In Store Promotions Brainstorm

[wondalan]

Hello all,

I would love to hear people's shop promotion ideas.

Here are a couple I have tried or am trying:

Any book on this rack free when you spend £10+  (unsuccessful, but the books were a bit poor or old hat - eg. Dan Brown - or had creased spine)

A bric-a-brac sale (very cheap) and book give-away outside with free drinks and food.  (excellent, by far my best days takings) 

and an internet workshop night using one PC and a projector, with free wine/coffee etc. (which is next wednesday, but has had a reasonable bookings considering hardly any advertising)


My shop has very limited space inside, but has a yard outside which is about as big (although not very useful in winter), so any suggestions relating to this would be good.

Other vague ideas include:

Twinning with US and other bookshops. (?)
A local newsletter delivered free to the local community (I have a village bookshop - local community = 10000 within 3 miles and about 5 million within 20 - although I won't do more than a 3 mile radius just yet).

Thanks,

Al

[prying1]

I'm a printer by trade and I've always heard that business cards and word of mouth are the best advertising bang for the buck. Of course the word of mouth is free... - Flyers, even with coupons generally get thrown away. Slightly oversized business cards with a calendar on the back gets saved for a year and is often kept in a wallet. More expensive with the two sided printing but, as said, they are more likely to be saved.

In the U.S. business cards are 2"x3-1/2" - I've seen some European cards that are smaller and am not sure what size they normally use where you are located... - Our shop prints some at 2-1/4"X3-5/8" and the  customers like them because they literally stick out.

We've one customer (escrow/home loans) that buys a thousand business cards and goes to sporting events. He'll hand them out to anyone who will take one and generally gets two-three responses but each of those will pay big bucks for his services. Might not work as well for a bookshop.

Could go to a supermarket book rack and stick your cards in some of the paperbacks. You know it will be readers that will find them but the store owners might get upset if they catch you...

Can the yard be covered or 'sunporch' walls be put up? Few chairs, a table might make it a safe place for kids to come for a couple hours after school for cookies/juice and homework help. - Probably not licensed for food sales so it would have to be 'free' but this might help the Comics/Manga sales...


 

[wondalan]

Thank you, I think I will try the business cards in books idea, but in the library, and perhaps in books that I specialise in.  My business cards are designed like bookmarks anyway and I give them away with books I sell.  They are only photocopied and I'm not sure if they give a bad impression or whether that matters for a (mainly used) bookshop.  They look good in a charming way but are obviously home-made.

I like the sporting event idea too.  I might try it at book and antique fairs.

My shop is just off a very busy main road (probably 30000+ cars a day) but I can't put signs on it.  I somehow need to find a way to tell these people (quite cheaply).  I imagine the majority of the traffic is from a couple of towns about 8 miles each way.  I'm just not sure what locations in these towns to advertise in to get the best response.   I wonder if hardcore library goers are hardcore bookbuyers?  I might put up a poll.  Although I have found what people say and do are sometimes very different. 

[Bruce Hollingdrake]

We try not to spend anything on any promotions other than our business cards.
The only thing we do, and this may sound crazy, but twice a year - spring/fall we do a 3 day 50% off all books sale!

Most of our books have a 7x to 10x markup as I'm able to buy inexpensively so selling at 50% off still gives me a nice profit.
The other nice thing is that it clears some older stock out and makes a bit of room for fresh stock. As some of you know keeping your inventory fresh can be tough, this helps. The last one we did was our best yet. Good $$ coming and great energy/buzz in the place all weekend.

hmmm..perhaps an idea for a post on the blog 

as you may have seen we are looking for more writers.
http://bookshopblog.com/2008/01/09/would-you-like-to-write-for-the-bookshop-blog/
 Something as simple as a promotion story about how things went during a special day could make for a nice post (full of links to your site/blog)..just email me or post here if interested.

Bruce

[wondalan]

I was thinking of something similar (but I would probably put a few books upstairs first!)

I am intrigued by the 10x mark-up.  Is this used, new or antiquarian?  Most of my cherry-picked, used fiction I pay about 50p - £1 for ($1-2) and sell for £1 - £2.50 ($2-5).  Auction purchases generally make more profit as does non-fiction. 

I am afraid, during the start-up of my shop, that people will be put off by high prices for fiction which can be bought for about a pound at charity shops and a fairly local wednesday market.  (this is mainly Nora Roberts and John Grisham etc).  I am constantly wondering what would happen if I put a pound more on each fiction book.  Would sales dry up or would I make the same amount from fewer sales (and less work)?  It would also make your discount promotion easier.

I would like to write something for your blog.  I will wait for inspiration though. 

Thanks
Al

[Bruce Hollingdrake]

Hi Al,

We thought the same thing about pricing fiction when we opened and it was a mistake.
You're competition won't be charity shops but new shops and if you price about 50% lower than them you should do well(or a little better than 50%). I would think that if you added $1.00 to each fiction book nothing would change. When we opened i thought inexpensive books would be what attracted folks. Having a clean well organized shop with a nice selection is much more important. I think the average price for our pocketbooks went from $2.50 - $3.50 CAD  to $5.00 without one single complaint. We are a generalist used shop. And yes - I definitely take a few books off the shelf prior to the big sale.

Don't think that you're competing with charity shops, you  should have much better selection, better condition books, better knowledge to help customers, better environment, better music...better everything - no contest.

[frontporchbooks]

Hello Al,

Some of my best shop promotions happen away from my shop.  Do your local villages/towns have festival days?  I do a booth each year at my village festival.  I design a colorful display of information about the shop, hand out book marks, and bring lots of books to display and sell.  My husband keeps the shop open and I send folks down the street for a shop visit.  I introduce lots of customers to my shop this way as I am tucked away in a mostly residential neighborhood. 

I also do a holiday open house in December with a potter and a jeweler.  I serve free coffee and cookies. This is always my best day of the year.

I do all I can to help my local librarians and they often send customers to me.  I am now selling trade paperbacks regularly to the library for a special rack.  Be sure to offer them a discount!

Do you have any local cafes or coffee shops that will hand out your book marks?  Books and coffee do go together! 

Good luck with your shop!  Vicky

[frontporchbooks]

Hello, again. Al,

I forgot to mention one other shop promotion I do outside the the shop.  I sell some of my smaller eye-catching books on commission at a local gift gift/craft shop.  Are there any small shops on that busy main road that might sell your books with your book marks inside?  The owner of the gift shop sends customers to me, and I send some to her.  I make less on the books, but it is economical publicity.

Vicky

[prying1]

Hey Vicky - Does the gift shop deal with the coffee table books or those little Hallmark types? Perhaps both? - That sounds like a good deal.

[frontporchbooks]

Paul,

My best sellers at the local gift shop are small cookbooks with lovely illustrations, and small books on yoga and meditation.  I always pick up the small books from Chronicle Press when I am book hunting. They are great at designing funky or handsome little books.  In the summer, when we have a lot of visitors to the state, I do well selling books about Maine.  I am trying my first coffee table book this month.  We shall see...

Vicky

[wondalan]

Some really good ideas.  I will definitely follow some of these up, particularly the gift shop one.

There are a number of gift shops in the next village (which is crying out for a bookshop) although it is a richer area and I've found that people with money don't tend to spend it as freely.   

Are you not worried that they might just start buying in their own books to sell?

[frontporchbooks]

The owner of the gift shop likes to sell my books but has no interest in getting into the book business herself.
She has her hands quite full at the moment and I was the one who approached her. I patronized the shop and established a friendly relationship with  the owner before I broached the idea.  We have a great time working together now.

[prying1]

Vicky - That's what I call true networking.    Friendship first and business second.

[frontporchbooks]

Paul, my passion for books inspired me to open a book shop, but my passion for people helped it to thrive.  Getting to know customers, colleagues and local business people is great fun.  The book sales that follow are a lovely bonus.  Vicky

[Lisa]

I'm planning on opening a children's bookstore. I have a ton of marketing thoughts. Here are just a few:
(1) Children's books are generally sold at retail in the big box stores (except for a special sales - generally not the best quality books are sold cheaper). I am hoping to move more volume by offering 10% off all books, everyday to everyone.
(2) Teachers are goldmine. The average teacher spends $1000 out of pocket each year (I should know. I am one.  ). I will offer 20% off to teachers, a teacher wish list (gift registry), referral programs, and special events (including literacy workshops).
(3) Lots of special events - storytime, book clubs, authors, summer camps (1/2 of my space is classroom space for workshops, tutorials, etc.), holiday events (like Storytime with Santa), character parties (Clifford, Arthur, Curious George, etc.), and more...
(3) Flyers, bookmarks, ads in local parenting/kids magazines and newspapers, etc.
(4) Build a relationship with the local university education department (I already know all of the key players), the local reading council (I'm Vice President), school district (my place of employment until I open), and libraries.
(5) Contribute / Involvement with the local Education Foundation, Chamber of Commerce, and other similar organizations.
(6) By invite ribbon cutting & reception night before opening, opening day events (well advertised - authors, magicians, clowns, storytellers, characters - big, exciting day), big grand opening plans, holiday plans, and more...

I believe advertising, marketing, and excellent customer service is key...