how to get a cash flow for my small book store business?

Question

i'm losing a book store business due to bad management i guess! in that book store, i only provide stuff like selling stationary, refreshment, and printing service...yet, not loads of customers come to me :(

what should i do?

could you please provide me with ideas which can help in improving the management of a book store?

what are the attractive tips which can bring loads of customers daily?

please i really need your help in showing the best managing way in building a successful book store...

thanks...
smiley

Answer 1

Start a writer's club - set it up at MeetUp.com...try for every other week. Give writing assignments or have them write a murder mystery with details about your store....

It will get people in and involved.



Start a Murder Mystery Club. Have one person read the entire book - everyone else is allowed to only read the first couple of chapters (the one who knows get's to decided where they have to stop). Then they meet to decide/argue who did it.



Advertise the clubs in craigslist or Meetup or local paper, see if local fast food would put up a flyer...



Have a treasure hunt. On a certain day hide clues in and around the books - winner get's....to pick out a free book with free coffee? Repeat a couple times over the course of the day? Prewritten hunts are available online for free...



Hold contests - where the contestants have to show up to win...Do a weekly question - (answer can be found in a book, in your store) again they have to be present to win and give away $50 (seems like a lot but money will attract quite a few people who impulsively buy)



Give coupons to neighboring stores - "As a thank you from Sally's HairDo Place have 10% off a coffee at the bookstore".



Have give aways if they purchase over $100 dollars in X month. Like a palm reading, a massage (those ten minute in a chair things), etc....



Hold classes...get guest speakers....amatuer poetry readings....





Have more fun.

Answer 2

Advertising.



The best business in the world will fail if no-one knows you exist.



Have you done a SWOT analysis of the business? If the market it too small then your going to have problems regardless.



Basically a SWOT analysis should tell you:



Is there a market for your business in your locale?

Are there lots of other people offering the same thing?



Having a good idea and having a working idea are two different things.



It may be you need to diversify to gain an advantage or make a differential, ie yu do something your competitors don't.



A book store in this day and agemay not be the best thing, Amazon undercut the high street regularly and stationary can be bought very cheap online, mainly because they don't have the overhead of running a business property. Plus, sad to say, people don't read enough.

Answer 3

Try putting a sign in your window...."Come in and browse...have a free cup of coffee...morning newspapers available""...Adverstising is a MUST! You need more products...get some magazines, newspapers, or other magazines. people might come and pick up the morning paper and get a free cup of coffee as part of their morning routine...be sure to open early enough to beat the rush hour (about 5:30am) Get a few popular books to sell or offer a service to order books if you dont have enough room for a large inventory.Once they come in the store for some coffee, they will be looking for some deals......play some nice instrumental, soft music..flutes, celtic, etc..like the CD's you can get at walmart for mood music...You can also offer faxing service! Or even an internet service where people can pay to use the computer... Good luck!

Answer 4

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