Forceful book selling

[Danny McG]

I was quite recently at the launch of a local 'family hub' (basically a one stop building where help and information is provided for all aspects of child raising issues)
I was there with several others to raise awareness of Special Guardianships, we were like handing out leaflets and giving little summaries etc.

Some woman approached our group and introduced herself and then did a really pushy promotion of a (somewhat overpriced) book she's self published about dealing with drug addict teenagers.
A good number of the group immediately bought copies and others took her business cards.

I'd had a quick look at it and noticed a few spelling errors and (red flag!) one big mistake in a process that's meant to calm down a kid who's in desperate craving mode (clucking).
She turned a bit aggressive when I pointed this out, as I was declining to buy her book, and demanded to know how I was so knowledgeable.
"None of your business how I know" was all she got from me.
She wandered off to bother another group instead - there were about a dozen, some for autism, some for fostering etc.

Just wondering if anyone has tried this IMO very pushy selling method?

 

[hitmouse]

I have seen this several times with small press/self-published non-fiction, where I have got the impression that there has been some up-front investment and real pressure to recoup costs. The books are generally not noteworthy.

In a similar vein I was phoned at work a few years ago by a publisher I had not heard of, who strongly encouraged me to buy 20 copies of a new textbook, sight-unseen, at wholesale price, for resale. When politeness failed I had to tell him that I was not interested in selling his books before I hung up.

 

[Montero]

Her better approach would have been to ask the committee in advance, you could then have checked out her book - and if you thought it good given her a table to one side.
I have done cold calling selling a book at a couple of sf conventions, walk up to people, politely say "you may have already seen the advertisement for this in convention pack", a two sentence precis and if they respond continue the conversation and then move on. Pretty much didn't work.

 

[Danny McG]

Her better approach would have been to ask the committee in advance, you could then have checked out her book - and if you thought it good given her a table to one side

Some of my group wanted to post a link to her work on our local site, I and others thankfully managed to dissuade them.
It wouldn't benefit our group at all and would also sidetrack from what we are trying to achieve

 

[Toby Frost]

I've seen authors deliberately collar people as they go into bookshops - "Would you be interested in my book about..." - but I don't think it works, or at least makes them more likely to buy a book. When I've done signings in bookshops, the key deciders of how many copies you shift seem to be outside your hands: things like advertising, the time of year, where they put you in the shop and so on.

 

[clarissajaneen]

I've been at a few events with other local authors to sell our books and have thankfully never experienced this, that sounds so awkward. Was she just lugging around a bunch of books in a wagon or something?

 

[Danny McG]

I've been at a few events with other local authors to sell our books and have thankfully never experienced this, that sounds so awkward. Was she just lugging around a bunch of books in a wagon or something?

A shopping trolley thingy