By Joanna Campbell Slan
Copyright 2002 Joanna Campbell Slan

Joanna Campbell Slan, motivational speaker and published author of many journaling books, including Adventures in Journaling,  provides us with these ideas concerning stores promoting "book clubs" with events.

"For example, a store could host a book club event with my book and then ask, 'Show us how Joanna's Adventures in Journaling inspired you.' Scrappers could bring pages they made as a result of inspiration and share ideas. This would help stores sell both books and product and kickstart people who are in a scrapping slump. If the stores wanted to, they could make these book club events into contests.

Also, so many of us scrapbook authors are so willing to help. Here are a few ways to 'use' a scrapbook author:

Let us know you'd like us to visit. (I travel a lot and if I know I'm near a store that's interested in my work, I always stop in.)

Have an event. I went to a Cinco de Mayo party at one  tore and signed books after teaching a class - which leads me to...

Have the author teach a class - if the author is coming to your store at your behest, this can offset the cost of her visit.

Get publicity for the author's visit - this helps your store and keeps scrapbooking in the limelight. Mail out media releases.

Ask the author for reproducible handouts. Put these in all your bags going out of the stores in the weeks preceding the visit. Your bags should never go home 'empty' or without a note from you to encourage a scrapbooker to return.

Ask the author for information you can print or e-mail in your store's newsletter.

Gosh, I am so willing to promote my books that I'm surprised more stores don't use me as a resource! I can't always travel for free, but if I'm nearby, I'll gladly stop in."

Thanks so much, Joanna! Retailers, you can contact Joanna directly here: Savetales@aol.com

Copyright 2002 Joanna Campbell Slan

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