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Marketing Fiction

There are many hard things about being a book lover, but one of the hardest things is that you expect everyone else to love them too.  Getting lost in the stacks, wandering the shelves, reading a dozen summaries before selecting a title that has to go home with you... I guess I just assume that everyone has that capability.
They don't.
They judge books by their covers.  They put them back because the character has a weird name.  They don't even touch them because they look too long.
The list goes on and on.
When thinking about marketing the collection, my most basic advice is:

  • Show off covers.  When possible, let your patrons see the cover, not just the spine.
  • Put your hot, new titles in their own spot.  Our patrons always start there.
  • Take a tip from bookstores and stick bookmark recommendations or flags on titles.
  • Change out your displays with catchy or funny themes.
  • Play games with titles and challenge your patrons to explore your collection through fun.
  • Hide seasonal items in books and give patrons a piece of candy if they find one.
  • TELL PEOPLE WHAT YOU ARE READING.  
  • Encourage them to share their own recommendations for your patrons.
  • Hold book clubs.  Don't be a douchebag about how they should go.  Keep it fun.
  • Don't neglect your budding readers.  Market to them too.
  • Change up displays... did I mention that?
Every time I visit a bookstore, I walk out with a new idea about how to promote my collection.  They are LITERALLY in the business of selling books.  We're doing the same thing, just minus the money. Take a field trip to your bookstores.  Learn from them.  Steal their ideas.  Make them your own.

Thank you all for a fun, engaging class. :) 


Comments

  1. SwimTrekMay 1, 2020 at 7:29 AM

    I like you idea of showing off the cover. It's something we all do unconsciously and no doubt influences whether we choose the book or not matter how ofter we hear "Don't judge a book by its cover." Your point of 'stealing' the bookstores ideas is great. I chuckled at how boldly you just said it.
    I never would have thought of mentioning this idea; but as you say, one of the appeals of going to a bookstore is their displays and how it draws us in.
    Great ideas! Short, but to the point.

    ReplyDelete
  2. SusanMay 1, 2020 at 9:16 PM

    I love the idea of hiding things in the books (or any other way to incorporate a game into exploring the collection). You could combine that with your bookmark idea and it could become a library-wide scavenger hunt, which would be super fun for summer reading. You have so many great ideas in here! Great post!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Emily May 2, 2020 at 8:01 PM

    Showing off the covers is so important! I work in the children's department and all of our shelves have face out books on them. At first I felt it was super cluttered but it really does make a difference especially for the kids. The idea of hiding seasonal items in books is so fun! I will have to see if we can try that one out.

    ReplyDelete
  4. RachelMay 3, 2020 at 8:45 AM

    Love the idea of "borrowing" marketing ideas from bookstores. And so many of their displays are cover out. And changing displays is key - I know I'll walk right by displays I've already seen there and may miss new books displayed under the same theme but I'll always at least do a quick look at any new display. Great ideas!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Erin CataldiMay 5, 2020 at 8:04 AM

    full points!

    ReplyDelete

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