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Join bestselling author, podcaster, and research professor Dr. Brené Brown for a conversation with one of our own — Janet Geddis, owner of Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia — as they discuss what’s next for booksellers. While 2020 is behind us, we’re burnt out, vulnerable, and we have (in Dr. Brown’s words) maxed out our surge capacity. How do we move forward from a place of vulnerability, resilience, and courage? Along the way, how do we stay true to our heart songs, the things that we value and that drive us — our communities, our colleagues, antiracism, social responsibility, and, always, our love for books? This conversation will include a Q&A. Dr. Brené Brown, a research professor at the University of Houston and visiting professor at The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business, has spent the past two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy. She is the author of five #1 New York Times bestsellers, most recently Dare to Lead, and the host of the Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead podcasts. Janet Geddis is a business owner at Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia, as well as a patient advocate/content creator under the moniker “The Migraine Girl.” Janet is a public speaker, writer, and frequent podcast/radio show contributor for numerous outlets, including iHeartMedia & NPR.

Pre-registration required; $59 fee per person; space is limited; attendance at Winter Institute is not required. Registration is closed. The IndieCommerce Institute is an interactive, classroom-style workshop for users of ABA’s e-commerce platforms. IndieCommerce Institute 2020 will feature two seminars: an IndieCommerce seminar for members using our IndieCommerce platform and an IndieLite seminar for members using our IndieLite platform. Each seminar will include step-by-step instructions for the topics covered. Each participant will be assigned their own test site to use and follow along with during the seminars. See the complete IndieCommerce Seminar schedule here. Panelists: Chanthee Keokhaw, ABA (White Plains, NY), Scott Nafz, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Geetha Nathan, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Ryan Quinn, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Matt Supko, Augment Digital (Huntsville, AL)

Promoting and Selling Pre-Orders
Did you know your IndieCommerce website has great tools for handling pre-orders? In this session, we will cover everything from creating custom products for pre-order titles all the way to processing these pre-orders and generating custom reports. We will share best practices and marketing tips from other IndieCommerce stores.

Pre-registration required; $59 fee per person; space is limited; attendance at Winter Institute is not required. Registration is closed. The IndieCommerce Institute is an interactive, classroom-style workshop for users of ABA’s e-commerce platforms. IndieCommerce Institute 2020 will feature two seminars: an IndieCommerce seminar for members using our IndieCommerce platform and an IndieLite seminar for members using our IndieLite platform. Each seminar will include step-by-step instructions for the topics covered. Each participant will be assigned their own test site to use and follow along with during the seminars. See the complete IndieCommerce Seminar schedule here. Panelists: Chanthee Keokhaw, ABA (White Plains, NY), Scott Nafz, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Geetha Nathan, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Ryan Quinn, ABA (White Plains, NY) , Matt Supko, Augment Digital (Huntsville, AL)

Site Building — Understanding the Basic Building Blocks of an IndieCommerce Site
Do you find terms like “page,” “block,” “menu,” “content,” “views,” etc., confusing and making it hard for you to build your IndieCommerce site to your liking? You are not alone. In this session, we will explore the terms and technology behind your website, what these items are for, how they depend on each other, and how they all fit together to create an amazing and rich website.

Pre-registration required. Space is limited. Booksellers are encouraged to attend the seminar in its entirety. Registration is closed. An employee manual is the documentation for your store’s policies and procedures, as well as for employees’ legal rights and obligations. But it is more than that. This document provides a window into the unique workplace vision and culture that you have built — or that you want to build. The workshop will cover the following sections for your employee manual:

• Workplace culture, including store values and mission statement
• General employment information
• Code of conduct
• Benefits
• Disciplinary procedures and grounds for termination
• Employee manual disclaimer

Panelists: Stephanie Steinberg, Hachette Book Group (New York, NY), Rebecca Fitting, Greenlight Bookstore (Brooklyn, NY), Jenny Cohen, Waucoma Bookstore (Hood River, OR)

Welcome to ABA’s live Marketing Meetup! Marketing is more than social media, newsletters, or placing ads. While all of these tasks are vital to marketing, it is important not to overlook search engine optimization, or SEO. In this session, you’ll learn what SEO is, why it matters, and some best practices for implementation. Panelists: Ryan Quinn, ABA (White Plains, NY), Eileen McGervey, One More Page Books (Arlington, VA), Cassie Clemans, Roundabout Books (Bend, OR) and  Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialists Jordan Brannon, Coalition Technologies (Culver City, CA), and, Cassandra Cross, Coalition Technologies (Culver City, CA).

Events draw foot traffic, residual sales, and often media coverage for our stores. What they don't always draw is profit. But even in today's economic climate of rising minimum wages and other costs, we can produce events that serve both our communities and our profitability. In this session, we'll look at how to execute successful events through planning, budget creation, profit-and-loss analyses, and other tools professional event planners use to help manage the workload and the bottom line. We'll also discuss one of the most important aspects of all—valuing your time and expertise and then charging accordingly, even for authorless events. This session will be presented by Cindy Dach, CEO of Changing Hands Bookstore and is part of the store's professional development series. Panelists: Cindy Dach, Changing Hands Bookstore (Tempe, AZ)

Independent Bookstore Day (IBD) has grown from a handful of bookstores in California to a national celebration involving more than 575 stores and, in some cases, citywide celebrations. Participating bookstores see an increase in sales, increased foot traffic, and increased brand awareness. This session will offer attendees an overview of the program and tips from booksellers who have figured out how to make the most of IBD. Panelists will offer information on how to order and make the most of the IBD exclusive merchandise, how to organize and publicize your store’s party to bring people into your store, and how to use social media strategically to increase sales and community participation. Panelists: Samantha Schoech, Program Director of Independent Bookstore Day, Janet Geddis, Avid Bookshop (Athens, GA), Rebecca George, Volumes Bookcafe (Chicago, IL), Tom Nissley, Phinney Books (Seattle, WA), Christie Olson Day, Gallery Bookshop & Bookwinkle's Children's Books (Mendocino, CA)

If you want to boost your sales numbers, this is the session for you! Genre titles include a broad category of topics, including fantasy, science fiction, western, romance, horror, mystery, dystopia, and more. And readers of these genres are often heavily invested in purchasing these titles and participating in the fandom through events, cosplay, and more. Bookseller panelists will review the financial impact of increased attention on genre titles. Panelists: Jenny Cohen, Waucoma Bookstore (Hood River, OR), Amber Brown, Quail Ridge Books (Raleigh, NC), Danny Caine, The Raven Book Store (Lawrence, KS), Emily Hall Schroen, Main Street Books (St. Charles, MO)

Bookstore cafés can bring in new customers, increase overall sales, and boost profitability. But there can be many stumbling blocks between that first cup of coffee and a fully integrated and profitable enterprise. This session will focus on financial operations for stores that run their own cafés and serve limited menus. If you are looking for more information on bookstore café finances, this is the session for you. Panelists: Donna Paz Kaufman, Paz & Associates (Amelia Island, FL), Henry Pertman, Vice President, Total Image Creative (Baltimore, MD), Carrie Morris, Booka Bookshop (Oswestry, Shropshire, U.K), Nicole Magistro, The Bookworm of Edwards (Edwards, CO)

ABACUS is the financial benchmarking survey that provides actionable, store-specific financial data as well as overall data on the financial health of independent bookstores for those who submit to the survey. Whether or not you submit, you will find this session full of helpful guidelines and suggestions for increasing store profitability. Not sure what ABACUS is or if it’s applicable to you? This is the perfect place to find your answers. Panelists: Pete Mulvihill, Green Apple Books (San Francisco, CA), Donna Garban, Little City Books (Hoboken, NJ), Suzanna Hermans, Oblong Books and Music (Millerton, NY), Angela Schwesnedl, Moon Palace Books (Minneapolis, MN)

Publisher reps can be a bookstore’s advocate, cheerleader, and access point for important publisher resources. By effectively working with their reps, booksellers can play an important role in communicating the unique needs of their diverse communities. Moderated by an experienced buyer, this panel conversation features a field rep, a commission rep, a phone rep and a bookseller. Together, they will offer an inside perspective on how booksellers and publishers can work together for combined success. Panelists: Julia Fleischaker, Greedy Reads (Baltimore, MD), Timothy Hepp, Simon and Schuster, Field Rep, Amanda McGuire, Penguin Random House, Phone Rep, Eileen Bertelli, Parson Weems Publisher Services (Brooklyn, NY), Jeanne Costello, Maria's Bookshop (Durango, CO)

If you lost an important resource when Baker and Taylor left the indie community, this is a session you will not want to miss. The panelists will review the benefits of ordering direct from publishers and tips for organizing your resulting paperwork. Also on the panel will be booksellers who have accounts with wholesalers who can discuss those vendors' services for small stores. Panelists: PK Sindwani, ABA (White Plains, NY), Todd Dickinson, Aaron's Books (Lititz, PA), Lane Jacobson, Paulina Springs Books (Sisters, OR), Stephen Sparks, Point Reyes Books (Point Reyes Station, CA)

You have a good idea for an event, but it’s not catching fire. You’ve sent out emails, created fliers for the store, and have even posted on all of your store’s social media channels, so what gives? In this session, marketing and events managers teach attendees:

• Best practices for creating marketing campaigns
• Opportunities for advertisement
• Areas for potential partnerships for cross-marketing
• Marketing timelines
• Using social media methodically to get the most out of your posts
• Thirteenth-hour efforts for the final push