Slide Presentation

Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales, The Little Prince, Pippi Longstocking, Asterix — what do they all have in common? They are all beloved classics that have been translated from the authors’ original languages and have enriched the U.S. children’s book landscape as well as readers of all ages. In this informational session, publishing personnel will share with attendees:

• An overview of the translation and rights process
• Why translated books are important
• How to promote and sell these books to U.S. audiences
• How books can be used in outreach to schools and community groups
• How translated books can foster diversity, cultural awareness, and cross-cultural understanding

You know you want to bring authors to your store and into area schools, but how do you begin to ask publishers? Two words: “Author Grids.” In this session, panelists who have mastered the author grid will share with attendees:

• Tips for a perfect pitch
• The power of your sales rep
• How to create a stellar general event profile
• How to anticipate attendance
• How to request access to grids

The 101-level seminar, led by ABA CFO Robyn DesHotel and Cynthia Compton of 4 Kids Books & Toys in Zionsville, Indiana, covers the fundamentals of budgeting, understanding cash flow, business financing, bookkeeping, and financial statements. The seminar concentrates on bookstore finances as opposed to bookstore accounting and deep financial experience is not required.

This video is available to logged-in, ABA bookseller members only.

The Principals of Bookstore Finance Seminar was presented at the 2018 Fall Regional Shows. 

Maximizing Pre-Orders focuses on how indie bookstores can take full advantage of pre-order opportunities and boost their sales, PR, and market share. In this presentation, booksellers will also discover ways to successfully promote and sell pre-orders including new methods developed and tested by ABA’s Pre-Orders Task Force of indie stores.

Maximizing Pre-Orders was presented at the 2018 Fall Regional Shows.

Join your colleagues for a discussion on creating events and opportunities to highlight women's voices in the store and larger retail community. Hear from booksellers who are fostering women entrepreneurs, cross-promoting with women-owned businesses, creating dynamic in-store programming, and more. ABA members know that a diverse business district promotes a thriving local economy, and they are finding ways to ensure their stores, their communities, and their business districts are as dynamic and profitable as possible.

ABACUS is a yearly benchmarking survey that gathers essential information and insights on bookstore financials. This unique and actionable data is key to a store’s long-term viability, as it can be used to create budgets and analyze important business questions. Bookseller panelists who regularly submit to ABACUS will explain how they have been able to implement changes based on their ABACUS report. In this session, booksellers will learn:

• How to read key lines in an ABACUS report
• How to recognize and make changes in bookstore financials
• Important points to consider when making short- and long-term budgets based on ABACUS data

Information on how and when to submit your data to participate in the ABACUS report

If you have been in business for five years or fewer, this is the session for you. Hear from booksellers who will look back over those first critical years and share tips for making it through the next five.

Industry experts present a review of the most recent data on the U.S. book market with a deep-dive into the latest trends. There will be plenty of new insights to help attendees improve their business in the coming year.

On April 28, indie booksellers will celebrate the fifth annual Independent Bookstore Day (IBD). In this panel, new concepts and a new ordering system will be revealed. Attendees will hear from booksellers who have figured out how to make the most of IBD and increase their sales dramatically. It takes a little effort and imagination, but having a highly successful Independent Bookstore Day doesn’t have to tax your staff or break the bank. Booksellers will learn:

• How to order and make the most of the IBD exclusive merchandise
• How to throw a party that will get people into your store
• How to publicize your store’s party
• How to take advantage of social media

You only have a few seconds to attract—and hold—a customer’s attention, so it’s critical that you get it right if you want to turn a browser into a buyer. From the whimsical to the thought-provoking, store displays done right tell a story that taps into a customer’s needs—needs for entertainment, introspection, fantasy, connection, and more. Booksellers who are skilled at telling stories through engaging displays will present tips and visuals on how to make an eye-catching in-store displays that turn browsers into buyers.

If the thought of playing board games brings up childhood memories of Monopoly and Risk and not much else, you have some catching up to do. Board games are a hot trend and a growing business. And they’ve grown a lot more sophisticated than what you might remember. The popular digital games that have made the leap to board games, the games inspired by viral internet challenges, and the traditional games of your childhood all have something in common: face-to-face social interaction, which is a key component of successful independent bookstores. Come hear from booksellers who have integrated board games and play nights into their sales and events. An independent board game seller joins the panel to discuss the aspects of his business and how booksellers can bring games -- and customers -- into the bookstore.

Graphic novels can be a useful springboard into reading for reluctant readers, but they can also serve as a vehicle to launch readers into the symbiotic relationship between text and visuals. In this session, attendees will learn from booksellers and experts:

• How the role of graphic novels has evolved in the bookstore and literacy
• How to have a productive conversation with staff and customers about graphic novels
• Types of programming that highlight and elevate the genre
• The importance and impact of the representation of diverse characters in graphic novels
• What the current educational terrain looks like and how bookstores can work with school libraries to incorporate graphic novels into the curriculum

Scenario: your store's children's bookseller is out sick and not one general bookseller has even an inkling about kids’ books. Never fear! Geared towards general booksellers with ZERO experience in the kid’s department, children’s frontlist booksellers on this panel will provide a crash course to prepare any bookseller to head into the children's department. In the session, general booksellers will learn:

• Key phrases to use when selling a kids book
• Important questions to ask a child and a parent when selecting a book
• Signs to look for when selecting a book (shelf talkers, inferences from the cover)
• Basic important information to always have in their back pocket
• Where to look for recommendations

Gain a better understanding of the valuable role Instagram can play in your bookstore’s marketing program with Two Cats Communication as they share a holistic overview of best business practices utilizing the social media platform. This session will set bookstores up for Instagram success by teaching attendees:

• Optimization tips
• The benefits of an Instagram Business Account
• How to develop a consistent brand
• Platform features that can increase your reach and bring value to your bookstore

Being an independent bookstore in today’s retail environment means working tirelessly to stay connected with your community while also promoting yourself online as an alternative to other online retailers. All independent retailers, not just booksellers, are meeting this challenge in various ways. Come to this session to hear from Albuquerque’s independent retailer stars, ask questions, and discover ideas to apply to your bookstore.