ENGAGING YOUR COMMUNITY WITH COMIC BOOK CLUBS Tips and Best Practices for Retailers
As statewide shutdown orders become more widespread, retailers forced to close their shops are faced with serious challenges in maintaining their businesses. One way to overcome some of those challenges is to engage with existing comic book clubs as they go remote — or start a new one! While some remote book clubs are completely digital, including the reading material, many readers prefer to read physical books, giving you an opportunity to move product and expand your community.
Art by Tony Shasteen
For retailers, a comic book club can strengthen your ties to the community and bring in new customers. Even if you don’t run the book club yourself, you can partner with your local library and schools to provide books and help them transition to remote meetings. Here are some tips for making the most of comic book clubs.
Choose a Book that Works Best for Your Business » You can pick a new release. This makes your book club timely, promotes new stock, and helps excite customers as it is more likely to be new to them. Since a book club can function as a promotional tool, it might help you secure additional support from the publisher and creative team. » Or you could choose a book that you have a lot of in stock. Now’s the time to promote your backstock. Promoting a book you already have through a book club is a good way to help move excess copies out of your inventory. » Check publishers’ liquidation lists, and choose a book you can purchase with an extra discount. This helps you generate extra profit. You can also pass some of the discount down to book club members purchasing the book to encourage participation and repeat business.
Host Your Book Club Regularly » Choose a specific time of the month for your book club meetings, and stick to that schedule. This allows your customers to plan for your book club, increases participation, and helps you keep track of when orders are due. » Send out a monthly email to your customers to let them know when their orders are due. For example: This month’s book club selection is [TITLE]! Ensure you get your book in time by submitting a request by [DATE], for our monthly book club on [DATE]! Engaging Your Community with Comic Book Clubs: A CBLDF Resource
cbldf.org
Get Your Staff Involved » A remote book club helps foster the community you’ve built at your shop even when the shop is closed. Getting your staff involved in organizing and promoting the club is one way you can build enthusiasm and participation. » Your staff may also be adept moderators during meetings and on social media, so enlist their help.
Promote It » Your customers are looking for things to do remotely, so let them know about what you’re offering. Send emails to customers via your store’s mailing list, and post reminders on your social media.
Get Creators Involved! » Reach out via social media and see if they can videoconference or teleconference in and share some insight with your customers. This adds value for your customers and will encourage book club participation. » Reaching out also shows creators that you’re supporting their work, which could help build a relationship that promotes future partnerships, such as a store signing once you’re back open. » Reach out to publishers, too. Publishers can help you get in touch with creators if you’re having difficulty reaching them. They might also be willing to provide assets or support on their social media if your club is helping to promote one of their books.
Keep Your Book Club Community Going All Month Long » Building a space where your book club members can connect outside of regular meetings will foster community and encourage consistent participation. Make a Facebook group page, Discord channel, or other group message board so members can chat between meetings. » You can use this space to promote each month’s selection and post reminders about upcoming meetings.
Looking for more info about comic book clubs? Learn how to start and make the most of book clubs for comics and manga with CBLDF’s Comic Book Club Handbook and Manga Book Club Handbook! These handbooks provide proven strategies for getting started, selecting books, engaging your community, managing discussions, and much more, including a helpful table of books to get you started! Check them out online at http://cbldf.org/book-clubs/
UB OK CL O B C I COM BOOK HAND
making Starting and k clubs for boo the most of graphic novels! comics and
CBLDF IS HERE TO HELP!
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the First Amendment rights of the comics art form, including its vibrant community of retailers. During the current coronavirus shutdown, CBLDF is spotlighting resources for impacted retailers, providing guidance, and supporting retail members as they transition to new business models. Visit http://cbldf.org/coronavirus for CBLDF’s coronavirus retailer resources! Visit cbldf.org for the latest censorship news and more resources supporting the comics community! Call CBLDF at the first sign of a First Amendment Emergency! 1-888-88-CBLDF • info@cbldf.org ©2020 Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. with Comic Book Clubs: A CBLDF Resource Engaging Your Community
2020 member art by Matt Wagner
cbldf.org
