Booksellers Invited to Iowa City for MBA Forum

The American Booksellers Association is inviting bookstore owners and staff in the Midwest to a Booksellers Forum on Saturday, April 8, at the University of Iowa Memorial Union in Iowa City, Iowa. The event, which features an education component, is being held in conjunction with the Midwest Booksellers Association (MBA) Spring Meeting. All members of MBA and ABA are welcome to participate in the free program. The event includes the ABA sessions "Increasing Margin" and "Marketing Your Website."

"This is the first time MBA is having a Spring Meeting and forum in Iowa City," said MBA Executive Director Susan Walker. "I hope a lot of stores who are ABA and/or MBA members will attend. And I hope to bring in stores that aren't members of either organization, to bring in some new people."

ABA's forum program encourages discussion of regional as well as national issues affecting independent booksellers. In addition, ABA CEO Avin Mark Domnitz and BookSense.com Director Len Vlahos will provide an update on the association's programs and initiatives. Over the years, these forums have provided ABA with very constructive member input and have been indispensable in shaping programs and initiatives of the association.

To begin the day, from 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., will be the ABA session "Increasing Margin: An Advanced Course in Growing Your Bottom Line," presented by Domnitz. Intended for booksellers already familiar with principles of inventory management, "Increasing Margin" compares and contrasts a profitable and unprofitable bookstore. Topics include controlling product mix, direct versus wholesale ordering, electronic ordering, understanding the value of early payment discounts, managing seasonal title orders, and more.

Following the morning ABA session, will be the ABA Bookseller Forum and Luncheon, to be held from 11:45 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., moderated by Domnitz and Vlahos. Booksellers are invited to ask questions, express opinions, and share concerns with ABA and their bookseller colleagues.

After lunch, Vlahos will discuss "Marketing Your Website" from 1:45 p.m. - 2:45 p.m., which will cover the basics of using a website as a marketing tool, as well as present 10 key tips about marketing the website to increase traffic and sales.

From 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., MBA will offer four sessions with various publishers (to be announced). The sessions are "intended to be more of an opportunity for conversation, placing orders, discussing author tours, etc., rather than a rundown of picks of the list titles," said Walker.

An ABA- and MBA-sponsored cocktail reception, beginning at 6:00 p.m., will cap the day. The reception will provide valuable networking time with ABA and MBA staff and bookseller colleagues. There will be hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar.

To adequately plan for handouts and the reception, ABA asks booksellers to contact Margaret Petrie at margaret@bookweb.org or (800) 637-0037, ext. 6614, if they plan to attend. Booksellers are encouraged to contact ABA staff prior to the show with questions, suggestions, or comments. General questions and requests for information about the ABA/MBA Bookseller Forum should be directed to Petrie.

Questions and requests for information about MBA may be directed to the MBA office at (800) 784-7522, info@midwestbooksellers.org, or visit www.midwestbooksellers.org. --Karen Schechner