First Book Signing! After

Hello everyone! It's November 4th, two days after my first official book signing! What a day! There is so much I want to say so lets get started from the top.

I woke up early with a feeling of excited anxiety buzzing around inside of me. I have been a sales associate in the past and know a few things about selling and convincing people to buy a product, but its entirely different when you're selling something you made that is close to your heart. It's easy to take rejection when you don't have any emotional involvement, but as I went to the store, I worried what would happen if I sat there the whole time and didn't sell a single book? Would I be able to handle that kind of reaction on my first time out and about?? I was going to find out.

I cannot praise the Half Price Books store that worked with me enough. They had a table ready for me front and center and while I had given them posters to use, I hadn't even thought of little stands to hold them up, but they had it covered! I had a table right in front with my posters where everyone could see. It was the best thing I could've hoped for!

As I sat down and got myself ready, I couldn't stop myself from shaking. This was a big deal not only in the fact that its the very first book signing, but I have social anxiety myself and I was stepping WAY out of my comfort zone, but I knew I couldn't let it stop me. I put on my old sales smile and started greeting people who walked in asking if they were looking for a new book to read.

The first few people avoided me completely. The "don't make eye contact" kinda thing. It hurt, but hey, I understand. If you know what you want and don't want to listen to sales pitches, you do it. Everyone does. No need to take it personal. Then I got a few people to look at me and they shot me down with a brief no and walked away. Ok, so that one hurt a little more deeply, but I kept my smile and kept at it.

Then my reinforcements began to arrive. People who know me and knew I could use the moral support. Some already had their copies and some were buying them from me then and there. It made me feel better to have those familiar faces around and I kept trying to pull other people to the table to get them interested.

Then it happened, I made my first sale to someone I didn't know! Someone who didn't know me from anyone else, but listened to my clumsy tongue tied spiel about my story and told me he would love to read it! I was floored! This was amazing!! I was filled with confidence and hit the ground running. I made a few more sales to people I didn't know, on top of the people who were coming to support me. In this moment I knew, I was reaching new people who had no idea about my story and now, they may share it with others. I was so happy I was nearly in tears.

What can I take from this and offer to other people who are wanting to do the same thing? People who want to make their dreams into reality? No matter how hard it is, no matter how much it hurts, don't give up. Every time you get knocked down, get up and dust yourself off. There will come a chance to get your foot in the door and get your name out there. Network. Talk with everyone you know, even if you think they don't care. You may just discover the least likely person will be the one that helps you go the farthest. It may start slow, but if you keep at it, you will get there.

If I can help one person with this, then its worth it. Thank you for reading!!