The bookstore is the perfect place to find passionate, informed customers, ready to spend good money on the latest offerings. It stands to reason that with a customer-base like the one described, all bookstores should be blogging. Many are not (yet), but for those that choose to take the plunge, what should they blog about?
Book reviews are an industry unto themselves. In some cases, a quality review can equal or even outshine the book. Book readers (ahem, book buyers) crave book reviews - reviews help fuel the madness for their tomes! No independent bookstore worth its rent will pass up blogging book reviews. They should even go a step further invite a few rabidly loyal customers to guest blog a book review once-a-month. And what about offering online forums dedicated to a certain book, local authors, etc.?
Speaking of local authors, many bookstores have weekly reading and signings. Can you say "exclusive invitation to blog readers?" I think so, especially if that means more people showing up at readings and standing in the cash register line.
Bookstores have a universe of topics at their fingertips, literally? But, do you have knowledgeable, passionate customers who would like to be a little more involved? Could you make the top 20% of your clients feel a bit more exclusive and in-the-know?
Of course you could - with a blog.
I love those private sobkotores stores and when I travel I go out of my way to find them. When we have chains like Borders closing it makes you really wonder how those small private ones can make it. When I lived in Columbia, SC we had a great one in Happy Bookseller but within a year of my moving from there, they had gone. So sad for the community as they were the ones that helped schools with book fairs, brought in great authors and did so many other things for the community. I guess with the ebook revolution we will only see more of them closing. I appreciate this one reminding us of the joy of books.Thanks for stopping by.
Posted by: Kylian | March 23, 2012 at 09:41 PM
SQUEEE!!!! Does this mean you're coming to Asheville? SQUEEE!!!!Okay, so, here's what I know - and I've lived just osuitde of Asheville all but the three years I spent in Raleigh.IF the Waldenbooks was still open (it closed January 2010), that would be an excellent place to do a signing. About half of the (former) staff reads romance, myself included.Malaprops - our oldest independent bookstore - welcomes everyone it seems. I know Diana Gabaldon did a signing there with in a week or two of her last release. I'm pretty sure she done several there in the past. Only problem with Malaprops is it's downtown. Parking downtown sucks.There are other independent bookstores in town, but I'm not familiar with any of them. (I have a friend who is, though, so I'll send her the link to this post and hopefully she'll be able to tell you more.)The Barnes & Noble at the Asheville Mall has a pretty friendly staff, who don't bat an eye when I'm in there asking about new romance releases. Of the three big chain stores in town, I like that one best. The B&N at Biltmore Park is nicer looking, but it's almost impossible to find staff. Same for the Books-A-Million on South Tunnel Rd (across from the Asheville Mall).I think that about covers it. Let me know if you have any questions. ^_^<3,TLP.S. You actually might want to talk to/email Jacquelyn Frank about this; she lives in/near Asheville.
Posted by: Edward | June 21, 2012 at 02:38 PM