The Technique Martha Stewart Taught Ina Garten To Sell More Cookbooks

With 100 cookbooks to her name, Martha Stewart has cemented herself as a culinary literary powerhouse. Since 1982, Stewart has penned musings on hosting, event planning, recipes, and more. Stewart offered words for fellow hostess-with-the-mostess Ina Garten, advising Garten to sign the books she authored when found at any bookstore. Stepping into bookstores and businesses to boost sales through signatures is a common marketing strategy used by authors. A signature can increase how much a book is worth, as both an author's signature and the book's rarity contribute to its overall value. After a book is signed, promotions can be organized to highlight the uniquely marked work, can help boost sales of particular titles, and is an easy incentive to encourage booksellers.

In Garten's memoir, "Be Ready When the Luck Happens," Garten reflects on an early book tour throughout South California. At the time, Garten took to visiting women's groups and garden clubs, hoping interested guests would show up to her organized gatherings. While passing a Barnes & Noble bookstore, Stewart's recommendation came to mind, and Garten took a detour to visit the bookseller. She found her book "The Barefoot Contessa's Cookbook" on a shelf and asked the store's manager to sign it.

Book signings, live readings, and appearances at events like those garden meetings and women's groups Garten attended can help authors connect with audiences and promote their work. Both Stewart and Garten evolved in the area of home entertaining around the same time, and their work and corresponding approaches to cooking and entertaining have often been compared and contrasted. They've also crossed paths professionally. Back in 2000, Stewart's production company was responsible for producing a show that featured Garten and would air on the Food Network, but Garten's approach and the show's perception didn't align, and the project didn't take flight.

While Stewart wrote the intro to Garten's first cookbook, Stewart said Garten stopped talking to her after she went to join for insider trading. Still, Stewart's publicist has insisted there is no feud or bitterness. As Garten tells the story, the friendship grew apart once Stewart spent more time in Bedford, New York. Regardless of the state of the friendship, gourmands have done well for themselves as authors, foodies, and successful businesswomen.