2009 Exhibitor Registration & Information
EXHIBITOR REGISTRATION DEADLINE
was August 14…
But we still have a few spaces available!
Register ASAP!
New 2-Day Schedule!
2009
MIDWEST BOOKSELLERS ASSOCIATION
TRADE SHOW
September 25-26, Friday-Saturday
Saint Paul RiverCentre and nearby venues
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Please note!! The most accurate and complete REVISED SCHEDULE OF EVENTS and ALL other updates are now available on the MAIN TRADE SHOW PAGE. Please go to that page for this information.
The information below is NOT necessarily the most up-to-date version!
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“Your presence at our trade show makes you more money from us!”
– Nancy Simpson, Book Vault, Oskaloosa, IA“Please know that the more exposure my staff has to the books you want to sell, the more likely we are to sell them and recommend them to our customers.”
– Lanora Hurley, Next Chapter Bookshop, Mequon, WI“The books that make the biggest impression on me and then my customers are the ones I hear about at the Trade Show in Minneapolis/St Paul.”
– Sarah Beahler, Prairie Moon Books, Sheldon, IA“Stick with us, we are still very much in the game.”
– Laura Hansen, Bookin’ It, Little Falls, MN“The MBA Trade Show continues to be a cornerstone of our marketing plan each year, and this year is no exception. Our customers in the Midwest are precious to us. Having a weekend set aside each year to connect and share in person with all of them is priceless to us. Simply stated, the MBA Trade Show is a highlight of our fall and helps set the stage for a successful season!”
– Brett and Sheila Waldman, TRISTAN Publishing, Minneapolis. MN
GENERAL INFORMATION
Please note!! The most accurate and complete REVISED SCHEDULE OF EVENTS and ALL other updates are now available on the MAIN TRADE SHOW PAGE. Please go to that page for this information.
The information below is NOT necessarily the most up-to-date version!
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Be sure to scroll all the way down for links to all events, author info, exhibitor lists, floor plans and maps, and more!
Our schedule of events is still subject to some changes and additions prior to the Trade Show. Please check back for updates!
COMPLETE & REVISED TRADE SHOW SCHEDULE OF EVENTS (PDF)
– as of 9/17/09
NEW! This is the REVISED, DETAILED Schedule of Events for the show. It includes TWO ADDITIONAL education sessions, “rep picks,” author events, the Trade Show Exhibit, etc.
PUBLISHER/VENDOR/REP PICK OF THE LISTS PRESENTATIONS (PDF)
– as of 9/14/09 — included in the complete Schedule of Events, too
Our featured speakers include these outstanding authors!
Photos of authors and event details
Authors Lunch, 9/25:
Chris Farrell, Stephanie Kallos – plus 30 participating authors
complete list of authors NEW! as of 9/11/09
Midwest Booksellers’ Choice Awards Reception, 9/25:
Award Winners - Neil Gaiman, Freya Manfred, Michael Perry, David Wroblewski;
Honor Book Winners - Todd Boss, Ingrid Law, Lauren Stringer
Book & Author Dinner, 9/25:
Elizabeth Berg, Jonathan Safran Foer, Alex Lemon, Kent Meyers
Children’s Book & Author Breakfast, 9/26:
M.T. Anderson, Neil Gaiman, Loren Long, Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Information about these author events is included in the complete Schedule of Events, too.
NEW! Complete! Author Autographing Schedules
–Both formal autographing sessions & informal signings
– as of 9/16/09 – be sure to check back for updates
TRADE SHOW PROGRAM in PDF format — coming soon!
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SAVE THE DATES
for these additional events connected with
the MBA Trade Show!
Killer Cocktails at the MBA Trade Show
Thursday, September 24, 7-9 PM
at Common Good Books
Kick off the MBA Trade Show in killer style! Come schmooze and get the lowdown on some of Minnesota’s finest mystery and thriller writers. Click the link above for all the details.
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AN EMERGING LEADERS GATHERING
Hosted by John McCormick, Northern Lights Books and Gifts in Duluth
Saturday, September 26th
6:30 PM – right AFTER the MBA Trade Show itself closes
at Bulldog of Lowertown St. Paul
(see Downtown St. Paul map below)
237 East Sixth Street #100, St. Paul, MN 55101
Come chat with Jeff Kamin and David Enyeart, moderators of Magers and Quinn Bookseller’s two successful large-group book clubs, “Books and Bars” and “The Big Bang Book Club.” Please RSVP to Jay Peterson (MBA’s Emerging Leaders Council Rep) at jay@magersandquinn.com .
Emerging Leaders aims to develop, retain, and support the independent book industry’s future innovators and leaders, through peer support, networking, mentoring, and education.
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RIVERCENTRE FLOOR PLANS (PDF)
Includes locations of MBA events in RiverCentre and at 317 on Rice Park
DOWNTOWN ST. PAUL MAP (PDF)
Includes MBA Trade Show venues, parking, skyways, other useful landmarks
EXHIBITORS LIST (Excel file) – preliminary list as of 8/31/09
TRADE SHOW EXHIBIT FLOOR PLAN (PDF) — final as of 9/18/09
Please download and print the following PDF files. These are not interactive PDF files, and MBA does not have fill-in-the-blanks-and-submit online registration. If you have your own version of Adobe Acrobat that will allow you to fill in these forms electronically, however, you might be able to do that. If not, you will need to complete the appropriate forms on paper and 1) scan and e-mail, or 2) fax, or 3) mail them to us. Thanks!
EXHIBITOR REGISTRATION FORM (PDF)
– Registration deadline August 14
This registration form also includes your MBA membership form and a payment form. 2009-2010 MBA membership is required for all exhibitors. (The 2009-2010 membership year begins July 1, so membership renewals are due now, too.)
Shipping instructions: We will send you shipping instructions along with your booth/table assignment after you register. Please do NOT ship materials before you receive this information. Also — do NOT ship anything directly to RiverCentre, our convention center in St. Paul. If you have shipping questions prior to receiving your instructions, please contact Kati Gallagher at kati@midwestbooksellers.org or 612-926-5868.
EXHIBITOR MEAL TICKETS ORDER FORM (PDF)
HOTEL INFORMATION (PDF)
– Room block deadline September 2
– Make your hotel reservations soon!
EXHIBITOR TRADE SHOW SPECIAL OFFERS FORM (PDF)
TRADE SHOW PROGRAM ADVERTISING INFORMATION (PDF) — Including new MBA website and e-mail banner ad options
TRADE SHOW PROGRAM AD RESERVATION FORM (PDF)
AUTHOR AUTOGRAPHING REQUEST FORM (PDF)
AUTHOR EVENTS INFORMATION FOR PUBLISHERS (PDF)
Please download the PDF files above for the details you need to submit your authors for consideration for our Authors Lunch “Moveable Feast.” At this time, please also submit your authors for formal autographing sessions and informal in-booth signings.
Midwest Booksellers Association does NOT charge participation or administrative fees for author events and autographing sessions at our Trade Show. We appreciate your willingness to bring your authors and their books to our show, and we know that you incur expenses to do this.
However, we also definitely encourage your voluntary sponsorship contributions to help us cover our own expenses for these author events and autographing sessions. Thank you in advance for your support.
Our speakers for our Book & Author Dinner, Children’s Book & Author Breakfast, and Authors Lunch are already confirmed.
2009 MBA TRADE SHOW SPONSORSHIPS (PDF)
– more details coming soon
At the MBA Trade Show, you do not have to pay extra fees to participate in the many opportunities we offer you to connect with our independent booksellers. This does not mean that we don’t need your monetary support, however!
MBA welcomes and depends on voluntary sponsorship support from our exhibitors. Your sponsorships help to underwrite our education programming, Pick of the Lists Presentations, special exhibit displays, book & author meal events, Midwest Booksellers’ Choice Awards Reception, formal autographing sessions and wine & cheese reception, “Place Those Orders” Contest, and much more. Contributions in any amount are gratefully accepted, and all sponsors are acknowledged in our Trade Show Program, on our website, and during the show itself.
In exchange for your sponsorship dollars, YOU can receive –
- Discounts on meal tickets
- Rebates on exhibit fees
- Discounts on Trade Show Program advertising
- Free banner ads on the MBA website and in MBA broadcast e-mails
- Top visibility at the Trade Show
- and more…
2009 PUBLISHER/VENDOR/REP
PICK OF THE LISTS PRESENTATIONS
You do not need to submit a form to be considered for inclusion in our Publisher/Vendor/Rep Pick of the Lists Presentations, which will take place on Friday morning and afternoon, September 25. If you are interested, please e-mail Susan Walker at susan@midwestbooksellers.org with your request by our August 14 exhibitor registration deadline.
Space is LIMITED, and there will not be room for everyone who expresses interest, but we try to include as many publishers, vendors, and reps as we can. Picks sessions will be 10 minutes for large publishers, distributors, and commission reps with many different publishers, and 5 minutes for smaller publishers with fewer titles. Selectivity and brevity are essential – you are whetting booksellers’ appetites and making them eager to visit you in the Trade Show Exhibit to get further information!
MBA does NOT charge a participation fee for our Pick of the Lists Presentations. However, MBA also reserves the right to select and invite the companies which will participate. Each participating company MUST provide a printed handout listing its Picks titles and MUST also give MBA a PDF file of its handout so we can post it online. Complete instructions will be provided to participants by early September.
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MBA’s independent bookseller members speak out –
Why Your Company Should Exhibit at the Midwest Booksellers Association Trade Show
Lanora Hurley, Owner/Children’s Buyer/Accounts Payable
Next Chapter Bookshop (formerly Harry W. Schwartz), Mequon, WisconsinI am planning on bringing as many of my staff as I can to the regional trade shows. As a new bookstore, I can’t afford to send many people to BEA. The regional shows will be an opportunity for my staff that I feel is invaluable. The contacts that we make, the publishers that we talk to, and what we learn are a great asset to how we do our jobs. Just like our interactions with our sales reps, the chance to speak with you about the books you have coming out and how they are being marketed arms us with the information we need to sell to our customers.
This personal interaction is not something that can be accomplished through a catalog or online. I know that it is expensive to represent yourselves at these shows, and it is difficult to measure any return. Please know that the more exposure my staff has to the books you want to sell, the more likely we are to sell them and recommend them to our customers. You do not need to give us tons of galleys or freebies. Let’s just meet and talk about the books!
Chris Livingston, Owner and Buyer & MBA Board Vice President
The Book Shelf, Winona, MNThe MBA trade show is a very important part of my fall business strategy. I don’t have many reps that call on me down in Winona, and use the trade show to help build my purchase strategy for the fall shopping season. Although not every publisher will get an order from me that day (and I do place upwards of 20 orders each year at the show), I make title lists and order later, either direct or through wholesale channels.
I truly believe that as the business gets more and more competitive and difficult to navigate, the regional trade shows become an even more viable outlet for publishers to make their mark on booksellers. Actually, I thought that this year might offer opportunities for some publishers to actually increase their presence at the MBA trade show as other publishers might diminish their own, as this affords an even bigger impact in the minds of booksellers. Be aggressive and excited. This is still a wonderful time to be in the book business!
Nancy Simpson, Manager
Book Vault, Oskaloosa, IAIt is most important that you and your reps attend the Midwest Booksellers Association Trade Show because that is the only time my staff has the opportunity to see and learn about your new offerings. I’ve seen and heard the proof: They are much more likely to come back to the store and hand-sell books that they’ve actually seen at the show. We tend to place several orders at the trade show also, larger orders than I’d make if I were just looking at your catalogs or viewing books on Edelweiss. In short, your presence at our trade show makes you more money from us!
Read more statements from our MBA booksellers to publishers and vendors on the importance of the MBA Trade Show!
TRADE SHOW EXHIBIT FLOOR PLAN (PDF) — as of 8/31/09
EXHIBITORS LIST (Excel file) — preliminary list as of 8/31/09
RIVERCENTRE FLOOR PLANS (PDF)
Includes locations of MBA events in RiverCentre and at 317 on Rice Park
DOWNTOWN ST. PAUL MAP (PDF)
Includes MBA Trade Show venues, parking, skyways, other useful landmarks
