Gary Sturgis is a best selling author at BookLocker! Here’s how he does it!!

As a Grief Specialist, I increase my book sales by offering workshops. As an author of three books on grief and loss, I’m an expert on the topic I write about so I know I can teach others about it. People want expert advice, so my workshops about finding hope after loss help to sell a lot of my books.

My workshops often prove successful because they’re intimate settings in which I get to work personally with potential fans of my writing. When I spend a few hours with them, imparting my knowledge and experiences, I develop a relationship with the audience and then, at the end of the events, they’re always anxious to purchase an autographed copy of one of my books.

My book, SURVIVING – Finding Your Way from Grief to Healing documents my own grief journey after the loss of my spouse. In my workshops for that book, I’ve created a visual Power Point presentation called, ‘SURVIVING GRIEF’ that highlights the different ways I processed my own grief and I offer the audience practical advice on how they can do the same.

ENCOURAGE AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

In the workshops, I add audience involvement such as written and group exercises and group discussions, and I allow the participants to ask questions to help them self-discover what I’m sharing with them. Their participation ensures they pay more attention to me and it helps them feel more connected to what I’ve written about in my book.

DISTRIBUTE FREE HANDOUTS THAT PROMOTE YOUR BOOK(S)

I also distribute handouts during the presentation that offer additional resources on grief and loss and I include an informational flyer on what the topic is for each of my books. This allows the potential reader to make an educated decision on which book is the best option for them.

USE HUMOR

Since grief is a heavy topic, I also add a bit of humor into my presentation by saying things like, “My grief counselor was so good that, when she died, I didn’t even care.” I know the audience isn’t offended by these types of comments because I also hand out an evaluation for each workshop and they comment that they found the humor refreshing. These evaluations also help me gain information on how I can improve future workshops.

YOUR WORKSHOP TOPIC

The first step in setting up a workshop is to determine the topic of your presentation. This can be a chapter or an overall presentation of the subject of your book.

SCHEDULING/LOCATION

Next, you’ll need to book a location and date. I’ve found that the best venues are those that don’t charge a rental fee for the space. I’ve used senior centers, schools, libraries, and health and wellness centers. Book the workshop in a city where you probably can get a large enough audience to attend, and book the event at least a couple of months in advance.

MARKETING

Then market the hell out of it!

I do this by posting it on my website, Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, and all my other social media accounts. I also create flyers, and send them to everyone on my email list, and I notify the local media in the market where I’m giving my presentation. I always make sure to give potential attendees information on how they can sign up for my workshops. This allows me to know how many handouts and books I’ll need to bring to the event.

Lastly, I always arrive early, and set a table up with all my books on it. Before the workshop, during breaks, and after the presentation, I have a friend or relative sit at the table to collect money so I can spend my time signing copies and interacting with the attendees.

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Gary Sturgis is a best selling BookLocker.com author! He survived the greatest loss of his life, and now works as a Grief Specialist, Bereavement Facilitator, and Speaker, guiding and supporting others in their struggle with grief. He finds it an honor to help those who are grieving a loss to navigate their way through the maze of grief in a very personal and meaningful way. He lives by the ocean in Plymouth, Massachusetts. To see how he promotes his books, follow him on Facebook.

GARY’S BOOKS:

Surviving: Finding Your Way from Grief to Healing

GRIEF: Hope in the Aftermath

SURVIVING GRIEF: 365 Days a Year

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DON’T FORGET! This Saturday is the Winter, 2024 24-Hour Short Story Contest! Read past topics and sign up RIGHT HERE!