Training

Ten Ways to Save Book Stores – The Book Driver Manifesto

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Bookstores can be saved and thrive but it’s going to take a radical new approach. Here are ten ways Book Driver is doing it.

  1. Develop an online revenue stream – You actually don’t have to build your own e-commerce website. There are several places online to sell books and automatically double your revenue. The Book Flipper, part of our network, has great resources and information for getting started. So does our blog. 
  2. Use smart software tools and methods –  For in-store POS, Square is easy to set-up and UBIC and Lightspeed are two that are popular. This helps you build a mailing list also.
  3. Take over a used book store- If at all possible, assume control of an existing used bookstore. Even if it’s not working (most aren’t) it will come with a built-in customer base to build on. We got super lucky because we found Coyote Ridge Books which was not only existing, but well-run and managed with the new realities of book selling in mind.
  4. Do not join the American Bookselling Association (ABA) –  This is a membership to book store bankruptcy and ruin. They only care about propping up big chains and legacy booksellers and selling the same techniques that haven’t worked for decades. Avoid! 
  5. Build an email list – Very efficient and effective way to keep in touch with your core customers. 
  6. Take book donations – People are downsizing like crazy and want a good home for their books. Be that home and you start to create a zero dollar book inventory. 
  7. Build a team – If it’s an ownership team good, if it’s cultivating volunteers good. Trust me, you can’t do it all on your own
  8. Alphabetize – A store, especially used bookstores, you need to embrace the chaos in some ways. It doesn’t have to be completely uncluttered but alphabetizing the books really helps sales and is a must
  9. Have a website – Again, a must. It doesn’t have to be fancy but it will build sales especially among tourists and visitors to your area. 
  10. Have a free table out front– This is an under-appreciated way to build awareness. 

This hardly exhaustive. Internally we have a list of 75 things that are required, but start to do these ten things and you will keep your store going and eventually thriving.