A Lively and Life-Changing MSIBA Trade Show

For its coverage of the fall regional trade shows this year, Bookselling This Week has asked a bookseller at each show to share their experiences with our readers. Here, Dana Harper of Brystone Children's Books in Fort Worth, Texas, provides a lively look at the Mid-South Independent Booksellers Association trade show, which was held from Thursday, September 9, through Sunday, September 12, in New Orleans. Harper spent four busy days attending everything from the "Publisher Rep Show & Tell" to "Beignets With the Board" and was even witness to the spectacle of a desperate bidding battle for a sock monkey.

By Dana Harper of Brystone Children's Books in Fort Worth, Texas

New Orleans, city of humidity, drunkenness, and carousing (and that's just on the trade show floor!). All jokes aside, the Mid-South Independent Bookseller's Association Trade Show was the show of a decade! The entire show was packed with valuable educational sessions (the real reason I attended the show) and entertaining parties (where even a shy person like myself had a great time).

The 2004 MSIBA Trade Show.

Attendees who were fortunate enough to arrive on Thursday were greeted with two valuable presentations. [ABA CEO] Avin Domintz's "The 2% Solution" referenced the 2003 ABACUS study. Avin's manner was clear and concise as he detailed ways to increase store profitability. To enjoy a two percent profit, booksellers need to increase sales, increase margin, and cut expenses. Avin gave us ideas to make this happen.

Nationally known speaker John Miller spoke about the principles of "QBQ -- The Question Behind the Question." John's interactive presentation was dynamic and a little bit confrontational. (Booksellers are not accustomed to yelling out answers to a speaker's questions.) John's practice of embracing personal accountability was a revelation for me. His attitude was extremely empowering. Now I will no longer ask, "Why don't we have more customers who spend more money?" I will ask, "What can I do to make things better?" John's presentation was life changing, funny, lively, and participatory. Read John's book QBQ.

Activities came fast and furious at this trade show. Afternoon brought the "Publisher Rep Show & Sell." I enjoyed hearing about all their favorite fall picks. Here are a few highlights: The Original Lone Star State: The Story of the 1810 Rebellion in West Florida (a fascinating episode of forgotten history); Wink: The Story of Jimmy Wakefield (the untold sports story of an African-American shoeshine boy who became a world class jockey); The Know It All (the book by that encyclopedia-reading guy. I can't wait to read this one!); and Walter the Farting Dog plush toy (certainly not a book but definitely memorable).

Our final event of the night was a reception at Octavia Books. This is possibly the most beautiful bookstore I have ever seen. I think my eager and repetitive compliments might have made the Octavia booksellers a bit nervous. How many times can one bookseller tell another bookseller how stunning their bookstore is? In my case, probably about 32.

The store created a tremendous impulse to buy. I purchased Live From New York and Honky for my reading pleasure. You would think I could just wait until I returned to my own bookstore in Texas, but the atmosphere was intoxicating: blonde wood accented by olive green, lighting that looked like someone truly cared, and an intimate courtyard complete with a large, live snail suctioned to a metallic wall fountain.

A tad tipsy with wine, the Brystone booksellers were taxied back to the Hyatt by Simon & Schuster rep Gillian Reed. (I must clearly state, however, that bookselling colleague Adrienne Harper did not drink alcohol that evening. Not that she has anything against drinking, she's just a stickler for accuracy.) The ride back through the Garden District was a breathtaking tour through historic domestic architecture. Not only that, on the ride back I had the privilege of sitting next to Donna Jo Napoli!

We returned to the hotel for an early night. I had to think of how I was going to introduce one of the morning workshop speakers and worry about things like A/V needs. (Not to mention trying to sleep on a pillow as soft as whipped cream. My pillow at home is as hard as a biscuit on the Mayflower.)

Friday morning opened with an entertaining Children's Breakfast featuring D.B. Johnson (Henry Works), Cece Bell (Sock Monkey Boogie Woogie), and Peter McCarty (T Is for Terrible). I eagerly listened to the author/illustrators but was a touch nervous about the upcoming speakers. One of the morning speakers requested two bottles of room temperature spring water. Much to my dismay, spring water is not to be had at a New Orleans Hyatt. The hotel gift shop had two brands, both refrigerated, and I randomly picked one. (This is an inaccurate statement. I actually picked the water based on the advertising on the bottle. What made the water inside sound more like "spring water"?) I had two hours to bring this water to room temperature. Using the wonders of body heat, I hoped to do just that.

Bottled water successfully warmed, it was time for the morning workshops. Jeffrey Gittomer was our first speaker. Jeffrey is a sales powerhouse. Here are a few tidbits I learned: Exceptional service and a positive attitude are the keys to success. You must love your customers. You must be unique. Read his new book The Little Red Book of Selling: 12.5 Principles of Sales Greatness. (Booksellers were somewhat uncomfortable when Jeffrey's presentation focused on a famous online "bookstore" that I refuse to mention by name.)

Ame Mahler Beanland was the next speaker to share valuable information. She is the co-author of the book Nesting: It's a Chick Thing. The book is packed with ideas for decorating and parties. Many of the ideas may be modified for a bookstore. In fact, Ame is well known in bookselling circles because of an article in Publishers Weekly by Karen Holt entitled "Bookstore Goes From Drab to Fab," which details how Ame helped Towne Center Books in California redecorate.

Ame was a great help for Mid-South's booksellers, too. Even if she can't personally visit all of our stores at least we had a chance to hear her pointers for inexpensive and innovative visual merchandising.

The workshops passed quickly, and it was time for another meal. The "Food for Thought Author Luncheon" featured Peni R. Griffin (11,000 Years Lost), Donna Jo Napoli (Bound), and Diane McWhorter (A Dream of Freedom). What a fascinating journey into three research-filled books. I was enthralled.

A poster showing the different designs of the Book Sense gift cards.

It was only Friday afternoon, and I was on the verge of exploding with everything I'd learned thus far. And there was much more to come. [ABA's] Meg Smith and Mark Nichols led user's groups on Book Sense gift cards and BookSense.com. Deb Lewis spoke to us about Penguin's Business-to-Business Advantage Plan. (I'm unbelievably excited to take advantage of this!) Baker & Taylor's Bert Giannamore discussed DVDs in bookstores. (I will be reevaluating multimedia in our store.)

Casino Night was the final event of the evening, and this must have been a massive undertaking. It was held at The Praline Connection, a ballroom-sized facility with a bar and buffet. ("Do you have anything besides seafood?") Casino Night featured gaming tables with real dealers complete with black vests and knowledge of all the rules. (Craps is an unbelievably complex game.) At the end of the night, gaming chips were cashed in and totaled up. We could use this tally to bid on items in a live auction. The live auction included some notable prizes -- the most coveted among them being three handmade sock monkeys sewn and stuffed by [MSIBA] Children's Chairperson Jill Bailey. Booksellers, reps, and even the guy from Publishers Weekly fought in a desperate bidding battle to acquire a sock monkey. They were like wild dogs in a starved frenzy for their share of the meat. It was quite a spectacle and perhaps even the highlight of the show.

We returned to our hotel with visions of increased profitability dancing in our heads. Trade Show 2004 was power packed, chock full of information, and a delight to the lifelong learner. The Brystone booksellers sat in our hotel room and raised our voices with excitement. We were each competing for the right to be heard -- each trying to share what we felt were the most important kernels of the knowledge we'd gleaned.

Saturday morning was delightful. I was lucky enough to hear NPR wunderkind Andrew Codrescu. (Is it accurate to call someone older than you a wunderkind? It somehow seems so appropriate.) Mid-South board member David Cockcroft held an intriguing question-and-answer session with the author, whose new novel is called Wakefield.

After a lovely breakfast that seemed to end too soon, it was time to attack the trade show floor. The layout was completely revamped. A reading room and in-booth author signings added an extra dimension of excitement to the show.

After a long day on the floor, Sweet Potato Queen Jill Conner Brown titillated everyone. Believe me when I tell you that the hotel event staff did not know what to think of this woman. Stunned at first, I think they gradually felt comfortable smiling, and in the end they broke down into wide-mouthed laughter. Jill Conner Brown's personality lit up the room. Her new book is The Sweet Potato Queens' Field Guide to Men.

The activities for the night ended early (7:00 p.m.) so everyone could have a chance to experience the New Orleans nightlife. (You know who you are.) I spent the evening marking up backlists with my colleagues, content with a room-service meal. By the way, the Hyatt in New Orleans has the best grilled-cheese with french fries that I have ever tasted.

Sunday morning came early with an 8:00 a.m. breakfast/networking opportunity. "Beignets With the Board" was a lively affair for such an early hour. The powdered sugar covered beignets made us wish we hadn't worn black. (For those not in the know, a beignet is like a donut -- but nowhere near as good -- covered with powdered sugar. It is actually a lump of dough. It tastes like a funnel cake.) The mimosas made me wish I hadn't tried champagne so early in the morning. Next time I'm sticking with straight juice.

Following breakfast, the trade show continued as booksellers attempted to wrap things up. The show ended with a gaggle of prizes from a bevy of much appreciated publishers. I always gain an even greater appreciation for the generous publishers and their hardworking reps during the show.

Four days passed quicker than I could have ever imagined. I hardly even missed my dogs back in Texas. I was too busy thinking about bookselling. As I look back on the show, I look forward to applying all my newfound knowledge and offer a special thanks to all the reps, publishers, and booksellers who made it happen.