Hi there. So for me personally I know my book sells better on the shelves because of the book covers visual appeal in a store. It stands out from other books and catches people’s attention, so I knew I wanted local stores to be part of my distribution. Here are the things I used to get into two of my local bookshops.
- Ingram Sparks- Distribution
- Bookmarks- (Designed and printed from Vistaprint)
- Business Cards- (Also Vista print)
- Calling the stores
- A friendly demeanor
I had a few days off during winter break and decided to reach out to a few local bookstores to give them some of my bookmarks. The idea would be that perhaps their customers would be interested and might pick up a copy of my book online or ask the bookstore about the book. The day that I did this, I called ahead and asked if it would be okay to bring over some bookmarks. One of the stores didn’t answer the phone, but I went by anyway. I drove out to a few local cafes and bookstores and gave them my bookmarks. One store happened to have the buyer in that day and said they would buy a few copies to start. Another store said they would take a look at it and ultimately ordered copies for their store as well. One thing that really helped get me in the door was having my book on Ingramsparks and having competitive pricing which meant living with a little less money royalties wise.
Here are some of the places that I visited. I will highlight the one I know for a fact purchased. With the other order of books, I was uncertain which store ordered them.
Bookstores and Cafes-
Overall, of the three stores I felt like Classic Bookshop was the most friendly and had the best foot traffic. They even do book events through a third party, not through their store location.
Classic Bookshop also has a nice atmosphere and a cafe attached. They have a great selection of books both old and new.
adventuringwriter.wordpress.com 