SCIBA & NCIBA to Wrap Up Trade Show Season

This year’s regional trade show season will conclude in California, with the Southern California Independent Booksellers Association Authors Feast and Trade Show on October 22 in Long Beach, and the Northern California independent Booksellers Association Trade Show from October 27 - 29 in Oakland. 

In addition to the educational programming, author events, and networking opportunities provided by the regional associations, both of these shows will feature ABA education sessions, including a special presentation in conjunction with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Show attendees are encouraged to come and learn how they can make the most of SBA’s services as well as have the best possible chance of securing loans and lines of credit.

Booksellers can make an appointment to meet one-on-one with SBA’s representative at each of the shows here.

On the trade show floors, ABA will be signing up non-member stores for a special free trial membership. The special offer is open to any regular bookstore that hasn’t been an ABA member in the past two years. The trial runs from the fall until January 31, 2012, and includes all the benefits of membership: an invitation to Winter Institute 7 in New Orleans, access to IndieCommerce and Google eBooks™, IndieBound DIY files and in-store point-of-sale marketing materials, the Book Buyer’s Handbook, and all of the additional members-only resources of ABA.

In addition, ABA member booksellers who drop off a business card at the ABA booth will can earn an extra entry in the Winter Institute 7 scholarship awards process.

Southern California Independent Booksellers Association: Saturday, October 22, in Long Beach

As booksellers have come to expect, there will be authors aplenty at SCIBA’s annual Authors Feast and Trade Show. In addition to the presentation of the 2011 SCIBA Book Awards, this year’s feast will feature a keynote address by Brian Selznick (Wonderstruck, Scholastic) and more than 60 authors, who will switch tables twice during the event. New this year, the Authors Feast will be followed by a Dessert and Author Reception.

“Our goal this year was to increase the number of opportunities for authors and booksellers to interact,” said SCIBA Executive Director Jennifer Bigelow, “so we created the Dessert and Author Signing Reception.  Forty-plus authors will be signing finished books and/or galleys for booksellers while all enjoy desserts, coffee, and the terrific company of booklovers.”

This year’s Authors Lunch “features an amazing line-up as well,” she added. Lunch speakers are Amy Ephron (Loose Diamonds, Morrow),Oliver Jeffers (Stuck, Penguin Group for Young Readers), Maggie Stiefvater (Scorpio Races, Scholastic), Héctor Tobar (The Barbarian Nurseries, FSG), and Luis Alberto Urrea (Queen of America, Little, Brown).

Representing ABA at the show will be CEO Oren Teicher and Member Relationship Manager Kaitlin Pitcher.

Complete program details, as well as registration information, are available on the SCIBA website. Here’s a preview of ABA programming at the show:

• Introducing the ABC Group at ABA: 9:15 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
  The children’s book market is one of the most vibrant and growing categories in bookselling. Learn about relevant data from the recent Bowker/PubTrack survey and how you can use your ABA member benefits to better market your store to increase sales.

• Consumer Behavior Revealed: 10:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
  Getting close to your customer is a lot like dating them: the better you know one another, the more successful your relationship will be. Studies show that the same consumer behaves differently at different times. Sometimes customers are price conscious, sometimes brand conscious, sometimes seeking a unique experience. This informative, entertaining session will show you how to better identify and understand who your customers really are.

• What can the SBA do for your bookstore?: 3:15 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.
  The resources of the U.S. government’s Small Business Administration offer a wide range of assistance to new and established booksellers, including loans, loan guarantees, business counseling, and other forms of support. ABA and SBA have established a strategic alliance in order to streamline the delivery of SBA services, improve communications, and help ensure that booksellers seeking working capital have the best chance possible of securing loans and lines of credit. Come to this session, introduced by ABA, and hear directly from SBA representatives about the programs and opportunities for booksellers. Booksellers can also make an appointment to meet one-on-one with SBA staff at the show here.

Northern California Independent Booksellers Association: Thursday, October 27 – Saturday, October 29, in Oakland

NCIBA’s three-day schedule features education on Thursday, an exhibit hall on Friday and Saturday, and author events every day.

Among Thursday’s events is a special afternoon tea with Philippa Gregory (The Lady of the Rivers and The Women of the Cousins’ War, S&S), and on Friday Michael Moore (Here Comes Trouble: Stories From My Life, Grand Central Publishing) is scheduled to make an appearance late in the afternoon on the trade show floor. This is all in addition to NCIBA’s stellar lineup for the Children’s and Adult author breakfasts, evening Author Reception, Cookbook Celebration, and new Author Buzz Lunch.

“We think we have an exceptionally strong author line-up this year,” said NCIBA Executive Director Hut Landon. “We got lucky with availability and were willing to be flexible with our schedule.”

At Thursday’s Education Day, ABA will offer sessions on children’s bookselling and working with the U.S. Small Business Administration, and NCIBA will present workshops on both e-book and Facebook marketing, a panel discussion on Edelweiss, and a small press Rep Picks presentation.

“Although it’s not in the [trade show attendee] packet, we’re also offering an education panel for book bloggers on Friday morning, the cost of which gets them a free pass to the show as well,” Landon said. On another note, he added, “We have noted a significant uptick in new exhibitors, mostly self-published authors, small presses, and sidelines.”

NCIBA screens the self-published authors, “making sure they have an industry-standard discount plan and formal distribution system, but also advises them to consider the show a marketing opportunity rather than a guarantee of order placement. That has weeded out a few and made the ones who are exhibiting better prepared, which is a plus for booksellers,” Landon said.

Representing ABA at the show will be CEO Oren Teicher, Technology Director Matt Supko, and Member Relationship Manager Kaitlin Pitcher.

Complete program details, as well as registration information, are available on the NCIBA website. Here’s a preview of ABA programming at the show:

•  What can the SBA do for your bookstore?: 1:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
  The resources of the U.S. government’s Small Business Administration offer a wide range of assistance to new and established booksellers, including loans, loan guarantees, business counseling, and other forms of support. ABA and SBA have established a strategic alliance in order to streamline the delivery of SBA services, improve communications, and help ensure that booksellers seeking working capital have the best chance possible of securing loans and lines of credit. Come to this session, introduced by ABA, and hear directly from SBA representatives about the programs and opportunities for booksellers. There will also be an opportunity to meet one-on-one with SBA staff. Make an appointment with the SBA’s representative at the show here.

• Introducing the ABC Group at ABA: 2:50 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
  The children’s book market is one of the most vibrant and growing categories in bookselling. Learn about relevant data from the recent Bowker/PubTrack survey and how you can use your ABA member benefits to better market your store to increase sales.