Relationship Marketing

Candlewick Press and ABA are partnering to bring “Find Waldo Local” to Main Street USA this July. Indie booksellers nationwide are invited to host a month-long scavenger hunt for Waldo throughout local businesses. The community-wide event was developed to help spread the Shop Local message.

The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association is encouraging ABA members to help promote the inaugural celebration of Neighborhood Toy Store Day, set for November 13.

This week, ABA announced a new partnership with Constant Contact, a leading company that provides services to manage e-mail marketing campaigns. Through this partnership, all ABA member bookstores will have access to Constant Contact's suite of tools -- making it easier to create and send compelling e-mail newsletters -- and will earn annual rebates for participating.

On Thursday, May 29, approximately one hundred booksellers attended ABA's Marketing Workshop, held during BookExpo America in Los Angeles. The session, moderated by Michael Hoynes, ABA's marketing officer, focused on strategies and tactics that independent booksellers can use to gain a greater share of current customers' business and to introduce new customers to the unique values of independent bookstores.