In a recent entry, I passed on some information from the Salt Lake Tribune about how Borders and Barnes & Noble bookstores were closing locations and focusing more energy on their online businesses. However, as the article below by Kevin Mitchell points out, bookstores still account for over 50% of total book sales. The way to understand the apparant contradiction of bookstores struggling with their bricks and mortar bookstores and the fact that still 50% of books are sold through bookstores is that the marketplace is changing, but the fact is is that we still need to use every channel available to us to sell our books.

Another good point by Mr. Mitchell is to focus your selling efforts on the local bookstores. If you have a specific goal of selling 5,000 copies of your book, then approaching 10 independent bookstores with the intent of selling 100 books at each location is a great strategy.

Market & Promote Your New Book In Bookstores

By Kevin L. Mitchell

Even though books are being sold in all types of retail outlets, bookstores are still an essential part of the book marketing strategy of new authors.  There are an estimated 63,000 new titles released each year in the market.  And there are also backlist titles still vying for shelf space.  Books are sold in mass merchandise stores, grocery stores, toy stores, sporting goods stores and other places.  However, over 50% of books are still sold in bookstores, making it essential to get your books on bookstore shelves.

Don’t lose here because of the competition.  Do your homework and not only can you get your book on bookstore shelves, but you can also promote your books through book signings and other events held in the stores.  Here’s how!

1) Do Your Research
Identify the bookstores you want to target and do research on them.  Major bookstore chains dominate the market, but individual locations still have book marketing and promotion autonomy.  Determine the book promotion policies for the chain locations you have targeted.  Don’t forget the independent bookstores.  Through the Internet you can get a national listing of these by market.  Independent bookstores are important because by working directly with the store’s owner, you have more flexibility in determining how your book can be promoted.  Understand the bookstore landscape of your local market and the other markets you have targeted.

2) Personal Contact
Introduce yourself to local bookstore management and other personnel.  Capitalize on being a local writer.  Tell them about your book and about your local connection.  Most stores are generally happy to work with local authors.  Some stores have a special section for books by local authors and are seeking new books to keep those sections fresh.  Follow up the initial contact with a personal note.  Contact with stores in other markets you have targeted can be done via email, telephone, and direct mail.

3) Build Relationships
Develop your relationship with the stores through sharing information and offering your time.  Keep the stores abreast of any local publicity activity for your book.  Send a newsletter to bookstores that includes current sales and marketing information, testimonial feedback from book purchasers, and other information relative to the growing awareness of your book.  Get any feedback store personnel have received from their customers regarding your book.  Be willing to give your time and expertise in support of store events.  Leave press releases, copies of articles, and other information about your book that the store can distribute to its customers.

4) Book Signings
Does a book signing generate sells for books?  It can if you make it an event, not just a signing.  Don’t depend on the bookstore to generate the attendance for your book signing.  Through the database of your inner circle (family, friends, church members, former co-workers, etc) send out an email or send postcards announcing the event.  Tell them to pass the word along to the people in their inner circle.  At the signing, give a brief talk on the topic, read a passage from your book, and entertain questions.  Be proactive and engage customers.  Pass out author cards with your contact information.  Be sure to sign all unsold copies of your book so they will stay in distribution at the store.  Stores do not return signed copies of books.  Send a personal hand written thank you note to the store manager after the event.

Relationship building is critical for successful book marketing at bookstores for new authors.  Don’t wait.  Take the first steps to contacting bookstore personnel and start building those relationships.

Kevin L. Mitchell is the co-owner of MKM Book Services, a book consulting firm.  For information about The New Author’s Book Marketing eCourse go to http://www.mkmbookservices.com/  or send an email to: Kevin@mkmbookservices.com

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