Marketing

Christopher J. Zane, the founder of Zane’s Cycles and a nationally noted entrepreneur and speaker, is the opening plenary speaker at ABA’s Day of Education, sponsored by the Ingram Content Group. Zane recently spoke to BTW about the customer experience, the recovering economy, and why half-off coupons are not the answer.

Several weeks after the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association ran a half-page ad in the San Francisco Chronicle to let readers know that the area’s indie booksellers were alive and well, a group of San Francisco booksellers has pooled resources for a second ad, this time in the Bay Guardian.

Publishers have banded together to encourage booksellers to get involved in the May 12th celebration of Doodle Day to raise awareness of Neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder affecting one in 3,000 children.

Sandi Torkildson recently figured that if A Room of One’s Own sold just five more books a day, it could comfortably commit to a new lease.

With QR codes going mainstream, indie booksellers are increasingly integrating them into their shelf-talkers and newsletters. Among the results has been the opening of conversations between customers and staff about e-books, new technologies, and customer service.

ABA has created a series of new templated ads for members designed to help communicate the special attributes and ongoing services of indie bookstores to customers and book buyers. The six ads present a positive, inviting message and are adaptable for many markets.

The Northern California Independent Booksellers Association wanted to make sure that the business troubles of Borders were not the last word on the prospects of bricks-and-mortar bookstores.

Cynthia Compton of 4 Kids Books & Toys in Indianapolis and Fishers, Indiana, uses the lion’s share of her advertising budget to give away $5 gift cards. And she can rattle off half a dozen reasons why it’s a good idea.

In anticipation of the closures of approximately 200 Borders locations, ABA member booksellers across the country are both rethinking strategies and promoting membership programs, community discussions, and gift cards to help pave the way to independence.

Numerous resources are available for booksellers gearing up for National Poetry Month.