MRM Spotlight: Kaitlin Pitcher

Kaitlin Pitcher, a member relationship manager at the American Booksellers Association, is the first point of contact for member bookstores in the New England, New Atlantic, Northern California, and Southern California regions. The Member Relations Department was introduced last March as a way to provide booksellers with a quick response to questions regarding ABA and its many services, as well as to provide assistance in dealing with industry-related issues.

Pitcher has deep roots in the industry, as her first job was at an independent bookstore in Carmel, New York. There, she worked closely with the children’s book buyer and often helped plan store events. She left to attend Northeastern University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications. Pitcher stayed in Boston to start a career as a program planner for a healthcare nonprofit, “but my love of indie bookstores brought me back to New York in 2010, when I joined ABA,” she said.

Pitcher wants to make it known to members that she is available to assist them with any of their questions or concerns.

“The bookselling industry is often challenging, and ever-changing,” she said. “I think it’s important for members to know that they have the support of a larger network behind them, people who are working on their behalf to ensure that their businesses survive and thrive.”

Within that network, she added, her role is to offer day-to-day assistance to members on a variety of topics — from sales tax initiatives, to how to incorporate e-books.

“MRMs help to centralize the communication stream for members, so they don’t have to worry about who to call when they have a question... They can call me, and if I can’t answer their question, I can direct them to someone who can. It allows for a more efficient response rate, as well as a more personal interaction.”

Rob Dougherty, manager at Clinton Book Shop, in Clinton, New Jersey, is a bookseller within Pitcher’s region, who has found it very helpful to have a designated MRM to contact when he has a question or problem.

“Kaitlin’s helped me with a lot of different things,” he said. “She is an extremely attentive liaison, a great addition to the staff, and you can tell she’s invested in what she does. She really believes in the bookshops.”

Lately, it seems like a lot of Pitcher’s conversations have been about the shift to digital books, and how it is affecting the industry. Many booksellers are eager to become a part of this new trend in bookselling, and Pitcher has gotten them started with Google eBooks^TM.

“We provide information and help to clear up some of the confusion that comes along with these types of industry changes,” Pitcher said. She also helps members find ways to cut costs through ABA’s affinity programs that offer discounts on shipping, credit card processing, and more.

Members also come to Pitcher seeking educational information and marketing materials for their stores, and she points them in the right direction.

Booksellers will have the opportunity to meet Pitcher face-to-face at the fall regional trade shows in the NAIBA, NEIBA, SCIBA, and NCIBA regions. Members are encouraged to stop by the ABA booth at the shows to say hello and to discuss ways ABA can continue to provide the best service possible.

“Belonging to a larger network helps booksellers remember that they may be independent, but they’re not alone,” said Pitcher.

Kaitlin Pitcher can be reached at 800-637-0037 ext. 6666, or via e-mail.