Pat Lewis is a veteran bookseller. She and her husband own the Entrepreneurs Business Bookstore in Sacramento, California, and she also owned and managed the Booktrader for over fifteen years. Pat continues to be on the lookout for those special research books that authors and aspiring authors need.

Authors and booksellers — here’s your chance to ask an expert for her advice. Between her years in the business and her contacts, we’re confident that you’ll get an answer!

WHAT DO YOUR SIGNS TELL PEOPLE?

Go outside and look carefully at your signs and see what they are telling people.

Example:

BOOKTRADER

What does this tell you? What is Booktrader? Many people do not recognize from this that you are a bookstore. Consider changing your overhead signs to say something more to the point.

Example:

NEW  AND  USED  BOOKS

Booktrader

This tells people what your business is and then your name. Someone new to the area will immediately identify with the fact that you sell books.

NOW LET’S LOOK AT YOUR WINDOWS

Consider listing what you have in the store.

Example:

ROMANCE     GENERAL  FICTION     READERS  GROUP

LOCAL  AUTHORS’  BOOKS     AUTHOR  SIGNINGS

This tells people the kind of things that can be found in your store. If you put up AUTHOR SIGNINGS, they will be on the look out for who is visiting your store. Next to where you have “AUTHOR SIGNINGS” written, you can leave a space and when you do have an author in your store, you can place a temporary sign with the name, time and date.

Example:

AUTHOR  SIGNING — CONSTANCE  O’BANYON

SATURDAY,  JUNE  15TH,  1 P.M.  TO  4 P.M.

If there is anything unique or special you do in your store, put it on the window. For example, advertise your readers’ group.

FLYERS

Marketing experts tell us that people need to see your name in print seven times for it to be remembered. Flyers are one way to accomplish this for the least amount of money.

I can hear you saying,

“But I don’t have time to deliver flyers.”

BE CREATIVE!

Do you have a customer who walks regularly? If so, offer them a trade for free books to deliver your flyers when they walk. Maybe some of your customers have sons or daughters who are looking for a way to earn a little pocket money. I had a high school student who was eager to earn some extra money — he delivered 2500 flyers for $20.00.

One suggestion — whoever delivers your flyers in the neighborhood, give them a blown-up map of the area you wish to cover and a highlighter pen to mark off the areas covered. You should offer something on your flyer so you will know how many people you have reached.

Example:

BRING  IN  THIS  FLYER  FOR  A  10%  DISCOUNT

1ST  VISIT  ONLY

This way you can track the success of your advertising campaign, but do not be discouraged if you do not have an overwhelming response the first or second time. REMEMBER, the experts say at least seven times is necessary.