A Book: Longer-lasting than a fruitcake, cheaper than a flat screen, more fun than a partridge in a pear tree. This catchy slogan, created by IndieBound, resonated with staff at the Tattered Cover Book Store in Denver, Colo., so much that it has become the centerpiece of the store's holiday marketing campaign.
The slogan, along with a whimsical image of a pear tree, adorns large color posters in Tattered Cover's three locations and is printed on bookmarks given to customers. Books wrapped in decorative paper that uses the colors on the posters--blue, green and brown--are displayed throughout the stores. Also featured are posters bearing another IndieBound slogan in blue: Give love. Give time. Give joy. Give books. The two slogans are being used as well in Tattered Cover's print advertising in the Denver Post's Sunday books section, the alternative weekly the Denver Westword and community newspapers.
"It's probably the most cohesive in-store merchandising we've ever done for the holidays, as far as using one graphic and one color scheme across all three stores," marketing director Heather Duncan said. She and her colleagues began brainstorming for a holiday marketing campaign in early October, but decided to go with the IndieBound promotion when it was announced later that month. "We saw IndieBound's great designs, and we thought they were perfect," Duncan explained. "I think it suits independents in general, but the vintage look really works for our store."
This year Tattered Cover is participating in a local business alliance that launched last year. During a "buy local" week initiative, which started on Black Friday, the Tattered Cover was one of several area businesses to receive TV news coverage. The store has been garnering other kinds of media attention this holiday season: lead buyer Cathy Langer has appeared on local TV and radio programs to offer book suggestions for gift giving.
Tattered Cover tried a new marketing tactic this year of inserting 50,000 copies of the Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association holiday catalogue into the Denver Westword. Fewer catalogue coupons than expected have been redeemed. "We were really hoping it would bring in tons of people, but for some reason is just hasn't," said Duncan. In contrast, a coupon (offering 20% off an entire purchase) sent to some 15,000 members of the Tattered Cover Gives Back program brought shoppers out in force this past Friday, the last day it could be redeemed. It's free to join the program, and members select one of 22 nonprofits to receive 1% of every purchase they make.
Among books being promoted in all three Tattered Cover stores this holiday season are The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by local scribe David Wroblewski, The Little Book by Selden Edwards, Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers: The Story of Success, Jon Meacham's American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House and Steven Rinella's American Buffalo: In Search of a Lost Icon. Several staffers had the chance to meet Rinella when he attended the MPIBA fall trade show. "We're really behind his book," said Duncan. "It's perfect for our audience."
Regional favorites include titles in the Best Easy Day Hikes series, which are currently placed on counters, and Ski the 14ers: A Visual Tribute to Colorado's 14,000-Foot Peaks from the Eyes of a Ski Mountaineer. Another is The Gabby Gourmet 2009 Restaurant Guide by Pat Miller, a.k.a. the Gabby Gourmet, who broadcast her radio show live from Tattered Cover's Colfax Avenue store one afternoon earlier this month.
Pop-up books are popular with customers of all ages--Brava, Strega Nona!, Peter Pan and Predators for kids, while adults are enjoying the images and sounds in Birdscapes. Children's author Cornelia Funke is a staff favorite at Tattered Cover, and Inkdeath, the third volume in the Inkheart trilogy, is selling well (a big screen version of Inkheart arrives in theaters next month). The Tales of Beedle the Bard is holding steady but has not been the mega bestseller that was anticipated.
Tattered Cover's sales are down from last year, as the economy--and the weather--have hindered shoppers. After a good showing last Friday, sales the rest of the weekend fell as a snowstorm descended. There was a bump in sales the two weeks after the November 4 presidential election, followed by a decent Black Friday. "It's not our first recession, but it does seem to be one of the worst we've been through in the 30-plus years we've been in business," said Duncan. "It's something we can deal with, but it's going to be tough. We're going to have to make some cuts and changes to stay afloat--which we will. We always do."
On Monday evening, Tattered Cover held its 10th annual holiday reading with Jamie Horton. While the actor read from several classic tales, the store treated attendees to hot chocolate, cider and cookies and accepted donations of children's books to give to Reach Out and Read Colorado. Despite sub-zero temperatures, more than 200 revelers turned out for the event.--Shannon McKenna Schmidt