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Sales Retail One aspect of merchandizing is to offer personalized books to retail stores. These stores are located in fixed locations and are either part of a national chain or are independently owned. The chains are harder to reach, the buyers for chains are more formal and require proposals. It has been done. We have had dealers put books in K-mart and Toys R Us. These have been offered during seasonal times and for a region. The books have never been placed in any stores nationally at one time by one source. Any store that carries gifts, books or general merchandise, like a department store, should be a good candidate to carry the books. Find the manager, make your presentation or go on up the ladder to the corporate headquarters if necessary. If you are at an independent store, then you reach the decision maker on the spot or make an appointment for when the owner will be in. You need to make an appointment in person. It's too easy for them to say no over the phone. Your initial contact should describe your product just enough to arouse the person’s curiosity and produce an invitation for you to bring your product to the store. Do some research and make sure you know the store’s customer base. Go prepared to generate enthusiasm for your books. Be careful when using the term "personalized books" until you have an opportunity to explain the quality and the fulfillment.
Hand Assembled Books Hand assembled books are the Create-A-Book books that have the printed pages collated with color pages and bound together with the Safety Binder. These books require special handling when placed in a retail outlet, because you will be making sample books to do your selling. Brochures will be left in a holder along with the book. Depending on the arrangement with the store, you can have the brochures mailed directly to you with payment or the customer can order the book from the store. Orders can then be picked up or faxed to you. Either way, this is a special order item for the customer. The books usually sell for around $16.95. Most stores want 40 percent of the retail price. You will be able to negotiate this up or down, depending on how good you are talking to store managers. Practice makes perfect, each store gets easier as you go. If you are not "into sales," have a friend help you who is. People will order books from this type of display, depending what book you leave. In Christian book stores, leave the Grace line. In other stores, show a variety of books to the manager and leave them what they like. We have learned that store managers will sell what they like. Don't forget to charge for shipping if the customer cannot come back to the store. The shipping shouldn't be split with the store. Every sale counts, and since you are not paying rent there, every book sold puts you in the black (profit). The more stores, the more sales. Note: If some stores say they have already tried some books, they could have been with another company. Convince them they should try us, because the internet is raising the level of exposure for these books, and people are actually looking for these books now more than ever. Remember, one book on a single book display and one brochure holder with brochures is all it takes! Posters-and-Brochures We have several posters, poster easels with attaching cups that hold Create-A-Book brochures and catalogs. Any of our full color brochures can be used . Our brochures have a blank side two, so you can customize your order form. It is possible to place posters in lobbies or offices where samples may not be suitable. Each situation will be different. That is why we have a variety of displays. One final thought, which has been mentioned in our newsletters, is to put a Big Parade book in at least one doctor's office, with a glued manila pouch (half an envelope) glued to the back cover with your own laser printed order forms in the pouch. Tell the doctor you will donate a book to their waiting room if they will allow you to accept orders from the back of that book. The parents will take a form and mail it to you with a check. This is working well with our dealers now. There is no rent to pay and is very simple to do. How many books could you be selling if these books were all over town? People are used to pulling slips to order stuff (that's the way small items are sold at Toy's are Us, and electronics are sold at Circuit City or furniture at Office Depot). The customer is willing to buy things this way. You just have to fill up the order forms each week or so and make sure the sample is in good shape. Vary the books as time goes by (try No More Diaper books in a pediatrician's office with multiple order forms in the back). Give it a try.
The personal touch is very important when establishing retail accounts. As you open accounts, you will become more confident in your selling abilities. The more you practice, the more locations you might get, and therefore books could sell. There are no limitations to this type of selling, and no territories. Start locally and then branch out.
Retail Outlets to approach:
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