indicative of how much | | | | more festive and most executives hate to have |
| money the sponsors are receiving from the big | | | | serious discussions on the floor. BEA is the place for |
| publishers. Having attended more than 20, I would | | | | introductions, exchanging of information, but not |
| have to say that the BEA as it now stands is as | | | | serious business. |
| much representative of corporate publishing as | | | | 10) As a service provider, publisher, or author - what |
| anything else. | | | | are some things to look for in book placement, |
| 4) So, let's say I'm a small publisher looking for more | | | | catalog placement, or promotional pieces that might |
| exposure for my books. How would I strategize BEA | | | | clue me into new trends, or vendors one might want |
| to my best advantage? | | | | to connect with. |
| For small publishers BEA becomes a necessity to | | | | First of all depending on the product or service you |
| attract the kind of attention it takes to build your | | | | provide, you need to scope out the competition. |
| business and sell books. If you are small and do not | | | | Who else is offering the same and how are they |
| attend, then industry wide you are not seen as a | | | | presenting themselves to the public? This is very |
| "player" in the publishing business. The best way to | | | | important. If you are looking for opportunities from |
| strategize if you are a small publisher is to make sure | | | | publishers' catalogs, look for books that are similar to |
| your booth reflects who you are or who you want | | | | ones you have worked on in the past. Particularly |
| to be as a publisher. You have to promote your | | | | check out the marketing of these titles and make a |
| company to the industry, such as agents, authors, | | | | mental note on those which you have something to |
| and other publishers. It's important for you to put | | | | offer that is new and exciting for the publisher. |
| forth the perception that you publish quality product | | | | If you are a small publisher again, take note of the |
| and are serious about your own development as a | | | | competition. Publishing is about perception; compare |
| company. The BEA is the place where you have an | | | | your presentation to your competitive publishers. |
| opportunity to capture the attention of the bigger | | | | Does your catalog compare? What about your |
| players regardless of their area of expertise. This is | | | | marketing plans? Prices? Page counts? What are they |
| especially true if your books rarely get reviewed in | | | | doing differently? The goal is to figure out how to |
| the traditional media and if you are not based in | | | | compete effectively. |
| Manhattan. | | | | As an author, there are tons of free and review |
| 5) As a small publisher, what's my best plan of | | | | copies available on the floor of the big publishers at all |
| attack? How should I prepare for this event? | | | | times, these are the titles they are heavily promoting. |
| The first thing you have to do is make sure you | | | | Pick them up and read them, this is what is selling |
| have developed an image you want to portray to | | | | today, compare the story, not the writing and pay |
| the industry. If your focus is quality fiction then you | | | | attention to what publishers are doing to promote |
| need to have large images of your covers, with free | | | | their books. Regardless of how you publish, there are |
| and review copies available, and complete marketing | | | | plenty of marketing ideas floating around, right in |
| plans, including promotion, publicity and advertising. | | | | front of your eyes, pay attention because chances |
| You have to mimic what the big publishers are doing | | | | are you can take those ideas back home and use |
| which gives the impression you can compete even if | | | | them. |
| you are on a smaller scale. | | | | 11) What type of information gathering do you |
| 6) I'm a vendor looking to acquire more business. | | | | recommend someone does prior to the event? |
| Let's say I'm a publicist or marketing person - why | | | | What's the best way to prepare for Book Expo? |
| would I want to go to this event and how could it | | | | Remember, the BEA is not the place to transact |
| benefit me? | | | | business; it's the place to meet people who you can |
| The first thing I would do is walk the halls and get | | | | eventually do business with. It's okay to have a plan |
| the lay of the land, in other words, determine where | | | | of how you want to tour the hall, especially if your |
| the big publishers are located and what all the other | | | | time is limited. But the best preparation is hunting and |
| booths are about. It's one thing to read the BEA | | | | gathering as I've discussed before. The BEA has |
| catalog or read Publishers Weekly for the convention | | | | plenty of information to share, take advantage of |
| layout, it's quite another to walk the hall to see for | | | | the free offering in one location, and it happens only |
| yourself what each of these businesses are all about. | | | | once per year. |
| The employees of all the big companies constantly | | | | The best way to prepare for a BEA is REST! |
| walk the halls looking at their competition, and not | | | | Attending a BEA can be exhausting, go in with your |
| just the big publisher booths, but the entire hall. | | | | eyes open and don't let the show overwhelm you. It |
| As a vendor trying to acquire more business, I'd | | | | can be daunting to walk in and see all the huge |
| gather as much free information in the form of | | | | displays and walk away feeling like you're lost. This is |
| handouts as you can possible carry, including catalogs | | | | the place to see what's going on in the world of |
| from everyone. I would also gather as many business | | | | publishing. I tell my clients that the bookstore is their |
| cards as you can and shake hands and speak with as | | | | laboratory, where they can find out what's being |
| many people as you can meet. Then at night in your | | | | published and how books are being marketed. If the |
| hotel pour over all of this information looking for | | | | bookstore is your lab, the BEA is the PhD program |
| opportunities. I'd pick up as much competitive | | | | for students of the business. There is a lot to learn |
| information as possible and then use this information | | | | and much you can gather at a BEA. |
| in acquiring more business. | | | | (Originally published on the AME blog and reprinted |
| 7) As an author, how could BEA impact my career? | | | | with permission of the author, Penny Sansevieri). |
| How could BEA help me? | | | | |