Marketing

Book Sense bookstores can help their customers win a crime spree -- well, actually, a crime-writing spree -- when they direct customers to A&E Network's Cold Case Files Sweepstakes.

A&E's Cold Case Files, a series that examines the art of forensics, has partnered with Book Sense and Penguin to create a sweepstakes designed specifically for Book Sense stores and their customers. The grand prize is a 7-Day/6-Night trip for two to the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate, England.

Anchorage, Alaska's Cook Inlet Book Company recently partnered with Kraft Foods to donate $50,000 worth of books to public and private school libraries throughout Anchorage. Schools that participated in the "Shop for Literacy" program by gathering Kraft proof-of-purchase labels won a percentage of the $50,000 book credit redeemable at Cook Inlet.

In this month's White Box you'll find a set of shelf-talkers for the 25 titles chosen as "The Best of the First Five Years of Book Sense" as well as copies of consumer take-aways for both the adult and children's titles that served as the ballots for your choices of the Best Books.

As materials promoting the Best Books: The Best of Book Sense From the First Five Years wing their way to bookstores, booksellers are reminded that now is the time to put together displays featuring the 10 Adult Fiction, 5 Adult Nonfiction, and 10 Children's titles, selected by more than one thousand booksellers as the best of the Book Sense lists.

This week, ABA announced the availability of a Book Sense @ 5 Publicity Kit for bookstores participating in the Book Sense marketing program. The publicity pack will be available at BookExpo America and in June's Red Box mailing and is online at www.bookweb.org/education/marketing/.

Book Sense and the A&E Network have announced the formation of a new marketing partnership that both anticipate will extend their brand into the well-known territory of the other.

Here is some important news, and a reminder, about various Book Sense marketing initiatives with The History Channel. Questions about any of these promotions should be addressed to Associate Director of Book Sense Marketing Meg Smith at [email protected].

April brings a rich outpouring of goodies from Book Sense Publisher Partners, guaranteed to nourish sales and wash away any doubts as to where the next wonderful handsell titles are coming from!

Before I share some of what's in store provided by publishers, here's some news on other important materials you'll find in this month's Box:

In May, Book Sense will initiate a new monthly, time-sensitive mailing to benefit both booksellers and publishers: the "Red" Box Mailing. The Red Box will offer publishers a new and faster way to get materials into the hands of Book Sense booksellers and will serve as a monthly "In-Store Marketing Action Kit" for bookstores.

Dear Booksellers,

The March Book Sense White Box roars in like a lion … filled with information and materials you need to see …

First, from ABA and Book Sense: