Bookstore & Library Promotions

A wonderful way to inspire your local Barnes & Noble, library, or independent bookseller to buy and stock your books is to conduct an event.

Great times are beginning of the school year Back to School events, holidays, and Teacher Appreciation days/weeks. Contact the B & N or library Community Relations Manager or independent store owner. Introduce yourself as an author/educator and outline a presentation you’d like to give (say, “I’ll discuss X for about 15 minutes).

Of course, you want the store to buy your book, so be sure to explain that the book is published by Times 10 Publications and is available through Ingram (the world’s largest book distributor) at the industry standard discount and is returnable.

NOTE: “INDUSTRY STANDARD DISCOUNT” AND “RETURNABLE” ARE THE MAGIC WORDS THAT GET YOU INTO BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES.

Barnes & Noble will rarely turn you down, once they know that they can’t lose when ordering your book. Also, they need events.

One more thing: Don’t say you want to do a book signing; instead, explain that you want to share some valuable info and meet and greet attendees and, of course, you’ll be happy to sign books for any interested customers.

If you do even three bookstore/library events per year, you might sell 150-200 books. Plus, if your book does well, the stores are likely to keep them in stock.

BONUS HACK

Are you traveling for business or pleasure? Maybe presenting at a conference? Three or four months ahead of your event, locate a bookseller (preferably Barnes & Noble) close to the event’s venue.

Call the store and ask for the community relations manager. If she’s not available, ask for her email address. Tell the CRM you will be presenting at X conference on X date. Say that you’d “love to make a brief appearance at your store, to chat with educators who can’t attend my presentation, or just want to do a meet and greet.” Then, encourage the CRM to order your book through Ingram.

SUPER BONUS HACK

Is your book’s topic relevant to churches, parent groups, PTAs, small or large businesses, or other local organizations? Reach out to them and ask to make an appearance there. Be sure to tell them that you’ll promote heavily to your audience and your publisher will promote the event with some targeted Facebook advertising.

If they agree, plan to sell your books through our Author/Vendor program or coordinate with a local bookseller (B&N or indie) to be your partner and bring your books to the event.

They can, of course, order through Ingram, and then they sell the books, and you don’t have to handle any sales or money. Of course, you still build your audience and awareness around your topic, and you earn royalties from the sales.