Dear Booksellers, A lot to cover today! Reminders ABA Membership Renewal Deadline March 5: We appreciate your support of ABA and hope that you’ll continue your membership. Your prompt renewal helps us continue our work supporting the indies. Permissioned login credentials (owner, manager, or billing) are required to submit the online renewal form:
#MarginsBookstores Signup Deadline February 27: The Word, a nonprofit fighting for cultural equity through the literary arts, is promoting #MarginsBookstores Month to celebrate BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled, and neurodiverse-owned/managed bookstores. Sign up to be included in 2021 programming:
IndieCommerce Institute Final Sign Up -- Only a few spots remaining! Register for the 2021 IndieCommerce Institute on Wednesday, March 17 (IC), and Thursday, March 18 (IL). This year’s interactive, classroom-style workshop will focus on helping stores manage website content, optimizing online shopping cart for higher conversion rates, and reviewing all the new tools and features added to the IndieCommerce platform. The full list of session topics can be found here. The Institute is free.
Upcoming Events Small(ish) Store Coffee Break
Monday, March 1, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET
This session is for members working at stores operating with three or fewer employees to come together for connection, support, community, resources, and to discuss the unique issues you experience when faced with many tasks and few hands. This session will be an open-format conversation but does require advance registration. Coffee Breaks
Tuesday, March 2, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET
Join us for an opportunity to share support, ask questions, and trade best practices. All booksellers are welcome. If you’ve never attended this event before, it’s a great way to hear what’s working well at other stores, crowdsource solutions to any challenges you’re facing at your store, and ask questions. Watch your email for an invitation and login details. Marketing MeetUp: Marketing Poetry Books
Thursday, March 4, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm ET
April is National Poetry Month, so what better time to talk about the potential for poetry books in your store? This Marketing Meetup will focus on marketing poetry books and will feature booksellers who have experience with the poetry genre, including hand-selling to new and experienced poetry readers and launching poetry-based events and programs in their stores. Use the sign-up form at the bottom of this linked page to join the mailing list for Marketing Meetups; you’ll be sent the meeting link ahead of the event. Financial Series Part 3: Managerial Accounting
Thursday, March 4, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET
Designed for booksellers with some understanding of bookkeeping, this session will take a deeper dive into a store’s individual financial statements, focusing on how to read and apply the information in balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements, and the ABACUS report, in order to make sound financial decisions. This session will be recorded. Register here. ABA is here for all of you. Please reach out if there is anything we can help with. Members can contact me directly or email the Membership, Advocacy, or IndieCommerce teams. Best,
Allison |
