In this price-sensitive economy, many customers are looking for budget-friendly book options. Thankfully, there are numerous value-priced titles available in the market today. The key is to find the most effective ways to capitalize on them. Here are some ideas to boost your sales of value-priced books.

Placement of your value-priced book selection is key. Create a display near the front entrance of your store and near your registers. Those are the best places to catch impulse purchases. Be sure to label your section with a nice big sign that says “Bargain Books,” “Great Deals” or something similar. There’s no reason to beat around the bush. Your customers are looking for great buys and you need to highlight them as clearly as possible.

Many publishers, like Barbour, will offer a discount if you purchase budget-priced books in case lots, so why not take advantage of it? You can pass your savings on to your customers by making the prices even lower. Or you could use the inexpensive books as giveaways. Send them to your VIP shoppers, use them to create a holiday-themed gift basket or keep them handy as door prizes. You’ll create some buzz and promote the titles all at the same time.

Contact your local churches to let them know that these titles would make affordable gifts for their Sunday school classes, pastors, congregation members, administrative assistants and Bible study groups. And if you feel you are able, offer them a special, church-only discount. You have the potential to receive some nice orders and also to start building valuable relationships.

Take your assortment of value-priced books and turn it into an event. Group fiction, puzzle books, kids’ books and so forth, and create a “Summer Reading Sidewalk Sale.” The themes you can choose from are endless and can be catered to your specific book selection. Regular sales events will give your shoppers something to look forward to and will bring them back to your store again and again.

Barbour best-selling Value Books are priced at only $1.99 each.

Shalyn Sattler is director of trade marketing at Barbour Publishing.

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