I’ve had to neglect this column for a few months while completing work on the forthcoming Septic Isle graphic novella, so I’m going to ease my way back in with a short piece aimed at anyone attending their first comic convention as an exhibitor this year (you do know that the Bristol Expo is a little over a month away, right?). Here are 10 items you should take to ensure you, your table and your comics make a real impact…

1. Tablecloth
Chances are the table you have hired from the convention organiser is going to be a bit old, plain and knackered. You therefore need to disguise its utter gruesomeness with a nice bright tablecloth. I usually buy a couple of disposable bright red ones from Sainsbury’s, the idea being to make my table and its display as eye-catching as possible. Trust me, your display’s going to look a bit bare if it hasn’t got a cloth under it yet it’s the one item exhibitors always seem to accidentally leave at home or fail to consider in the first place.

2. Business cards
Whenever I mention business cards to anyone I struggle to keep a straight face as I’m always reminded of that hilarious scene in the American Psycho movie when Patrick Bateman and his yuppie mates engage in a pissing contest over who has the best card – “That’s bone… and the lettering is something called silian brail.”

Thing is, if you’re making comics and exhibiting at conventions you’re going to need a card because the number of interesting and potentially very useful people who are going to pass by your table is pretty high. Over the last few years at Bristol alone I have swapped contact details with writers, artists, letterers, colourists, publishers, printers, TV and movie company reps, distributors and fanzine/magazine/website reviewers and their editors. I guess I could have just scribbled my name and email address down on a scrappy piece of paper but it’s considerably more professional to give them a properly-printed card. If nothing else it shows you’re serious about what you do. There are loads of places online offering cheap and cheerful business card printing so you’ll find you’re spoiled for choice.

3. Display cases
I’m talking about those Perspex things that are usually used for holding leaflets and brochures at the library or in travel agents. You can get them for under a tenner each from Staples and are about the right size for a US format comic or something slightly larger. Again it’s all about making your table as eye-catching as possible – showing people that as much care has gone into your display as it has your comics.

4. Something that says who you are
A couple of years ago I sold one of my children to buy some nice exhibition stands featuring a selection of my characters and the words Moonface Press in large letters. Ooh, they do look lovely. You don’t have to spend a ton of cash telling people who you are though; just hire some backing boards and print up some nice big full-colour A2 posters to stick on them. You could also get a printed cloth banner made to hang over the front of your table – this company did a good job on mine: www.BannersForAll.co.uk

5. A moneybox
Somewhere to put all that cash you’ll make from sales of your latest hot comic. Make sure the moneybox is lockable and kept close at hand. You’ll also need a float of change because not everyone is going to have the exact money. Working out what change you should have in your float is fairly easy. If your comic sells for £1.50 then the chances are a fair few buyers are going to pay with two £1 coins or a fiver – your float should therefore contain mostly £1 coins and 50 pence pieces. Similarly, my new book Septic Isle costs £3.95 so I’ll be making sure my float contains lots of £1 coins and five pence pieces. I usually take a float of £20-£30 and find it’s more than enough for a weekend.

The idea is to not run out of change as it can get a bit embarrassing and you could even miss out on sales as a result (“Sorry, we haven’t got any change.” “No worries, I’ll spend my cash elsewhere then.”)

6. Price list
Just a simple, clearly printed list of the comics you have available on the table and how much they cost. Make sure you display details of any discounts you’re offering too, e.g. 20% off all comics, Buy One Get One Free, Special Convention Price £5. People expect to pick up a bargain at conventions so discounting your comics is nearly always good for business.

7. A sunny disposition
I was most amused to read a convention report criticising certain exhibitors at a recent London show for being unapproachable. Apparently, the small press creators in question spent the entire time scowling behind their table looking like the front row at a My Chemical Romance concert. I suspect they didn’t shift many comics.

Let’s face it, lots of us are painfully shy around new people and find the very notion of selling to complete strangers a bit intimidating. Unfortunately, playing the wallflower when you’re an exhibitor at a comic convention really isn’t an option. You don’t have to be especially effusive, just able to exchange pleasantries and talk about your comics enthusiastically. Punters will pick up on that enthusiasm and will be more likely to hand over their cash as a result.

8. Help
Staffing a convention stall on your own all weekend is a colossal pain because it means you have to ask someone to keep an eye on your comics every time you go to take a leak or grab some food. It also means you can’t attend any panels and that walks round the convention floor have to be conducted with military precision (“Right, I’ve got five minutes; just enough time to visit Markosia and the Brodie’s Law guys – Moonface Press can wait until next year.”) In other words, rope in a mate or loved one to help out and you’ll probably find your convention experience is a lot more rewarding. It’ll also be a lot less stressful and tiring.

9. Pens and paper
Even if you’re an obscure no-mark like me, punters are going to ask you to sign copies of your work (I suspect they plan to sell them on eBay in the unlikely event you become rich and famous). It’s therefore a good idea to always have a pen handy. If you’re an artist, having pens and paper to hand is a must as in addition to asking you to sign stuff, you’ll also be asked for sketches. In fact, sketching for people is a good way of encouraging sales of your comic (a free sketch with every sale!)

And let’s face it; if you’re setting yourself up as a writer or artist, not having a pen to hand is going to be a little bit embarrassing, isn’t it?

10. The comics you’ll be selling
For god’s sake don’t forget them!

*An exclusive limited edition first printing of the Septic Isle graphic novella by Andy Winter and Mick Trimble will be on sale at the Bristol International Comic Expo (May 10-11), priced £3.95.

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