Idlewild Books Sells “Destination Kits” and Personalized Service

Rock Point Books Focuses on the Children

Applause. Applause. Applause. Booksellers rallying in the face of adversity prove once again that the little guy can’t be kept down for long. It’s in the rules somewhere: man vs. man, man vs. nature, something like that. Do you know why he can’t stay down for long? It’s because admitting defeat would be a serious breach in protocol, an unforgiveable faux pas in the realm of storytelling. In other words, it just isn’t done. Think about it: what would happen if we found out that between the lot of them, the king’s horses and men could have put Humpty Dumpty back together again, but opted out because they didn’t want to invest the cash in plastic surgery? Or what if Little Bo Peep’s sheep, due to her notorious neglect known round the land, decided not to return to her, earning her a public whipping from the SPCA and a three-day stint in jail? If we had all the information, not just the public spin, would we be as excited when our publishing industry compatriots triumph against the odds, or might the beaming ray of euphoria dim a bit when viewed against the light of day?

In order to get a baseline reading of what the publishing industry is up against, particularly booksellers, please refer to the following articles: the book industry’s woes and a sampling of bookseller’s responses. It’s not looking good, is it? For the sake of morbid curiosity, let’s delve deeper and see what happens. In no way is this article meant to mock bookselling professionals, but as these people were kind enough to volunteer to be interviewed, let’s use this information to benefit those in need.

The glaring thread of commonality among the indies interviewed is the acceptance of impotence. This is not to say that anyone is portraying themselves as a martyr, but there is an indisputable feeling that someone or something outside of them is in control of their success. This is a world of belt-tightening and keeping a brave face as those involved continue to do the same things and hope to be given another day on the front lines to repeat the process. Based on the information in those interviews, bookselling seems to be a life of high hopes and low expectations. Some might argue that no business is performing perfectly amid the current economic downturn so we should cut these people some slack. Point taken, but the problem is not cobwebs in the cash box; that’s merely a symptom. What these booksellers are fighting is their own lack of vision and focus.

Ah… I can hear the knives sharpening already (scrape, scrape). Before you sully a perfectly fine set of Ginsus however, why not discover why businesses fail, first? Do any of the business people interviewed strike you as being proactive about anything other than cutting costs? One did mention getting together with her staff to brainstorm about the problem, but honestly, which is more effective: generating and implementing solutions to problems before they arise or waiting until they’re already on the doorstep?

There was also a mention of too few customers coming through the door, which is a universal predicament for business in even the best of economies. The problem is that even that excuse doesn’t fly if a luxury car company can overcome it; all it takes is knowing your customer base and playing to it. In Lexus’s case, it’s rich people. Lexus took the, If the mountain won’t come to Mohammed” approach and drove it’s cars to where the money is: the golf and country clubs, the polo matches, etc. They presented those shiny new cars for test drives, and in some cases, offered to exchange their cars for a week to let prospective owners get a feel for what they’re missing in their current vehicle. Lexus ended up doing very well. Rather than rely on gimmicky incentives that are little more than stop-gaps to lost revenue as many do, Lexus took a position of strength and adapted: they had a contingency plan and acted on it.

Sales is a tough gig because it requires active and consistent participation on a daily basis. To be successful requires building relationships and finding new ways to meet your customers’ needs. That alone is a full-time pursuit. Things like hand-selling should be the norm, not something trotted out when the weather gets bad. Events should be done on a grand scale whenever possible; both to capitalize on publicity and to attract the largest pool of participants. It isn’t enough for people to know in the backs of their minds that your store exists and that they can come by if ever they require your services. Bookstores aren’t like grocery stores: they can’t sit idle and wait for the customers to come to them every week. Booksellers need to make themselves vital, a mainstay in their communities. You’re selling movies without the hype; can that be a selling point? Can you and your employees get together annually with a bottle of wine and create sales handles, even media angles, that you can use to promote your store throughout the year? Is your store interactive? Are your employees accessible? Is it easier to do business in your store than say, the box store down the street? Are you popular in the community: do people know and like you personally? Do you have special relationships with niche organizations in the community? If so, how do you capitalize on them? If not, well, what are you thinking?

Do questions like these even come up during your meetings or are they all about numbers, numbers, numbers? Do you revise your written strategy as your business changes and grows, complete with specific steps to follow? I could go on ad infinitum, but I shouldn’t have to. All of the information given is Business 101 material that booksellers should already know, yet based on many responses to adversity it’s either been forgotten or swept under the rug as nonessential information. Stop this right now! If your strategy is to manage your business rather than direct it, you’re setting yourself up for a fall. Broaden your perspectives by talking to other people, hire someone to help develop a marketing plan or take a few business classes. If money’s tight, read a few books on the subject and benefit from your inventory. Think ahead and plan for your success. Yes, you do have the time. Yes, it is a priority- it’s your store! No excuses: compete, don’t retreat.