As a Senior Marketing Manager with W Publishing Group, a commercial nonfiction imprint of Thomas Nelson, Katherine Hudencial supports a variety of marketing initiatives for her author clients including in-person events such as book signings, speaking engagements, and launch parties. Per Hudencial, in-person events are becoming a more important component of an author's marketing campaign and platform because they allow authors to amplify their books' messages. This is especially important for her authors of faith-based books. The more face time with potential readers, the more authors can create awareness for their work, create a connection, and increase their readership. Hudencial is a big fan of book signings, but cautions authors it can be difficult to estimate the amount of traffic your event will draw, and therefore, the amount of books you will need to bring. One way to control this is by doing a ticketed event. She encourages authors to look locally for speaking and signing opportunities like churches, professional associations, and other organizations in the community. In addition, Hudencial recommends authors attend conferences related to their book's topics and messages since the attendance and schedule are often known ahead of the event, allowing you to make the most of the event.