Calling All Authors: Tips for Working with Indie Bookstores
|
Magical things happen in independent bookstores. Booksellers are innate marketing machines. It's no understatement to say that an independent bookseller's love of a book can launch an author's career.
As an author, you want indie bookstores to carry your book and you'd like indie booksellers to host your event in their stores. Please remember bookstore-author love is a two-way street. To get indie bookstores to support you, you must also support them. Here's a few good ways to demonstrate your love of independent bookstores. Action items for authors to support indie bookstores (scroll down for more info on each of these items)
|
|
How to put indies first every day
1. Include buy buttons on your website that link readers to independent bookstores
When you approach an indie bookseller about carrying your book or hosting your event, chances are good the first thing they will do is check your website to see where you are sending your readers. If you are not sending them to the independent market, how do you think they'll respond? Link Readers to IndieBound IndieBound.org, created by the American Booksellers Association, is the primary tool authors use to direct online sales to independent bookstores.
Link Readers to Indie Bookstores Anywhere Today, the majority of indie bookstores sell books online. Link to your local bookstore. If your local bookstore doesn't sell books online, link to their website, list their phone number, or link to your favorite bookstores anywhere. You don't need a local store to link to an indie. After all, your readers live everywhere. Pick one (or even a few) of your favorite indies and send your readers their way. A word about "pre-sales" When your publication date is just around the corner, you'll be bursting with enthusiasm to start selling your book. Remember, independent bookstores also support pre-sales (i.e., buying the book before the official publication date). Simply use the link to your book on IndieBound during this important promotional period. 2. When promoting your book on social media, link readers to independent bookstores It's also extremely important to support indie bookstore sales in your social media posts. Social media is highly influential, and demonstrating a consistent message that your readers should buy your book at an independent bookstore is a powerful statement. On Facebook, where your friends and family are connected to you, and on Twitter, where your readers are influenced by your message--please link to the independent market to help us create a groundswell of support for independent booksellers. 3. Befriend an indie The best way to work with independent booksellers is to be a regular at your local bookstore. Buy books from them, talk books with them, attend their events, and become a familiar face. Once your relationship is established, talk with them about keeping signed copies of your book in stock and promote this special product on your website. What's the moral of the story? Be cool! Be a tastemaker and celebrate indie bookstores whenever you can. List indie bookstore options before corporate ones. Talk about the importance of independent bookstores with your readers and friends, both in person and online. |
Roll call: Authors who do it rightAre you an author who would you like to be added to our roll call? Please tweet us at @MidwestBooks if you promote independent bookstores before all other book buying options.
Authors who link only to IndieBound Emily Fridlund Authors who link IndieBound before all author buying options Anthony Doerr David Grann Roxane Gay Katherine Applegate Amy Reichert Authors who link to their local bookstore to sell signed copies Celeste Ng Download graphics to use online
|
How to talk to booksellers about stocking your book in the first place
Know the marketplace
We have over 160 independent bookstore members throughout the western Midwest and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, all with distinct personalities and communities of readers. Many are general bookstores, but we also have specialty stores that sell subject-specific titles and even general bookstores don’t stock every subject category.
When talking to booksellers, do not link to Amazon. In fact, we always recommend not linking to Amazon. You don't friend an indie booksellers by linking to their biggest competitor.
With that in mind, do some research before you approach bookstores. Visit stores in your area and note their clientele. Do they look like potential readers of your book? Bookstores arrange titles largely by category or subject matter. Where would your book be shelved? Is that a strong section in the store?
If you are a traditionally published author, your publisher has a sales rep who will sell your title into bookstores, and/or a marketing team who will let them know about the title. If you are a self-published author, this crash course on getting your book stocked is more for you.
Know who to contact
Every store has at least one book buyer; larger stores may have several. Some bookstores require you to make an appointment; others may see you on a drop-in basis. Be brief and polite, describing the selling points of your book. They’ll want to know if you’re doing any promotion (which is primarily the author's job) and how your book is being distributed. Is the book stocked at a wholesaler like Ingram? Is it stocked in your garage?
Understand terms
Many bookstores will ask about consignment, and we urge you to consider this option. You have a greater chance of having your book stocked if you agree to leave copies on consignment. Some bookstores have their consignment policy stated on their website so that’s a good place to begin. Also, if your book is a print-on-demand only title, ask the store book buyer what their policy is as it may differ from published books.
You may have heard that a 60-40 split on the sale of the book is common (you get 60%), but many stores ask for a 50-50 deal. Also, you will likely be asked to check back with the store about sales, usually in 3-6 months (not every week!). If the book sells, great. If not, be prepared to take it home.
We have over 160 independent bookstore members throughout the western Midwest and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, all with distinct personalities and communities of readers. Many are general bookstores, but we also have specialty stores that sell subject-specific titles and even general bookstores don’t stock every subject category.
When talking to booksellers, do not link to Amazon. In fact, we always recommend not linking to Amazon. You don't friend an indie booksellers by linking to their biggest competitor.
With that in mind, do some research before you approach bookstores. Visit stores in your area and note their clientele. Do they look like potential readers of your book? Bookstores arrange titles largely by category or subject matter. Where would your book be shelved? Is that a strong section in the store?
If you are a traditionally published author, your publisher has a sales rep who will sell your title into bookstores, and/or a marketing team who will let them know about the title. If you are a self-published author, this crash course on getting your book stocked is more for you.
Know who to contact
Every store has at least one book buyer; larger stores may have several. Some bookstores require you to make an appointment; others may see you on a drop-in basis. Be brief and polite, describing the selling points of your book. They’ll want to know if you’re doing any promotion (which is primarily the author's job) and how your book is being distributed. Is the book stocked at a wholesaler like Ingram? Is it stocked in your garage?
Understand terms
Many bookstores will ask about consignment, and we urge you to consider this option. You have a greater chance of having your book stocked if you agree to leave copies on consignment. Some bookstores have their consignment policy stated on their website so that’s a good place to begin. Also, if your book is a print-on-demand only title, ask the store book buyer what their policy is as it may differ from published books.
You may have heard that a 60-40 split on the sale of the book is common (you get 60%), but many stores ask for a 50-50 deal. Also, you will likely be asked to check back with the store about sales, usually in 3-6 months (not every week!). If the book sells, great. If not, be prepared to take it home.
