Becoming an author is a noble journey. Your words, stories, and creativity bring so much to the world. However, we can’t deny that, as an up-and-coming author, you have a challenging road ahead of you.
Networking and marketing yourself at industry events can help you get noticed and build your personal brand quickly. By focusing on your professional presentation and networking skills, you can leave a lasting impression at book festivals, writers’ conferences, or local signings.
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Presenting Yourself with Confidence and Professionalism
The first impression you give at an industry event can set the tone for your entire career. Presenting yourself with confidence can build lasting relationships and help you create a positive professional image that propels your career forward.
So, start by exuding confidence through your demeanor. Practice strong body language, like standing tall, making eye contact, and using your hands to make open gestures. You should also practice how you’ll introduce yourself to convey confidence. And when you do get to talk with people, use a warm and engaging tone of voice to make yourself approachable.
As far as your appearance, look as good as you can. When you look good you feel good, and a polished look shows that you’re serious about your career. As a result, others will take you and your career seriously too.
Cling to these tips to ensure you look polished at every industry event:
- Dress for the occasion: Choose attire that reflects professionalism and aligns with your personal brand. For example, if the attire is formal and you’re a bold person, you could put on a sleek dress in a daring color or pattern.
- Pay attention to personal hygiene and grooming: Clean nails, styled hair, and attention to detail go a long way. Make sure you shower before every event, brush your teeth, use deodorant, spray some perfume or cologne, and ensure your clothes are ironed and fit well.
- Take care of your skin: This one is often overlooked. But skincare can absolutely affect your professional success. Healthy, glowing skin can boost your confidence, help you make a strong first impression, and eliminate the distractions skin conditions like acne can bring.
Branding Through Materials: Make Your Presence Memorable
Creating a memorable presence goes beyond how you present yourself. You can also bring things with you to the event that people will remember you by, like branding materials and swag.
When buying branding materials, invest in high-quality business cards that reflect your authorial brand. If the industry event permits it, create banners and table setups that showcase your latest work in a visually appealing way.
Also, promotional items, or “swag,” are a staple at conferences and industry events. Unique and practical branded items are easy to distribute and will keep you on attendees’ minds long after the event is over. Consider giving away:
- Custom bookmarks or pens with your logo, book title, and contact information
- Tote bags featuring your book cover, tagline, or special quote from your book
- Fun items like mini journals with writing prompts you created or mugs with your top inspirational quotes
Storytelling as Your Superpower
Standing out at an industry event requires you to promote yourself. And what better way to do that than through your personal story? Your journey as an author is unique. So, use it to connect with others by highlighting your inspiration and challenges on your road to authorship. Share what drives your passion for writing too.
Don’t be afraid to tell stories when networking. Use anecdotes to break the ice during conversations. In addition, make your story relatable by emphasizing universal themes like persistence or creativity.
Further, it’s so important to avoid coming across as overly promotional. Instead, ask questions to learn about others’ stories and offer insights or tips from your journey that may help others.
Networking with Purpose and Follow-Up
When attending author conferences or other industry events, you need to go in with a plan to ensure you’re networking with a purpose. Before you arrive, take note of what you want to achieve, who you want to meet, and how you’re going to get the results you want. You can use these tips to network meaningfully and continue relationships with those you connect with once the event is over:
- Maximize panels, signings, and Q&A sessions: Attend sessions that align with your interests and expertise. Ask thoughtful questions during Q&A to make yourself memorable. Bring copies of your book to sign or distribute selectively.
- Build connections through interaction: Exchange contact information with people who show interest in your writing. Join group discussions or participate in icebreaker activities.
- Follow up to reinforce relationships: The work doesn’t end when the event does. Strengthen your new connections by sending personalized thank-you emails within a few days. Share a photo or memory from the event on social media and tag those you met. Stay in touch with new contacts by updating them on your projects.
Attending industry events is a golden opportunity to showcase your professionalism, creativity, and unique story as an author.
Focus on a polished appearance, cohesive branding, compelling storytelling, and purposeful networking to leave a lasting impression that sets you apart as an author to watch.
