What the best Indie bookstores do…

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!