You’ve got your multi-city tour planned out perfectly: all the best bookstores ready to greet you with stacks of pre-purchased copies of your book ready for signing, the best morning TV programs segments booked, and fans in every city lined up to meet you.
BUT have you forgotten the most vital necessities for your tour? Check out our list of top must-haves for authors when on tour:
- Pilot G-2 pens: Most authors do not like to use Sharpies—they prefer a finer tool for autographing their books. Although you can pack Sharpies in every color, it’s always wise to make sure to have a few Pilot G-2s or ball pens on-hand.
- A lint-brush (to run over your clothes before a TV interview).
- Breath mints—not gum! Don’t learn this one the hard way—what do you do when you find yourself with gum in your mouth only minutes before a TV interview? Lesson learned: never gum, only mints.
- Blotting tissues: Some people are just shinier than others…
- Kleenex: self-explanatory.
- Protein bars and packs of nuts: You’re always in a time crunch when on a media trip, so those can be a lifesaver.
- Post-Its: We’ve never not had a bookstore ready with these for the signing line (for spelling out names), but, when you’re at an autographing table, you will inevitably chat up someone that you’ll want to give a recommendation to, and therefore need some paper.
- Phone charger and portable power pack: Trust us, you’ll need it
- A print-out of the day’s media schedule: Even though you’ve got a copy in your laptop, and your phone, a physical copy allows you to show any member of your team the schedule instantly, is there to make notes on, and is something you can check yourself if you’re having trouble pulling up the electronic schedule you’ve created.
- A variety of HDMI and VGA cables: Equipment varies from bookstore to hotel ballroom to convention center room, so it’s always smart to have all of the necessary cables along if you are presenting from a laptop and projector.
- Travel-size tube/container of petroleum jelly: Dry lips can be very uncomfortable during long book signing sessions, and look unattractive on camera—a dab of this product makes for an easy fix! But petroleum jelly is also a multi-use product, as we discovered once when a client was about to go on camera for an interview, and would be seated with her bare (and dry) legs in full view. The author rubbed some of the product on her legs, giving her skin a smoother look – who knew that a small tube of Vaseline would be so helpful?!?
- An extra copy or two of the author’s book: Sure, the bookstore will have a stack of 100 books or more ready and waiting for autographs, but keep in mind that you may need one for media interviews earlier in the day or for posing in Instagram pictures outside of the store.
- Press release for the book: For any media in attendance.
PR by the Book is a boutique publicity firm specializing in traditional media relations, online media relations, social media services, book tour support, and brand consulting.
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