This week, ABA CEO Oren Teicher gave a presentation at the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) convention, where he provided an introduction to the IndieBound movement and shared examples of how indie retailers working together could both promote sales and raise the public's awareness about the importance of independent retailers. Teicher was joined on the panel by Ron Epstein, the owner of Twist & Shout, an indie record store in Denver, Colorado -- which is located adjacent to the Tattered Cover Book Store on Colfax Avenue; Billy Fields of Warner/Electra/Atlantic; and Michael Kurtz, of the Music Monitor Network. All three expressed strong support for helping devise new ways to promote greater cooperation between indie record stores and indie bookstores.

"Just a little over a year ago, the American Booksellers Association, shut down a successful marketing program [Book Sense] and launched a movement," Teicher said, noting that ABA and its member stores recognized that the Book Sense program had not tapped into important economic and social trends. "Now, more than ever, shoppers value authenticity, they want to connect with and to strengthen their communities, and they recognize that bigger is not always better. As more and more Main Streets have devolved into Chain Streets, people are deciding that this loss of character and sense of place is not what they want for their cities and towns. And the current economic troubles have only reinforced this reality."

The panel was part of the "Noise in the Basement Creative Conference" for indie music retailers, held in conjunction with the NARM convention in San Diego, California, from June 7 - 10. Noise in the Basement, presented by the Music Monitor Network, was begun in 2007 to foster communication among stores and to launch new business concepts. Record Store Day, which marked its second national celebration in April, developed out of discussions at the first Noise in the Basement meeting, in Baltimore, Maryland. The Music Monitor Network, founded in 1997, seeks to benefit both small and mid-size indie music retailers and record labels and distributors.

At this week's almost two-hour session, Teicher explained the genesis of IndieBound and provided many examples of how the program had been implemented and adapted by booksellers and other indie businesses. The session also highlighted several examples of cooperative marketing programs launched by indie booksellers and their locally owned neighboring businesses.

Sharing many examples of IndieBound posters, decals, fliers, and T-shirts, Teicher said that the new materials were created "to communicate the important message that indie stores are the best places for consumers to discover the next great thing, and to connect with others who share their passions. And, equally important, IndieBound works to help consumers understand that independent, locally owned businesses help build and sustain healthy local communities." Citing a post-holiday survey conducted at the beginning of the year, Teicher said, "Not only did indie retailers outperform the chains, but -- and this is very important -- indie retailers in cities with active 'Buy Local' campaigns reported much stronger holiday sales than those in cities without such campaigns."

Noting that "the important bottom line of this movement is that IndieBound is not just about bookselling," Teicher said, "It's a movement that tells the story of why independent businesses are so special -- all indie businesses." He explained that the IndieBound window sticker "is designed to signify that the indie store that displays it embodies the core attributes and values of a locally owned, independent business -- and that by supporting this indie business customers are supporting their local economy, keeping sustaining tax dollars in their communities, investing in entrepreneurship, creating local jobs, and helping to make their communities a unique destination."

Pointing to cooperative marketing efforts between Record Store Day magazine and ABA to promote this year's Record Store Day event, Teicher said, "We know, too, that we have the potential to do much more. The truth is that many shoppers who make a conscious choice to purchase their books at an indie bookseller are still having their prescriptions filled at a chain drugstore and are buying their music CDs at Wal-Mart."

Before ending his presentation, Teicher said, "To paraphrase Mark Twain: The reports of our retail deaths are greatly exaggerated. And, right now, all indies have an amazing opportunity -- but only if we work together to achieve our mutual success." Citing the lessons ABA has learned in the first year of the IndieBound, Teicher noted, "This movement is happening right now. There are no guarantees that a year from now consumers' attitudes won't have shifted yet again. So, we need today to begin figuring out how to partner with one another to ensure our growth and success for all of us."

Looking ahead, he told the music retailers, "We have to do more to work together -- bookstores and record stores, bike shops and bakeries -- to help our customers realize that the very attributes they value about our stores -- our passion, our insight, and our commitment to our communities -- is also shared by the other indie businesses in our cities and towns.... It's our identity as independents -- regardless of what we are selling -- that resonates most with our customers. And that fact offers us great opportunities for working together." --Dan Cullen