As an author, I support indie bookstores. Or should I say, I
support indie bookstores that support me as an author. I have traveled across
the country to do book signings at various bookstores and I have learned quite
a bit. I learned not only which bookstores are worth investing in as an author
and a reader and which ones will surely go out of business.
Lesson #1 - It doesn’t
matter how long your bookstore has been in business. It matters that you make
money.
I have personally witnessed bookstore owners with attitudes
about their business. They only want a ‘certain’ genre of books. They refuse to
keep new books in stock. The result is a bookstore filled with hundreds of
books they can’t sell. This is the same philosophy that larger bookstores use.
Therefore, why start an Indie bookstore to reproduce the social status quo in
the book publishing industry.
Lesson #2 – It doesn’t
matter where your bookstore is located. It matters whether you spend your time
building a solid customer base.
I know five bookstore owners that exclusively sell their
books online and at a local flea market. They have been in business for fifteen
years without fail. It is the only thing they do and they make a great living. They
understand that a nerd that buys books will get them from anywhere.
Lesson #3 – It doesn’t
matter how you do book signings. It matters that you do them often.
The three most successful Indie bookstores schedule 3-6 book
signings every week. They have authors come out and sell books on-site. The
authors invite their friends, talk to customers, and bring in a new customer
base to the store. This is a smart tactic that builds their business with very
little effort on behalf of the owner.
Lesson #4 – It doesn’t
matter whether you like social media. You need a Facebook page for your
business, an Instagram handle, and a Twitter page to keep your customers
updated on new books and book signings.
The best indie bookstores are constantly giving out
bookmarks with discounts for returning customers. Also, they have their
information at the counter. This allows people to follow them on social media
on their smartphones.
Lesson #5 - Keeping
your store organized is key to attracting readers.
The best indie bookstores have labels for their books. This
helps readers to quickly scan and see what kind of books they want to read.
Variety is a key component to attracting new customers. My personal favorite
advertising are the bookstores that have a special shelf above the register.
They put the books and the book signing dates of all the authors that will
travel to their store to sign books. This helps the bookstore advertise in
advance.
Lesson #6 – Doing a
large event at your bookstore with twenty or more authors present once per
year, brings in new readers and builds your customer base.
Large book events are a great way to raise awareness for
your bookstore. It also brings in new customers.
Lesson #7 – Using social
media to promote your book store signings with authors helps build the
reputation of your store.
The best Indie bookstores take lots of pictures. They put
them on flickr, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and the bookstore blog.
Lesson #8 – The best indie
bookstores sell books online and never turn down international sales.
There are books in the U.S. that are just not available or
that people may not be aware of in the U.K., Canada, and Europe. What better
way to make those books available than to sell them online through a blog?
Lesson #9 – The best indie
bookstore owners team up with the alternative press outlets in locally.
Many of these local papers are looking to sell papers and
will trade advertising space with a bookstore for selling their papers each
month in their store.
Lesson #10 – The best indie
bookstores have a system for paying the authors regularly.
Most have written agreements, receipt books, and keep 3-5
titles of every book in stock. They even have two shelves that house the ‘new
releases’.
The last tidbit of advice is not a lesson. It is a rule of
common sense. Please get a mailing list to let your customers know about what
is happening in your store.
I love indie bookstores. Many owners have supported my career
for the past seven years and I love the free advertising my titles get each
day. However, I understand that in order to keep those bookstores open that
sharing best practices is key.
Happy Reading!
