Booksellers Give Tips for Promoting eBooks

Bookselling This Week, the free weekly e-newsletter of the American Booksellers Association (ABA), recently talked to several booksellers about eBook marketing.

“The best approach to promoting e-books is multiple approaches — feature them in general and targeted electronic and print newsletters, advertise online and in-store, train staff, and “just be relentless”— is the collective opinion of booksellers who recently talked to Bookselling This Week about e-book marketing — Paul Hanson of Village Books, Christie Olson Day at Gallery Bookshop & Bookwinkle’s Children’s Books, and Pete Mulvihill of Green Apple Books.”

Here are some highlights from the article “Booksellers Share Best Practices for Promoting E-Books” by Karen Schechner.


• Elect an “eBook answer guru” who can work one-on-one with customers to answer questions, set up their e-reader, and download their first book.

• Host eBook and eReader discussions for answering questions and exchanging ideas.

• Spread the word. Talk face to face with customers about eBooks. Create in-store handouts and bookmarks to start conversations with customers.

• Provide published reviews of eReading devices.

• Post signs and fliers promoting eBooks. Highlight well-priced titles with QR codes.


Have any tips to share? Please chime in!