Countdown to BEA: Part 1

May 23, 2008

Here's the first of a two-part summary of education sessions, special events, and resources for ABA members at this year's BookExpo America. Programming begins on Wednesday, May 28, at Hotel ABA, the Renaissance Hollywood, with "Welcome to Hollywood" Tours and an Author Reception at the famed Egyptian Theatre. All BEA registrants are invited to the Celebration of Bookselling, beginning at 4:45 p.m. on Thursday in the Renaissance Hollywood's Grand Ballroom. The trade show is at the Los Angeles Convention Center from Friday, May 30, to Sunday, June 1.

• Hotel ABA Welcome Desk
• Wednesday "Welcome to Hollywood" Tours & Author Reception
• Thursday Day of Education Schedule & Downloadable Materials
• ABA's Celebration of Bookselling
• Skylight Books & City Lights Publishers' Reception

Literary & Hollywood Sites Tour

Red Line Tours is world famous for its unusual approach to exploring Los Angeles: the company envisions L.A. as a vast living museum. Tour guests are outfitted with audio receivers much like the kind used on a museum tour, except this tour is not recorded. Guides will offer commentary via a microphone transmitter as they lead booksellers through the heart of Hollywood to some of its most storied landmarks, among them settings for great novels by Raymond Chandler, Dorothy Parker, and Nathanael West, and the El Capitan Theatre, where stars such as Clark Gable and Fred Astaire were discovered. Other Hollywood sites such as the historic Walk of Fame, Hollywood Sign, Kodak Theatre, and Grauman's Chinese Theatre will be on the tour, which will end at the Egyptian Theatre, for the ABA/SCIBA "Welcome to Hollywood" Author Reception. Space is limited for this unique tour, so members are urged to sign up today. E-mail reservations@redlinetours.com; fax to (323) 402-1074; or call (323) 402-1074, ext. 11 to reserve your spot. Tour price is $16 to ABA member booksellers.

Getty Center Museum & Bookstore Tour (This tour is now completely booked.)

The Getty Center offers a unique collection of European paintings, drawings, sculpture, decorative arts, and European and American photographs, in a lovely setting of modern architecture and gardens.

The list of things to do and see in L.A. is endless, so ABA has also created a suggested list of alternative activities.

The American Booksellers Association and the Southern California Independent Booksellers Association invite members to Wednesday night's "Welcome to Hollywood" Author Reception, beginning at 5:00 p.m., at the famed Egyptian Theatre, right down the street from Hotel ABA. While mingling with some of their favorite California authors, guests will enjoy light refreshments, courtesy of Harry N. Abrams and Da Capo Lifelong Books. (Read more.)

Sponsored by the Ingram Book Company/Ingram Publisher Services

Plenary Session Keynote Address: Ed Begley, Jr. (Fifth-floor Grand Ballroom)

Ed Begley, Jr., is the co-star of the hit HGTV series Living With Ed, a look at the day-to-day realities of "living green," and author of Living Like Ed: A Guide to the Eco-Friendly Life (Clarkson Potter). He has been chairman of the Environmental Media Association and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and serves on the boards of numerous organizations including the Thoreau Institute, the Earth Communications Office, Tree People, and Friends of the Earth. His work has garnered awards from environmental groups including the California League of Conservation Voters, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Coalition for Clean Air, Heal the Bay, the Santa Monica Baykeeper, and the Southern California Gas Company. Begley has appeared in numerous movies, TV shows, and theatre projects. His feature film work includes A Mighty Wind, For Your Consideration, Batman Forever, The Accidental Tourist, and The Inlaws. Upcoming projects include the theatrical comedy Pineapple Express and the HBO feature Recount, starring Kevin Spacey.

This event was originally billed as including breakfast. Due to scheduling issues, the event will now include only coffee. Booksellers should make their own breakfast arrangements.

Booksellers at the Tipping Point: Leveraging Localism and Independence to Promote Your Store (Hollywood Ballroom AB)

The concepts of localism, independence, and sustainability are gaining traction with consumers. At this session, you'll hear how the retail market has evolved to allow these phenomena to take root and grow, and you'll learn how to leverage and exploit these powerful tools to more effectively market and promote your store. Presenter: ABA Chief Marketing Officer Meg Smith. Download session materials.

Buying, Merchandising, and Selling Graphic Novels, 101 (Hollywood Ballroom C)

Graphic Novels and Manga are here to stay. A panel of experts will discuss how you can get the most out of your graphic novels section. Moderator: ABA Education Coordinator Lisa Winn. Panelists: Jessica Stockton Bagnulo of McNally Robinson Booksellers (New York, NY); Scott McCloud, comic artist; and John Shableski of Diamond Book Distributors. Download session materials.

Building and Rewarding Customer Loyalty (Hollywood Ballroom DE)

Books are sold everywhere, so how do you keep customers coming back to your store? This session will explore what customers really want, and how you can foster loyalty by responding to consumer needs. An in-depth discussion of the pros and cons of implementing and marketing a customer loyalty program will be featured. Moderator: ABA Senior Director of Publisher Initiatives Mark Nichols. Panelist: Casey Coonerty of Bookshop Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz, CA). Download session materials.

Large-Store Roundtable (Silver Lake)

What can established stores do to increase sales? Roundtable discussion topics will include: Marketing to new customers and increasing sales from existing customers. What are customers expecting from independent bookstores -- what are they looking for? Making full use of the Internet; are independent booksellers dedicating enough store resources to it? How can indies get more people to click onto their sites instead of Amazon.com? What new services can independents offer inside and outside the store to increase traffic and sales? Moderator: Carla Cohen of Politics & Prose Books & Coffee (Washington, D.C.)

Budgeting & Monitoring Workshop (Doheny/Beachwood/Runyon)

This program examines how bookstores, like other businesses, are best operated within a system of financial controls that allow the owner/manager to predict performance and then measure outcomes against those predictions. Special attention is paid to the control of cash flow and the information needed to obtain an operating line of credit. Using a series of Excel worksheets, booksellers will be shown how to integrate such a system into their store operations. Special attention will be paid to issues relating to small- and medium-sized stores. This session is open to all ABA bookstore members and is recommended for Bookseller School registrants. Presenter: ABA CEO Avin Mark Domnitz. Download session materials.

Green Retailing (Hollywood Ballroom AB)

Booksellers have known about the importance of being environmentally conscious since at least 1962, when Rachel Carson published Silent Spring. But we also operate in an industry that uses metric ton upon metric ton of paper, and barrel after barrel of gasoline to transport goods from the warehouse to the store -- not to mention air conditioning, lighting, and all of the other modern conveniences we take for granted. This session will present a panel of experts from bookselling and beyond who will discuss how we can all be smarter, cleaner, more efficient retailers, and how we can save money by going green! Moderator: ABA COO Oren Teicher. Panelists: Suzy Staubach of UConn Co-op (Storrs, CT); Natalie Frieberg of All Shades of Green (Los Angeles, CA); Ferris Kawar, Vice President of Sustainability Greenopia and The Green Media Group, LLC. Download session materials.

Print on Demand: Part Two (Hollywood Ballroom C)

At the Winter Institute, attendees heard how booksellers can become print-on-demand publishers with very little financial risk. This new business opportunity will be explored further through a continuation of the case study presented at the Winter Institute. (Attendance at the Winter Institute session is not a prerequisite.) Moderator: ABA Senior Director of Editorial Content Dan Cullen. Panelists: Kelly Estep of Carmichael's Bookstore (Louisville, KY); Dan Sheehan of Ingram Book Company & Ingram Publisher Services; Phil Zuckerman of Applewood Books. Download session materials.

Give It Away to Get It Back: Using "Thought Leadership" Marketing to Build Your Children's Business (Hollywood Ballroom DE)

At this workshop, learn why you and your children's staff are your own best advertising, and how to leverage your collective expertise as a powerful marketing tool to build your children's business exponentially. This workshop will explore the definition of "Thought Leadership" in relation to current trends in New Economy Marketing and why it should be central to any children's marketing plan. Panelists will also discuss the benefits that can come from actively giving away knowledge as a marketing technique, as well as outlining the key elements for crafting a strategic and successful Thought Leadership plan for your children's department regardless of size or staffing level. Moderator: Kristen McLean, Executive Director of the Association of Booksellers for Children; Panelists: Writer Sue Corbett; Emily D'Amour of Books & Books (Coral Gables, FL); Valerie Lewis of Hicklebee's (San Jose, CA). Download session materials.

Lunch With Amy Goodman (Fifth-floor Grand Ballroom)

Amy Goodman, co-host of the global news hour Democracy Now! and co-author with her brother, David Goodman, of Standing Up to the Madness: Ordinary Heroes in Extraordinary Times (Hyperion), will be this year's lunch speaker. Standing Up to the Madness, a timely and inspiring look at everyday people who take a chance and stand up for what they believe, offers advice on what the average citizen can do to help. Democracy Now!, which Goodman hosts with Juan Gonzalez, is broadcast on more than 600 radio and TV stations around the world and on Democracynow.org. Open to all ABA member booksellers; however, booksellers planning to attend must have checked off the "lunch" box on the Day of Education registration form. Those who have not previously registered for the Day of Education or for the Thursday lunch should contact Margaret Nafz at Margaret@bookweb.org. (Please specify whether you are a new Day of Education registrant who would also like to attend the luncheon; or if you have previously registered for the Day of Education, but now would like to add lunch registration.)

Renegotiating Your Lease (Doheny/Beachwood/Runyon)

This presentation uses real-world examples to show how a savvy bookseller can create a plan for entering into a discussion about an existing lease. The material includes using ABACUS benchmarks to frame discussions with your landlord and covers issues such as paying by the square foot vs. paying a percentage of sales, why you need to begin a lease renegotiation well in advance of it becoming a necessity, and more. Presenters: ABA Industry Consultant David Walker and Incoming ABA Vice President Michael Tucker of Books Inc. (San Francisco, CA). Download session materials.

Buying, Managing, and Selling Non-Book Items, 101 (Hollywood Ballroom AB)

They are often ghettoized in bookstores, but the judicious use of gift and other non-book items can help propel a store into the black. At this session, attendees will hear about the merits of adding gift items to the product mix, and will see concrete examples of buying, merchandising, and selling gift items. Presenter: Incoming ABA President Gayle Shanks of Changing Hands Bookstore (Tempe, AZ). Download session materials.

Creating Killer Events (Hollywood Ballroom C)

With books sold in more and more outlets each year, independent booksellers are finding new and innovative ways to distinguish themselves from the competition. One of the most effective tools to set yourself apart is offering a schedule of compelling events. At this session, you'll review an event prep checklist and hear experienced booksellers describe what makes a killer event. This session focuses on events for small- and medium-sized stores. Moderator: ABA Senior Director of Editorial Content Dan Cullen. Panelists: Margie Scott Tucker of Books Inc. (San Francisco, CA); Collette Morgan of Wild Rumpus (Minneapolis, MN). Download session materials.

Managing Blockbuster Events: The Logistics of Events for 500 or More (Hollywood Ballroom DE)

How do you prepare for an event likely to draw 500, 1,000, or 5,000 people? Hear a panel of bookseller experts discuss best practices for large-scale events, including planning, insurance, security, line management, and more. Moderater: ABA COO Oren Teicher. Panelists: Cristina Nosti of Books & Books (Coral Gables, FL); Alison Kothe Nihlean of BookPeople (Austin, TX). Download session materials.

Loss Control: How to Stop Profits From Running Out the Front (and Back) Door (Doheny/Beachwood/Runyon)

Ever wonder why your inventory and payables don't match the numbers spit out by your computer? Does your gross profit margin seem lower than it should? Every bookstore incurs some losses due to customer theft, employee theft, and accounting errors. At this session, you will learn best practices to identify and control loss to help keep your bookstore profitable. Presenter: Chuck Robinson of Village Books (Bellingham, WA). Download session materials.

Independent Retailing in 2008: A Report on the Shop Local Movement (Hollywood Ballroom AB)

A panel of booksellers who have been actively involved in a local business alliance in their communities will report on current trends in the Shop Local movement. Hear how you can grow your store's visibility and sales by leveraging your most precious commodity: Your independence! Moderator: ABA COO Oren Teicher. Panelists: ABA Board members Steve Bercu of BookPeople (Austin, TX) and Becky Anderson of Anderson's Bookshop (Naperville, IL). Download session materials.

RFID: What You Need to Know (Hollywood Ballroom C)

This session will demystify Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and show how item-level tagging -- putting tags on each book -- has the potential to revolutionize the book industry supply chain at the warehouse and retail level. Learn about one European bookseller that has introduced RFID at every level of its operations and why it's been such a success. This is a chance to understand this technology before it comes to the U.S.! Jim Lichtenberg of Lightspeed, LLC. (New York, NY). Download session materials.

Introduction to Co-op Advertising (Hollywood Ballroom DE)

The ABACUS study shows that profitable booksellers spend much less on advertising than unprofitable booksellers. This doesn't necessarily mean profitable bookstores advertise less, but it does mean they claim more co-op. At this session, you'll learn what co-op is, the difference between "pool" and "exempt" co-op, where to find each publisher's co-op terms and policies, how to claim co-op, and more. This session is aimed at booksellers that have little or no experience with co-op. Presenter: Mark Kaufman of Paz & Associates (Fernandina Beach, FL). Panelist: Libby Cowles of Maria's Bookshop (Durango, CO). Download session materials.

Learn more about evening events for ABA member booksellers at BEA.

Watch for a report on Monday with important information about the ABA Lounge, Bag Check, and Shipping Desk exclusively for ABA members at the Los Angeles Convention Center; the Friday ABA Town Hall and Annual Membership meetings and special screening and discussion about the new PBS documentary Paperback Dreams.

Printer friendly version
Email this article to a friend
ABA Booksellers: Discuss this article online