At a presentation called Ideas That Work at last week’s sixth annual Winter Institute for booksellers, which took place from Jan. 18-21 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Va., former Association of Booksellers for Children executive director Kristen McLean, founder and CEO of tech venture Bookigee.com, and Cynthia Compton, owner of 4 Kids Books and Toys in Indianapolis, offered lots of suggestions for getting creative when it comes to displays and events.
“Make your store quirky. Valentine’s Day is expected. Draw from unexpected sources,” advised McLean, who shared some of her favorite month-by-month celebrations from Chase’s Calendar. Among them are: Ideas Month in March, Barbecue Month in May, and Peanut Butter Lovers’ Month in November. Even if a bookseller doesn’t use a Chase’s theme for the whole month, said McLean, using one as a theme for an endcap can provide texture to a store’s offerings.
McLean also recommended that booksellers make an annual plan detailing themes, activities, displays, and related book lists for each month. She called it “our version of the plan-a-gram. If you’re smart about it, you can tie it into co-op.” On her personal copy of her annual plan, added Compton, she includes the budget for each month. That helps her keep track of advertising. Once a bookseller has figured out the themes they want to highlight, Compton suggested that they tell their sales reps and publishers. “Don’t make it a secret,” she said.
Another resource for “the creativity juice,” said McLean, is Disney FamilyFun, her go-to database for activities. At Compton’s store, book reviews in FamilyFun magazine are so influential that she laminates them and posts them as shelf talkers. And both offered plenty of ways to keep kids busy at the store, from setting up an area where they can write on an old-fashioned typewriter to filling a box with age-appropriate ARCs and a pricing gun. They can even take home the ARCs.
To ensure an audience and newspaper coverage for events, Compton finds a cosponsor for each one. Often she gives the sponsoring organization a discount, a gift card, or a signed book that they can use as a fundraiser. That’s gift card, not coupons, Compton stressed. “I give away lots of $5 gift cards. It costs me $2.70 each. I have yet to buy a customer with advertising for $2.70,” she said.
Compton even partners on window displays. The other organization or retailer saves her time by creating the display for her, then their members or customers come to the store to view it. Plus she gets customers involved with making displays by asking them to bring in a favorite book from childhood. Families come and take pictures of the displays.
Obviously not every idea will work for every store, but one that event coordinator/children’s buyer Tegan Tigani at Queen Anne Books in Seattle said that she is planning to try is Bookseller for a Day. Although it can be done at any time of the year, 4 Kids Books schedules student booksellers, ages 7 to 18, on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. When the kids clock in for their hour-and-a-half shift, they get a store T-shirt and an apron to wear; special snacks are set up for them in the break room. Not only do the kids enjoy recommending books, but their friends and family come to the store to watch.
“Part of what you need to do is create experiences for your customer,” said McLean. “It will add emotional attachment to your store.”
