When You Do Things Other Authors Don't or Won't, People Notice
Going just a little bit farther is usually all it takes
Professional runners win Olympic medals by hundredths of a second. The gold medalist and the athlete who finishes fourth often differ by less than half a second over an entire race. That’s the margin. Not minutes nor even seconds. Fractions of seconds.
Recently I wrote about what separates the best from the rest: caring the most, attention to detail, sense of urgency, having a bigger dream, and making extraordinary requests.
This is the yes, but to that piece.
Those things matter, but it doesn’t always mean you have to go all summa, magna, maxima.
Your author business doesn’t have to outwork your competition by 500%. Try going just 5–10% farther than you did the last time or 5–10% better than another author you observed doing something similar or 5–10% more original, creative in a few high-profile areas.
Add one unexpected touch. Show up with slightly more preparation. Stay engaged a little bit longer. Do slightly more, slightly better, slightly more often. Reliably and consistently.
Let’s consider it in practice.
Libraries
What everyone does: Shows up, gives their talk, answers questions, sells and signs books at a table, leaves with a polite thank you
What gets you noticed:
Follow up with the coordinator within 48 hours with a thank-you and offer to return
Arrive 15 minutes early to meet staff and get the lay of the land
Bring handouts with additional resources beyond
Ask audience members their names during Q&A and use them
Take a photo with the librarian and tag the library on social media
Donate a copy of your book for their collection if they don’t already have it
Bookstores
What everyone does: Asks if they’ll stock the book, drops off copies, maybe comes back once or twice to awkwardly or timidly check on stock
What gets you noticed:
Research the store before approaching—know what they carry, their event style, their community focus
Propose a specific event concept, not just what about a reading and a book signing?
Offer to provide display materials or props that make the book visually compelling
Shop at the store for yourself and your gift needs (books, cards, novelties)
Thank the staff by name when they hand-sell your book
Stop by regularly (monthly, not annually) to sign stock, chat with staff, stay visible
Bring small thank-you gifts for staff after successful events (cookies, local treats)
Propose partnership ideas beyond stocking (local author showcase, themed display, community collaboration)
Events
What everyone does: Shows up on time, delivers their presentation, sits at the sales table, hopes people buy books
What gets you noticed:
Arrive early to help set up or troubleshoot
Bring thank-you bags for attendees (even simple ones—bookmark, chocolate, “10 Ways to Help” sheet)
Create handouts with actionable takeaways, not just promotional material
Use attendees’ names when they approach the table
Stand up when people approach (not sit behind your books)
Ask people questions about themselves
Take photos with attendees and share them (with permission)
Stay until the last person leaves
Follow up with organizers within 24–48 hours with thank-you and photos
Send personalized thank-yous and information on your next event to people who bought books (if you collected emails)
Gift Shops
What everyone does: Asks if they carry local author books, sells a few copies, doesn’t follow up or nurture the relationship.
What gets you noticed:
Research which gift shops serve your target readers (hotel gift shops, museum shops, specialty stores aligned with your topic)
Provide point-of-sale materials (shelf tags, bookmarks, display stands, creative display suggestions)
Offer to do a signing or mini-event to draw customers to the shop on a slower day
Check in monthly to see if they need restocking
Thank them publicly on social media when they sell copies
Bring small thank-you gifts when picking up checks
Refer other customers to the shop, creating goodwill beyond book sales
Email List
What everyone does: Sends occasional newsletters, announces new releases, shares generic updates
What gets you noticed:
Send consistently (weekly or biweekly or monthly, not when you get around to it or feel like it)
Provide actual value in every email (teaching, resources, insights)
Personalize the opening; write like you’re emailing a friend, not broadcasting to a list
Reply personally to people who respond; don’t use auto-responders for real questions
Segment your list and send relevant content to different groups
Include one clear, valuable call-to-action per email
Write and test compelling subject lines that get opened
Spend time with your own analytics and adjust behavior based on what works
Celebrate subscriber milestones and thank your readers genuinely
Ask what they want to hear about and actually deliver it
Website
What everyone does: Posts bio and book covers, maybe has a blog they update twice a year, employs a contact form that goes to an email they rarely check
What gets you noticed:
Update regularly with fresh content
Create dedicated landing pages for each book with testimonials, sample chapters, and clear CTAs
Build a resources page that helps your readers solve problems
Include professional photos that show personality
Make your media kit easily accessible for podcast hosts and event planners
Ensure contact forms work as they should and respond within 24 hours
Add an email signup with a clear benefit for joining
Include recent speaking/event photos showing you engage live audiences
Optimize for mobile; most people will now view your site on their phones
Partnerships
What everyone does: Proposes a collaboration; if it works, maybe does it again; if it doesn’t, moves on
What gets you noticed:
Research potential partners thoroughly before proposing anything
Customize every partnership proposal to their specific goals and audience
Propose ongoing collaboration with clear mutual benefits, not one-off cross-promotion
Follow through on every commitment, on time, without excuses
Thank partners publicly and specifically
Check in between collaborations to maintain relationship
Refer business/opportunities to partners when you can
Create partnership case studies that benefit both of you
Propose new ideas proactively based on their evolving needs
Treat partners like long-term allies, not transactional contacts
Proposals
What everyone does: Sends generic pitch, waits for response, maybe follows up once
What gets you noticed:
Research the specific person you’re pitching—their role, their priorities, their recent work
Personalize every pitch with specific reasons this makes sense for them
Lead with their benefit, not your need
Include everything they need to say yes (bio, topics, testimonials, logistics, pricing, timeline)
Make it visually professional (not a wall of text)
Proofread three times
Follow up exactly when you said you would
If they say no, thank them anyway and ask if there’s someone else they’d recommend or if you can contact them later with a different idea
If they say yes, respond within hours with next steps
After the engagement, send detailed thank-you with specific appreciation for their support
Stay in touch quarterly with valuable updates
Noticing
Notice what these examples share: None require extraordinary talent or massive budgets. They all involve…
slightly more effort than others are willing to invest;
slightly more follow-through than others maintain;
slightly more attention to detail and relationship; and
slightly more consistency over time.
That’s a real competitive advantage. The line between forgettable and memorable is thinner than you think.
Let others think that the slightly extra approach is too much work or isn’t worth the effort.
Focus on being an author people remember with a business others recommend and choose.
Tell Us in the Comments
In which category are you already going farther in? And which one will you tackle next?
Ready to Go Farther?
Going a little bit farther in the right places—that 5–10% extra effort that makes you stand out—signals something important: you’re ready to treat your author work as a real business. If you’re done with revenue plateaus and ready to build strategically—to develop multiple revenue streams, create sustainable income, and design the author career you actually want—my Author’s Business Accelerator program is designed for exactly that. This 1:1 intensive is for published authors who are done with doing just enough and ready to go farther with intention. In 8 sessions (with a flexible schedule to work around the rest of your life), we’ll develop your customized business plan, pricing strategy, and income diversification approach based on who you are, what you want, and what will actually work for your life. This isn’t group coaching or generic advice—it’s a strategic partnership to build your author business with the consistent follow-through that gets results. Learn more about the Business Accelerator.