How I Would Market My Local Bookstore
This is the first post of an exciting series offering ideas of how I would market some of my favorite niche small businesses. I decided to start with the one I am most excited about- a bookstore. As an avid reader and lover of fiction, this was such a fun post for me to write.
Most bookstores I have been in have put a lot of heart into the intention of the space, the cozy vibes, and inviting nature-so why not include your marketing plan with the same intentions in mind? Nothing is worse than stepping into a bookstore that feels like a warehouse. This is mainly why I champion email newsletters, as the feel is intimate, inviting, and makes your loyal customers feel like the VIPs they are.
Use Social Media To Your Advantage
I consume social media as much as the next person. Social media’s main purpose is to entertain, inspire, and connect. I personally feel like it can improve on the connection piece and I find myself limiting time on various apps when the mindless scrolling sets in. On average, your social media account only reaches about 6% of your audience and even viral posts have a shelf life of 24-48 hours.
Use your social media to build your email list. Every post, story, or reel should be leading to an interested audience becoming loyal customers. With your email list, you know you will have an audience that is interested in your brand and store and can take advantage of email newsletters & offers that have a much bigger return on investment (ROI) than on Meta. For every $1 you spend on email, you receive $4 in return of a customer clicking that link and purchasing from you. Email is not dead as the rumor mill purposes. If you are still not sold on what email can do for your business, run an A/B test for a minimum of three months. Provide offers, updates, and news to subscribers in your email, as well as on social media platforms, and see how the ROI does for each one.
Another Plug For Email
You do not own the content posted on Meta. The algorithm thrives off of their own methods and madness, leaving many solopreneurs and small businesses, as well as digital marketers (ahem, me!) to scratch their heads and say “what the heck.” Google even had a whistleblower earlier this year come out and report that SEO strategies really have no rhyme or reason to them and it is a constant puzzle trying to decide how to make Google happy so that your organic content (your website, TikToks, posts) show up on the first few pages of their search engine.
Email you do own. Blog posts on your own website or in an email newsletter you do own. When we drive our audience to those outlets, we are in control & will be able to build the community we thrive in real life when someone visits our store in person.
So what the heck would I include in my emails? Market research is important here. It doesn’t need to be as involved as it sounds. Chat with your customers when they come into the store. What are their biggest questions for you? You can also offer a poll on your platforms or through (cough, cough) email and offer a little incentive if your followers fill it out.
Reader Recommendations
You know the feeling of needing to scratch the itch after you just finished a fantastic book? Need another book boyfriend or girlfriend? Want another spine-chilling thriller? Loved someone’s memoir so much you want more from that author? I find one of the hardest things is to narrow down your TBR list with your next read. Book recommendations from your favorite stores and experts is the place to be and get your readers into the store ASAP for their next read from you. You can make it seasonal as well and segment your email lists to lovers of specific genres.
Interview with an Author, Publisher, or Book Influencer
Sometimes it’s fun to learn how the sausage is made. My favorite book newsletter at the moment is from Godmothers bookstore in California and they do an interview format with a person of interest. Many authors want and need to promote their new book coming out , as well as smaller publishers or book influencers looking to grow their audience as well. Fostering this relationship is advantageous for the longevity of small bookstore. Barnes + Noble can’t have them all.
Staff Picks
It’s always fun to see these when shopping in the store or on a quick Instagram story or TikTok, but when offered in an email newsletter, it allows your audience a more intimate connection with you and your business. It also allows them more time to add to their TBR list and want to visit your store since it was your recommendation. More companies in 2025 will be taking advantage of employee-generated content versus influencer marketing to have a more personal and relatable feel to their brand. Jump on the bandwagon now.
Announcement of Events
Bookstores are a fantastic avenue for a “third place.” A third place is a community gathering space outside of our homes or places of work. With so many people working from home these days, third places are even more critical to connect with our neighbors and be social. A bookstore is perfect because since it is centered around reading, it is great socialization for other introverts like myself. A crowded bar? No thanks. But get my chatting about my current favorite read? Yes please.
I recently attended a book event by Turn the Page in Westfield, IN and it was awesome. The first hour was silent reading and the second hour was mingling if you chose to. Some people were still reading and others were there with their book clubs and quietly chatting the entire time. It was at a cidery so good drinks and eats were available the entire time and Turn the Page brought some books for purchase from their store that were their current bestsellers. It was a decent sized crowd and I could only imagine the turnout if there was a specific email chain dedicated to it of loyalists and a little more familiarity to the gathering.
Book Products, Playlists, and Vibes Paired with Popular Reads
Many readers are familiar with massive book influencer accounts such as Beach reads & Bubbly , where she leaves her book reviews and will recommend a cocktail on theme with the book. Genius. Us romance readers love good merch related to our favorite fictional couples and there are even candles produced that are dedicated to smells from our favorite reads. Link these in email newsletters, get creative and offer some pairs of your own for your online audience, and gain following. Many bookstores are already doing this in person or a little on their social media, however consistency and traction will land in a newsletter series directly to your audience’s inboxes.
Plug Subscription Boxes and Ongoing Income Streams
Many local bookstores I know offer memberships, book box subscriptions, or a “blind date with a book.” I think these concepts are brilliant and make great gift ideas. However, I for one often forget about them since they are posted about so infrequently or are only offered if someone happens to be in the physical store or visit the website (many people don’t do that). Plugging these in emails frequently will help boost sales and create an ongoing and sustainable income stream for our bookstores’ online sales. Offering online sales through bookshop.org or other third-party sellers is a feasible option and email announcements can help boost online sales even more. Ultimately, I believe people who love their communities want to support them and shop small, we just get blindsided by the convenience of fast fashion and Amazon-esque consumerism. Emails are one avenue for personally delivering accessibility to our audience, converting them to brand advocates. (I get the ick from the term “brand evangelist.”)
*Pinterest Strategy- Your Secret Weapon
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I hope this helps get you started and if it feels daunting, I specialize in multi-channel marketing solutions for female entrepreneurs. That means I tackle the in person marketing as well as all the online marketing. Consistency is key and you don’t have time to dedicate to that when you are the CEO of a beloved bookstore. Book a free discovery call with me with no pressure to sign-up for my services so we can problem-solve solutions together.