Spring Roadtrip Postponed to 2021
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With safety at the forefront of our mind, we've decided to postpone this year's Spring Roadtrip on June 1-2. We're making plans to host it around the same time next year and look forward to seeing you in Bayfield, Wisconsin in 2021.
We don't have plans to offer a virtual replacement for this event because so much of it was built around in-person interaction, but we do plan to promote the authors we had confirmed to attend. Lodging: If at any point you reserved a room at The Bayfield Inn, you will need to call and cancel your reservation (800-382-0995). There will be no penalties for cancellation. Registration: We will start fresh with a new registration next year and send you info in early 2021. |
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Telling Your Story: A Workshop and Retreat for All Booksellers
For our second annual Spring Roadtrip, we’re heading to Bayfield, Wisconsin to join Apostle Islands Booksellers for an experience you don’t want to miss. We’re featuring a custom retreat focused on how to tell our stories to be stronger and more engaged booksellers.
This storytelling retreat will be both introspective and interactive, giving everyone the structure needed to reflect and rejuvenate. We encourage you to treat this as a personal retreat as well. Come early, unwind, and see the beauty of the South Shore of Lake Superior, beautiful Bayfield, Wisconsin.
This storytelling retreat will be both introspective and interactive, giving everyone the structure needed to reflect and rejuvenate. We encourage you to treat this as a personal retreat as well. Come early, unwind, and see the beauty of the South Shore of Lake Superior, beautiful Bayfield, Wisconsin.
Confirmed Authors
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Schedule: A version of this will be updated and shared for 2021
This schedule is in development and subject to change.
Saturday, April 4
Join us early on Saturday and take a little time to explore Bayfield. Meet Bayfield’s new Poet Laureate from 3:00 pm-4:00 pm at Apostle Islands Booksellers and type out your very own poem on a classic typewriter.
Game night! Check in and then join us in the Bayfield Inn Lounge for an evening of camaraderie, games, and libations. We will have board and card games, but please bring a favorite of your own if you desire. The Bayfield Inn has a great menu on site (best fried cheese curds in town!), but there are other dining options available for dinner that evening as well.
Sunday, April 5
Wild Rice Retreat
12:30-2:30 pm / Roundtable Conversations
We're featuring roundtable conversations centered around a collection of topic options crowdsourced via registration, giving booksellers a chance to dig into issues in a meaningful way with fellow booksellers. We'll kick off with a classic bookseller get-to-know-you: What's your favorite book to handsell? Bring it along and share it with your table. After intros, attendees will participate in two 45-minute roundtables featuring:
2:45-4:30 pm / Workshop Day 1 / Telling Your Story
What story does your bookstore tell to your community and the world around you? Participants will leave understanding how storytelling can boost their profile and bottom line, the elements of a good story, how storytelling aligns with marketing and strategic planning, and more. Specific takeaways include: brand architecture template, positioning statement template (For/It’s/That), logline, “Jacket” copy template, and brand archetype map/list.
4:30-5:30 pm / Open Forum with American Booksellers Association
Each spring, members of the ABA team travel around the country to meet with member booksellers. These meetings, held in conjunction with the regional bookseller associations, are designed to provide an open opportunity to share ideas, discuss industry issues, and receive updates on various association projects. The meetings are open to all booksellers — both ABA members and non-members.
5:30 - 7:30 pm / Dinner and Free Time
Dinner is on your own, with group attendance encouraged at Lakeside Lounge. Check into the hotel and swing by Apostle Islands Booksellers. Kristen S. has put together a list of Bayfield restaurants and attractions.
7:30 pm / Apostle Islands Booksellers 10th Anniversary Party / Wild Rice Retreat
Party time! It's AIB's 10th anniversary, so it's time to celebrate. This party is open to the public and features an Open Mic from 8-9 pm along with our Featured Storyteller, Leif Enger.
Monday, April 6
8:15-9:00 / Breakfast at Wild Rice Retreat
9:00-10:00 am / Author keynote
More information to come.
10:00 am-11:45 pm / Workshop Day 2: Sharing Your Story
With yesterday’s exercise in hand, we bring our stories together and talk about how to apply them--when a customer walks in the store, when creating online promotions, when working within the industry to advocate for indies and request authors. A model bookstore and bookseller will share their story to start the conversations. You'll have the opportunity to workshop your story in small groups. Specific takeaways include: highlights handout tip sheet (essentially a guide to creating a mini press kit), Know Your Stories worksheet, updated for booksellers, and more.
11:45-12:30 / Lunch break
12:30-2:00 pm / Social Storytelling: Sharing Your Story via Social Media
Your story is your brand. It's what you return to again and again to source your store's promotions throughout the year. Booksellers and workshop leaders will share unique promotions that highlight a bookstore's unique voice and create compelling content for their customers.
2:15-3:15 pm / Moveable Feast with 12 Authors
Meeting with authors of forthcoming books is our time-honored grand finale of our spring meetings. We're featuring a "dessert" Moveable Feast with treats for everyone while the authors pair up and visit all the booksellers to introduce their new books.
3:15-4:00 pm / Book signing reception
4:00 pm / Closing reception at Apostle Islands Booksellers
Head to Apostle Islands one last time for wine and snacks with colleagues, authors, and friends.
Saturday, April 4
Join us early on Saturday and take a little time to explore Bayfield. Meet Bayfield’s new Poet Laureate from 3:00 pm-4:00 pm at Apostle Islands Booksellers and type out your very own poem on a classic typewriter.
Game night! Check in and then join us in the Bayfield Inn Lounge for an evening of camaraderie, games, and libations. We will have board and card games, but please bring a favorite of your own if you desire. The Bayfield Inn has a great menu on site (best fried cheese curds in town!), but there are other dining options available for dinner that evening as well.
Sunday, April 5
Wild Rice Retreat
12:30-2:30 pm / Roundtable Conversations
We're featuring roundtable conversations centered around a collection of topic options crowdsourced via registration, giving booksellers a chance to dig into issues in a meaningful way with fellow booksellers. We'll kick off with a classic bookseller get-to-know-you: What's your favorite book to handsell? Bring it along and share it with your table. After intros, attendees will participate in two 45-minute roundtables featuring:
- Beating the Clock: Managing Time and Energy with a Small Staff
- The Marketing Mix: What Works, What Doesn't? (ads, promo, events, social media, etc.)
- Event-ful Bookselling: Hosting Powerful, Energizing Events With and Without Authors.
- Beyond the Book: Innovative Side Hustles for Bookstores
2:45-4:30 pm / Workshop Day 1 / Telling Your Story
What story does your bookstore tell to your community and the world around you? Participants will leave understanding how storytelling can boost their profile and bottom line, the elements of a good story, how storytelling aligns with marketing and strategic planning, and more. Specific takeaways include: brand architecture template, positioning statement template (For/It’s/That), logline, “Jacket” copy template, and brand archetype map/list.
4:30-5:30 pm / Open Forum with American Booksellers Association
Each spring, members of the ABA team travel around the country to meet with member booksellers. These meetings, held in conjunction with the regional bookseller associations, are designed to provide an open opportunity to share ideas, discuss industry issues, and receive updates on various association projects. The meetings are open to all booksellers — both ABA members and non-members.
5:30 - 7:30 pm / Dinner and Free Time
Dinner is on your own, with group attendance encouraged at Lakeside Lounge. Check into the hotel and swing by Apostle Islands Booksellers. Kristen S. has put together a list of Bayfield restaurants and attractions.
7:30 pm / Apostle Islands Booksellers 10th Anniversary Party / Wild Rice Retreat
Party time! It's AIB's 10th anniversary, so it's time to celebrate. This party is open to the public and features an Open Mic from 8-9 pm along with our Featured Storyteller, Leif Enger.
Monday, April 6
8:15-9:00 / Breakfast at Wild Rice Retreat
9:00-10:00 am / Author keynote
More information to come.
10:00 am-11:45 pm / Workshop Day 2: Sharing Your Story
With yesterday’s exercise in hand, we bring our stories together and talk about how to apply them--when a customer walks in the store, when creating online promotions, when working within the industry to advocate for indies and request authors. A model bookstore and bookseller will share their story to start the conversations. You'll have the opportunity to workshop your story in small groups. Specific takeaways include: highlights handout tip sheet (essentially a guide to creating a mini press kit), Know Your Stories worksheet, updated for booksellers, and more.
11:45-12:30 / Lunch break
12:30-2:00 pm / Social Storytelling: Sharing Your Story via Social Media
Your story is your brand. It's what you return to again and again to source your store's promotions throughout the year. Booksellers and workshop leaders will share unique promotions that highlight a bookstore's unique voice and create compelling content for their customers.
2:15-3:15 pm / Moveable Feast with 12 Authors
Meeting with authors of forthcoming books is our time-honored grand finale of our spring meetings. We're featuring a "dessert" Moveable Feast with treats for everyone while the authors pair up and visit all the booksellers to introduce their new books.
3:15-4:00 pm / Book signing reception
4:00 pm / Closing reception at Apostle Islands Booksellers
Head to Apostle Islands one last time for wine and snacks with colleagues, authors, and friends.
Spring Roadtrip Archive
