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Marketing to Independent Bookstores

Do you dream of seeing your book in Barnes and Noble? At Borders? Great. But have you considered the thousands of independent bookstores around the country? Independent bookstores are more likely to consider local authors or take a chance on an unknown book. Conveniently, they are organized into a group called Book Sense , an arm of the American Booksellers Association (ABA) Getting your book into these stores requires time and energy, but can help create that crucial groundswell of ardent readers creating a buzz for your book.

Book Sense bookstores are a great way to reach new markets. They are not bound by large buying offices in New York, who make the decisions for stores across the country. Their book buyers have the ultimate freedom in choosing which titles to buy, stock, and promote in their stores, and they like local and independent authors, so use this to your advantage.



Take the following steps to reach out to these stores:
1. Visit Independent stores in your area. Give out free copies. Follow-up and get stocking orders.
2. Offer to hold an author event in their store. Partner with them on pre-event marketing and make it fun!
3. Consider the Book Sense Advance Access Program.

What else can you think of? Be creative in your ideas for partnering with Independent Bookstores, it will pay off.