Marketing

Booksellers from stores in tourist towns discussed strategies to capitalize on the busy season as well as marketing campaigns to run during the off-season to draw in locals. 

The January 17 discussion will look at marketing your bookstore in a tourist town; the January 31 topic is marketing through Instagram.

Booksellers are invited to sign up now to participate in an online discussion about the marketing strategies that bookstores use to succeed when located in an economy driven by tourism.

The first online Marketing Meetup of 2019 will feature an open conversation for booksellers to discuss the marketing ideas that worked for them in 2018 and to brainstorm new topics for future meetups.

Booksellers who received January’s flier will notice ads urging customers to pre-order On the Come Up by Angie Thomas and Reclaiming Our Space by Feminista Jones from their local indie to receive a free gift.

Cleveland, Ohio-based Belt Publishing primarily publishes nonfiction that focuses on the Rust Belt and the Midwest. 

Guest booksellers talked about developing non-author events, working with youth advisory councils, connecting with customers online, hosting book fairs, and building relationships with area teachers.

Indie booksellers are taking to Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to showcase their creative ideas for holiday marketing this season, including book displays, promotions, and in-store holiday activities.

Guest speakers Mark Pearson, Nick Johnson, Matt Norcross, and Suzanne Droppert discussed the different ways booksellers can market audiobooks to their customers.

“We are delighted to share these bookmarks with independent bookstores across the country, whose work bringing books to readers we are delighted to support,” said NYTBR Editor Pamela Paul.

Booksellers are invited to sign up now to participate in an online discussion about audiobooks on November 29. On December 6, ABA’s Marketing Meetup will look at marketing for kids’ bookstores.