When it comes to tabling at comic events, Joe Latham is a pro. He’s a Bristol-based comics artist who regularly goes to the UK’s most well-known indie comics shows, and the creator behind the gorgeous, epic graphic novel fantasy series Haru.
Joe gave a massively fun and insightful lesson on tabling for Kids Comics Studio that was too good not to share.
From inventory planning, to building audience relationships, to post-event recovery and everything in between, Joe’s advice will make your next event a success!
Why Showing Your Work at Cons & Festivals is Worth It
Joe’s not afraid to admit his first show was a little bit of a disaster. He and his best friend (who was tabling with him) were ill-prepared, sleep-deprived, and incredibly anxious. The whole experience left him so overwhelmed that he broke down and cried as soon as he got home.
So why did he keep going to shows, then?
As hard as it was, he said, “It was the most inspiring and energetic experience [I ever had] as a creative.”
Joe met new peers and made connections with a budding audience of readers eager to read HIS comics!
But there was one problem: he was hiding behind his work — literally!
That first time he tabled at a show, he worried his presence would scare or annoy potential readers, so he tried to stay as hands-off as possible with attendees. When people would stop by the table to look at his work, he didn’t want to “bother” them, so he would sit quietly while they perused. His tablemate did all the talking.
At his next show, though, he had to run a full table by himself. So he had to face his fears. And that’s when everything clicked into place!
By being forced to talk to people, he explained, “I made more real, human connections, and I felt like I was with my family, home away from home.”
Making comics can be very lonely. It’s so important to have connections to the greater comics community. Getting to know your readers is deeply affirming and meeting peers builds a support group you can rely on.
Ready to take the leap into tabling? Joe has plenty of tips and tricks to get started.
How to Table at Comics Shows
Research Events
Pick a show that suits you. Maybe you’re someone who likes big superhero comic conventions, or independent comic shows, or kid-friendly festivals.
Looking for a list? Below are roundups of…
Joe recommends picking shows that match the type of crowd you want buying your comics.
Bring The Essentials
- A Table Cloth – A full table is roughly 3 feet (2 meters) wide, but sizes can vary. Make sure your table cloth is big enough at the front to hide your boxes and feet
- A Card Reader – Such as izettle, sumup, square, and your iphone
- A lockable money box & change – While shoppers use cards these days, many still attend events with cash in their pockets.
- Price Tags – Think about your style and how these can add to your display. Make sure your price tags are easy for customers to read. Joe is personally not a fan of price sheets because they can be hard to read at a busy table.
- Book Display Stands – Joe used cookbook stands before finding lightweight options at Ikea. (Another creator, Jannie Ho, uses and recommends book stands from The Bookstand.net.) Whatever works, as long as it makes your books look good. But important note – put some of your books flat on the table, because Joe mentioned that most people won’t pick up standing books when browsing, for some reason.
- Battery Pack & Cables – To juice your phone and card reader.
- Pens, Pencils, Paper (or a notebook) – If you’re nervous, sketching can help you ground yourself. You also want to make sure you have supplies to sign your work!
- Your Books, Prints, Pins, other merch, etc – don’t forget these! Stock levels can be hard to anticipate, and you never know what item will be popular one year that may not another. Try to talk to fellow creators who’ve exhibited previously at the show you’re attending to ask for their recommendations on how many units to bring.
- Something to give away for free – like a bookmark, a business card, or even a mini print. These help people to remember you. Not everyone has money left by the time they reach your table, but it can also help start (or finish) a conversation in a good way. And you never know what industry bigwigs might stop by your table and want to grab something so they can remember to follow up with you later.
- A mailing list signup form – A big reason to attend show is to meet new fans. And if people discover you at a show and love your work, you want to be able to keep in touch with them! So a mailing list signup form is ultra important. You can also make a sign with a QR code that leads to your mailing list signup.
- Shoebox of vitals – Joe shoves all of his important stuff (including things like a granola bar, pain medicine, scissors, tape, sharpie, etc) into a shoebox. “It means I always know where it is when I need it, and it gives me a space to put business cards or any bits that people may hand me at shows.”
- A Suitcase – or some kind of way to transport your books between the venue and your mode of transport. Some of Joe’s friends use big travel suitcases, but the wheels break off after a while, due to the weight. Others use big wheeled toolbox chests, but they can be pricey. Joe uses a wheeled hold-all sports bag. “It’s surprisingly massive inside, but I still have to carefully plan what I can fit inside.”
Give Your Table Your Own Personal Flourish
Are there ways you can make your table more “you”? Personalizing your table can strengthen your work and artistic identity.
Joe likes to paint a unique display stand every year. But he’s also seen his fellow artists use different ways to add personal touches to their display… including someone who used real tree leaves as price tags!
Survival Tips Before, During & After
Before
- If you’re nervous, bring something with you to help keep you calm, such as a fidget toy, a notebook, or a water bottle.
- Bring a table buddy with you if you need the support. A table buddy can also help with bookkeeping and inventory during the show.
- Post on your newsletter and social media. Your audience can’t find you if you never post! Announce in advance what events you are attending and post multiple reminders when the date gets closer. Don’t forget to include your table number in your posts!
- Consider all of your costs ahead of time: table fee, travel costs, food and drink, housing, printing costs, transaction fees, buying books from other artists, etc. (That last one can be a doozy!)
During
- Start conversations. People at comic conventions tend to be some of the kindest people you could ever hope to meet. “You may notice them wearing a cool pin badge, or a jazzy bag – these things can be conversation starters.”
- If you’re unsure how to interact, don’t be afraid to be direct. You can always ask visitors at your table, “Would you be interested in learning more about my work?” Most of the time people will say, “Sure!”
- Talk to your booth neighbors when you can. They’re just friends you haven’t met yet!
- It can help sales if you stand rather than sit. It changes the dynamic of how you interact with people. You talk to them as equals, rather than “shopkeeper” and “customer.”
- Whenever someone seems interested in your work or buys something from you, ask if they’d like to join your mailing list. If you’re not in the habit of doing it yet, it can be hard to remember, but just keep at it. Once you’ve reminded yourself and practiced enough, it will become second nature.
- Eat something. Bring low-smell snacks; ie. apples, bananas, chocolate bar, etc. Things you can eat a quick bite of, and put to one side if a customer appears at your table. (Eating while trying to talk to a friendly stranger feels weird.)
- Drink water and take toilet breaks (yes, you are allowed to!).
- If you’re nervous when signing something, take a deep breath and hold that moment to center yourself. Keep a piece of paper on the side to practice making a mark before you sign something. Sign with a pen you find comfortable, and preferably one that dries quickly and won’t smudge.
- Don’t overthink it, and try to learn and understand how you feel through each moment.
After
- Plan your show activities around your energy levels and your recovery time. You may be interested in attending convention parties, but they aren’t everyone. If you prefer quiet time to recover from the day, do that instead.
- Look after yourself; you’re there to work, after all. Even though it’s fun, you still need to be able to talk to people on the second day.
- Post a recap about the show on your newsletter and mailing list. Your fans will be excited to read about your experiences there.
- If you chatted with any people you want to follow up with, email a heartfelt thank you. These might be agents or editors, fellow creators you really liked, or organizers of the show. In fact, no matter what, you should send a thank you to the organizers. They put in untold hours of work so that you could sell your work and meet new fans — show your appreciation to them!
Try it at Home
Joe ended our workshop with three playful exercises for you to try. You are going to set up your own table display at home!
First, try setting up a mockup of your table. Use any table or desk you have access to. Use your table cloth, layout your books and prices exactly as you would at a show. Try to make it look easy to navigate.
Next, pretend to be a customer. Approach your table from the other side. How does it look, and what can you improve? Would you pick up the books and ask questions? Try closing the blinds and turning the lights down low. Are things still easy to understand?
Finally, try setting up using only half of the table. Can you fit it all? Does anything need to be removed so that it’s not overwhelming or cluttered?
If you enjoyed these tips, sign up for Joe’s newsletter here! And make sure you check out his gorgeous middle grade fantasy series, Haru.
See You Out There!
Are you tabling at any upcoming events? What comics shows are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments!
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